PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro
Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro
★ 5.0 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), tri-band
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 6 total; 2x2 MIMO per band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz)
  • Aggregate Throughput: 9.3 Gbps (per-band: 2.4 GHz 688 Mbps, 5 GHz 2882 Mbps, 6 GHz 5765 Mbps)
  • Radios (bands): 3 radios: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz
  • Uplink Port Speed: 1x 2.5GbE RJ45 (1G/2.5G auto-negotiation)
  • Max Clients: 300+ connected devices
  • PoE Requirement: 802.3at PoE+ (44-57V DC input), approx. 21 W typical draw

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 with 6 GHz support at a low entry price; 2.5GbE uplink lets it outrun standard gigabit wired backhaul; single-cable PoE+ power simplifies deployment; 300+ client capacity suits small-to-medium offices and homes; wall and ceiling mounts included; 2-year warranty; managed centrally through the UniFi controller ecosystem
  • ✘ Cons: Only 2x2 MIMO per band, so it trails 4x4-class Wi-Fi 7 APs and the U7 Pro Max; no 10GbE uplink for high-throughput environments; requires a UniFi controller (UniFi OS or Network app) for full management; PoE+ budget leaves no headroom for power-hungry add-ons; street prices often sit above the $189 MSRP; no built-in PoE injector, so a PoE+ switch or injector is required
  • Est. Price: $179 - $237

Compare Against

Cisco Catalyst 9136
Cisco Catalyst 9136
★ 3.4 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6E), backward compatible with 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 2.4 GHz: 4SS (4x4); 5 GHz: 8SS (8x8); 6 GHz: 4SS (4x4)
  • Aggregate Throughput: Up to 10.2 Gbps combined PHY rate (theoretical; 6 GHz 4x4 160 MHz + 5 GHz 8x8 80 MHz + 2.4 GHz 4x4 20 MHz)
  • Radios (bands): Tri-radio by default: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz, plus a 2.4 GHz BLE 5 IoT radio and a scanning radio. Quad-radio mode with dual 5 GHz (dual 4x4) is a future software upgrade
  • Uplink Port Speed: 2x RJ-45 multigigabit (100M/1G/2.5G/5G)
  • Max Clients: 1200 total (400 per radio)
  • PoE Requirement: 802.3bt (UPOE) for full performance, 47.3 W max; 802.3at 24.4 W with 1x 2.5G and USB disabled; 802.3af 13.95 W for day-0 provisioning only

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Tri-radio Wi-Fi 6E design with a dedicated 6 GHz band for less congested high-throughput wireless; 8x8 5 GHz radio and 4x4 radios on 2.4 and 6 GHz; 2x multigigabit uplinks (up to 5G) for higher wired throughput; supports 1200 total clients (400 per radio); integrated Bluetooth 5 (BLE) radio for location and IoT use cases; USB 2.0 and container support for edge applications; managed by Catalyst 9800 controllers or Catalyst 9k switches in SDA mode with Embedded Wireless Controller; 0 to 50°C operating range
  • ✘ Cons: Full performance requires 802.3bt (UPOE, 47.3 W) power, so 802.3at or 802.3af switches reduce port speed, disable USB, or limit setup to day-0 provisioning; the 802.3bt power injector (AIR-PWRINJ7) is an extra cost if the switch lacks UPOE; above 40°C the 5 GHz radio drops to 4x4 and the uplink falls to 1G; dual-5 GHz quad-radio mode is a future software upgrade, not available at launch; requires IOS XE 17.7.1 or later and a Catalyst 9800 or EWC controller for centralized management; 10.2 Gbps is a theoretical PHY rate, not measured throughput; no official Cisco list price was found, and reseller prices vary widely
  • Est. Price: $2,000 - $3,663

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