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
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
- Est. Price: $899 - $1,048