Cisco switch comparison
C9300X-48TX-A vs C9500-48X-A
C9300X-48TX-A provides 48 multigigabit copper data ports plus a modular uplink bay. C9500-48X-A provides forty fixed 1/10G optical ports and an included eight-port SFP+ module, with larger MAC and route limits but different switching and buffer ratings.
2models compared
58specs published for every model
45confirmed differences
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Key differences
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| Specification | C9300X-48TX-A | C9500-48X-A |
|---|---|---|
Switch Role |
Campus access switch | Enterprise campus core and distribution switch |
Downlink Port Count |
48 | 40 |
Access / Downlink Ports |
48 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10G multigigabit data RJ-45 | 40 x 1/10G SFP+ plus 8 x 1/10G SFP+ network-module ports |
Uplink Interfaces |
Modular uplink bay | 8 x 1/10G SFP+ (C9500-NM-8X included) |
Maximum Uplink Speed |
100 Gbps | Up to 40 Gbps |
Switching Capacity (Standalone) |
1,760 Gbps | Up to 960 Gbps |
Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | C9300X-48TX-A | C9500-48X-A |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product Type | Cisco Catalyst 9300X Series modular-uplink stackable access switch | Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series fixed core and aggregation switch |
| Form Factor | 1RU | 1RU |
| Switch Role | Campus access switch | Enterprise campus core and distribution 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, IOS XE CLI, NETCONF/RESTCONF, SNMP and WebUI |
| Ports and interfaces | ||
| Downlink Port Count | 48 | 40 |
| Access / Downlink Ports | 48 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10G multigigabit data RJ-45 | 40 x 1/10G SFP+ plus 8 x 1/10G SFP+ network-module ports |
| Downlink Type | 10G multigigabit RJ-45 | 40 x 1/10G SFP+ |
| Uplink Interfaces | Modular uplink bay | 8 x 1/10G SFP+ (C9500-NM-8X included) |
| Maximum Uplink Speed | 100 Gbps | Up to 40 Gbps |
| Supported Network Modules | C9300X-NM-8M, C9300X-NM-8Y, C9300X-NM-2C, or C9300X-NM-4C | C9500-NM-8X included; C9500-NM-2Q supported as an alternative |
| Management Ports | 1 x 10/100/1000BASE-T dedicated management port | 1 x dedicated RJ-45 management port |
| Console Ports | 1 x RJ-45; 1 x USB Mini-B console | RJ-45 and USB console ports |
| USB Ports | 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A host port | USB Type-A host and USB console |
| PoE-capable Ports | 0 | Not listed |
| Connector Types | RJ-45; SFP/SFP+/SFP28/QSFP; USB | Model-dependent SFP/SFP+/SFP28/QSFP+/QSFP28/QSFP-DD |
| Total System Ports | 52 | 48 |
| Performance and scale | ||
| Switching Capacity (Standalone) | 1,760 Gbps | Up to 960 Gbps |
| Switching Capacity (Stacked) | 2,760 Gbps | Not listed |
| Forwarding Rate (Standalone) | 1,309 Mpps | Up to 720 Mpps |
| Forwarding Rate (Stacked) | 2,232 Mpps | Not listed |
| MAC Address Scale | 32,000 | 64,000 |
| IPv4 Route Scale | 39,000 | Up to 64,000 |
| IPv6 Route Scale | 19,500 | Up to 32,000 |
| Multicast Route Scale | 8,000 | 32,000 |
| VLAN Scale | 4,094 | 4,094 |
| ACL Scale | 8,000 | Up to 18,000 |
| QoS Scale | 4,000 | Not listed |
| Packet Buffer | 32 MB | 16 MB |
| Jumbo Frame Size | 9,198 bytes | 9,198 bytes |
| Flexible NetFlow Entries | 128,000 | Up to 512,000 |
| Switched Virtual Interfaces | 1,000 | Not listed |
| Port Channel Support | Not listed | Up to 128 port channels |
| Switching ASIC | Not listed | Cisco UADP 2.0 |
| PoE and power | ||
| PoE Support | Not supported | Not supported |
| PoE Standard | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Default PoE Budget | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Maximum PoE Budget | Not applicable | Not applicable |
| Default Power Supply | PWR-C1-715WAC-P (715 W AC) | PWR-C4-950WAC-R 950W AC |
| Power Supply Slots | 2 | 2 |
| Power Supply Options | 350W, 715W, 1100W and supported 1900W AC/HVDC power supplies | PWR-C4-950WAC-R or PWR-C4-950WDC-R |
| Maximum System Power | 315 W | Not listed |
| AC Input Voltage | 100 to 240 V | 90 to 264 V |
| DC Input Voltage | Not listed | -36 to -72 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 or DC |
| Heat Dissipation | 1,075 BTU/h | Not listed |
| Power Redundancy | Dual redundant field-replaceable power supplies | 1+1 redundant hot-swappable supplies |
| Stacking and resiliency | ||
| Stacking Technology | StackWise-1TStacks with Catalyst 9300 models at StackWise-480 speed at the same license level | Cisco StackWise Virtual |
| Stack Bandwidth | 1,000 Gbps | Up to 1,600 Gbps |
| Maximum Stack Members | 8 | 2 |
| StackPower | Cisco StackPower+ | Not supported |
| Fan Modules | 3 field-replaceable fans with N+1 redundancy | 5 x FAN-T4-R fan modules |
| Memory and software | ||
| Operating System | Cisco IOS XE | Cisco IOS XE |
| Minimum Software Release | Cisco IOS XE 17.5.1 | Cisco IOS XE 16.8.1a or later |
| DRAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Flash Memory | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| CPU | x86 CPU complex | Not listed |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Dimensions (H × W × D) | 44 × 445 × 522 mm | 44 × 445 × 567 mm |
| Weight | 6.62 kg | 11.68 kg |
| Operating Temperature | -5 to 45 °C; -5 to 40 °C | 0 to 40 °C |
| Storage Temperature | -40 to 70 °C | -20 to 65 °C |
| Storage Humidity | Not listed | 5% to 95% |
| Operating Humidity | 5% to 90% | 5% to 90% |
| Operating Altitude | Up to 3,048 m | Up to 3,000 m |
| MTBF | 206,480 hours | 277,310 hours |
| Warranty | Cisco Enhanced Limited Lifetime hardware warranty (E-LLW) | Cisco Enhanced Limited Lifetime hardware warranty |
| Acoustic Rating | LpA 45 dBA typical; 48 dBA maximum (ISO 7779/9296, 25°C) | Up to 68.3 dBA LwAd sound power |
| Environmental Compliance | RoHS compliant | RoHS compliant |
| Safety Certifications | UL/CSA 60950-1; EN/IEC 60950-1 | UL/CSA/IEC/EN 60950-1 and 62368-1 |
| EMC Certifications | FCC Part 15 Class A; EN 55032 Class A; CISPR 32 Class A | FCC Part 15 Class A, EN 55032 Class A and CISPR 32 Class A |
| Mounting | 19-inch rack mount | 19-inch rack mount |
| Airflow | Front-to-back airflow | Front-to-back; reversible airflow options on supported C9500X models |
Specifications from Cisco Catalyst 9300 Series Switches Data Sheet and Cisco Catalyst 9500 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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