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TP-Link TL-SG108E 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-SG108E at 6.2/10.

The TP-Link TL-SG108E leads on noise and efficiency and firmware and support.

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.

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-SG108E's 5/10.

TP-Link TL-SG108E

TP-Link TL-SG108E

6.2/10verdict: good, not the best

The TL-SG108E is for home and homelab users who want a small, silent eight-port gigabit switch with basic VLAN support. It suits setups that need a few separate networks, not strict isolation. It is a poor fit if you need PoE, fibre uplinks, faster-than-gigabit ports or Spanning Tree.

Typically about £45 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

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

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 (opens in a new tab, affiliate link)

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

Scores, criterion by criterion

CriterionWeightTP-Link TL-SG108EUbiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8
Port speeds30%6/108/10
Management20%6/107/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/108/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/106/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%6/105/10
Overall6.2/106.9/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link TL-SG108EUbiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8
Ports8 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports8 access ports (2.5G/1G/100M/10M) plus one 10G RJ45/SFP+ combo uplink
Port speeds10/100/1000 MbpsAccess ports 2.5G/1G/100M/10M; uplink RJ45 10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M; SFP+ 10G/1G
ManagementEasy Smart; web user interface and Windows management utility; port-based, 802.1Q and MTU VLAN (32 VLANs active out of 4K IDs), port mirroring, loop prevention, IGMP snooping, cable diagnosticsSpec sheet lists management interface as Ethernet only; managed through the UniFi console, and a reviewer of the PoE variant reports no web UI
PoE budgetnot listedNo PoE output; powered by USB-C 5V DC 3A or PoE+ input
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listedOne 10G SFP+ port (10G/1G) and one 10 GbE RJ45 port, as a combo uplink
Switching capacity16 Gbps switching capacity; 11.9 Mpps forwarding rate; 4K MAC table60 Gbps switching capacity, 30 Gbps non-blocking throughput, 45 Mpps forwarding rate
CoolingFanless, metal casingnot listed

Strengths and weaknesses

TP-Link TL-SG108E

  • + Fanless metal casing, so no fan noise
  • + 802.1Q VLANs and port mirroring on a web UI
  • + Owners report VLANs working on current firmware
  • − Gigabit only, with no SFP/SFP+ uplink published
  • − VLAN 1 cannot be removed and no Spanning Tree
  • − Owners describe VLAN setup as fiddly

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE for access points, cameras or phones
  • Anyone who needs strict VLAN isolation, Spanning Tree or a management interface off the user ports
  • Users who want 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP/SFP+ uplinks
Read the full TP-Link TL-SG108E 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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