TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch vs Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch and Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini both score 6.1/10 overall.

The TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch leads on port speeds and noise and efficiency.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini leads on management.

They score the same on port count and uplinks, poE and firmware and support.

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

6.1/10verdict: wait for deal

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

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

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini

6.1/10verdict: wait for deal

The UniFi Switch Flex Mini is for people who run, or plan to run, a UniFi network and want a small managed switch. It offers five Gigabit ports, VLAN support and controller management in a 150 g fanless-listed box. It does not suit buyers who need PoE output, SFP uplinks or faster-than-Gigabit links.

Typically about £33 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at 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 Switch Flex Mini
Port speeds	30%	6/10	5/10
Management	20%	6/10	8/10
Port count and uplinks	15%	5/10	5/10
Noise and efficiency	15%	9/10	8/10
PoE	10%	5/10	5/10
Firmware and support	10%	5/10	5/10
Overall		6.1/10	6.1/10

Specifications

Spec	TP-Link TL-SG105S 5-Port Gigabit Desktop Switch	Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini
Ports	5× 10/100/1000 Mbps Auto-Negotiation RJ45 ports supporting Auto-MDI/MDIX	5 RJ45 ports, 1GbE
Port speeds	10/100/1000 Mbps, auto-negotiation, auto-MDI/MDIX	10/100/1000 Mbps per port
Management	Unmanaged	UniFi Network Controller management with VLAN support (1,000 VLANs), port isolation, mirroring and rate limiting; requires UniFi Network 5.12.5 or later
PoE budget	No	No PoE output; one port accepts 802.3af/at PoE input only
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)	not listed	None; RJ45 ports only, no SFP/SFP+
Switching capacity	10 Gbit/s switching capacity	Switching capacity 10 Gbps; 5 Gbps non-blocking throughput; 7 Mpps forwarding rate
Cooling	Durable metal casing, desktop/wall-mounting options, and a fanless design	Heat dissipation 6.824 BTU/hr (excluding PoE output); no fan listed on manufacturer page

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 Switch Flex Mini

+ Controller management with up to 1,000 VLANs
+ No fan listed; 2.5 W maximum power draw
+ Small and light: 107 x 70 x 21 mm, 150 g
− Gigabit only, with no SFP or SFP+ uplink
− No PoE output to power other devices
− Needs UniFi Network 5.12.5 or later for management

Skip it if:

Buyers who need PoE output to power access points or cameras
Anyone who wants SFP/SFP+ uplinks or faster-than-Gigabit ports
People who do not want to run a UniFi controller

Read the full Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini review ›

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