PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Ubiquiti Dream Machine Special Edition (UDM-SE)
Ubiquiti Dream Machine Special Edition (UDM-SE)
★ 4.3 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Firewall Throughput: Not published by Ubiquiti
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 3.5 Gbps IDS/IPS (Ubiquiti spec page; one retailer notes it was measured with iPerf3)
  • IPsec VPN Throughput: Not published by Ubiquiti; no UDM-SE-specific benchmark found
  • Max Sessions: Not published; Ubiquiti spec page lists 150 simultaneous users and marketing cites 1,000+ client support
  • New Sessions/sec: Not published by Ubiquiti
  • Interfaces: 8x 1GbE PoE/PoE+ LAN ports, 1x 2.5GbE RJ45 WAN port, 2x 10G SFP+ ports (most listings; one listing shows 1x 10G SFP+ and conflicts with this)
  • Form Factor: Desktop (1U-class chassis)
  • Processor: Quad-core ARM Cortex-A57 @ 1.7 GHz
  • Memory: 4 GB DDR4
  • Storage: 16 GB eMMC; 3.5-inch HDD bay (drive not included)
  • PoE Budget: Not confirmed in sources reviewed
  • Wi-Fi: None (wired gateway only)
  • VPN Protocols: IPsec, OpenVPN (client and server), L2TP server, PPTP; WireGuard supported per one review

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: All-in-one gateway, controller, and PoE switch in a single unit; 8x PoE-capable GbE ports plus 2.5GbE WAN and 10G SFP+ uplinks; 3.5 Gbps IDS/IPS throughput makes it usable for moderate threat-prevention workloads; Lower entry price than UDM-Pro-class gateways with an included 3.5-inch HDD bay for local video storage; Runs UniFi OS with centralized management and frequent firmware updates; Supports multiple VPN protocols including OpenVPN and L2TP
  • ✘ Cons: Ubiquiti does not publish firewall, IPsec VPN, or session-capacity figures, which makes sizing harder; IDS/IPS throughput drops significantly when threat management is enabled on all categories (community testing reports about 8 Gbps falling to about 3.5 Gbps); Only 4 GB RAM and a quad-core ARM CPU limit headroom for heavy IPS, VPN, or deep-inspection workloads; No built-in Wi-Fi, so a separate access point is needed; Conflicting port and session specs across retailer and official sources; Price varies widely by region, and no official USD MSRP was confirmed
  • Est. Price: $499 - $500

Compare Against

Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Pro Max
Ubiquiti UniFi Dream Machine Pro Max
★ 5.0 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Firewall Throughput: Not published by Ubiquiti. Third-party tests: about 3.8-4.7 Gbps internet (WAN) throughput; about 3.0 Gbps inter-VLAN routing
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 5 Gbps IDS/IPS (Ubiquiti spec)
  • IPsec VPN Throughput: Not published by Ubiquiti. Unverified third-party estimate of about 1.8-2.2 Gbps
  • Max Sessions: Not published
  • New Sessions/sec: Not published
  • Interfaces: 2x 10G SFP+ ports; 8x 1GbE RJ45 LAN ports; 1x 2.5GbE RJ45 WAN port (sources conflict on WAN; one lists a 25GbE WAN port)
  • Form Factor: 1U rackmount

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: 5 Gbps IDS/IPS rating from Ubiquiti; 10G SFP+ ports for fast uplinks or LAN; Multi-WAN support with 2.5GbE WAN; Integrated UniFi Network controller and UniFi OS for centralized management; Built-in NVR bay for UniFi Protect cameras; Rackmount 1U form factor suited to server racks
  • ✘ Cons: Ubiquiti does not publish firewall, VPN, or session-rate figures; Real-world WAN throughput in independent tests is about 3-4.7 Gbps, below the 5 Gbps IDS/IPS rating; Port layout and WAN specs differ between sources; Costs about 2x the UDM Pro (about $220 more) for a modest throughput gain; Limited 1GbE LAN port count compared with dedicated switches; Requires UniFi ecosystem for full feature set
  • Est. Price: $599 - $660

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