Today, Ubiquiti is expanding its stable of networking gear with one of its most capable switches yet, the new Switch Flex XG. This high-end expansion to your network arrives with all of the same prosumer features we’ve come to expect from the brand, alongside the notable inclusion of 10GbE support. Head below for all of the details.
Ubiquiti launches new Switch Flex XG
The latest addition to the UniFi lineup from Ubiquiti were first released in the brand’s early access store earlier in the year but are now just being rolled out to the public. Marking one of the first additions to the UniFi lineup with support for 10GbE, the new Switch Flex XG arrives with a unique feature set.
Sporting a compact design, the more lightweight Ethernet switch arrives with a 1Gb input that’s supplemented by four 10GbE ports. Thanks to its PoE support, this enters as one of the auxiliary Ethernet switches in the Ubiquiti stable. So while not meant to serve as the main workhorse in a rack, it’s a notable solution for setting up elsewhere in your UniFi network.
It seems like the ideal use case that Ubiquiti has in mind here is deploying the Switch Flex XG in a part of your UniFi setup that’s not near the main rack, but could still use access to 10GbE switching capabilities. So while its 1Gb input may not make sense when paired with four 10GbE ports, this is more for interfacing with computers or additional hardware in the local network than sending that kind of bandwidth uplink.
The PoE input makes this all the more compelling, as you could install this at a workstation in-between a NAS and video editing machines which may need the increased bandwidth when sharing files, but won’t be saturating the link with anywhere near 10GbE of throughout from elsewhere in your Ubiquiti setup, or from the internet.
Now available for purchase, the new UniFi Switch Flex XG enters with a $299 price tag and can be purchased directly from Ubiquiti’s online storefront.
Electronicsforward’ Take:
While I think the user base for the new Switch Flex XG is certainly going to be on the smaller side of our particular audience considering the consumer adoption of 10GbE networking is still in the works, those who have a need may very well find the latest from Ubiquiti to deliver. I definitely think that the use case I outlined above will likely resonate with a lot of UniFi adopters, which should help justify the price tag to some degree. Sure $299 is a lot for a switch with this kind of scenario in mind, but the fact that it’s one of the first Ubiquiti releases with 10GbE support is certainly notable.
For additional inspiration in decking out your own Ubiquiti setup, be sure to check out our ongoing UniFi Diary series, where I recently outlined all of the gear in my current network and the plans I have for the rest of 2021.
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