TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch vs Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8

Researched, not hands-on tested.How we review ›

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 scores 6.9/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch at 6.1/10.

The TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch 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 port count and uplinks, where the Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 scores 8/10 to the TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch's 5/10.

TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch

6.1/10verdict: good, not the best

The TL-SG105S is for anyone who needs four or five extra wired gigabit ports without any setup. It suits desks, benches and small home networks where traffic does not need segmenting on the switch. It does not suit buyers who need VLANs, PoE or faster-than-gigabit links.

Typically about £13.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at Amazon UK

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Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8

6.9/10verdict: buy

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

Affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Scores, criterion by criterion

Criterion	Weight	TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch	Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8
Port speeds	30%	6/10	8/10
Management	20%	6/10	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		6.1/10	6.9/10

Specifications

Spec	TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch	Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8
Ports	5× 10/100/1000 Mbps Auto-Negotiation RJ45 ports supporting Auto-MDI/MDIX	8 access ports (2.5G/1G/100M/10M) plus one 10G RJ45/SFP+ combo uplink
Port speeds	10/100/1000 Mbps, auto-negotiation, 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	10 Gbit/s switching capacity	60 Gbps switching capacity, 30 Gbps non-blocking throughput, 45 Mpps forwarding rate
Cooling	Durable metal casing, desktop/wall-mounting options, and a fanless design	not listed

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch

+ Fanless design with a 3.1 W maximum power draw
+ Plug-and-play with no configuration needed
+ Metal casing with desktop or wall-mount options
− Gigabit only, with no SFP or SFP+ uplink listed
− Manufacturer page does not list VLAN support
− No PoE on any port

Skip it if:

Buyers who need VLANs to segment traffic on the switch
Anyone powering access points or cameras over Ethernet
Buyers who want 2.5GbE ports or an SFP uplink

Read the full TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch review ›

Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8

+ Eight 2.5G access ports
+ 10G RJ45/SFP+ combo uplink
+ Small and light, with flexible power options
− No PoE output
− Needs UniFi console; no CLI or SSH reported
− Owners report limited features, no aggregation

Skip it if:

Buyers who need PoE output to power access points or cameras
Admins who want CLI, SSH or a standalone web interface
Anyone who needs link aggregation or several 10G uplinks

Read the full Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 review ›

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