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 Cloud Gateway Max
Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway Max
★ 4.9 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Firewall Throughput: 2.5 Gbps (routing, IDS/IPS off)
  • Threat Prevention Throughput: 1.5 Gbps (IDS/IPS on)
  • IPsec VPN Throughput: Not published by Ubiquiti; WireGuard/Site-Magic VPN up to 500 Mbps (third-party review, untested method)
  • Max Sessions: Not published
  • New Sessions/sec: Not published
  • Interfaces: 5x 2.5GbE RJ45 (1 WAN + 4 LAN, one LAN port can be remapped to a second WAN)
  • Form Factor: Compact desktop, 142 x 127 x 30 mm, USB-C 5V/5A power (max 16.1 W)

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: 2.5GbE WAN and LAN ports on a compact, low-power chassis (max 16.1 W); 512GB built-in NVMe storage on the standard SKU for local UniFi data; Integrated UniFi controller with IDS/IPS and no license or subscription fees; Supports 300+ clients and 30+ UniFi devices; Multi-WAN capable through the remappable LAN port
  • ✘ Cons: Only 1.5 Gbps with IDS/IPS enabled, well below the 2.5 Gbps routing figure; IPsec VPN throughput, session counts and new sessions per second are not published; No PoE output and no built-in Wi-Fi access point; No LAG/LACP support; 500 Mbps VPN throughput is limiting for high-volume site-to-site tunnels
  • Est. Price: $240 - $279

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