Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›
all judged against network switches at a similar priceThe Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 scores 6.9/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 at 6.0/10.
The TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 leads on noise and efficiency.
The Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 leads on port speeds, management and port count and uplinks.
They score the same on poE and firmware and support.
The biggest difference is management, where the Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 scores 7/10 to the TP-Link TL-SG105-M2's 4/10.
The TL-SG105-M2 is for people who want a simple five-port switch with 2.5GbE on every port. It suits a desk, a small home network or a homelab that needs faster links but no VLANs or PoE. It is a plug-in switch with no management interface listed.
Typically about £43 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details
The UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 is for people who run a UniFi setup and want eight 2.5G ports in a small switch. It adds a 10G combo uplink, which suits a link back to a faster switch or router. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs PoE output, a CLI or a standalone web interface.
Typically about £150 in the UK when we researched itSearch Amazon UK (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details
| Criterion | Weight | TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 | Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Port speeds | 30% | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Management | 20% | 4/10 | 7/10 |
| Port count and uplinks | 15% | 5/10 | 8/10 |
| Noise and efficiency | 15% | 9/10 | 6/10 |
| PoE | 10% | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Firmware and support | 10% | 5/10 | 5/10 |
| Overall | 6.0/10 | 6.9/10 |
| Spec | TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 | Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 5 RJ45 ports | 8 access ports (2.5G/1G/100M/10M) plus one 10G RJ45/SFP+ combo uplink |
| Port speeds | 100Mbps / 1Gbps / 2.5Gbps, auto-negotiated, auto MDI/MDIX | Access ports 2.5G/1G/100M/10M; uplink RJ45 10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M; SFP+ 10G/1G |
| Management | Unmanaged | Spec sheet lists management interface as Ethernet only; managed through the UniFi console, and a reviewer of the PoE variant reports no web UI |
| PoE budget | No | No PoE output; powered by USB-C 5V DC 3A or PoE+ input |
| Uplinks (SFP/SFP+) | not listed | One 10G SFP+ port (10G/1G) and one 10 GbE RJ45 port, as a combo uplink |
| Switching capacity | 25 Gbps switching capacity; 18.6 Mpps forwarding rate; 16K MAC table; 1.5 Mb packet buffer | 60 Gbps switching capacity, 30 Gbps non-blocking throughput, 45 Mpps forwarding rate |
| Cooling | Fanless | not listed |
Skip it if:
Skip it if: