PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Fortinet FortiSwitch 1048G
Fortinet FortiSwitch 1048G
★ 3.4 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Switching Capacity: 96 Gbps
  • Forwarding Rate: 71.4 Mpps
  • Ports: 48x 1GE RJ45 + 4x 10GE SFP+
  • PoE Budget: 370W (1048G-POE model)
  • Layer: L2/L3 (managed)
  • Stacking Support: Yes (FortiSwitch Stacking cables; up to 6 units)
  • VLAN Support: 4K VLANs
  • Form Factor: 1U Rackmount
  • Management: Web UI, CLI, FortiGate/FortiManager integration
  • Power Consumption: 90W typical (fanless model available)

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Excellent port density with 48 gigabit ports plus 10GE uplinks for high-speed core connectivity; Strong PoE+ support (370W) powers enterprise access points, cameras, and IoT devices; Deep FortiGate ecosystem integration provides unified threat management and centralized security; L3 routing capabilities enable VLAN routing and micro-segmentation; Low power consumption and fanless options reduce data center costs; Stackable architecture simplifies management and scales to 288 ports across 6 units
  • ✘ Cons: Premium pricing limits deployment in budget-constrained environments; Limited 10GE uplink capacity (only 4 SFP+ ports) compared to larger enterprise switches; Requires FortiGate appliance or FortiManager for full management capabilities and security features; Complex CLI-based configuration has steeper learning curve than consumer-grade switches; PoE power budget (370W) insufficient for high-density PoE deployments (e.g., 48 PoE+ devices simultaneously); Fewer advanced features (MLAG, EVPN) compared to carrier-class alternatives
  • Est. Price: $1,599 - $3,200

Compare Against

Ubiquiti Enterprise 8 PoE
Ubiquiti Enterprise 8 PoE
★ 4.3 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 2x2 MIMO (2 spatial streams per band)
  • Aggregate Throughput: 1.8 Gbps (1.2 Gbps 5GHz + 600 Mbps 2.4GHz)
  • Radios: Dual-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz)
  • Uplink Port Speed: 1 Gbps Ethernet
  • Max Clients: 128-200 concurrent clients
  • PoE Requirement: 802.3at PoE (30W)
  • Antenna Type: Internal omni-directional
  • Coverage Area: ~400 sq ft / ~37 sq m
  • Frequency Bands: 2.4 GHz (802.11b/g/n/ax), 5 GHz (802.11a/n/ac/ax)
  • Data Rate (5GHz): Up to 1.2 Gbps
  • Data Rate (2.4GHz): Up to 600 Mbps
  • Security: WPA2/WPA3 Enterprise & Personal
  • Management: UniFi Network Controller, cloud/on-prem
  • Form Factor: Compact ceiling or wall-mount

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Enterprise-grade Wi-Fi 6 with strong dual-band coverage; Simple PoE power delivery (802.3at standard); Excellent UniFi integration and centralized management; Cost-effective for mid-market deployments; Reliable firmware and security updates from Ubiquiti
  • ✘ Cons: Limited to 2x2 MIMO (lower stream count than flagship models); 1 Gbps uplink can bottleneck in high-density deployments; Requires UniFi Controller ecosystem (not standalone); Internal antennas limit customization; 5GHz range more limited than external-antenna competitors
  • Est. Price: $249 - $349

Popular Comparisons

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