Ubiquiti Pro Max 48 PoE Switch Review

The Ubiquiti Pro Max 48 PoE Switch provides an ideal balance of power, speed, and manageability, ensuring a flexible network.

The UniFi Pro Max 48-Port PoE Switch is a high-performance networking solution that sets itself apart with robust Power over Ethernet (PoE) capabilities, multi-gigabit networking support, and an array of advanced features.

Designed for demanding environments such as enterprises, educational institutions, and advanced home setups, the Pro Max offers exceptional scalability and reliability for users with significant networking demands. At a current price tag of $1,299.00 (affiliate link), it is a premium investment that delivers powerful functionality for future-proofing network infrastructure.

Why Choose the Ubiquiti Pro Max 48 PoE?

As the digital landscape expands, the demand for reliable, high-performance networking solutions has increased exponentially. Businesses, educational institutions, and even advanced smart homes are now more reliant on sophisticated networks that can handle data traffic and deliver power to devices like IP cameras, VoIP phones, and wireless access points.

The UniFi Pro Max 48-Port PoE Switch is a powerhouse designed to meet these requirements. With its high-power budget, multi-gigabit networking, and multiple PoE standards (PoE, PoE+, and PoE++), it is specifically tailored for environments where performance, flexibility, and scalability are critical. In sectors such as security, technology, and smart building management, having a switch that can handle data and power delivery is invaluable. The Pro Max provides an ideal solution for users who demand a robust and reliable network infrastructure that can grow with their needs.

The UniFi Pro Max 48-Port PoE Switch is more than a standard network switch. It offers a combination of PoE and multi-gigabit networking, setting it apart from other switches in the market. With 32 x GbE RJ45 ports, 16 x 1/2.5 GbE RJ45 ports, and 4 x 10G SFP+ ports, it ensures compatibility with current-generation devices while supporting newer, faster equipment.

This switch is ideal for growing businesses or advanced smart homes requiring data and power delivery across various devices. It can power IP surveillance cameras, wireless access points, VoIP phones, and more demanding devices like large-scale LED lighting systems or high-powered wireless antennas. The Pro Max excels in environments where high power and bandwidth are essential, such as tech firms, educational campuses, or surveillance-heavy deployments.

Turning to build, the UniFi Pro Max’s full SGCC steel chassis is sturdy and durable, ensuring longevity even in demanding conditions. Its 1U rack-mountable design fits seamlessly into existing network setups, and its overall build quality is in line with that of other devices in the UniFi ecosystem, meaning users can expect a cohesive aesthetic and consistent performance across their UniFi products.

Technical Specifications – Performance and Flexibility

The UniFi Pro Max 48-Port PoE Switch has powerful hardware to handle heavy data loads and significant power delivery needs. Including 1/2.5 GbE ports is one of the Pro Max’s most compelling features. These multi-gigabit ports allow for much faster data transfers than standard 1 GbE ports, which is becoming increasingly important for businesses and institutions that rely on high-speed data communication. This is especially useful for applications such as video conferencing, cloud computing, or environments where large file transfers are common.

With a total PoE budget of 720W, the UniFi Pro Max can power a wide range of devices, including more demanding ones like advanced wireless access points and surveillance cameras. The switch supports the latest PoE++ standard and can deliver up to 60W per port. This is crucial for devices that require more power, such as multi-radio outdoor access points or PTZ cameras with heating elements for outdoor use.

The Pro Max’s non-blocking throughput of 112 Gbps and switching capacity of 224 Gbps ensure it can easily handle large traffic volumes. This is especially critical in environments with heavy data demands, such as media production houses, security monitoring centers, or businesses running cloud applications.

Etherlighting™ Ports and Touchscreen Display

One of the standout features of the Pro Max is its Etherlighting™ ports. These illuminated ports indicate port location, speed/link status, and native VLAN/network. This feature makes it easier to identify active ports and troubleshoot issues in large network setups, where multiple cables and connections can be difficult to track.

Like other models in the UniFi switch line-up, the 1.3″ touchscreen display on the front of the switch adds another layer of convenience. It provides real-time status updates, enabling users to monitor the health of the switch and connected devices without needing to log into the management interface. This makes network management more accessible and efficient, especially for on-site administrators or technicians.

A Lab Look at Real-World Performance

In our testing, we connected a mix of PoE devices, including access points, UniFi IP cameras, and other devices. During data transfers, the switch demonstrated exceptional performance, handling the load without noticeable latency or interruptions. The Pro Max efficiently distributed power and data, proving that its non-blocking throughput and switching capacity were more than capable of managing a high-demand network.

Multi-gigabit testing focused on the 1/2.5 GbE ports, where we connected devices capable of leveraging these higher speeds, such as multi-gig Wi-Fi access points and various systems. The switch performed flawlessly, with data transfer rates exceeding what we typically observe with 1 GbE connections. This capability is particularly beneficial for environments with high-bandwidth applications, high wireless client density (per access point), video streaming, large file transfers, or real-time data analysis.

The 4 x 10G SFP+ ports provided high-speed uplinks, perfect for connecting to backbone switches or integrating with other ten-gigabit networking infrastructure supporting (LACP) aggregation. This capability allows the Pro Max to serve as a core switch in a more extensive network setup or as a distribution switch in smaller deployments. In our lab environment, the traffic flow from the outside world hits our Ubiquiti Dream Machine Pro Max, then this Pro Max 48 POE switch, and branches off to our two labs over the 10G interface. Local to the rack with the switch is a storage backup appliance that uses a 10G uplink port.

Heat Management – Reliable Under Load

With PoE++ and multi-gigabit networking, power consumption and heat generation can be significant concerns. However, the Pro Max’s efficient cooling system maintained optimal temperatures throughout our testing. Even under PoE loads, the switch remained cool, thanks to well-designed airflow and internal cooling mechanisms. This makes it ideal for environments where uptime is critical, such as server rooms or data centers.

Redundant Power Supply – Enhanced Reliability

The UniFi Pro 48 Max and its other counterparts include a USP-RPS DC input, supporting redundant power through UniFi’s Smart Power Redundant Power System (USP-RPS). This feature provides a critical failover mechanism, ensuring uninterrupted operation in case of a primary power failure, which is crucial for businesses and environments that cannot afford downtime, such as data centers, hospitals, or security monitoring centers. Having redundant power options means network administrators can rest assured that their systems will remain operational, even during an unexpected power outage.

Additionally, the C13 locking power plug adds an extra layer of reliability by securing it to the switch chassis, preventing accidental disconnections that would otherwise lead to network downtime.

Conclusion

The UniFi Pro Max 48-Port PoE Switch enhances the UniFi ecosystem with unparalleled networking performance, power delivery, and scalability. Designed for businesses, enterprises, and power users, it offers robust multi-gigabit support, extensive PoE capabilities, and seamless integration with the broader Ubiquiti ecosystem—all without the need for ongoing subscription fees and licensing.

Like other components in Ubiquiti’s product line, such as the UDM Pro Max, UNVR Pro, and UniFi cameras, the Pro Max switch delivers a high-performance, user-friendly experience. It offers flexible networking options that can grow with your needs.

For users looking to build or expand their network infrastructure, the Ubiquiti Pro Max 48 PoE Switch provides the ideal balance of power, speed, and manageability, ensuring their network is ready for today’s and tomorrow’s demands.

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