Cisco switch comparison
C9300-48U-A vs C9300X-48HX-A
C9300-48U-A supplies Gigabit UPOE on 48 ports; C9300X-48HX-A supplies multigigabit UPOE+ up to 10G on all 48. The newer chassis has faster stacking and larger buffers, but a lower default shared PoE budget and a substantially deeper enclosure.
2models compared
69specs published for every model
29confirmed differences
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| Specification | C9300-48U-A | C9300X-48HX-A |
|---|---|---|
Access / Downlink Ports |
48 x 10/100/1000 Cisco UPOE RJ-45 | 48 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10G UPOE+ RJ-45 |
Maximum Uplink Speed |
40 Gbps | 100 Gbps |
Switching Capacity (Standalone) |
256 Gbps | 1,760 Gbps |
Switching Capacity (Stacked) |
736 Gbps | 2,760 Gbps |
Forwarding Rate (Standalone) |
190.48 Mpps | 1,309 Mpps |
Forwarding Rate (Stacked) |
547.62 Mpps | 2,232 Mpps |
Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | C9300-48U-A | C9300X-48HX-A |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product Type | Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series modular-uplink stackable access switch | Cisco Catalyst 9300X Series modular-uplink stackable access switch |
| Form Factor | 1RU | 1RU |
| Switch Role | Campus access switch | Campus access switch |
| Network License | Network Advantage | Network Advantage |
| Configuration, licensing and management | ||
| Management Model | Cisco Catalyst Center, WebUI, CLI, NETCONF, RESTCONF and SNMP | Cisco Catalyst Center, WebUI, CLI, NETCONF, RESTCONF and SNMP |
| Ports and interfaces | ||
| Downlink Port Count | 48 | 48 |
| Access / Downlink Ports | 48 x 10/100/1000 Cisco UPOE RJ-45 | 48 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10G UPOE+ RJ-45 |
| Downlink Type | 1G Cisco UPOE RJ-45 | 10G multigigabit UPOE+ RJ-45 |
| Uplink Interfaces | Modular uplink bay | Modular uplink bay |
| Maximum Uplink Speed | 40 Gbps | 100 Gbps |
| Supported Network Modules | C9300-NM-4G, C9300-NM-4M, C9300-NM-8X, C9300-NM-2Q, or C9300-NM-2YCatalyst 3850 network modules may also be used | C9300X-NM-8M, C9300X-NM-8Y, C9300X-NM-2C, or C9300X-NM-4C |
| Management Ports | 1 x 10/100/1000BASE-T dedicated management port | 1 x 10/100/1000BASE-T dedicated management port |
| Console Ports | 1 x RJ-45; 1 x USB Mini-B console | 1 x RJ-45; 1 x USB Mini-B console |
| USB Ports | 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A host port | 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A host port |
| PoE-capable Ports | 48 | 48 |
| Connector Types | RJ-45; SFP/SFP+/SFP28/QSFP; USB | RJ-45; SFP/SFP+/SFP28/QSFP; USB |
| Total System Ports | 56 | 52 |
| Performance and scale | ||
| Switching Capacity (Standalone) | 256 Gbps | 1,760 Gbps |
| Switching Capacity (Stacked) | 736 Gbps | 2,760 Gbps |
| Forwarding Rate (Standalone) | 190.48 Mpps | 1,309 Mpps |
| Forwarding Rate (Stacked) | 547.62 Mpps | 2,232 Mpps |
| MAC Address Scale | 32,000 | 32,000 |
| IPv4 Route Scale | 32,000 | 39,000 |
| IPv6 Route Scale | 16,000 | 19,500 |
| Multicast Route Scale | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| VLAN Scale | 4,094 | 4,094 |
| ACL Scale | 5,120 | 8,000 |
| QoS Scale | 5,120 | 4,000 |
| Packet Buffer | 16 MB | 32 MB |
| Jumbo Frame Size | 9,198 bytes | 9,198 bytes |
| Flexible NetFlow Entries | 64,000 | 64,000 |
| Switched Virtual Interfaces | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| PoE and power | ||
| PoE Support | Cisco UPOE | Cisco UPOE+ |
| PoE Standard | Cisco UPOE; IEEE 802.3bt Type 3 capable | IEEE 802.3af / 802.3at / 802.3bt Type 4 |
| Default PoE Budget | 822 W | 590 W |
| Maximum PoE Budget | 1,800 W | 3,290 W |
| Default Power Supply | PWR-C1-1100WAC-P | PWR-C1-1100WAC-P |
| Power Supply Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Power Supply Options | 350W, 715W, 1100W and supported 1900W AC/HVDC power supplies | 350W, 715W, 1100W and supported 1900W AC/HVDC power supplies |
| Maximum System Power | 203.9 W | 333.2 W |
| AC Input Voltage | 115 to 240 V | 115 to 240 V |
| AC Input Frequency | 47 to 63 Hz | 47 to 63 Hz |
| Power Input Type | AC input; supported AC/HVDC options depend on power-supply model | AC input; supported AC/HVDC options depend on power-supply model |
| Heat Dissipation | 696 BTU/h | 1,137 BTU/h |
| Power Redundancy | Dual redundant field-replaceable power supplies | Dual redundant field-replaceable power supplies |
| Stacking and resiliency | ||
| Stacking Technology | StackWise-480Stacks with Catalyst 9300 and 9300X models at the same license level; not with Catalyst 3850 or 3650 | StackWise-1TStacks with Catalyst 9300 models at StackWise-480 speed at the same license level |
| Stack Bandwidth | 480 Gbps | 1,000 Gbps |
| Maximum Stack Members | 8 | 8 |
| StackPower | Cisco StackPower | Cisco StackPower+ |
| Fan Modules | 3 field-replaceable fans with N+1 redundancy | 3 field-replaceable fans with N+1 redundancy |
| Memory and software | ||
| Operating System | Cisco IOS XE | Cisco IOS XE |
| Minimum Software Release | Cisco IOS XE 16.5.1a | Cisco IOS XE 17.5.1 |
| DRAM | 8 GB | 16 GB |
| Flash Memory | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| CPU | x86 CPU complex | x86 CPU complex |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 44 × 445 × 488 mm | 44 × 445 × 560 mm |
| Weight | 7.72 kg | 6.62 kg |
| Operating Temperature | -5 to 45 °C; -5 to 40 °C | -5 to 45 °C; -5 to 40 °C |
| Storage Temperature | -40 to 70 °C | -40 to 70 °C |
| Operating Humidity | 5% to 90% | 5% to 90% |
| Operating Altitude | Up to 3,048 m | Up to 3,048 m |
| MTBF | 227,410 hours | 185,420 hours |
| Warranty | Cisco Enhanced Limited Lifetime hardware warranty (E-LLW) | Cisco Enhanced Limited Lifetime hardware warranty (E-LLW) |
| Acoustic Rating | LpA 45 dBA typical; 48 dBA maximum (ISO 7779/9296, 25°C) | LpA 45 dBA typical; 48 dBA maximum (ISO 7779/9296, 25°C) |
| Environmental Compliance | RoHS compliant | RoHS compliant |
| Safety Certifications | UL/CSA 60950-1; EN/IEC 60950-1 | UL/CSA 60950-1; EN/IEC 60950-1 |
| EMC Certifications | FCC Part 15 Class A; EN 55032 Class A; CISPR 32 Class A | FCC Part 15 Class A; EN 55032 Class A; CISPR 32 Class A |
| Mounting | 19-inch rack mount | 19-inch rack mount |
| Airflow | Front-to-back airflow | Front-to-back airflow |
Specifications from Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series Switches Data Sheet (checked 2026-10-11).
“Not published by Cisco” and “Not listed” indicate that a confirmed direct comparison is unavailable. These rows are not counted as confirmed differences.
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