Unifi Vs Edgemax – Which Ubiquiti router is faster?
If you’re looking for a nice Ubiquiti router for your home, the UniFi and EdgeMax are some of the top options to choose from. Here, we’ll provide an in depth review and compare them to see their differences and similarities.
For some users, consumer grade routers just don’t do a good enough job for them. Because of this, they go for enterprise routers. Ubiquiti is known for manufacturing the best enterprise routers and two of the most popular are the Unifi and EdgeMax routers. They differ from regular consumer grade routers in every factors from speed, performance and range, they also cost more. That being said, it will take some certain amount of network knowledge to operate these routers. You may find these devices being referred to as gateways, and this wouldn’t be wrong. The Unifi and Edge routers are enterprise routers meaning they are versatile in their operations. They are referred to as gateways are they have robus security built into them. The table below shows their main differences
Table of Contents
What are the differences between the Ubiquiti Unifi and Ubiquiti Edgemax?
Model |
Ubiquiti Unifi |
Ubiquiti Edgemax |
MU-MIMO |
Yes |
Yes |
Beamforming |
Yes |
Yes |
Ports |
5 |
5 |
Chipset |
4×4 802.11ac 500 MHz dual band processor |
1Ghz dual-core processor |
Speed (Long range) |
Up to 100 Mbps |
Up to 50 Mbps |
Availability |
Ubiquiti Unifi vs EdgeRouter – How do they compare?
To select the best router for you, the following features have to be considered.
Performance and speed
When buying a router, the most important factor to look at is the performance of the router. The Ubiquiti EdgeRouter performs better than the standard Unifi router that we’re looking at in this article. The Unifi AC Pro beats both of our devices when it comes to performance. Theoretically, the Unifi provides a speed of up to 3000 Mbps(300Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1733Mbps on the 5GHz band) while EdgeMax gives a max of 1200 Mbps (300 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 900 mbps on the 5GHz band). When tested however, the speeds found were 100 Mbps and 50 Mbps respectively. Despite the slight difference in speed, both can be considered high speed routers and would be a great addition to any home or office. The Unifi however is the much better choice as it is faster.
Design and structure
The Unifi and Edgemax are both Ubiquiti products. Because of this, there is not much to distinguish them in terms of looks. However, you can observe that the Edge Max is larger than the Unifi. They are both rectangular metallic boxes with ports at the front and a power button. You will also notice that the Unifi features a more modern design and finishing and offers more color options from white, black to blue. In terms of aesthetics and beauty, we definitely love the Unifi better. It is much smaller and compact, gorgeous finishing touches and modern looking
Functionality and use
One of the main reason Ubiquiti excels with its products is the versatility they offer. On top of being a router, both the Unifi and Edge Max are used and regarded to as gateways. While a router accepts and transfers data packets within the same protocols, a gateway does the same using different protocols. With these two devices you get a two in one product for the price of the router. There is however one special thing about the Unifi. It comes with optional access points. Access point are basically secondary routers that work with the main one to boost the signal. The access points are circular dish like structures that can be connected to the Ubiquiti Unifi either wirelessly or through PoE cable. With that, the Unifi is better for use as it is much more versatile and provides a richer signal over longer distances
Ports and connectivity
Another important feature for routers is their ports. Both of these products feature five ports per unit. Both feature one console port, two LAN and two WAN. The Unifi may however offer much more ports from the access points it comes with. The access points are small circular dish like structures with one RJ45 Ethernet port. On top of this, the Unifi Pro version features eight ports with an additional PoE connection and more LAN and WAN. The Unifi wins again for ports making it a great choice for people with many devices.
Pricing
Perhaps the most important factor to consider is the price. While these routers are almost similar in performance, their prices are quite different. The Unifi is more expensive and costs almost double what the Edge Max costs. But even with this high costs, we believe that the Unifi offers much more value for money as you get the complete package of high speed, range and security. If you’re on a tight budget, the Edge Max would be better for you.
Warranty
With Ubiquiti products, you always have a lifetime warranty. This means that the Unifi and Edge Max also come with lifetime warranties which is wonderful.
Ubiquiti Unifi vs EdgeMax – A Comparison Review
Ubiquiti Unifi
- 3 Gigabit Ethernet ports, CLI management for advanced users
- 1 million packets per second for 64-byte packets
One of the best Ubiquiti routes you can buy is the Unifi router. It is a modern enterprise router that performs both router and gateway functions. This is the main reason for its popularity in both workplace and home use. Unlike previous enterprise routers by Ubiquiti, this one takes a more modern design and feel. It is also very user friendly, allowing easy setup and configuration provided you have some bit of networking knowledge. The unit is a rectangular shaped box with a metallic casing with a matte finish on top. It comes in blue, black or white. But perhaps the best thing about the Unifi is that it comes with optional access points. What this means is that it works like a mesh system. The access points act as secondary router devices that are placed at different locations of the house to boost and propel the signal. The access points are white bowl like structure with a single RJ45 ethernet port for wired connection to the main unit. However, they can be also be connected wirelessly.
Unifi is a high performance bandwidth router that provides a total poster speed of 3000 Mbps with 300 Mbps on the 2.4GHz band and 1733 Mbps on the 5GHz band. Speed when tested in the real world was about 100 Mbps which is rather high. It also provided a range of about 5000 square feet when connected to two access points. It comes with 5 high speed ports and is powered by a robust 4 x 4 dual band processor CPU. Other wonderful features include:create virtual LANs, Deep Packet Inspection and Intrusion Detection. With that the following are its pros and cons
Pros
- Ubiquiti’s unifi provides high speeds of up to 100 Mbps
- It has wonderful range of up to 5000 sq. feet
- The design is striking and goes along with any home décor
- There are five high speed Ethernet ports
- Unifi comes with lifetime warranty
- It provides amazing security since it acts as a gateway
- It is compatible with all major operating systems from Mac OS, Windows, Linux and Android.
Cons
- This is an expensive router
- Toset up and configure it, you need some understanding of networking
Ubiquiti EdgeMax
- Product Type:Networking Router
- Item Package Dimension:7.112 cm L X 10.16 cm W X 14.986 cm H
Another wonderful, timeless release by the Ubiquiti Company is the Ubiquiti EdgeMax. The router is a black box shaped device with small holes on both sides for cooling and breathability. The router can easily be mistaken for a switch. But the design shouldn’t put you off just yet because this router has some of the best performance you will find in a router on its price range. The unit measures 4.33 x 2.95 x 0.87 inches. This small size ensures it can be placed anywhere in the house and can even be mounted. But perhaps the best feature of the Edge router X is the PoE feature that really comes through when using more than one access points. Because of this, there are two PoE ports at the back of the router: one in and one out. There are also two additional gigabit Ethernet ports.
Pros
- EdgeMax is one of the most attractive routers in the market
- Robust security for your devices
- It is compatible with other Ubiquiti access points through PoE
- The router is quite affordable and offers great value for money
Cons
- Slow speeds compared to other ubiquiti routers
- It requires networking knowledge for setup and configuration
Conclusion
The most important thing to look at when selecting either of these is which one best suits your needs. If fast speed and long range is your concern, the Ubiquiti Unifi would be the better router. Otherwise, we recommend the EdgeMax for its affordability and versatility
Final Verdict – So which router is faster, Unifi or EdgeMax?
Without a doubt, the Unifi router is faster and even provides longer range of signal. Other than that, there is little to split these two as they excel in their departments. The EdgeMax is affordable yet offers similar features to the Unifi. It would therefore be a better choice for anyone concerned about price.
FAQ
-
Does the Ubiquiti EdgeMax offer Deep intrusion services?
Yes. The router supports deep intrucion which is used for security and protection against malware and viruses
-
Are the Unifi and EdgeMax from the same company?
Yes. Both products are manufactured Ubiquiti and come with the signature Ubiquiti lifetime warranty
