Ports (breakdown): 24x 10/100/1000BASE-T RJ-45 + 4x 1G SFP (non-PoE R8N88A; PoE variant R8N87A has the same port layout)
PoE Budget: None on R8N88A; R8N87A PoE variant: 370W Class 4 PoE+
Layer: L2/L3 managed (Layer 3 lite)
Stacking Support: Not supported
Curation Review
✔ Pros:Low-cost entry point into managed Aruba CX switching; 24 Gigabit copper ports plus 4 SFP uplinks in a compact 1U chassis; Layer 3 capable with managed features for small branch or SMB networks; PoE+ variant (R8N87A, 370W) available for powering access points and cameras; Supports Aruba CX management tools including Aruba Central cloud management
✘ Cons:The non-PoE R8N88A cannot power devices, so PoE needs the separate R8N87A SKU; SFP uplinks are 1G only with no 10G option; 56 Gbps switching capacity is modest compared with newer Aruba CX 6100/6200F models; Stacking is not supported, which limits scalability; Only 28 total ports limits density for larger deployments; Published forwarding and PoE figures for the PoE variant conflict across retailer listings, so they should be verified against HPE QuickSpecs
Est. Price:
$540 - $850
Compare Against
Ubiquiti Pro Max Aggregation (USW-Pro-Max-Aggregation)
★ 5.0 Value Score
Technical Specifications
Switching Capacity: 760 Gbps
Forwarding Rate: 565 Mpps
Ports: 28 x 10G SFP+ (10G/1G) + 4 x 25G SFP28 (25G/10G/1G)
PoE Budget: N/A (non-PoE switch)
Layer: L3 (Layer 2 features also supported)
Stacking: Not listed
Non-blocking Throughput: 380 Gbps
Max Power Consumption: 100 W
Power Input: Universal AC 100-240 V; DC input for RPS backup
Form Factor: 1U rack-mount (442 x 325 x 44 mm)
Weight: 4.6 kg without brackets
Curation Review
✔ Pros:760 Gbps switching capacity and 565 Mpps forwarding rate for aggregation duty; 28 x 10G SFP+ plus 4 x 25G SFP28 uplink ports; Layer 3 switching with Layer 2 features; DC input for redundant power backup; compact 1U rack form factor
✘ Cons:No PoE, so it can't power APs or cameras directly; no stacking listed; not in stock on Ubiquiti's US store (marked 'No restock date yet'); 100 W power draw is high for a non-PoE 1U switch; price is above many 10G-only alternatives