PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Cisco Catalyst 9500-48Y4C
Cisco Catalyst 9500-48Y4C
★ 3.2 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: 3.2 Tbps
  • Forwarding Rate: 1 Bpps (64-byte packets)
  • Ports (breakdown): 48 x 1/10/25G SFP28 + 4 x 40/100G QSFP28 uplinks
  • PoE Budget: None (non-PoE data switch)
  • Layer: L2/L3 (L3 features depend on license: Network Advantage -A, Network Essentials -E)
  • Stacking support: StackWise Virtual per reseller listings (verify against Cisco documentation)

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: 1U chassis with 48 x 25G ports and 4 x 100G uplinks for dense data center and aggregation use; 3.2 Tbps switching capacity and 1 Bpps forwarding on the UADP 3.0 ASIC; Layer 3 routing available with Network Advantage licensing; no PoE overhead, so the platform suits server and aggregation roles; -E and -A licensing tiers let buyers match features to budget; widely available new and refurbished from resellers
  • ✘ Cons: No PoE support, so it cannot power edge endpoints such as APs or IP phones; the -E tier omits some advanced features (reported as SD-Access and advanced QoS, verify against Cisco licensing); only 4 uplink ports limit high-bandwidth aggregation; list prices are high and street prices vary widely between sellers; spec sheets from resellers conflict on port count and stacking, so Cisco's official datasheet should be checked before purchase
  • Est. Price: $9,444 - $29,326

Compare Against

Ubiquiti Enterprise 8 PoE
Ubiquiti Enterprise 8 PoE
★ 4.2 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: 80 Gbps
  • Forwarding Rate: 59.52 Mpps (Ubiquiti tech specs list 60 Mpps)
  • Non-Blocking Throughput: 40 Gbps
  • Ports (breakdown): 8 x 2.5GbE RJ45 (all PoE+; 2.5G/1G/100M/10M) + 2 x 10G SFP+ (10G/1G)
  • PoE Budget: 120W total PoE; 802.3af/at (PoE+) only, up to 32W per port
  • Layer: L3 (managed)
  • Stacking Support: Not stated in official specs
  • Packet Buffer: 1.5 MB
  • MAC Address Table: 16,000 entries
  • Power Consumption: 30W excluding PoE; 150W including PoE output
  • Form Factor: Compact desktop, wall-mount kit included
  • Dimensions: 200 x 248 x 44 mm
  • Management Display: 1.3-inch color LCM touchscreen
  • Product Status: Listed as 'Enterprise 8 PoE (Vintage)' on Ubiquiti's store; no official replacement or EOL announcement found

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Eight 2.5GbE PoE+ ports suit multi-gig Wi-Fi 6 access points and desktop devices; Layer 3 managed feature set at a low price for the class; 80 Gbps switching capacity and 59.52 Mpps forwarding rate cover small-office and branch loads; Two 10G SFP+ uplinks allow 10G backhaul or fiber links; Compact desktop form factor with wall-mount kit and LCM touchscreen for local status; 120W PoE budget is enough for several PoE+ access points or cameras
  • ✘ Cons: Only 802.3af/at PoE+ (max 32W per port), so it cannot power PoE++ devices such as Ubiquiti's U7/E7 access points; Product is listed as Vintage with no official successor named, so long-term availability and firmware support are uncertain; 120W total PoE budget limits how many high-draw devices can be powered at once; Only two SFP+ uplinks and no stacking support, which limits scaling; Price varies widely across resellers ($479 on Ubiquiti's US store, up to about $688 or more at third-party sellers)
  • Est. Price: $479 - $688

Popular Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst 9500-48Y4C vs Ubiquiti Pro Max Aggregation (USW-Pro-Max-Aggregation) Cisco Catalyst 9500-48Y4C vs Cisco Cisco Catalyst 9200L Cisco Catalyst 9500-48Y4C vs Aruba (HPE) Aruba CX 6200 Cisco Catalyst 9500-48Y4C vs Ubiquiti Enterprise 8 PoE Cisco Catalyst 9500-48Y4C vs Ubiquiti Switch Pro Max 24 PoE