Primary Device
Cisco Catalyst 9300-48P
★ 3.5 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Switching Capacity: 256 Gbps (standalone); 736 Gbps with StackWise-480 stacking
- Forwarding Rate: 190.48 Mpps (IPv4/IPv6); approx. 547.62 Mpps when stacked
- Ports (breakdown): 48x 10/100/1000 RJ-45 PoE+ access ports; 1 network module slot for uplinks (4x 1G SFP, or 10G options depending on the module installed)
- PoE Budget: 437 W default with 715 W WAC PSU; up to approx. 1440 W with an 1100 W secondary PSU (upgrade figure from third-party listings, not verified against Cisco documentation)
- Layer: L2 with Network Essentials; L3 (routing) with Network Advantage (-A) license
- Stacking support: Yes, StackWise-480 (480 Gbps stacking bandwidth, up to 8 switches per stack)
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: Full 48-port PoE+ access with 437 W default PoE budget suits typical access-layer deployments; StackWise-480 stacking allows a single managed stack with unified configuration; Network Advantage (-A) variant adds full L3 routing and advanced features; Enterprise-grade IOS-XE platform with streaming telemetry, model-driven programmability and strong security features; Modular uplink network module slot gives flexibility for 1G or 10G uplinks; Redundant power supply options allow higher PoE budget and resilience
- ✘ Cons: Default 437 W PoE budget can be limiting for high-draw devices such as PTZ cameras or multiple high-power APs without a larger PSU; Higher price point than many competing 48-port PoE+ switches, especially with the Advantage licence; Stacking and higher PoE budgets require additional hardware and licences, increasing total cost; Forwarding rate and PoE upgrade figures vary between sources, so verify against Cisco's current datasheet before purchase; Uplink options depend on the network module, which is an extra purchase; Power and cooling needs are higher than basic unmanaged switches
- Est. Price: $7,700 - $8,712
Compare Against
Cisco Cisco Catalyst 9200L
★ 4.3 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Switching Capacity: 56 Gbps (24P-4G) to 128 Gbps (24-port 4x10G) and 104 Gbps (48P-4G) to 176 Gbps (48P-4X); varies by SKU and source
- Forwarding Rate: 83.33 Mpps (24P-4G) to 190.4 Mpps (24P-4X); 154.76 Mpps (48P-4G) to 261.9 Mpps (48P-4X); varies by SKU and source
- Ports (breakdown): 24 or 48 x 10/100/1000 downlink ports (PoE+ on P models, non-PoE on T models; some 48-port PXG variants add mGig ports) plus 4 fixed uplinks: 4 x 1G SFP (-4G) or 4 x 10G SFP+ (-4X)
- PoE Budget: 24P models: about 370 W default, up to about 740 W with redundant PSU; 48P models: about 740 W default, up to about 1440 W with two PSUs (sources conflict, e.g. 600 W and 1 kW PSU options quoted)
- Layer: L2/L3: Network Essentials provides L2 switching with basic L3 features; Network Advantage adds full dynamic L3 routing
- Stacking support: Yes, StackWise-80 with 80 Gbps stacking bandwidth, up to 8 switches (requires stacking module/kit)
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: Cisco StackWise-80 stacking of up to 8 units with 80 Gbps stacking bandwidth; 4x10G SFP+ uplink option for higher-bandwidth aggregation; Full PoE+ (802.3at) on P models with budgets up to roughly 1440 W with redundant power; Two licensing tiers (Network Essentials and Network Advantage) let buyers pay only for needed L3 features; Lower price point than Catalyst 9300 for standard campus access deployments
- ✘ Cons: Uplinks are fixed with no modular expansion slots, which limits future upgrade paths; Full dynamic L3 routing requires the more expensive Network Advantage license; Stacking needs a separate stacking module and is capped at 8 units; Switching capacity and PoE budgets differ widely between SKUs, making spec comparison and sizing confusing; Lower forwarding performance and feature depth than Catalyst 9300 for aggregation or core roles
- Est. Price: $1,783 - $4,604