Cisco Catalyst 9300X vs Ubiquiti Enterprise 8 PoE: Specs & Price Comparison

Cisco Catalyst 9300X

★ 3.3 Value Score

Switching Capacity: 1,760 Gbps (48-port HX, current Cisco datasheet); 2,000 Gbps (24Y and 48-port models in older datasheet copies); 2,760-3,000 Gbps with stacking. Figures differ between datasheet versions.
Forwarding Rate: 1,309 Mpps (48-port HX, current datasheet); 1,488 Mpps (24Y and older datasheet copies); 2,232 Mpps with stacking
Ports (breakdown): Varies by SKU: 12-port 25G SFP28 (12Y); 24-port 25G SFP28 (24Y, no PoE); 24-port 10G multigigabit UPOE+ (24HX); 48-port 10G multigigabit UPOE+ (48HX). Uplink breakdown per SKU not confirmed in sources.
PoE Budget: 24HX: 735 W (reseller datasheet); 48HX: up to 90 W per port (UPOE+), total budget not confirmed; 24Y: no PoE
Layer: L3 (managed switch; Network Essentials listing shows L3)
Stacking Support: Yes. StackWise-1T, 1 Tbps stacking bandwidth, up to 8 members. Mixed stacks with standard Catalyst 9300 run at StackWise-480 speeds.

✔ Pros: 1 Tbps StackWise-1T stacking with up to 8 members; 25G SFP28 uplinks on 24Y and 12Y models; 10G multigigabit UPOE+ downlinks on HX models; Layer 3 managed switching; high switching capacity (1,760-2,000 Gbps)
✘ Cons: High list price (MSRP roughly $15,000-$23,000 for 24- and 48-port models, reseller pricing lower); spec figures differ across Cisco datasheet versions, so verify against the current Cisco datasheet before purchase; 48-port PoE budget not confirmed; mixed stacks with standard Catalyst 9300 drop to StackWise-480 speeds; Network Essentials vs. Network Advantage licensing adds cost and changes features; meaning of the -E and -A SKU suffixes not confirmed in sources
Est. Price: $10,783 - $14,684

Ubiquiti Enterprise 8 PoE

★ 4.2 Value Score

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

✔ 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

PACKETPERF