All the Ubiquiti Switch Enterprise 8 PoE’s ports are on its front. Here they are when out of the box and when the switch is working. Note the two SFP+ ports and the touchscreen.

If you wish the Professional 8 PoE had more ports, more PoE, or more high-bandwidth interfaces, the Enterprise line is where you should look. Well beyond the smaller or cheaper options covered above, these are the top-of-the-line. Not bound by a contract, you can choose to migrate your devices from our cloud controller at any time. I tried that out with the switch and could use its more advanced features, including port settings and bandwidth management, as shown in the screenshots above. However, none of these extras is essential for any home. Supports 802.3af/at or 48V Passive PoE to power the switch and can provide 48V (2-pair) PoE passthrough to port 8. The Ubiquiti USW-Enterprise-8-PoE UniFi 8-Port Layer 3 Managed Desktop 2.5-Gigabit PoE+ Switch allows you to build and expand your network. Perfect for smaller businesses, the USW-Enterprise-8-PoE is a configurable Layer 3 switch with auto-sensing 802.3at PoE+. It offers (8) 2.5GbE RJ45 Ethernet ports, and (2) 10GbE SFP+ ports, providing 2.5GbE PoE links to your WiFi 6 APs and 10GbE fibre uplinks to your network. Features include a 1.3" touchscreen, and single-row RJ45 port layout for easy patch panel cable management. Easy to Deploy and Manage!

Flex

Additionally, its (2) sine-wave, AC outputs can power 110V, AC devices, including a modem and gateway. The USW Mission Critical also features a 1.3" LCM color touchscreen that concisely displays key system and connection insights. This switch can be monitored or configured from anywhere with the powerful, intuitive UniFi Network web application and mobile app. The BASE-T wiring is more popular thanks to its simple design and flexibility in speed support. Some routers and switches have an RJ45/SFP+ combo which includes two physical ports of each type, but you can use one at a time. Out of the box, the Ubiquiti Switch Enterprise 8 PoE looks great with a touchscreen and a solid build. The switch is heavy and feels sturdy. And it comes with everything to get it up and running, including mounting accessories and a standard power cable. Generally, for home use, it’s best to treat the Enterprise 8 PoE as a standalone unmanaged Multi-Gig PoE+ switch. There’s no point in complicating things unnecessarily. Ubiquiti Switch Enterprise 8 PoE: Reliable with excellent Multi-Gig performance

And there’s no point in installing the UNA software just to use the switch. That only makes sense when you have multiple Ubiquiti UniFi or Enterprise hardware units. But in that case, it’s best also to use a real hardware controller, like the UDR or a higher-end UniFi router. The Flex models get their name from being flexible, and supporting PoE input for power. The basic Flex mini is the cheapest and smallest UniFi switch, offering 5 gigabit Ethernet ports powered by PoE or USB-C. This can even act as a small unmanaged switch if you just need a basic port multiplier.

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I've had an Enterprise 8 PoE for a while, and it does get warm in normal use. The fan whirs up when the switch is booting up, but is mostly silent during normal operation. I would expect the Pro 8 PoE to be similar, even with minor differences in port speed and the addition of some metal to the enclosure. Lite 8 PoE and Lite 16 PoE The Switch Enterprise 48 PoE (USW Enterprise 48 PoE) is a fully managed switch with (48) 2.5GbE, 802.3at PoE+ RJ45 ports, (4) 10G SFP+ ports, and a 720W total PoE supply. Along with its Layer 3 functionality, this switch offers an extensive suite of Layer 2 switching protocols, including port-specific operation modes (switching, mirroring, or aggregate).The USW Enterprise 48 PoE also features a 1.3" LCM color touchscreen that concisely displays key system and connection insights. If you want to drive yourself mad, focus on small spec differences and compare the Professional 8 PoE to every alternative out there. I prefer to zoom out and look at the new Professional 8 PoE for what it is: something to fill a small hole in a big lineup. One thing to note: for the best and most reliable performance, you should use one of the SFP+ ports for the uplink connection. An SFP+ to RJ45 converter is necessary if your existing network doesn’t have an available SFP+ port.

The 2nd-generation Lite switches are available with 8 or 16 ports. They are handy little switches for expanding your network or supporting a few cameras, access points, or other PoE+ devices. They have limited power budgets, so carefully consider how many PoE devices will rely on them. If you just need gigabit Ethernet, a small bit of PoE, and don’t need layer 3 support, the Lite 8 PoE and Lite 16 PoE are significantly cheaper and worth considering. First generation I don’t know if it’s a good idea to start phasing out some of those 1st generation models, but something has to give. If all 4 of these models move to general access, they’re going to have over 30 different models of UniFi switches. That reminds me of Apple in the 1990’s, and not in a good way. Having so many models with overlapping features is overwhelming, and Ubiquiti doesn’t make comparing them easy. In my opinion, a reduction in SKUs would help the lineup make more sense. My First Thoughts On These New ModelsMikroTik is another common option for home and small business networks. MikroTik specializes in low-cost, high-performance switches, routers, and wireless equipment. They make a lot of similar equipment to Ubiquiti, without the UI polish or big marketing budget. Like the case of the U6 Enterprise, without an internal fan, the Ubiquiti Switch Enterprise 8 PoE ran quite warm in my testing. It wasn’t hot enough to cause concern but warmer than other switches. So, it’s best to place it somewhere airy or cool. If your budget is a bit higher and your needs align with Meraki’s offering, there is no desktop-sized switch with layer 3 support. If you can give up on layer 3, the MS120-8FP and MS130-8P and their various submodels are the closest alternatives. The MS130-12X is closer to the Enterprise 8 PoE, offering 2.5 Gbps RJ45 and 10 Gbps SFP+ with PoE support. Cisco Small Business The screen includes four sections that show various settings and conditions of the switch accessible via vertical and horizontal swiping. It also has animations for the boot process, firmware upgrades, screensavers, etc.