Aruba (HPE) Aruba CX 6200 vs Fortinet FortiSwitch 648F-FPOE: Specs & Price Comparison

Aruba (HPE) Aruba CX 6200

★ 4.2 Value Score

Switching Capacity: 128 Gbps (24-port models); 176 Gbps (48-port models)
Forwarding Rate: 95.2 Mpps (24-port models); 130.9 Mpps (48-port models)
Ports (breakdown): 24x or 48x 10/100/1000BASE-T (PoE+ on PoE SKUs) + 4x SFP/SFP+ uplinks (1GbE/10GbE); 6200M models add 4x SFP+ uplinks
PoE Budget: 370W Class 4 (24G and 48G 370W SKUs); 740W Class 4 (48-port 6200F PoE SKU); up to 1440W Class 6 (60W per port) on 6200M PoE SKUs. Varies by SKU
Layer: L2/L3 (Layer 3 static routing; dynamic routing depends on software license)
Stacking support: Yes, VSF virtual stacking up to 8 members (single logical device); VSX redundancy also supported

✔ Pros: Fixed-port, Layer 2/3 managed access switch in a compact 1U form factor; Wide range of PoE and non-PoE SKUs (370W, 740W, and 1440W class 6 PoE options) for IP phones, cameras, and APs; VSF stacking of up to 8 members simplifies management as one logical device; Full Aruba CX OS features with REST API, network analytics, and automation support via Aruba Central; Solid mid-range pricing compared with enterprise-class core switches; 10GbE SFP+ uplinks support aggregation and campus backbone links
✘ Cons: Model and SKU naming (6200F vs 6200M, 24G vs 48G, PoE vs non-PoE) is confusing and specs differ significantly between variants; Public spec sources conflict on some figures (for example, 6200F throughput and uplink types), so exact datasheet values should be verified per SKU; Dynamic routing and advanced L3 features require additional licensing; Power budget is limited on 370W and 740W SKUs, so high-draw PoE devices may not all be supported at full load; Pricing is in USD only for 6200F SKUs. European 6200M pricing was found only in EUR and GBP, and no official HPE list price was confirmed
Est. Price: $4,261 - $8,663

Fortinet FortiSwitch 648F-FPOE

★ 3.5 Value Score

Switching Capacity: 720 Gbps (duplex)
Forwarding Rate: 1071 Mpps (duplex)
Ports (breakdown): 32x 1GE/2.5GE RJ45; 16x 1GE/2.5GE/5GE RJ45; 8x 1GE/10GE/25GE SFP/SFP+/SFP28; 1x 10/100/1000 management; 1x RJ-45 serial console
PoE Budget: 1800 W with dual PSU (200-240V); 1600 W (100-120V); 780 W with single PSU (200-240V); 600 W (100-120V)
PoE Standard: 802.3af/at/bt (Type 4) on all 48 ports
Layer (L2/L3): Layer 2/3
Stacking support: No physical stacking; managed as a FortiLink switch, up to 300 switches per FortiGate
MAC Address Table: 64K
VLANs Supported: 4K
Packet Buffer: 8 MB
Memory: 4 GB DDR4
Form Factor: 1RU full-depth rack mount (44 x 442 x 440 mm)
Maximum Power Consumption: 2100 W
Power Supplies: 2x 1200 W (redundant)
Weight: 7.83 kg

✔ Pros: 48 PoE++ ports supporting 802.3bt Type 4 with an 1800 W budget; 8x 25G SFP28 uplinks for high-speed aggregation; 720 Gbps switching capacity and 1071 Mpps forwarding; dual redundant 1200 W power supplies; Layer 2/3 operation; tight integration with FortiGate via FortiLink for centralized management; 4K VLAN and 64K MAC table support
✘ Cons: Ports top out at 5GbE (no native 10GbE RJ45), which may limit high-speed wired endpoints; PoE budget falls to 780 W with a single PSU and 600 W on 100-120V input; full management benefits require a FortiGate controller; no physical stacking, so scaling depends on FortiLink limits; high acquisition cost compared with general-purpose PoE switches; FortiCare support and licensing are sold separately
Est. Price: $7,814 - $12,870

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