C9300X-48TX-A
Campus access switch
C9500-48X-A
Enterprise campus core and distribution switch
Cisco switch comparison
C9300X-48TX-A vs C9500-48X-A
A key difference between Cisco C9300X-48TX-A and C9500-48X-A is Switch Role: C9300X-48TX-A — Campus access switch; C9500-48X-A — Enterprise campus core and distribution switch. They also differ in Access / Downlink Ports (48 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10G multigigabit data RJ-45 vs 48 x 1/10G SFP+ plus fixed high-speed uplinks) and Uplink Interfaces (Modular uplink bay vs SFP+). Consider how switch role affects the deployment, then review the remaining differences before choosing the exact Product ID. The table below shows 61 specifications available for both models. Confirm licenses, accessories, power supplies and regional suffixes before ordering.
2models compared
61specs shown for every model
57differences found
Change comparison
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At-a-glance comparison
Key performance and configuration differences
Start with the differences that have the greatest effect on capacity, connectivity, software, power and deployment fit.
C9300X-48TX-A
48
C9500-48X-A
40
C9300X-48TX-A
48 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10G multigigabit data RJ-45
C9500-48X-A
40 x 1/10G SFP+ plus 8 x 1/10G SFP+ network-module ports
C9300X-48TX-A
Modular uplink bay
C9500-48X-A
8 x 1/10G SFP+ (C9500-NM-8X included)
C9300X-48TX-A
100 Gbps
C9500-48X-A
Up to 40 Gbps
C9300X-48TX-A
1,760 Gbps
C9500-48X-A
Up to 960 Gbps
Buying decision
How to choose between C9300X-48TX-A and C9500-48X-A
Review the differences in this order to identify the model that best fits the intended deployment.
-
01
Ports and uplinks
Match access media, port count and speed first, then confirm that the uplink design fits the distribution layer.
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02
PoE and power
Total the power required by connected devices and verify the PoE standard, budget, power supplies and redundancy.
-
03
Performance and software
Compare forwarding, stacking and scale in the intended topology, then confirm the license tier and software release.
Before ordering
Confirm the exact Product ID, license tier, power supplies, accessories and regional requirements.
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Detailed comparison
Full specification comparison
| Comparison parameter | ||
|---|---|---|
| Product ID | C9300X-48TX-A | C9500-48X-A |
| Product and ordering | ||
| Product TypeDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Cisco Catalyst 9300X Series modular-uplink stackable access switch | C9500-48X-A Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series fixed core and aggregation switch |
| Form Factor | C9300X-48TX-A 1RU | C9500-48X-A 1RU |
| Switch RoleDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Campus access switch | C9500-48X-A Enterprise campus core and distribution switch |
| Network License | C9300X-48TX-A Network Advantage | C9500-48X-A Network Advantage |
| Configuration, licensing and management | ||
| Management ModelDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Cisco Catalyst Center, WebUI, CLI, NETCONF, RESTCONF and SNMP | C9500-48X-A Cisco Catalyst Center, IOS XE CLI, NETCONF/RESTCONF, SNMP and WebUI |
| Ports and interfaces | ||
| Downlink Port CountDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 48 | C9500-48X-A 40 |
| Access / Downlink PortsDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 48 x 100M/1/2.5/5/10G multigigabit data RJ-45 | C9500-48X-A 40 x 1/10G SFP+ plus 8 x 1/10G SFP+ network-module ports |
| Downlink TypeDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 10G multigigabit RJ-45 | C9500-48X-A 40 x 1/10G SFP+ |
| Uplink InterfacesDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Modular uplink bay | C9500-48X-A 8 x 1/10G SFP+ (C9500-NM-8X included) |
| Maximum Uplink SpeedDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 100 Gbps | C9500-48X-A Up to 40 Gbps |
| Supported Network ModulesDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A C9300X-NM-8M, C9300X-NM-8Y, C9300X-NM-2C, or C9300X-NM-4C | C9500-48X-A C9500-NM-8X included; C9500-NM-2Q supported as an alternative |
| Management PortsDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 1 x 10/100/1000BASE-T dedicated management port | C9500-48X-A 1 x dedicated RJ-45 management port |
| Console PortsDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 1 x RJ-45; 1 x USB Mini-B console | C9500-48X-A RJ-45 and USB console ports |
| USB PortsDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 1 x USB 2.0 Type-A host port | C9500-48X-A USB Type-A host and USB console |
| PoE-capable PortsDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 0 | C9500-48X-A Not listed |
| Connector TypesDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A RJ-45; SFP/SFP+/SFP28/QSFP; USB | C9500-48X-A Model-dependent SFP/SFP+/SFP28/QSFP+/QSFP28/QSFP-DD |
| Total System PortsDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 52 | C9500-48X-A 48 |
| Performance and scale | ||
| Switching Capacity (Standalone)Different | C9300X-48TX-A 1,760 Gbps | C9500-48X-A Up to 960 Gbps |
| Switching Capacity (Stacked)Different | C9300X-48TX-A 2,760 Gbps | C9500-48X-A Not listed |
| Forwarding Rate (Standalone)Different | C9300X-48TX-A 1,309 Mpps | C9500-48X-A Up to 720 Mpps |
| Forwarding Rate (Stacked)Different | C9300X-48TX-A 2,232 Mpps | C9500-48X-A Not listed |
| MAC Address ScaleDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 32,000 | C9500-48X-A 64,000 |
| IPv4 Route ScaleDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 39,000 | C9500-48X-A Up to 64,000 |
| IPv6 Route ScaleDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 19,500 | C9500-48X-A Up to 32,000 |
| Multicast Route ScaleDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 8,000 | C9500-48X-A 32,000 |
| VLAN Scale | C9300X-48TX-A 4,094 | C9500-48X-A 4,094 |
| ACL ScaleDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 8,000 | C9500-48X-A Up to 18,000 |
| QoS ScaleDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 4,000 | C9500-48X-A Not listed |
| Packet BufferDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 32 MB | C9500-48X-A 16 MB |
| Jumbo Frame Size | C9300X-48TX-A 9,198 bytes | C9500-48X-A 9,198 bytes |
| Flexible NetFlow EntriesDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 128,000 | C9500-48X-A Up to 512,000 |
| Switched Virtual InterfacesDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 1,000 | C9500-48X-A Not listed |
| Port Channel SupportDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Not listed | C9500-48X-A Up to 128 port channels |
| Switching ASICDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Not listed | C9500-48X-A Cisco UADP 2.0 |
| PoE and power | ||
| PoE Support | C9300X-48TX-A Not supported | C9500-48X-A Not supported |
| PoE Standard | C9300X-48TX-A Not applicable | C9500-48X-A Not applicable |
| Default PoE Budget | C9300X-48TX-A Not applicable | C9500-48X-A Not applicable |
| Maximum PoE Budget | C9300X-48TX-A Not applicable | C9500-48X-A Not applicable |
| Default Power SupplyDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A PWR-C1-715WAC-P | C9500-48X-A PWR-C4-950WAC-R 950W AC |
| Power Supply Slots | C9300X-48TX-A 2 | C9500-48X-A 2 |
| Power Supply OptionsDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 350W, 715W, 1100W and supported 1900W AC/HVDC power supplies | C9500-48X-A PWR-C4-950WAC-R or PWR-C4-950WDC-R |
| Maximum System PowerDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 315 W | C9500-48X-A Not listed |
| AC Input VoltageDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 100 to 240 V | C9500-48X-A 90 to 264 V |
| DC Input VoltageDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Not listed | C9500-48X-A -36 to -72 V |
| AC Input Frequency | C9300X-48TX-A 47 to 63 Hz | C9500-48X-A 47 to 63 Hz |
| Power Input TypeDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A AC input; supported AC/HVDC options depend on power-supply model | C9500-48X-A AC or DC |
| Heat DissipationDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 1,075 BTU/h | C9500-48X-A Not listed |
| Power RedundancyDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Dual redundant field-replaceable power supplies | C9500-48X-A 1+1 redundant hot-swappable supplies |
| Stacking and resiliency | ||
| Stacking TechnologyDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A StackWise-1T | C9500-48X-A Cisco StackWise Virtual |
| Stack BandwidthDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 1,000 Gbps | C9500-48X-A Up to 1,600 Gbps |
| Maximum Stack MembersDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 8 | C9500-48X-A 2 |
| StackPowerDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Cisco StackPower+ | C9500-48X-A Not supported |
| Fan ModulesDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 3 field-replaceable fans with N+1 redundancy | C9500-48X-A 5 x FAN-T4-R fan modules |
| Memory and software | ||
| Operating System | C9300X-48TX-A Cisco IOS XE | C9500-48X-A Cisco IOS XE |
| Minimum Software ReleaseDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Cisco IOS XE 17.5.1 | C9500-48X-A Cisco IOS XE 16.8.1a or later |
| DRAM | C9300X-48TX-A 16 GB | C9500-48X-A 16 GB |
| Flash Memory | C9300X-48TX-A 16 GB | C9500-48X-A 16 GB |
| CPUDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A x86 CPU complex | C9500-48X-A Not listed |
| Physical and environmental | ||
| Dimensions (H × W × D)Different | C9300X-48TX-A 44 × 445 × 522 mm | C9500-48X-A 44 × 445 × 567 mm |
| WeightDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 6.62 kg | C9500-48X-A 11.68 kg |
| Operating TemperatureDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A -5 to 45 °C; -5 to 40 °C | C9500-48X-A 0 to 40 °C |
| Storage TemperatureDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A -40 to 70 °C | C9500-48X-A -20 to 65 °C |
| Storage HumidityDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Not listed | C9500-48X-A 5% to 95% |
| Operating Humidity | C9300X-48TX-A 5% to 90% | C9500-48X-A 5% to 90% |
| Operating AltitudeDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Up to 3,048 m | C9500-48X-A Up to 3,000 m |
| MTBFDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A 206,480 hours | C9500-48X-A 277,310 hours |
| WarrantyDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Cisco Enhanced Limited Lifetime hardware warranty (E-LLW) | C9500-48X-A Cisco Enhanced Limited Lifetime hardware warranty |
| Acoustic RatingDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A LpA 45 dBA typical; 48 dBA maximum (ISO 7779/9296, 25°C) | C9500-48X-A Up to 68.3 dBA LwAd sound power |
| Environmental Compliance | C9300X-48TX-A RoHS compliant | C9500-48X-A RoHS compliant |
| Safety CertificationsDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A UL/CSA 60950-1; EN/IEC 60950-1 | C9500-48X-A UL/CSA/IEC/EN 60950-1 and 62368-1 |
| EMC CertificationsDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A FCC Part 15 Class A; EN 55032 Class A; CISPR 32 Class A | C9500-48X-A FCC Part 15 Class A, EN 55032 Class A and CISPR 32 Class A |
| Mounting | C9300X-48TX-A 19-inch rack mount | C9500-48X-A 19-inch rack mount |
| AirflowDifferent | C9300X-48TX-A Front-to-back airflow | C9500-48X-A Front-to-back; reversible airflow options on supported C9500X models |
“Not listed” means that no confirmed value is currently available for that model and parameter.
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