TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 vs UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G
Illustration
Highly recommended
Illustration
Highly recommended
Our verdict
Editorial opinionOur verdict
Both have five 2.5 GbE ports and no fan. The TL-SG105-M2 is metal and plug and play; the Flex Mini 2.5G adds VLANs and can run off PoE or USB-C, but needs a UniFi controller to configure. Without UniFi, the TP-Link; with UniFi, the Flex Mini.
| Factual data | TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 | UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G |
|---|---|---|
| Ports | 5 × 2.5 GbE | 5 × 2.5 GbE |
| Total ports | 5 | 5 |
| Management | Unmanaged | Managed |
| VLANs | No | YesAdvantage |
| PoE output | No | No |
| Max power (without PoE) | 5.6 WAdvantage | 6.4 W |
| Cooling | Fanless (silent) | Fanless (silent) |
| Size | 209 × 126 × 26 mm | 117.1 × 90 × 21.2 mm |
| Price from | — | $49 |
What each one is good forDerived from the specs
| Uses | TP-Link TL-SG105-M2 | UniFi Flex Mini 2.5G |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 GbE network | Great fit5 RJ45 ports at 2.5 GbE or faster | Great fit5 RJ45 ports at 2.5 GbE or faster |
| 10 GbE | Not suitableNo 10 GbE port | Not suitableNo 10 GbE port |
| VLANs | Not suitableUnmanaged: it passes tagged traffic but cannot assign VLANs to ports | Good802.1Q tagged VLANs |
| PoE | Not suitableNo PoE ports | Not suitableIt can be powered by PoE, but supplies none |
| Homelab core | LimitedNo VLANs: fine to add ports, not to be the centre of the network | Limited5 ports, VLANs |
| 10-inch rack | Good209 mm wide: fits on a 10-inch shelf | Good117.1 mm wide: fits on a 10-inch shelf |
| Silent | Great fitNo fan | Great fitNo fan |