Back in the fall, Ubiquiti officially launched its first all-in-one entry into the UniFi ecosystem with the Dream Machine. Today the company is expanding that lineup with its latest offering that combines several pieces of the UniFi stack into a single device. Sporting a built-in touchscreen display, upgradable 3.5-inch hard drive, and security camera NVR functionality, the new UniFi Dream Machine Pro enters as a versatile option for prosumers and enterprise use cases alike. Head below for a closer look.
Ubiquiti launches UniFi Dream Machine Pro
Returning to its bread and butter, Ubiquiti’s latest networking accessory takes a step away from some of its recent releases like the UniFi Smart Plug or UniFi Protect Doorbell. Serving as an upgraded version of the UniFi Dream Machine, we saw debut towards the end of last year; the Pro version mirrors many of the included features while adding in some highly-requested functionality.
The rack-mountable device is powered by a 1.7 GHz quad-core processor and sports a design fitting for all of the products it can replace. On top of handling the security gateway features, it also integrates an 8-port Gigabit Ethernet switch and other necessary elements of the UniFi stack. As you’d expect, it’s compatible with existing equipment from Ubiquiti’s line of prosumer gear. Though unlike the standard UniFi Dream Machine, you will need to supply an access point.
Ubiquiti’s Dream Machine Pro also incorporates UniFi Protect, the company’s security camera NVR system, into the mix. Not only does it replace the software functionality of the Cloud Key Gen 2, but the new device also borrows from the accessory’s design. Dream Machine Pro sports a 1.3-inch touchscreen that displays throughput and other networking stats. Thanks to the rack-mountable design, users can add in a standard 3.5-inch hard drive for storing recorded footage.
Ubiquiti’s new UniFi Dream Machine Pro is now available for purchase direct from the company’s online storefront and retails for $379. That’s only $80 more than the entry-level UDM, providing a decent value proposition for those interested in adopting Ubiquiti’s security camera system. An upgrade kit is also available for $180 extra, which includes an 8TB hard drive. Though considering you can swap in neatly any 3.5-inch drive, it’s probably worth skipping Ubiquiti’s solution.
9to5Toys’ Take
As someone who’s been intrigued by the UniFi Dream Machine, but ultimately turned off by lack of NVR support, the new pro iteration seems to offer an enticing parade of features. I know there are a lot of prosumers who have been aching to get their hands on one of these, so the UniFi Dream Machine Pro launches as one of the more anticipated products from Ubiquiti, especially for prosumers.
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