Primary Device
Cisco Catalyst 9300X
★ 3.3 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- 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.
Curation Review
- ✔ 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
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