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Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 vs Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE

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 Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE at 5.9/10.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 leads on port speeds and port count and uplinks.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE leads on management and noise and efficiency.

They score the same on poE and firmware and support.

The biggest difference is port speeds, where the Ubiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8 scores 8/10 to the Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE's 4/10.

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

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE

5.9/10verdict: good, not the best

The UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE is for people already running, or planning, a UniFi setup who want a small, silent managed switch. It suits a desk, small office or home network with a few PoE devices such as access points or cameras. It is a poor fit for anyone who needs faster than gigabit speeds, fibre uplinks or lots of PoE power.

Typically about £111 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

CriterionWeightUbiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE
Port speeds30%8/104/10
Management20%7/108/10
Port count and uplinks15%8/105/10
Noise and efficiency15%6/109/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%5/105/10
Overall6.9/105.9/10

Specifications

SpecUbiquiti UniFi Flex 2.5G USW-Flex-2.5G-8Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE
Ports8 access ports (2.5G/1G/100M/10M) plus one 10G RJ45/SFP+ combo uplink8 RJ45 ports in total, of which 4 are PoE+
Port speedsAccess ports 2.5G/1G/100M/10M; uplink RJ45 10G/5G/2.5G/1G/100M; SFP+ 10G/1G10/100/1000 Mbps on all ports
ManagementSpec sheet lists management interface as Ethernet only; managed through the UniFi console, and a reviewer of the PoE variant reports no web UILayer 2 managed, configured through the UniFi Network Controller, in-band Ethernet management
PoE budgetNo PoE output; powered by USB-C 5V DC 3A or PoE+ input52 W total PoE budget; up to 30 W per PoE+ port (802.3at)
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)One 10G SFP+ port (10G/1G) and one 10 GbE RJ45 port, as a combo uplinkNo SFP or SFP+ port; RJ45 networking ports only
Switching capacity60 Gbps switching capacity, 30 Gbps non-blocking throughput, 45 Mpps forwarding rate16 Gbps switching capacity; 8 Gbps non-blocking line rate
Coolingnot listedFanless; heat dissipation 27.3 BTU/hr excluding PoE output

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE

  • + Fanless and quiet, praised by owners
  • + Layer 2 management with VLANs through UniFi Network Controller
  • + Easy setup and quick provisioning, per owners
  • − Only four of eight ports supply PoE
  • − Gigabit only, with no SFP or SFP+ uplink
  • − 52 W PoE budget may strain demanding devices

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need 2.5GbE, 10GbE or SFP+ uplinks
  • Anyone powering many or high-demand PoE devices
  • People who want L3 routing on the switch itself
Read the full Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE review ›

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