Update: Now officially available from Ubiquiti.
Ubiquiti is well-known for its professional networking equipment, but has recently been branching out. Last fall we got a look at the AmpliFi Instant Mesh Wi-Fi System. Now the company has unveiled its latest Wi-Fi router, which brings a suite of pro-grade features to a more consumer-friendly design. The UniFi Dream Machine launches with an all-in-one design that touts up to 1000Mbps speeds, professional network management and much more.
UniFi Dream Machine Design
Ubiquiti’s new UniFi Dream Machine sports a nearly all-white cylindrical design. It fits perfectly in the company’s line up of existing devices and in a lot of ways, and looks like a spiritual successor to the AirPort Extreme. On the backside are the device’s I/O, with a necessary power input making the cut alongside four Gigabit Ethernet ports. And of course, on the top you’ll find Ubiquiti’s signature blue LED ring.
UniFi Dream Machine capabilities:
Spec-wise, the UniFi Dream Machine is equally as eye-catching. It features up to 700Mbps network speeds, with the option of bursting up to 1000Mbps. That’s actually better performance than the company’s UniFi Security Gateway – the current entry-level option for building out a UniFi setup.
In terms of Wi-Fi, you’re looking at dual band 802.11ac connectivity. Much like many of the company’s access points, it also touts 4×4 Wave 2 AP, which gives newer devices an increased bandwidth for network traffic. One downside is that it lacks 802.11ax support.
Unlike the AmpliFi Mesh System, the UniFi Dream Machine integrates with Ubiquiti’s existing SDN software. This gives you pretty much complete control over configuring the network, monitoring devices and more. Plus, it offers some pretty fantastic graphs and statistics. The software also allows you to expand the Dream Machine’s capabilities with additional access points, Ethernet switch and more.
Check out the full list of features right here:
- High‐Performance Dual Band 802.11ac 4×4 Wave 2 AP
- Managed 4-Port Gigabit Switch
- Advanced Security Gateway with IPS and DPI
- UniFi Network Controller with Intuitive User Interface
- Scalable Through Additional UniFi Devices Connected to LAN
- Powered by Fast 1.7 GHz Quad-Core Processor
UniFi Dream Machine pricing and availability:
The new UniFi Dream Machine will be launching with a $299 price tag. It is now available for purchase as part of the company’s Early Access program, which is free to sign up for. In the near future we’ll see the Ubiquiti’s latest networking device officially go on sale at retailers like B&H as well as Ubiquiti’s own storefront.
9to5Toys’ Take:
I couldn’t be more excited about the launch of the UniFi Dream Machine. At the beginning of the year, I made the switch form an AmpliFi Mesh System to a full-blown UniFi setup. A lot of trial and error was involved to get things configured. So if I had to do it all over again, I’d absolutely opt for the Dream Machine as a starting point.
It’s price makes the UniFi Dream Machine just a little bit more expensive than buying the Enterprise Gateway Router and UniFi AC Pro; which is essentially what the all-in-one device is. Though that increased price also brings enhanced functionality as well.
The form-factor takes the guess work out of setting up a UniFi network. It’s going to drastically lower the barrier to entry for Ubiquiti’s platform and I think it’ll certainly be a hit with the more tech-oriented crowd.
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