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MikroTik hEX S vs Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition: Comparison
MikroTik hEX S and Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition differ on max lan port speed: MikroTik hEX S at 1GbE, Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition at 10GbE, which puts Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition ahead on that measure. They match on 4 other specifications, including device type, vpn server and vpn client.
Read the full breakdown: Best Routers with VLAN Support for a Home Lab
Which is better, MikroTik hEX S or Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition?
On balance, mikroTik hEX S and Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition differ on max lan port speed: MikroTik hEX S at 1GbE, Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition at 10GbE, which puts Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition ahead on that measure.
What is the main difference between MikroTik hEX S and Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition?
The Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition is the stronger choice on paper: it has 1.6x the wired ports (8x 1GbE RJ45 PoE switch ports, 1x 2.5GbE RJ45, 2x 10G SFP+ (default WAN: 1x 10G SFP+ and 1x 2.5GbE) vs 5x Gigabit Ethernet, 1x SFP, 1x USB-A, 1x microSD).
Specs and benchmarks
Brand
- MikroTik hEX S
- MikroTik
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- Ubiquiti
Router Type
- MikroTik hEX S
- Wired Router / Budget Enthusiast Gateway
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- Prosumer-Business
Model Number
- MikroTik hEX S
- RB760iGS
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- UDM-SE
Device Type
- MikroTik hEX S
- Standalone Router
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- Standalone Router
Wired Ports
- MikroTik hEX S
- 5x Gigabit Ethernet, 1x SFP, 1x USB-A, 1x microSD
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- 8x 1GbE RJ45 PoE switch ports, 1x 2.5GbE RJ45, 2x 10G SFP+ (default WAN: 1x 10G SFP+ and 1x 2.5GbE)
Special Features
- MikroTik hEX S
- RouterOS v7, hardware crypto acceleration for VPN, compact fanless case
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- 3.5 Gbps IDS/IPS throughput, 180W PoE budget, 1U rackmount, 3.5in NVR HDD bay plus 128GB SSD, manages 100+ UniFi devices
Max LAN Port Speed
- MikroTik hEX S
- 1GbE
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- 10GbEBest
Multi-Gig Port Count
- MikroTik hEX S
- 0 ports
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- 3 ports
SFP+ Port
- MikroTik hEX S
- No
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- Yes
CPU Cores
- MikroTik hEX S
- 2 cores
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- 4 coresBest
CPU Clock
- MikroTik hEX S
- 0.88 GHz
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- 1.7 GHz
RAM
- MikroTik hEX S
- 256 MB
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- 4096 MB
Flash Storage
- MikroTik hEX S
- 16 MB
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- 16384 MB
VPN Server
- MikroTik hEX S
- Yes
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- Yes
VPN Client
- MikroTik hEX S
- Yes
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- Yes
VLAN Support
- MikroTik hEX S
- Yes
- Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition
- Yes
Which one should you pick?
Choose MikroTik hEX S if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Choose Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition if you already have it on hand or find it at a lower price.
Price comparison
| Retailer | MikroTik hEX S | Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Special Edition |
|---|---|---|
| Ubiquiti Store | View on Ubiquiti Store |
Disclaimer: The price and specification of the given product may differ from the actual product. Please confirm on the retailer's website before buying.
Verdict
MikroTik hEX S
7 / 10 Expert Rating
An excellent low-cost gateway for learning RouterOS or running a dedicated firewall/VPN box, provided you don't need built-in WiFi.