PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Aruba AP-515
Aruba AP-515
★ 3.5 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 4x4:4 in 5GHz band, 2x2:2 in 2.4GHz band
  • Aggregate Throughput: 5.4 Gbps (4.8 Gbps on 5GHz + 575 Mbps on 2.4GHz)
  • Radios (bands): Dual-radio (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz) plus Bluetooth 5 and Zigbee (802.15.4)
  • Uplink Port Speed: 1x 2.5 Gbps HPE Smart Rate (RJ-45) and 1x 10/100/1000BASE-T (RJ-45)
  • Max Clients: 512 associated clients (256 per radio)
  • PoE Requirement: 802.3at (PoE+) for full functionality; 802.3af (PoE) supported with restrictions

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: High-performance Wi-Fi 6 delivery with up to 5.4 Gbps aggregate throughput; Integrated IoT radios (Bluetooth and Zigbee) for asset tracking and smart device connectivity; 2.5 Gbps HPE Smart Rate uplink port prevents wired bottlenecks and supports existing cabling; Robust enterprise security including WPA3 and Enhanced Open support
  • ✘ Cons: Powering via standard 802.3af (PoE) disables the USB port and the secondary Ethernet port; 2.4 GHz radio is limited to 2x2 MIMO compared to the 4x4 capability on 5 GHz; High list price relative to newer Wi-Fi 6E/7 alternatives in the current market
  • Est. Price: $450 - $950

Compare Against

Ubiquiti U7 Pro
Ubiquiti U7 Pro
★ 4.9 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be)
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 6 (2x2 MIMO on 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz)
  • Aggregate Throughput: 9.3 Gbps (5.8 Gbps 6GHz, 4.3 Gbps 5GHz, 688 Mbps 2.4GHz)
  • Radios (bands): Tri-band (2.4, 5, 6 GHz)
  • Uplink Port Speed: 2.5 GbE RJ45
  • Max Clients: 300+
  • PoE Requirement: PoE+ (802.3at)

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: WiFi 7 support with 6 GHz band and 320 MHz channels; 2.5 GbE uplink prevents bottlenecks; Exceptional value-to-performance ratio; Seamless UniFi ecosystem integration.
  • ✘ Cons: Only 2x2 MIMO on 5 GHz band (reduction from U6 Pro's 4x4); Requires higher power PoE+; Includes an internal cooling fan which may concern some users for long-term reliability.
  • Est. Price: $189 - $210

Popular Comparisons

Aruba AP-515 vs Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro Max Aruba AP-515 vs Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro Wall Aruba AP-515 vs Ubiquiti U7 Pro Max Aruba AP-515 vs Ubiquiti U7 Pro Aruba AP-515 vs Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro