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Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini vs Zyxel XGS1210-12

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

all judged against network switches at a similar price

The Zyxel XGS1210-12 scores 6.9/10 overall, ahead of the Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini at 6.1/10.

The Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini leads on management.

The Zyxel XGS1210-12 leads on port speeds and port count and uplinks.

They score the same on noise and efficiency, poE and firmware and support.

The biggest difference is port speeds, where the Zyxel XGS1210-12 scores 8/10 to the Ubiquiti UniFi Switch Flex Mini's 5/10.

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

Zyxel XGS1210-12

Zyxel XGS1210-12

6.9/10verdict: buy

The Zyxel XGS1210-12 is for homelabbers and small offices that want a quiet, fanless switch with a couple of faster links. It suits someone connecting a server or NAS over 2.5GbE copper or 10G SFP+ while the other devices stay on Gigabit. It is a poor fit if you need PoE or LACP bonding.

Typically about £125 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 Switch Flex MiniZyxel XGS1210-12
Port speeds30%5/108/10
Management20%8/106/10
Port count and uplinks15%5/107/10
Noise and efficiency15%8/108/10
PoE10%5/105/10
Firmware and support10%5/105/10
Overall6.1/106.9/10

Specifications

SpecUbiquiti UniFi Switch Flex MiniZyxel XGS1210-12
Ports5 RJ45 ports, 1GbE12 total: 8 x RJ-45 10/100/1000 Mbps, 2 x RJ-45 100/1000/2500 Mbps, 2 x SFP+
Port speeds10/100/1000 Mbps per port8 copper ports 10/100/1000 Mbps; 2 copper ports 100/1000/2.5G; SFP+ cages take 1G or 10G optics
ManagementUniFi Network Controller management with VLAN support (1,000 VLANs), port isolation, mirroring and rate limiting; requires UniFi Network 5.12.5 or laterWeb-managed; port-based VLAN, 802.1p and port-based QoS, IGMP snooping, static link aggregation, port mirroring, management VLAN, HTTP/HTTPS
PoE budgetNo PoE output; one port accepts 802.3af/at PoE input onlyNo PoE
Uplinks (SFP/SFP+)None; RJ45 ports only, no SFP/SFP+2 x SFP+ (1G/10G)
Switching capacitySwitching capacity 10 Gbps; 5 Gbps non-blocking throughput; 7 Mpps forwarding rate66 Gbps switching capacity; 49 Mpps forwarding rate
CoolingHeat dissipation 6.824 BTU/hr (excluding PoE output); no fan listed on manufacturer pageFanless

Strengths and weaknesses

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 ›

Zyxel XGS1210-12

  • + Two SFP+ cages take 1G or 10G optics
  • + Fanless, and owners praise it as quiet and compact
  • + Two 2.5GbE copper ports alongside eight Gigabit ports
  • − Static link aggregation only; no LACP
  • − Owners report heat under heavy load
  • − No PoE

Skip it if:

  • Buyers who need LACP link aggregation
  • Anyone who needs PoE for access points or cameras
  • Buyers putting it in a warm, unventilated cupboard under heavy load
Read the full Zyxel XGS1210-12 review ›

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