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TP-Link TL-SG108E vs Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G scores 6.3/10 overall, ahead of the TP-Link TL-SG108E at 6.2/10.

The TP-Link TL-SG108E leads on port count and uplinks, noise and efficiency and firmware and support.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G leads on port speeds and management.

They score the same on poE.

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

UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G

Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G

6.3/10verdict: good, not the best

The UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G is for people who run UniFi gear and want multi-gig speeds on a small five-port switch. It suits a home office or homelab that needs a few 2.5GbE devices linked and managed from the UniFi Network application. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs PoE output, more than five ports or fibre uplinks.

Typically about £52.99 in the UK when we researched itCheck price at 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 Mini 2.5G
Port speeds30%6/107/10
Management20%6/107/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/104/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/108/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%6/105/10
Overall6.2/106.3/10

Specifications

SpecTP-Link TL-SG108EUbiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G
Ports8 x 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 ports5 x 2.5 GbE RJ45 ports
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps2.5G/1G/100M/10M per port
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 diagnosticsnot listed
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)not listedNone; no SFP/SFP+ uplink ports
Switching capacity16 Gbps switching capacity; 11.9 Mpps forwarding rate; 4K MAC table25 Gbps switching capacity, 12.5 Gbps non-blocking throughput, 19 Mpps forwarding rate, 256 VLANs, 4,000 MAC addresses
CoolingFanless, metal casingFanless (retailer listing; not on manufacturer spec page)

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 Mini 2.5G

  • + All five ports run 2.5GbE
  • + Managed through UniFi Network, with 256 VLANs
  • − Only five ports
  • − No PoE output
  • − No SFP or SFP+ uplink

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need PoE output for access points or cameras
  • Anyone who needs more than five ports or SFP/SFP+ uplinks
  • Users who want advanced layer 2 or layer 3 switching features
Read the full Ubiquiti UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G review ›

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