UniFi USB4/TB4 to 10GbE Adapter Review

Given the preponderance of 10 Gb Ethernet solutions available in the UniFi portfolio, it’s actually kind of weird that the brand has waited until almost halfway through 2025 to launch a convenient USB to 10G NIC adapter. To put it into perspective, the first generation of Thunderbolt to 10 GbE adapters arrived way back in 2018 from brands such as QNAP, StarTech, and Akitio. Despite this, however, there is still increasing demand for these convenient 10G upgrade alternatives to desktop PCIe card options, due to the growing support of USB4 client hardware, as well as its backwards compatibility with Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4. This means that even particularly modest mini PCs and laptops now have the opportunity to scale up towards 10G easily. So, what exactly sets this new adapter from UniFi apart from the already quite oversaturated market of Thunderbolt/USB to 10 GbE adapters? Is it just the same thing with their own badge on top? Does it deserve your money and your data?

UniFi USB4 and TB4 to 10GbE Adapter Review – Quick Conclusion

UniFi have not really reinvented the wheel here. They were not the first to roll out Thunderbolt/USB 10G network adapters, and they certainly won’t be the last. It’s still a little confusing why it took the brand this long to roll out its own convenient accessory, but at least they’ve launched it with the latest controller on board—leading to a great deal more flexibility in its deployment on different client hardware, as well as reduced power consumption compared with the first generation of such adapters. The price of $199 lands pretty squarely between more cost-effective options in the market right now that use the previous generation controller, and the new generation of adapters arriving from brands like QNAP that feature the same hardware architecture as the UniFi option but are around $50 to $100 more. The design of this adapter is smaller and lighter than other options in the market by quite some margin, and as it is bus-powered and has no active cooling, the device is eminently portable and low-impact. All that said, it lacks the ridging and venting of other options in the market. Equally, we are on the cusp of just how big the evolution of USB4 network controllers is soon to become, and later this year we are likely to see the first generation of USB4 to 25G or 2x10GbE adapters arrive—clearly, these will scale in cost and won’t arrive for a great deal of time, but for those looking at this adapter as a means of future-proofing, you may well see the benefits in holding out a little bit longer. Nevertheless, UniFi have again released a great, solid network adapter here that does nothing wrong, and although they’ve arrived a little late to the party on this one, it’s still a very solid offering.

UniFi USB4 and TB4 to 10GbE Adapter Review – Design

As I’ve already mentioned, there are already a decent number of USB-C to 10 GbE network adapter options in the market, and given UniFi’s unique design choices, I’m always interested to see how Ubiquiti goes about designing their own version of something that the market already has—but more importantly, what exactly are they bringing to it that doesn’t already exist in the marketplace.

In the case of this adapter, the main three things that this adapter seemingly introduces over the status quo are:

• Their adapter is smaller in size and lighter in weight than pretty much every other adapter in the market for 10 GbE via USB-C.

• Their adapter has a lower power consumption than practically all other USB-C to 10 GbE Ethernet adapters.

• Their adapter uses a much more up-to-date and recent controller than any other Thunderbolt to 10G adapter released before 2025.

Those first two points are going to be very attractive to users who have been weighing up the need to buy an adapter over the last few years that connects via USB-C, but we are going to have to drill down a little bit later into why that third point is quite important to users with older generation equipment. But we’ll get back to that later.

The adapter is pretty damn small, as its completely metal external chassis is fanless. The adapter relies heavily on a controller-mounted heatsink internally that is connected to a thermal pad attached to the external metal casing. The USB Type-C input provides both data and power via a single interface, and this adapter supports Thunderbolt 3, Thunderbolt 4, and USB4. That also means that it will most certainly work with future generations of USB and the slowly rolling-out Thunderbolt 5 protocol. Crucially though, it’s worth noting that this adapter does not support USB 3.2 Gen 1 or Gen 2—domestic USB that a lot more value devices either exclusively have or the port that is more commonly found on everything else. So, despite the 5 to 7-year release difference between this adapter and the first generation of Thunderbolt to 10 Gb Ethernet USB bus-powered adapters, compatibility on especially legacy equipment is not guaranteed.

It is also worth touching on that adapters like this are chiefly designed for users that have client hardware that cannot support a traditional PCIe upgrade card for adding improved network interfaces. If you have the facility to add 10 Gb Ethernet via a PCIe slot, I would always recommend that instead of an adapter like this. It will end up being far more power efficient and considerably lower in price. But for those in a pinch that need a portable and easy-to-adopt network upgrade on their system, this is a great choice.

If you are in the market for improved network connectivity and 10 GbE is a bit too rich for your blood or your needs, you can still get hold of incredibly cost-effective USB to 5 Gb Ethernet adapters for as little as $30 right now. They also allow connectivity with legacy USB 3.2 connections as well. So, if you don’t actually need full 10 GbE, and your switch supports auto-negotiation with 5 GbE, you could save a bunch of money.

Check Amazon for a $30 USB to 5GbE Adapter HERE – Check AliExpress for $30 USB-to-5GbE Adapter HERE

Do keep in mind that there are affordable USB to 5 GbE adapters in the market. I’m actually kind of surprised that UniFi haven’t integrated a USB to 5 Gb Ethernet adapter into their lineup already, as there is definitely a growing demand for this middle choice in network connectivity at the home and prosumer level—especially as more routers and network switches roll out with both 2.5 GbE and 5 GbE support.

UniFi USB4 and TB4 to 10GbE Adapter Review – Hardware

The physical connection on the other side of this UniFi adapter is a 10GBASE-T copper connection. This is generally perfect up to about 20 meters, and although you can use it over longer distances, at that point you tend to experience some resistance and a drop in latency. A fiber SFP option would have been great, but if they were only going to launch one version—now or ever—almost certainly the one users would want for convenience is going to be the copper option. The adapter also supports auto-negotiation as you’d expect, and although some client hardware will require you to install the AQC113 driver, it is broadly available for the majority of platforms ranging from Windows to Mac and custom Linux builds. That said, support in most open-source NAS software is still a little patchy.

In terms of performance, I’m pleased to say that when connecting with a 10 GbE NAS system via a 10G copper switch, this adapter comfortably hit 10 GbE saturation very easily. Consistent testing by CrystalDisk and AJA using a NAS equipped with a 10 GbE port and SSDs allowed this adapter to run consistently with repeated 1 GB tests over 10 GbE for 15 minutes with sustained performance. Clearly, the performance you’re going to achieve with an adapter like this will be heavily based on both the network activity and the target IP device, but even this limited testing showed that this adapter is more than capable of hitting those performance numbers.

When the adapter was running full-flow, and after 10 minutes of sustained use, it was hitting around 44 to 45°C. When idle, the adapter rested at around 40°C when not in use. One slight complaint I had was that the adapter did not especially quickly dissipate the gathered heat during testing—and that didn’t come as a huge surprise. As this adapter lacks any active cooling system internally, lacks the ridged heatsink design of a lot of other USB-to-10G adapters on the market, and is notably more compact than other options, it was inevitable that temperatures might get a little spicy. Nevertheless, I am a little disappointed at how slowly heat was dissipated between uses, and that is sadly a price many users who want a compact adapter like this are going to have to pay.

Now I want to discuss the network controller inside this UniFi USB4-to-10G adapter, as I think it’s going to be an important area of distinction for buyers considering this new $200 10G adapter versus cheaper or more expensive alternatives that have been in the market for more than 5 years. The first generation of Thunderbolt-to-10G adapters that arrived way back in 2018/2019 featured the AQN-107 controller. This was designed exclusively for Thunderbolt connections and was a controller running on a PCIe Gen 3 x4 mounted connection in those adapters. This more modern controller is the AQC113, and alongside arriving in a smaller physical size with lower power consumption, it crucially runs on a flexible PCIe Gen 3/4 x1, x2, or x4 architecture as needed.

The reason this is important is that when Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 arrived on client hardware as more flexible and affordable alternatives to Thunderbolt 3, it also allowed client hardware creators to be a little bit more flexible on the allocated PCIe lanes that they would dedicate to USB4/Thunderbolt 3. As good as all this sounds, that meant that more modern hardware with USB4/TB4 (which is backwards compatible with TB3) often had much poorer or inconsistent performance when using the older generation TB3 10G adapters—because the adapter wasn’t flexible enough to adapt to the more dynamic deployment of USB4/TB4 on modern hardware. That is why the new controller and its flexibility may well run consistently better and more efficiently on modern hardware, as both the client and the adapter are more flexibly positioned to adapt to the unique deployments they may encounter.

Several of the existing USB-C to 10G network adapters in the market released over the last 5 years are soon to be updated with newer controllers (with QNAP recently upgrading their existing adapter with the new controller and increasing the price from $199 to $249 already). This is why I touched on earlier the importance of UniFi choosing the newer-gen controller for their adapter. It ensures far greater compatibility with modern USB4/TB3 architecture, as well as better flexibility for users on older-generation devices.

UniFi USB4 and TB4 to 10GbE Adapter Review – Verdict & Conclusion

Unless you properly dig down into just why both the internal hardware and the necessity for a device like this exist, chances are there are a lot of traditional 10G users who are going to question why you’d spend $200 on a USB adapter when there are cheaper and more power-efficient PCIe options on the market. Equally, there are going to be those who’ll point at UniFi releasing this adapter in 2025 and—without looking into how the hardware in these adapters has changed—will question why it took UniFi so long to jump on this bandwagon. To both of those kinds of users, I think they are either missing the point or need to spend a little bit more time looking at how this kind of technology has both changed and evolved for the better in the last few years. The original hurdles for users to scale up their network connectivity have evolved rapidly, and now even the most basic low-powered and low-priced Chromebook is not incapable of scaling up towards 2.5G and 5G network connections. Equally, as Thunderbolt and USB continue their tit-for-tat upgrades periodically, the network peripherals available to most users are evolving just as quickly. This new adapter takes advantage of the continued miniaturization of a lot of those components—and their growing comparative affordability.

I genuinely and wholeheartedly recommend the UniFi USB4 to 10 Gb Ethernet adapter. I also want to add that there are cheap alternatives in the market—if you’re a Thunderbolt 3 user, there are much cheaper alternatives for 2.5G and 5G. If you only have USB 3.2, those are also options to consider. And finally, keep your eyes on the end of 2025, as the controllers that made this adapter possible are going to start rolling out towards dual 10G and 2.5G solutions in due course. They will, of course, scale up in price too, but if you’re looking at this adapter for the sake of future-proofing rather than immediate deployment, you might want to hold off a little while longer. For everyone else, this is a fantastic and convenient network upgrade for content creators and prosumers alike.

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Best NAS You Can Buy Right Now (Mid-2025) for Under $499

As of mid-2025, the sub-$499 NAS market is more competitive than ever, with several brands offering systems that deliver strong hardware, dedicated operating systems, and multiple drive bays within a modest budget. For home users, prosumers, and small teams looking to centralize data, manage backups, or stream media locally, this price bracket now includes options that would have cost significantly more just a few years ago. From rackmount storage appliances to compact flash-based servers, there are now choices to suit a wide variety of workloads and network environments.

This article examines five out-of-the-box NAS systems that are currently available for $499 or less. While each system takes a slightly different approach—whether prioritizing raw bandwidth, containerization, virtualization support, or software simplicity—they all represent viable solutions for users seeking value without compromising core functionality.

Important Disclaimer and Notes Before You Buy

All of the NAS systems featured in this list are diskless, meaning they do not include storage media by default. Users will need to purchase compatible 3.5″ HDDs, 2.5″ SSDs, or M.2 NVMe drives separately depending on the system’s configuration. This significantly affects the total cost of ownership, particularly for all-flash systems where NVMe drives are required. Some devices also use onboard flash or eMMC storage to house the operating system, but this is not sufficient for general file storage. Buyers should also consider the cost of drives, RAID redundancy planning, and any accessories (e.g., cables or cooling enhancements) when budgeting for deployment.

Another consideration is the variation in NAS operating systems provided. While most models come with a vendor-specific OS—such as Synology DSM, TerraMaster TOS, UGOS, or Unraid—some platforms allow or even encourage the installation of third-party alternatives like TrueNAS or Unraid without voiding hardware warranties. However, in cases where the software stack is less mature or limited in features, users may need to invest more time configuring services such as Plex, Docker, or SMB sharing manually. As such, these systems are best suited to users who are comfortable managing basic network services or are willing to explore more advanced functionality over time.

UniFi UNAS Pro 7-Bay NAS

$499 – ARM Cortex-A57 – 8GB – 7x 3.5″ SATA – 1x 10GbE SFP+, 1x 1GbE – UniFi OS – BUY HERE

The UniFi UNAS Pro is a 2U rackmount NAS solution designed primarily for high-speed, large-scale data storage. It features seven hot-swappable 2.5″/3.5″ SATA drive bays and is built around a quad-core ARM Cortex-A57 processor running at 1.7GHz, paired with 8GB of onboard DDR4 memory. Unlike general-purpose NAS systems that include container support or multimedia features, this device is focused purely on network file storage. It offers robust network connectivity with both a 10GbE SFP+ port and a 1GbE RJ45 port, making it suitable for use cases where bandwidth is a priority—such as centralized backups, archival storage, or high-volume file transfers within a UniFi-managed network.

The system is managed via UniFi’s Drive app within the UniFi OS ecosystem, and supports standard RAID configurations including RAID 0, 1, 5, and 6. Power redundancy is provided via a dual-input system—an internal 200W AC/DC PSU and support for USP-RPS DC failover. There’s also a 1.3-inch front panel touchscreen for quick diagnostics and system status at the rack. While it lacks container support, virtualization, or media server capabilities, it integrates easily with other UniFi products or can operate as a standalone storage node in a mixed environment. For users who require reliable, scalable storage with 10GbE connectivity but can forego app extensibility, the UNAS Pro represents a straightforward, hardware-driven option in the sub-$500 space.

Component	Specification
CPU	Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A57 @ 1.7GHz
Memory	8GB DDR4
Drive Bays	7x 2.5″/3.5″ SATA HDD/SSD
Networking	1x 10GbE SFP+, 1x 1GbE
Power	200W internal PSU + USP-RPS redundancy
OS	UniFi OS / Drive App
Display	1.3″ touchscreen
Form Factor	2U Rackmount
Dimensions	442 x 325 x 87 mm
Weight	9.5 kg with brackets

---

UGREEN NASync DXP4800 NAS

$499 – Intel N100 – 8GB – 4x 3.5″ SATA + 2x M.2 NVMe – 2x 2.5GbE – UGOS Pro – BUY HERE

The UGREEN NASync DXP4800 is a desktop 4-bay NAS that combines hybrid storage architecture with modern I/O and a maturing proprietary OS. It is powered by an Intel N100 quad-core processor from Intel’s 12th-gen Alder Lake-N series, paired with 8GB of DDR5 memory and 32GB of onboard eMMC storage for the operating system. In addition to its four SATA bays, it includes two M.2 NVMe SSD slots, enabling users to build a fast caching tier or SSD-only volumes for improved application performance. Network connectivity includes dual 2.5GbE LAN ports, and the system supports link aggregation for higher throughput or failover scenarios.

On the software side, the unit runs UGOS Pro, UGREEN’s in-house NAS operating system. It includes support for RAID 0/1/5/6/10, Docker containers, Plex, remote access, and cloud sync tools. While UGOS is less mature than systems like DSM or TrueNAS, it has improved over successive updates and includes a clean web UI for file sharing, snapshots, and media streaming. Front and rear USB 3.2 ports (including USB-C) and an SD 3.0 card reader add to its usability for media professionals. For users who prefer a GUI-based setup with broad feature support and hybrid storage flexibility, the DXP4800 offers substantial value in the under-$500 bracket—especially when discounted.

Component	Specification
CPU	Intel N100 (4 cores, up to 3.4GHz)
Memory	8GB DDR5 (upgradable to 16GB)
Drive Bays	4x SATA (3.5″/2.5″) + 2x M.2 NVMe
Networking	2x 2.5GbE LAN
Ports	1x USB-C (10Gbps), 2x USB-A, SD Card Reader
Video Output	1x HDMI (4K)
OS	UGOS Pro
Power Consumption	35.18W (access), 15.43W (hibernation)
Dimensions	257 x 178 x 178 mm (approx.)

LincStation N2 NAS

$399 – Intel N100 – 16GB – 2x 2.5″ SATA + 4x M.2 NVMe – 1x 10GbE – Unraid OS – BUY HERE

The LincStation N2 is a compact, all-SSD NAS that delivers a high-performance spec sheet at a relatively low price. Powered by an Intel N100 processor and equipped with 16GB of LPDDR5 memory, it supports a mix of two 2.5″ SATA SSDs and four M.2 2280 NVMe drives. This six-bay design—entirely SSD-based—is geared toward users who require faster IOPS, quieter operation, and lower power draw than traditional hard drive-based systems. Network connectivity is handled by a single 10GbE RJ45 port, a rare inclusion in this price bracket and especially valuable for direct workstation or multi-client environments.

The device ships with an Unraid Starter license pre-installed, giving users access to advanced features like Docker container support, virtual machines, hardware passthrough, and flexible storage management. While Unraid requires some learning curve for new users, it offers a high degree of customization and adaptability compared with fixed software stacks. The system also includes HDMI output, USB-C, USB 3.2, and multiple USB 2.0 ports, making it suitable for use as a lightweight home server or media workstation. For users prioritizing SSD storage, 10GbE, and virtualization support, the LincStation N2 delivers a capable platform that’s uncommon at this price point.

TerraMaster F4 SSD NAS

$399 – Intel N95 – 8GB – 4x M.2 NVMe – 1x 5GbE – TOS (TerraMaster OS) – BUY HERE

The TerraMaster F4 SSD is a 4-bay, all-flash NAS designed for high-speed home storage, media streaming, and photo management. It is equipped with an Intel N95 processor, an entry-level quad-core CPU from Intel’s Alder Lake-N family, and 8GB of DDR5 memory via a single SODIMM module. Storage is handled via four M.2 NVMe slots: two operating at PCIe 3.0 x2 speeds and two at PCIe 3.0 x1. These are designed for SSDs only—no support for SATA drives is provided. On the network side, the unit includes a single 5GbE port, offering a higher single-link bandwidth than systems using dual 2.5GbE, and can be directly connected to 10GbE networks at reduced speeds.

The system runs TerraMaster’s TOS operating system, which supports multimedia applications like Plex and Emby, cloud sync, photo AI tagging, user account control, and flexible backup solutions. TOS includes support for Btrfs and TRAID (TerraMaster RAID), along with remote access features and mobile apps for file synchronization and photo uploads. With three high-speed USB ports (2x Type-A and 1x Type-C), HDMI output, and low-noise fan operation (~19 dB), the F4 SSD targets users looking for a quieter, flash-based NAS for home environments. It lacks 2.5″/3.5″ bay support but offers fast SSD performance in a small form factor with minimal configuration requirements.

Synology DiskStation DS425+ NAS

$499 – Intel Celeron J4125 – 2GB – 4x 3.5″ SATA + 2x M.2 NVMe – 1x 2.5GbE, 1x 1GbE – DSM 7.x – BUY HERE

The Synology DS425+ is a 4-bay NAS designed to serve as an entry point into Synology’s DSM ecosystem, offering a balance between hardware efficiency and access to a mature, enterprise-grade operating system. It runs on the Intel Celeron J4125 processor, a quad-core chip with a base frequency of 2.0GHz and a burst frequency of 2.7GHz. The system ships with 2GB of DDR4 non-ECC memory, expandable up to 6GB, and supports both 3.5″/2.5″ SATA drives and two M.2 NVMe SSDs for caching or storage volumes. For networking, it includes one 2.5GbE port and one standard 1GbE port, giving users some flexibility depending on their switching infrastructure.

DSM (DiskStation Manager) remains one of the most advanced NAS operating systems available, offering built-in apps for file management, media streaming, surveillance, and virtualization. Synology Hybrid RAID (SHR) is supported for flexible storage management, along with Btrfs file system benefits such as snapshots and data integrity checks. The DS425+ is part of Synology’s 2025 refresh lineup, which enforces stricter compatibility with Synology-branded drives. Users should confirm drive support in advance, particularly if planning to reuse existing disks. Despite these limitations, for users seeking reliability, security features, and long-term OS support, the DS425+ remains a strong choice at the $499 price point.

The NAS market under $499 in mid-2025 presents a broad spectrum of options tailored to different storage priorities and technical requirements. Whether you’re looking for high-capacity traditional RAID storage, SSD-focused performance, or a feature-rich operating system, there are viable choices within this price bracket. The UniFi UNAS Pro stands out as a pure storage appliance with 10GbE connectivity and seven bays, suited for high-throughput archival or backup scenarios. Meanwhile, the UGREEN DXP4800 and LincStation N2 offer hybrid and full-flash storage respectively, with both systems supporting modern features like Docker, virtualization, and optional third-party OS deployment. For those focused on user-friendly software ecosystems and long-term support, Synology’s DS425+ remains a leading contender, albeit with stricter drive compatibility requirements. On the other hand, the TerraMaster F4 SSD delivers compact all-SSD storage with high-speed 5GbE networking and a growing feature set in TOS, including AI photo management and multimedia tools. All five models require user-supplied storage media and, in some cases, benefit from user familiarity with setup or configuration processes. Ultimately, the best choice depends on how much weight you place on performance, expandability, software polish, and overall system control within this tightly priced segment.

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UniFi New NAS Rumours – Everything We Know

Duing the UniFi World Conference event (the UWC 2025 expo event that took place in several places around the world over a week in May) the brand took the opportunity to share a huge amount of information about their roadmap for hardware and software in 2025 (and 2026!) and although there was a lot of information about cameras, switches, integrations and improvements – the big, BIG detail that emerged that got my attention was that the UNAS series of NAS devices is rumoured to be getting several portfolio additions over the course of the next 18+ Months! All of this was seemingly shared behind closed doors, with photography and video prohibited during the presentations (with choice projects by the brand like these limited to keynote ‘on stage’ presentations) and not available for general access and sharing on the show floor.

However, ALOT of the information shared was then discussed at length on forums and community sites across the internet (unsurprisingly predominantly on Reddit more than most – shocker I know). Because of this, we have a great deal of rumoured, shared and near-confirmed information about what the brand is planning for the soon to be growing UNAS series of devices – including a potentially dedicated M.2 NVMe SSD flash devices, Enterprise grade ZFS Rackmount system (XG NAS?) and even more entry level desktop solutions in 2 and 4 Bay SATA.

There is a lot to get to and I think we will likely see granular and gradual updates to all of these solutions as time wears on, so I wanted to create this article to add shared info and leaks as they appear online. You can get notifications and alerts on this page by subscribing at the bottom of the article.

IMPORTANT – Regardless of how solid/rumoured any of the UniFi UNAS systems that are detailed on this page are – do NOT be complacent about your data and backups! If you need a backup solution right now/soon, do not ‘hold out’ for these devices, as no device will ever be worth the danger of your data being lost (power lose resulting in a raid failure, data corruption, accidental deletion..need I go on?). So, if you like the sound of UniFi and their products, and the UNAS from UniFi sounds like it meets your needs, it is still available RIGHT NOW for just $499 HERE – It is a 7x SATA Half-Depth Rackmout NAS with 10GbE and a comprehensive data management software in UniFi Drive. You can watch my review HERE and my 6 Months Later update on it HERE.

Here is a list of Sources on Reddit that detail what was observed at Unifi World Conference 2025 with regard to Network Attached Storage:

Which UniFi UNAS Devices Are Rumoured for 2025 and 2026?

16th June 2025 Updated

Below are the details we know so far (some details need further verification and confirmation, indicated appropriately) that we are aware of so far. Keep in mind (IMPORTANT) that these drives are massively ‘TBC’, so alongside potential name changes it is also possible that they may not arrive at all – as UniFi might change their mind based on market research about the need for a given device! Additionally, sometimes information online is contradictory to other information (eg the larger and smaller scale NAS system and a potential Pro XG system might well be the same device!), so do not treat this information as set in stone! Let’s break down each entry:

>>>>> IMPORTANT – IMAGES FOR GUIDANCE ONLY <<<<<

2 Bay Entry-Level HDD NAS

The UNAS Pro, although popular, is none the less quite large for much smaller user deployments – so if UniFi was to really stretch it’s muscles into the world of NAS, it would come as no surprise that they would provide more entry/small-footprint devices. So, the oft mentioned 2 Bay UNAS would be desirable, but also UniFi’s most compact HDD system to date, targeting home and SOHO users looking for simple backup or file-sharing functionality. No confirmation or detail on the shared information on the hardware profile (one can imagine an ARM base and 2-4GB of memory – but it’s all very ‘TBC’) and 2.5GbE connectivity. 2 drives would give precious little bandwidth for 10GbE to even be worth the time of day, even with SATA SSDs.

Specification	Details
Bays	2 x 3.5” HDD
Storage Type	SATA HDD
Software	UniFi Drive 3.0
Features	Entry-level NAS, ideal for backups
Status	Confirmed Seen at UWC2025
Source(s)	Source 1, Source 3

An NVMe SSD NAS dedicated NAS for Creative Workflows

This proposed SSD focused NAS moves away from spinning disks in favor of M.2 NVMe SSD slots, focusing on silent, high-performance workflows for media creators or prosumers. This compact unit maintains a passive cooling design and leverages Drive 3.0’s new dynamic storage pool system to balance protection and performance. It’s intended for those needing faster I/O than HDDs can provide without the size or noise of a rackmount. if this ends up coming out, is would be INCREDIBLY popular (given M.2 SSD prices are now only around 2x more than HDD, with a 4TB M.2 NVMe SSD in both Gen3 and Gen4 hitting just $200+, and WD Red and Seagate Ironwolf 4TB HDDs around the $89-99 mark)

Specification	Details
Bays	Unknown – Possibly 4x M.2 NVMe
Storage Type	PCIe SSD (M.2)
Software	UniFi Drive 3.0 (NVMe pool optimization)
Features	High-performance SSD storage, silent design
Status	Confirmed Seen at UWC 2025
Source(s)	Source 1, Source 3

4 Bay Desktop-Grade HDD NAS

This would deliver a more durable 4-bay solution with a desktop form factor, designed for small business environments or tech-savvy users. It combines the flexibility of 3.5″ HDDs with the enhanced features of UniFi Drive 3.0, including smarter snapshots and storage pools. Compared to the standard UNAS 2-bay discussed solution, this model would offer better RAID options, as well as performance potential (even in a RAID 5). Nevertheless, if/when this comes around, expect modest hardware under the hood!.

Specification	Details
Bays	4 x 3.5” HDD
Storage Type	SATA HDD
Cooling	Active fan (almost certainly!)
Software	UniFi Drive 3.0
Features	Mid-range performance, desktop NAS
Status	Confirmed Seen at UWC 2025
Source(s)	Source 1, Source 3

A ‘Proper’ 4 Bay and 8 Bay Rackmount NAS

Alongside the already released 7 Bay UNAS Pro, there is talk of a 4 Bay and 8-bay rackmount NAS aimed at larger deployments such as offices, branch networks, or video surveillance environments as a storage target for UniFi Portect perhaps. Built to handle RAID 6 (rolling ut in the latest UniFi NAS OS and Drive updates) and large-scale storage pools, it includes business-class hardware for redundancy and expandability. Its release aligns with Ubiquiti’s push into more scalable data solutions under the UniFi Drive 3.0 future framework.

Specification	Details
Bays	4 and 8 x 3.5” HDD
Storage Type	SATA HDD
Cooling	Likely Dual fan or rack-grade cooling
Software	UniFi Drive 3.0
Features	RAID 6 support
Status	Confirmed, Seen at UWC 2025
Source(s)	Source 1, Source 3

An Enterprise ZFS Appliance – THIS IS WHERE IT GETS GOOD!

Although the existing UNAS Pro NAS system runs on an BTRFS foundation, there was multiple references and rumours to UniFi’s first foray into ZFS-based NAS systems and appears to be targeted at enterprise environments requiring snapshot-based backup, inline compression, and greater control over storage topology. Very few hardware specifics have been shared, and it is unclear whether this is a completely separate physical unit or a software SKU atop a Pro-series device. I will be interested to see if, if this arrives, how they will migrate the existing UNAS/Drive/NAS OS appliances onto this ZFS base – as well as whether it will benefit from the inline and native performance/integrity benefits of ZFS!

Specification	Details
Bays	TBD
Storage Type	ZFS pools (likely mixed HDD/SSD)
Cooling	Likely 2 stage rackmount active cooling
Software	ZFS OS (Unconfirmed re:UniFi Drive 3.0)
Features	Snapshots, compression, enterprise storage, in-line ZFS benefits
Status	Confirmed (via software roadmap) at UWC 2025
Source(s)	Source 3, Source 4

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UniFi UNAS Pro: 6 Months On — A Measured Look at Ubiquiti’s First NAS

Six months since its public release in October 2024, the UniFi UNAS Pro has matured modestly but meaningfully. Initially positioned as an affordable $499, 7-bay NAS with integrated 10GbE and 1GbE networking, its appeal centered largely around seamless integration into UniFi environments and simple turnkey deployment. The first three months revealed a system that delivered on core promises without overselling itself, providing reliable basic storage with intuitive setup, minimal friction during deployment, and straightforward SMB file sharing. However, its limitations in areas such as feature breadth, expandability, and advanced administrative control left some early adopters questioning whether the device was ready to serve as a primary NAS solution.

UniFi UNAS Pro 6 Months Later – The TL;DR

Ubiquiti’s UniFi UNAS Pro has seen steady but conservative development since its launch in October 2024. At $499, it’s an affordable 7-bay NAS with 10GbE that integrates well within UniFi environments, but it launched with limited features and notable gaps. Over six months, some user-requested improvements have been delivered—such as RAID 6 support, expanded cloud backup options (Dropbox, OneDrive), admin control over user backups, and improved file sharing responsiveness. However, key omissions remain: no iSCSI support, no UniFi Protect integration, no containerization, no fan or power schedule controls, and occasional performance or file handling issues. It’s best suited as a supplementary NAS for existing UniFi networks rather than a full-featured standalone solution. Ubiquiti appears focused on stability and foundational updates, but major feature enhancements or new models have yet to appear. HERE are the most notable changes that have happened in the last 6 Months:

• Added support for RAID 6, hot spare migration, and Time Machine backups via Shared Drives.

• Enabled OneDrive and Dropbox as new cloud backup destinations.

• Introduced File Activity tracking and a Task Center for monitoring ongoing operations.

• Console owners can now manage and back up other users’ drives.

• Added SIEM server integration, SNMP configuration, and support for .exe execution via SMB.

• Users can now toggle Link Sharing and configure release channels per app.

• Support file generation now available for diagnostics.

• Improved setup, storage initialization, drive transfers, and local admin creation flows.

• Enhanced system performance, search speed, and responsiveness across the UI.

• File browsing, sharing, and backup/restore processes made smoother and more reliable.

• Boosted storage mounting and format resiliency, RAID resync handling, and external storage support.

• Improved reporting for storage health, system logs, and overall stability—especially with SSDs and encryption.

• Better SFP speed detection and more stable SMB file operations.

• Resolved issues with folder renaming, failed downloads, backup restore login errors, infinite loading on drive.ui.com, toast notification bugs, and destination switching during backups.

One of the more frequently cited early limitations was the lack of support for advanced RAID configurations and flexible storage management. At launch, users were restricted to basic options like RAID 1, 5, and a variant of RAID 10, with no ability to create multiple independent storage pools. This particularly limited users who wanted to separate SSDs for high-speed cache or hot data from HDDs used for cold or archival storage.

Three months after launch, UniFi began rolling out RAID 6 support—a heavily requested feature—and its integration was further refined by the six-month mark. Notably, users who had initially set up a RAID 5 with a hot spare could now migrate more smoothly to RAID 6 without complete data loss, provided certain steps were followed. While the system still lacks support for custom pool creation or tiered storage strategies, the RAID 6 addition is a clear example of Ubiquiti incorporating community feedback into its development roadmap.

Early adopters also flagged the limited backup options as a major downside, especially for offsite or cloud-based protection. Initially, users were confined to backups via SMB or to another UNAS unit, with Google Drive being the only available cloud service. This created friction for users looking to consolidate cloud storage or use existing platforms.

By the six-month update, support had been added for Dropbox and Microsoft OneDrive, expanding options and bringing the system more in line with mainstream NAS offerings. While other major providers like Amazon S3 or Backblaze B2 remain unsupported, the progress demonstrates ongoing development—even if somewhat slower than expected.

Administrative oversight and user management were similarly underdeveloped at launch. The inability for a super admin to manage, view, or initiate backups on user-specific drives was seen as a major gap in functionality. This was especially problematic in small businesses or households where centralized management is essential. At the six-month mark, UniFi addressed this by enabling admins to directly control user backup routines, offering a more appropriate level of oversight. Though expected in any multi-user NAS environment, this feature only arrived after considerable community pressure, reflecting a reactive—rather than proactive—development pattern.

Performance concerns also became more visible in real-world use. While general file transfers over SMB were stable for most users, large-volume or high-frequency data movements revealed issues. Users reported memory leaks, skipped files, permission errors, and signs of system instability during multi-terabyte migrations. One user described persistent problems during direct NAS-to-NAS SMB transfers, citing missing files and log entries showing out-of-memory warnings. While UniFi has issued multiple patches in response, these issues underline the system’s current limits as a high-performance data mover. Paired with its ARM-based CPU and fixed RAM, the UNAS Pro may not be ideal for workflows involving large file sets or deep nested directories with complex characters.

Quality-of-life improvements have also slowly emerged. File and folder sharing via the GUI is now more responsive, addressing early complaints that changes wouldn’t reflect until refreshing the browser or navigating away. A newly added file activity monitor provides more transparency by displaying changes and access logs on a folder-by-folder basis—a helpful addition for environments that require audit trails. Time Machine support has also been added for macOS users, allowing backups over SMB directly to the device. Additionally, executable files (.exe) now correctly run from network shares, resolving an earlier issue where files appeared to launch but did not actually execute on the system.

Despite hardware parity with UniFi’s UNVR line, the UNAS Pro still does not support UniFi Protect, Ubiquiti’s NVR platform. Although this was never advertised, its omission has disappointed users who hoped to consolidate storage and surveillance into a single device. Likewise, containerization remains absent. Users cannot deploy Docker or LXC-based services directly on the NAS. While the system is positioned more as a basic storage server than a full-featured app platform like Synology or QNAP, even lightweight container support would help bridge the gap in hybrid setups, reducing dependency on external devices for running supplemental services.

Several other features considered standard in competing NAS platforms are still missing. These include iSCSI target support, which allows for block-level storage mapping—a commonly requested enterprise feature that remains unaddressed despite repeated user requests. Scheduled power controls and Ethernet port management are also absent, limiting users’ ability to implement air-gapped operation cycles or optimize network behavior during off-hours.

Additionally, fan control settings are locked, leaving users with no way to adjust thermal behavior. System temperatures frequently hover in the 60–70°C range even during idle states, which some consider concerning. Whether due to poor fan curve logic or unreliable sensor reporting, the lack of manual override remains a drawback.

Another issue affecting a minority of users involves file download errors on mobile devices, particularly iPhones using Safari. Files would only partially download—such as halved images or incomplete audio/video files. The problem was isolated to Safari and resolved by switching to Chrome, but it exposed weaknesses in browser compatibility. Additionally, several systems erroneously report uptime durations exceeding 20,000 days—an obvious bug that, while harmless, illustrates rough edges still present in the software’s reporting logic.

As of April 2025, no additional NAS models have been added to the UniFi lineup. There is still only a single variant of the UNAS Pro, and no indications of rackmount, multi-unit, or lower-tier models have been announced. This suggests Ubiquiti is still treating this device as a pilot platform. The pace of development has been steady, with multiple small improvements and responses to community feedback, but foundational gaps remain. For users who need secure, reliable bulk storage within an existing UniFi network, the UNAS Pro is increasingly serviceable.

However, for broader use cases, it still lacks the depth, flexibility, and robustness of more established NAS vendors. Defintely a device with a long term plan, but it is not in a big hurry to stretch it’s muscles quite yet – but at $499, it has an exceptionally low bar for entry price wise for what you are getting!

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UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber Review – Overkill?

UniFi has absolutely been slamming hardware releases in the first quarter of 2025. Last year, they launched a new NAS solution, and in the last few months, we’ve seen them hammer out a wide range of new surveillance accessories. However, February 2025 has seen a huge rejuvenation of a number of wired and Wi-Fi devices in their router and cloud gateway lineup. Although we’ve seen several impressive solutions added to their new Wi-Fi 7-equipped portfolio, probably the most hench one of all is the UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber model, the UCG-Fiber. The popular UniFi Cloud Gateway series has always served as a much more compact and network-focused alternative to the bulkier UniFi Dream Machine and traditional router devices from the brand, but this new model really does scale the connectivity up to 11! Featuring multiple 10G connections spanning both copper and fiber, the system features PoE and multiple 2.5G LAN ports. Add to that arguably the most powerful internal hardware that the brand has yet rolled out (though realistically, UniFi doesn’t really choose powerhouse internal components normally anyway) and expandable M.2 NVMe storage, and what you have here is a system that manages to do everything that a bulky rack-mount-scale Dream Machine seemingly promises but in a physical scale that you can genuinely fit in your coat pocket—though I wouldn’t recommend doing that.

So let’s discuss the UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber and whether it deserves your data!

UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) Review – Quick Conclusion

The UniFi Cloud Gateway 7 Fiber is a prosumer/business device that does not overpromise and is quintessentially UniFi in its architecture—for good and for bad! There is a lot of good to talk about: almost unparalleled external network connectivity for its scale, the unbeatable utilization of the UniFi Network Controller software, ease of setup combined with a complexity of features and control—the UCG-Fiber does it all and does it phenomenally well. Small inconsistencies in the presentation, such as the M.2 slot adapter not being included with the initial retail kit, I find puzzling, however, and perhaps a little bit more wiggle room on the flexibility of the WAN/LAN on those 2.5G ports is open to debate (CORRECTION, You CAN adjust the 2.5G Ports to WANs, but you need to disable WAN services on the other 10G ports manually first). But those aside, it really is hard to fault. Plucky little box, and at $249 for a huge amount of scalability and expandability, you would be hard-pushed to find anything better at this price tag that can do what this can do—while still remaining largely license-free!

BUILD QUALITY - 9/10

HARDWARE - 8/10

PERFORMANCE - 8/10

PRICE - 9/10

VALUE - 9/10

8.6

PROS

Multi-Gigabit Connectivity – Supports dual 10G SFP+ ports, a 10GbE RJ45 port, and four 2.5GbE ports, allowing for high-speed networking.
PoE+ Support – One 2.5GbE port includes PoE+, enabling direct connection of UniFi APs, cameras, or other PoE-powered devices.
Integrated NVMe Storage Support – Allows installation of an NVMe SSD (up to 2TB) for UniFi Protect NVR functionality and other applications.
Compact & Fanless Design – Small form factor with silent operation, making it suitable for desktop or rack environments without additional noise.
License-Free SD-WAN & VPN Features – Includes WireGuard, OpenVPN, Teleport VPN, and Site-to-Site VPN without additional licensing costs.
Centralized UniFi Management – Seamlessly integrates with UniFi Network, Protect, and Talk, allowing for easy cloud-based management.
Stateful Layer 7 Firewall & IDS/IPS Security – Advanced traffic filtering, intrusion detection, and ad/content blocking for enhanced network security.
Lower Power Consumption – ARM-based quad-core CPU ensures efficient performance with lower heat output and energy usage compared to x86 alternatives.

CONS

Additional Cost for NVMe Tray – The M.2 SSD adapter tray is not included, requiring a separate purchase to enable internal storage.
Non-Upgradable RAM – Comes with 3GB of DDR4 RAM, which cannot be expanded, potentially limiting future scalability for advanced applications.
Lack of WiFi Support might be a pain for some on day 1

UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) Review – Design

If you have ever been around or owned a UniFi device, you will be unsurprised to hear that the UCG-Fiber is easy on the eye, and a great deal of attention has gone into the design. Like the majority of UniFi devices, the system arrives with a dynamic and animated LCD panel that gives you real-time information about the traffic, utility of the device, and real-time information on IPS and network status.

Unfortunately, it is not a touchscreen, which isn’t the end of the world, but it’s a shame as a few other LCD-equipped UniFi devices have this feature, and some might assume that all of their devices follow suit. Needless to say, this LCD panel can have its brightness adjusted easily, be set to a schedule, or have the details it displays modified within the system settings somewhat.

The physical scale of this device, when future-set alongside a larger rack-mount-designed UniFi Dream Machine, is pretty bloody impressive. Arriving at 221mm by 127mm by 30mm, this thing is smaller than most ISP-free routers, yet crams in physical network ports and internal storage that I’ll touch on later. Additionally, the system is fanless and is completely silent when in operation.

Separated into multiple LAN and multiple WAN ports, the main traffic ports are all 2.5GbE Ethernet, and the system software supports numerous services for connecting VLANs, failover services, jumbo frame adjustments, and a plethora of network security settings that I will touch on later in the article. Given the wide-ranging bandwidth of all other connections on this device, I’m not sure anyone would have judged the brand if they tried to get away with one or two standard gigabit ports here. They really have scaled things up, and it’s pretty clear that this system is designed with tremendous future-proofing in mind. One of the individual 2.5G ports has something extra special, too.

One of the physical 2.5G ports also supports Power over Ethernet (PoE), which means that you will be able to take advantage of connecting smart network office peripherals for communication, or more likely, PoE-equipped cameras that you can connect and power via this port while using the UniFi Protect surveillance software installed on this device.

But I can understand how this single PoE port is intended more as an additional service for a locally deployed camera by the Cloud Gateway, rather than as a means to convince users to factor this in as a central point for their surveillance setup. Given the combination of copper and SFP connections on this device, it wouldn’t surprise me if one of the main factors preventing more PoE ports is simply heat generation at this scale.

However, one of the other arguably more general-purpose utilizations for this PoE port is to take advantage of one of the many multi-port PoE-powered network switches provided by UniFi in both small and medium form factors. Delivering up to 30 watts of power, which is enough to power either of the 2.5G fully equipped portable switches in the brand’s portfolio. Alternatively, thanks to the rather adaptable UniFi software that this system runs on, you can also take advantage of one of the many newly launched Wi-Fi 7-equipped PoE-powered AP devices that the brand recently rolled out. This single 2.5G PoE port provides both high power and high bandwidth performance to the U7, U7 Pro, U6 IP devices in the recent 2025 portfolio, and simply connecting one of these many AP devices to this single port allows you to immediately add an SSID tier to your network configuration in less than one minute—turning this hugely capable wired network management device into an all-purpose, business-class network router setup!

If you do choose to use this PoE port for a camera device, UniFi has a wide range of PoE-capable cameras spanning all the way to 4K, Edge AI services, and enterprise-grade surveillance equipment that, just like the wireless IP devices, can be added and deployed in less than a minute, with the UniFi Protect surveillance software already available on the UCG device with no license restrictions.

Using UniFi’s own cameras, you can utilize up to 12 HD cameras, 8 2K cameras, or four 4K cameras on this device. Alternatively, thanks to a changing stance by UniFi on their Protect platform, you can now also take advantage of third-party cameras that support ONVIF and better leverage existing surveillance equipment you may have in your home or office if you’re migrating your network setup over to the UniFi platform via the upgrade of a UCG-Fiber.

Moving away from those multiple 2.5G ports, we now need to talk about the other really impressive thing about the UCG-Fiber—and that is that this tiny box manages to arrive with three individual 10GbE connections. The UCG-Fiber features two SFP+ fiber 10GbE connections, but also, interestingly, an additional 10G Base-T copper connection as well. Given that these kinds of connections on a basic unmanaged switch would already push the price point of this device comfortably into the $200 mark, the fact that this system arrives with all of these connections, SSD scalability, UniFi capabilities, and PoE support all add up to this being phenomenal.

The UCG-Fiber has an internal switching support of 9.3Gbps performance, which, although may sound like less than the potential 40Gbps output that this system features, realistically, both the internal hardware profile this system has and the general use of this device were never going to max things out. And as long as the internal switching capacity of this system can match that of the largest possible single connection, I’m totally cool with this.

3x 10GbE connections mean that not only are you able to introduce an exceedingly high-performance WAN connection into your network that will be future-proof for at least a decade, but if you wanted to deploy a multi-site setup with fiber cabling between locations, there is a lot of compact yet powerful network packet handling on the table here! Plus, why not use another 10G port for a high-performance network switch and increase your broad network capabilities substantially, while still allowing great network traffic from the connected multi-port switch into your UCG-Fiber with ease? Finally, don’t overlook the benefits of introducing a 10GbE NAS into your UCG-Fiber, and either allow one user up to 1,000MBps transmission to the NAS or potentially 20 users to all enjoy gigabit network connection to that NAS. The potential for scalability on your network is phenomenal for such a small device.

However, it is worth highlighting that, as good as this is, I do have a little bit of a gripe with the way the brand has approached the 10G WAN/LAN connections on the UCG-Fiber. Although greater-than-gigabit internet speeds are becoming more common around the world, the availability of 10Gb internet is still pretty rare. While I can see the benefits of future-proofing by allowing multiple 10GbE connections, the fact that you cannot change one of the 2.5G ports on this device to a WAN if needed means that you are potentially losing out on quite a lot of network bandwidth. To elaborate, most users—even with high-performance internet services in their home or office—are unlikely to have greater-than-2.5GbE internet speeds for a good few years yet. Because the UCG-Fiber only allows two ports on this device to support WAN failover, that means that even if you were running basic sub-gigabit internet speeds like most users do, you are still restricted and potentially wasting the full capabilities of a 10G port on an ISP service that is never going to hit those heights. MASSIVE CORRECTION! You CAN chose to use the 2.5G ports as WAN/WAN2 and free up ALL the 10G ports if you like, however you need to ensure that WAN services are disabled on the existing 10G ports (setting them to LAN or DISABLED) first, and then the option to select ‘WAN’ or ‘WAN2’ on the 2.5G ports will appear. Really, REALLY pleased with this!

Another element that I have mostly positive, but not exclusively positive comments on is the M.2 NVMe SSD storage that this system supports. As mentioned, the UCG-Fiber allows you to install an M.2 NVMe SSD into the base of the system, and from there, you can use this storage to install multiple UniFi applications and services that will all run seamlessly from the UCG-Fiber network dashboard. These include automation, communication, and surveillance applications—all of which are license-free and included with the price of this system. Additionally, M.2 NVMe storage on this Gen 3×2 SSD line is going to provide fantastic performance and will ensure that particularly high-frequency services or high-demand services like AI-assisted surveillance setups run fantastically well here.

So, what is my problem with the way they have approached M.2 NVMe storage on the UCG-Fiber? It would be easy for me to criticize and say that the system should arrive with an SSD, but I’m not that naïve—at the $249 price this system comes in at, I think it would be unrealistic to assume that it would arrive with an SSD included. No, my problem isn’t that it doesn’t come with an SSD out of the box—my problem is twofold. Number one, in order to install an SSD inside the UCG-Fiber, you have to purchase a separate M.2 adapter tray that slides into the available base of the system. Who designed this??? And why do users have to purchase the SSD tray separately instead of it being included with the system?

I understand that users should be expected to buy their own scalable storage based on their capacity needs, but not including the tray that you need to insert the SSD into—and then charging an additional £15 for it—is just insane. My other issue is that although SSDs are less prone to physical or mechanical issues compared to traditional hard drives, they are not flawless.

SSDs—whether SATA or M.2—are still prone to occasional failures, and if an SSD fails, all the data on that drive is most likely lost. In the case of the UCG-Fiber, as the system only has a single M.2 slot, it does not support RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks), which would allow for a safety net by having another drive keep the data safe. Equally, the UCG-Fiber does not have any USB connectivity to allow for connecting a storage drive for periodic backups of your surveillance data that you may be creating regularly on this system. It’s a small detail, but I’m kind of surprised that this was not factored in during the design stage, given the huge importance of the storage drive on this system. In the grand scheme of things, I’m still grateful that this high-performance cloud gateway device has storage capabilities as comprehensive as it does—but it is by no means flawless.

The UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) is powered by a quad-core ARM Cortex-A73 processor clocked at 2.2GHz. The Cortex-A73 is a relatively efficient CPU architecture that balances performance and power consumption, making it a suitable choice for a network gateway device. While not designed for high-performance computing tasks, this processor is more than capable of handling network routing, firewall management, VPN services, and deep packet inspection (DPI) without significant bottlenecks. The inclusion of Layer 7 firewall capabilities, IDS/IPS security measures, and traffic identification suggests that the CPU is optimized for handling packet filtering and security functions efficiently. However, its overall processing power is still limited compared to x86-based solutions found in enterprise-grade routers and gateways. Given its ARM-based architecture, the UCG-Fiber benefits from reduced power consumption and lower heat output, allowing for a compact, fanless design that operates silently while maintaining stable performance.

The UCG-Fiber is equipped with 3GB of DDR4 memory, which is a reasonable allocation for a device of this type. This amount of RAM ensures that the system can handle multiple concurrent processes, including traffic management, VPN sessions, intrusion detection, and SD-WAN operations without excessive slowdowns. While 3GB may seem modest compared to more powerful network appliances, it is sufficient for the expected workload of small to medium-sized networks.

The RAM configuration is non-expandable, meaning that users cannot upgrade memory for increased performance, which could become a limitation in scenarios where more demanding security and networking tasks are required. However, for general usage, including running UniFi applications, managing multiple VLANs, and handling routing tasks, the provided memory should be adequate. The combination of ARM-based processing and DDR4 memory allows the UCG-Fiber to deliver a balanced mix of efficiency and functionality, positioning it as a suitable choice for businesses and advanced home networks that require multi-gigabit connectivity with software-defined networking features.

UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) Review – Software and Services

IMPORTANT !!!- Currently the Software review of the UCG-Fiber is in progress, but I have already reviewed the UCG-Fiber and UX7 devices which are very similar indeed. So, whilst I complete the UCG-Fiber review, I have included the software review of the other 2 devices below, as they are running near identical services and features (but with differences with regard to port/wifi features. I will be amending the below text very soon, but include it here to give a better understanding of what this UniFi controller software can do. Apologies for this in the meantime.

Realistically, no one should be spending inordinate amounts of time using the software that your router arrives with – that’s just a simple fact. Indeed, you want you router (or any network appliance) to just do it’s job! Therefore talking about just how good the UniFi network software is, and how the UniFi Dream Router 7 capitalized on it, is going get a mixed reaction depending on your own level of network knowledge and custom requirements. I will say straight away though that you will really, REALLY struggle to find a more capable and flexible router software at this price point. You will struggle to find ANY setting, config, adjustable parameter of control measure not included with the UCG-Fiber. First off, there is the mobile application. As the UCG-Fiber hosts the UniFi network software, ALOT of the iOS and Android official UniFi applications are supported by the UCG-Fiber.

Firs time setup of the router using the mobile application (you can use a desktop machine with your web browser if you prefer of course) is incredibly straight forward. The Router can be found via the local area network or Bluetooth within 2 minutes of it’s first power-on. One big misconception (I was guilt of this too a while back) was that you have to register a UI.com account online in order to use UniFi appliances. This is NOT true. You can set the device up without a UI account (and even WITHOUT an internet connection) and doing so just needs to you create a local administrator account. It is recommended to use a UI account of course, as it allowed for easier comms and access for your larger Unifi network, but it is by no means compulsory. You can also create a system backup (with your config data of users, settings, SSIDs, etc) and backup online if you choose – and then easier pull this backup if you wish during initialization easily.

Upon creating local credentials or resisting an online account, the router performs an initial internet performance test and then goes about setting up your router. Much like other recent UniFi releases, the system has a ‘gamer’ style installation screen that shows tips and guides on how to get the most out of your router – very rare in a router I will say.

The setup process takes around 2-3 minutes and after that, you have pretty much FULL control and access to the Router’s configuration from your mobile phone. You can definitely tell that UNiFi have put the hours in with regard to the UX of the mobile application. Routers (and switches for that matter) are NOT easy systems to try and simplify – let along ocndence in a compact mobile UI. However they really have excelled in the latest version of their software.

Management of individual devices on the network are all presented intuitively in the app, and alongside their position/priority/bandwidth/consumption being presented, you can also use the app to institute controls and rules for 1, some or all devices on the fly – with instant implementation. Again, it’s no the fact that you can ‘do’ this that I am impressed by, it is the ease and intuitive way it is presented in a mobile app.

The same applies to the physical connections and wireless connections on the UCG-Fiber itself, with full remote control with the app to bridge, negotiate, failover, vLAN, disable, etc any port easily – as well as create new SSIDs, assign channels and push client devices around on the router side in 3-4 clicks. All of this is performed responsively and easily in the app.

On the subject of client devices, let’s discuss that WiFi 7 support. WiFi 7 opens up ALOT of performance and general bandwidth advantages. WiFi routers and client devices have been around now for around 10-12 months, as well as the increase in availability globally of greater than Gigabit internet services. Most internet service providers have already a router with their services – but not many provide WiFi 7 routers with their services, even at greater than gigabit speeds. So, what is the advantage? For the quicker (ish) version, watch my video below.

Now, you might well not have any devices right now that are WiFi 7, but plan on upgrading to WiFi 7 at some point in the further over a PCIe upgrade card. Even if you are using a system that lacks a PCIe upgrade clot, you can get small m.2 upgrade cards for a WiFi 7 / 802.11be upgrade for as little as $15-20 here. Hell, you do not even need to open up your system, as you can now get WiFi 7 to USB adapter upgrades for as little as $25-30, which is exactly what used when testing the router with my Windows 11 laptop for the earlier testing of the UCG-Fiber.

The USB-to-WiFi 7 Adapter I used in my testing of the UCG-Fiber was this one HERE on Aliexpress.

This USB to WiFi 7 adapter allowed for immediate 802.11be connectivity between my laptop and the UniFi Dream Router 7, over the now available 6Ghz band. Although there is more to WiFi 7 and this router than just that additional frequency. The UCG-Fiber SUPPORTS 2.4Ghz and 5ghz (just like all WiFi 6 and 6E routers), but crucially alongside the 6Ghz band allowing for more active concurrent connections, you are also able to take advantage of 320Mhz bandwidth (till now WiFi 6/6E only allowed for up to the 160Mhz connections). This means that you have a greater bandwidth per connection – though you can only have a finite amount of connections at 320Mhz at once. This is COMBINED with WiFi allowing for overlapping connections too and 1 device enjoying multiple connections at once.

This means that not only can you match the speed of a normal wired gigabit connection, but you can ABSOLUTELY SMASH IT! As you can see below, using this USB adapter on my regular windows laptop, connecting to the UniFi Dream Router 7 over the 6Hz band – I was able to hit 2.8Gb/s wireless connectivity!!! That is even faster than using one of the physical 2.5GbE connections on the UCG-Fiber.

It’s worth remembering though that WiFi 7 is NOT perfect and although it presents a lot of benefits for bandwidth improvements, reduced latency and increased encryption options, support of the wider frequencies and abilities of a larger WiFi 7 populated network are still a little ‘early days’.

By that, I mean that although you can hit high performance with 320Mhz connections, the actual radio frequency opened up right now (depending on your region) is pretty slim. The UCG-Fiber router DOES show you the full radio spectrum, separated dynamically with each 20/40/80/160/320Mhz block that is spread across 2.4/5/6Ghz – but ALOT of it is still unavailable to use in many regions.

These limitations are likely going to reduce over time and, therefore you have to look at a decent % of the WiFi capabilities of the UniFi Dream Router 7 as ‘future proofing’ – but just keep in mind that although you can deploy ALOT of wireless (and wired) devices in a UCG-Fiber managed environment, those peak 802.11be/WiFi 7 bandwidth improvements are going to be shared only by a few client devices – in reality the real benefits are going to be felt with the opening up of the 6Ghz frequency allowing for more devices to be spread over all three frequencies and bands at 80/160Mhz.

Anotehr note to keep in mind is that the 6Ghz band has a shorter area of effect than 5Ghz (which likewise has a shorter area than WiFi 5). So WiFi7 is at it’s best in closer proximity without walls – more as a cable alternative if you are in the same areas as your UniFi router. But when I connected to a 10GbE NAS (connected to the 10GbE port of my UCG-Fiber), I was able to hit 187MB/s write easily (though read performance was oddly inconsistent – possibly related to the NAS, still investigating – TBC) in CrystalDiskMark.

Likewise, similar testing with the WiFi 7 USB Adapter, through the UCG-Fiber and at the 10GbE connected NAS hit 260MB/s+ easily. Once again, I would have easily respected this if I had been connecting with the NAS using the 2.5GbE ports – but I am hugely impressed that I was able to hit this benchmark over a WiFi connection (thanks to that 2.8Gbps 6Ghz setup). Respect!

Additionally it is very easy to monitor the position, WiFi coverage, Channel and performance of any device connected to the UCG-Fiber controller software. Also allowing you to create rules o the fly to automatically manage them later as/when devices arrive.

These same controls also extend all the way down to the ISP input of the UCG-Fiber AND IF YOU HAVE MULTIPLE uNIfI AP/Nodses in your setup, can control how/where bandwidth is allocated and the priority of devices/nodes that are unique to your own deployment.

The dashboard features a grouped UI and analytics overview that allows you to see the price traffic that is going into a physical LAN, grouped VLAN or just a single devices on the network – allowing you to see the sites/services/geo data in real time too!

And likewise as before, you can extent these analytics all the way to the root UCG-Fiber router to see EVERYTHING happening in realtime in your network and internet connectivity.

Blacklisting (and whitelisting occasionally) or certain websites is also easy to action manually when needed too – or you can import an existing database of ‘bad’ site lists directly into the UCG-Fiber to simplify the process.

Once rules, priorities, orders of services and limits have been created, you can then apply them to individual devices, networks, groups, vLANS, etc – even to a physical LAN port if needed. These rules are completely customizable and if 1 parameter is changed on the fly, it immediately actions across all selected devices.

It’s also worth highlighting that UniFi has its own enterprise user identity service (‘Identity Endpoint’) that you can apply to devices if you want to ensure that connected devices on the LAN or WAN are truly secure (client auth tools on each device) and this extends to the VPN and UniFi network client device access too.

I also should stress that although the UCG-Fiber seems like a very, VERY proprietary router – UniFi do NOT lock you into having to create an account with them or use only their services. You can set the system up for LOCAL ONLY management and control if you choose. Or even hybrid the two and create 1 secure ‘Identity Endpoint sys admin’, but others are ‘local’ only – nice balance tbh.

And new users (super user or billy basic!) can be created, modified and deleted at any time!

Control and configuration of the UCG-Fiber are very straight forward and there are pretty high end configuration options in the backend of the system to control both the local network setup, as well as WiFi connectivity out the box (or added later in the case of systems like the UCG Fiber via the U7/U7 Pro/U6).

And professional SI’s/Technicians can set the system to ‘truly open’ if they wish, and this can be securely controlled as needed. This allows for opening up frequencies in the case of a WiFi setup down the road and advanced settings related to antenna gain/adaption.

The system configuration and control are surprisingly extensive for a $279 router and puts it well, well into the realms of an enterprise-grade solution, despite its Prosumer/SMB price point.

Unsurprisingly, the UCG-Fiber has internet speed test tools (either using the native web browser GUI or the WiFiman application for Android/iOS).

But its goes further, with the ability to monitor the packet management in your network (covered earlier) to such as extent that you can even block the server calls to specific sites/vendors that are going through the UniFi manager and block them SPECIFICALLY. Eg, want to keep google services, but NOT YouTube (either for work/professional reasons, or because of your kids homework deadline?) – you can do that REALLY easily.

And you can apply these rules easily and analytics with ease via the topographical network monitoring window. So you can visually see the devices in the network, then apply the rules, in case a new device gets sneakily added to circumnavigate any limits/restricts in palce.

And if you see a sudden spike in internet use, you can (in seconds) isolate the device that is causing it AND see what it is – allowing yo to block/monitor as needed.

Equally, you can set some pretty extensive security provisions to pre-emptively kick in when an unknown device arrives on the scene, or if an existing device in the network begins to be suspicious.

The same goes for creating day 1/100 rules for port forwarding, traffic management and Firewall rules. All of this is HUGELY customizable and most pages in the UniFi GUI feature both ‘simple/easy’ views, as well as much more complex advanced views as needed at the top of each page.

The multiple LAN ports can also be scaled up/down as needed if your existing network is not quite ready for the full network connectivity of the UCG-Fiber too.

And thanks to the UCG-Fiber featuring multiple WAN ports, you can decide how you want to handle multiple ISP services into your home/business, to separate/combine/balance between them with ease across your connected devices.

Additionally, each WAN port can be adjusted to a ‘WAN’ or ‘LAN’ roles as needed – even disabled. So, whether it is as a failover internet connection, or that you want to free up that 10GbE port for use as a LAN – The choice is yours!

Also, as mentioned earlier, as the system supported internal storage via the slot, you can go ahead and run UniFi Protect surveillance software too – as well as as an additional switch to the available LAN ports, for cameras or add a camera to the POE port.

There are actually several different surveillance, communications, display or smart appliances in the UniFi portfolio that can be installed on the internet storage drive + also means you have more scope for that POE ready port.

It gets to a point (perhaps) that there are TOO many security and configuration options, and people looking for just a router to ‘just do it’s job’ will be somewhat overwhelmed. Most of the important settings are already set pretty well, but I never the less recommend first time buyers take the time to explore the configuration options present in order to better understand what they are buying here in terms of it’s abilities to protect your network and internet services.

This extends right the way down to the more advanced prevention and intrusion protection measures (Dark Web blocking too). Again, pretty advanced for many, but take the time to look through them if you purchase the UCG-Fiber.

And if in doubt, you can use the UniFi Teleport VPN service to anonymize your site-to-site exchanges (again, very ‘first party’ and more about SD-WAN level stuff, but does form part of the purchase here).

Also, keep in mind that the UCG-Fiber has the option to create Airgaps in it’s wired network AND WiFi connectivity (if you want to add that) that allows you to create automated access times – especially useful for businesses who want to lock down access outside of the usual 9-5 operational hours.

If you want to use WiFi services, yo can create multiple SSIDs of varying degrees of access – and yes, all the controls on security, speed, antenna, frequency, vLAN, etc are all present here too.

When creating those VLANS, you can add specific physical ports, IDs, WiFi APs etc to that vLAN to segregate your network as securely as possible.

And from there you can adjust the vLAN configuration in terms of it’s smooth operation and security directly from the network management panel (as well as view all active vLANS on one page if needed to see how they interact/clash + show each device you have moved in/out of them easily.

And again, all packet management/monitoring are available within the vLAN if you need.

If this all sounds tremendously intimidating, there is a much, MUCH easier 1 panel view in the ‘Insights’ tab that just shows each current network branch and it’s connections/clients in a list format.

Not good enough? How about a global view that shows the data packet exchange in real time with regard to each region (i.e worried that your data is being harvested to an overseas location, this will show you which countries are currently connected with on your UCG-Fiber for upload/download (websites? server? It’s easy to check and find out here!).

Bottom line – the bulk of the UniFi Control Software here is available on the majority of UniFi Router, Express, Cloud Gateway and Dream Machine devices – but the EXTENT to which you can use it is heavily dependent on the device you buy. In the case of the UCG-Fiber, you have a fantastic balance of Day 1 control sure, but you have an even better management and scalability on the system for when your ISP services double/triple, as well as the number of devices in your network expand.

UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) Review – Conclusion and Verdict

The UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber (UCG-Fiber) presents itself as a compact and capable network gateway solution that brings high-speed connectivity, PoE support, and integrated storage options to UniFi’s growing lineup of cloud-managed devices. Its dual 10G SFP+ ports, a 10GbE RJ45 port, and multiple 2.5GbE ports make it a strong option for users who require multi-gigabit networking in a small form factor. The inclusion of PoE support on one of the 2.5GbE ports adds a level of flexibility, allowing for directly connected UniFi APs or cameras without requiring an external PoE switch. Additionally, the support for NVMe SSD storage enables on-device UniFi Protect NVR functionality, which may be useful for businesses and users looking to consolidate their networking and surveillance infrastructure. From a software perspective, the UniFi Network, Protect, and Talk applications provide a familiar and well-integrated ecosystem that benefits from centralized management and cloud access. The license-free SD-WAN and VPN services also add value for users requiring secure remote access and site-to-site networking.

However, the UCG-Fiber is not without its drawbacks. The lack of flexibility in WAN port assignment may be a limiting factor for some users, especially those who do not have 10GbE WAN connectivity and would prefer to configure one of the 2.5GbE ports as a WAN interface (Correction, changing 2.5G ports to WAN/WAN2 is supported, just requires small assignment changes). The requirement to purchase a separate M.2 SSD adapter tray is another downside, as it adds an additional cost for users who intend to use the NVMe storage option. Additionally, with only 3GB of non-upgradable RAM, there could be concerns about long-term scalability if future UniFi software updates demand more system resources. While the ARM-based CPU is efficient, it does not match the performance of higher-end x86-based networking solutions, which may affect performance in environments with high packet processing demands. The absence of USB connectivity for external backups is another small but notable omission. Overall, the UCG-Fiber is a well-rounded networking device with a strong focus on multi-gigabit connectivity, PoE integration, and UniFi software compatibility, but it may not be the ideal solution for users with more complex WAN requirements or those needing expandable memory and storage flexibility.

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