Skip to content
sudopicks
esc

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE vs Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini scores 6.1/10 overall, ahead of the Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoE at 5.9/10.

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

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini leads on port speeds.

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

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

UniFi Switch Flex Mini

Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini

6.1/10verdict: good, not the best

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 (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 Switch Lite 8 PoEUbiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini
Port speeds30%4/105/10
Management20%8/108/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/105/10
Noise and efficiency15%9/108/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%5/105/10
Overall5.9/106.1/10

Specifications

SpecUbiquiti UniFi Switch Lite 8 PoEUbiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini
Ports8 RJ45 ports in total, of which 4 are PoE+5 RJ45 ports, 1GbE
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps on all ports10/100/1000 Mbps per port
ManagementLayer 2 managed, configured through the UniFi Network Controller, in-band Ethernet managementUniFi Network Controller management with VLAN support (1,000 VLANs), port isolation, mirroring and rate limiting; requires UniFi Network 5.12.5 or later
PoE budget52 W total PoE budget; up to 30 W per PoE+ port (802.3at)No PoE output; one port accepts 802.3af/at PoE input only
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)No SFP or SFP+ port; RJ45 networking ports onlyNone; RJ45 ports only, no SFP/SFP+
Switching capacity16 Gbps switching capacity; 8 Gbps non-blocking line rateSwitching capacity 10 Gbps; 5 Gbps non-blocking throughput; 7 Mpps forwarding rate
CoolingFanless; heat dissipation 27.3 BTU/hr excluding PoE outputHeat dissipation 6.824 BTU/hr (excluding PoE output); no fan listed on manufacturer page

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

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 ›

More comparisons

Compare all network switches · Best network switches