Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] comparison

Cisco and Dell Technologies are both solutions in the LAN Switching category. Additionally, 95% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 90% of Dell Technologies users who would recommend it.

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Read 187 Cisco Catalyst Switches reviews

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4,832 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Read 34 Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] reviews

90% willing to recommend

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 2, 2025

Cisco Catalyst Switches and Dell PowerConnect Switches are competitors in the network equipment market. Cisco has an edge due to its robust feature set, superior reliability, and advanced security, whereas Dell stands out for affordability and ease of configuration.

Features: Cisco Catalyst Switches offer advanced security features such as Port Security, VLAN support, and Power over Ethernet (PoE), ensuring high reliability for enterprise environments. Their stacking capabilities allow for enhanced stability and uptime. In contrast, Dell PowerConnect Switches are appreciated for their value, offering essential features like PoE and VLAN at a more accessible price point. They are straightforward to configure and integrate well into existing infrastructures.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Catalyst Switches are often criticized for their high cost and complex licensing structure, leading calls for better pricing models and simpler configurations. Users also desire faster technology updates and improved third-party solution integration. Dell PowerConnect Switches face challenges in scalability and stability over longer periods, and they lack advanced features required for high-demand environments.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Deploying Cisco Catalyst Switches usually demands technical expertise and they are primarily used in on-premises setups with limited cloud options. While customer service is well-regarded, it can be slow and costly. Dell PowerConnect Switches are generally easier to deploy due to simpler configurations, being used commonly in on-premises and hybrid cloud environments. Dell's customer service is reliable, albeit occasionally slow in response.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Catalyst Switches are considered expensive, justified by some users due to the product’s quality and stability. Licensing and subscription fees add to the costs, positioning Cisco as a premium option. Meanwhile, Dell PowerConnect Switches are noted for their economic pricing, offering a cost-effective solution for smaller setups with quicker returns on investment, though they offer fewer features and limited scalability compared to Cisco.

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August 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Catalyst Switches

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

187

Ranking in other categories

LAN Switching (1st), Ethernet Switches (3rd), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Mutari Sallau

Electrical control system engineer at Dangote petroleum refinery and petrol chemicals

Reliable switching has delivered long‑term uptime, strong PoE support, and predictable performance

Cisco Systems Catalyst Switches are highly regarded for their performance, reliability, and enterprise-grade capabilities. My main reservation, however, is the pricing. The cost of Cisco Catalyst Switches—and Cisco products in general—is relatively high, especially in many African markets where organizations often need to balance budget constraints with required functionality. There are alternative vendors that offer comparable features at a lower price point. While they may not always match Cisco’s ecosystem, stability, or full feature depth, many businesses still choose them because of the significant cost savings. Another consideration is licensing, which can add to the overall total cost of ownership depending on the deployment model and required features. Overall, Cisco Catalyst Switches remain premium enterprise solutions, but when compared with other OEMs, their higher acquisition and licensing costs can be a major deciding factor for cost-conscious organizations.

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LarsEvans

Chief Technology Officer / Chief Information Security Officer at Lorton Data, Inc.

Reliable and useful for network segmentation

The solution's most valuable feature stands up well. The tool is reliable, and it stands up well. The solution works fine and lasts a long time. I think if you speak about the features that have a flow and you can measure, it is hard to say. I don't spend a lot of my time with the tool, but I know that Dell APEX is the solution's cloud. I would say the VLAN features are important. The VLAN features are really useful because network segmentation is important. I would say the tool is easy to program. I don't know if the tool has any security features that I am aware of other than the fact that the solution is for networking. The VLAN and the ability to segment your networks are easy, which is its security feature.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Power over Ethernet (PoE) is one of the most valuable features. It eliminates the need for power supplies every time."

"Catalyst Switches are reliable. We don't have major problems like lost connections, and we only have a minor issue with something every few months. In the last five years, a switch broke down once, and that was due to human error."

"Technical support is good."

"It supports our entire line infrastructure; it runs from the line under the entire campus and is the backbone of the network, and the entire business runs from this product."

"Technical support is great; they are brilliant and excellent, and if we have any hardware failure, we get it fixed the second day with multiple engineers working on the case if it is a critical issue."

"Our clients are able to get analytics on how often people are in rooms or using a certain area of a building, and by doing this, in the future, they can often opt for a slightly smaller space and use multi-purpose rooms instead, achieving higher efficiency and lower overhead for rent and other things."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is communication."

"Since Cisco Catalyst Switches don't go online, they are secured."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pros

"The security is the most valuable aspect of this solution. It also has good storage and resource handling."

"The features I've found most valuable are that the product is very easy to configure and inexpensive."

"The tool is very user-friendly, with features catering to beginners and advanced users. For beginners, there are models with interactive and easy-to-navigate GUIs that aid in initial deployment and updates. For advanced users, there is the option to use the CLI."

"The most valuable features of the solution stem from the fact that it is a stable and reliable product covered with good warranties and prices that ensure deep discounts for partners."

"The Dell EMC Networking N1500 Switches are a great solution and are great switches for access switch on LAN which they have combined for data, high-performance access-point, IT surveillance, and cameras."

"This is a very reliable solution."

"The setup is straightforward. It takes minimum time for deployment."

"We have these switches installed in an environment with hardware from many other vendors, and so far, so good."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

Cons

"Cisco should work to lower its costs. It's quite expensive right now."

"In an upcoming release, adding SD-WAN capabilities would be a big advantage for our company."

"Cisco products are expensive, especially when you compare them to Huawei."

"Licensing is somewhat expensive and should be improved."

"I previously used D-Link Switches (which was a pain) due to the budget constraints."

"The price could be better. For Cisco, there is no need for improvement except for the price. It's expensive."

"Cisco should provide customers with a more advantageous licensing model included with the purchase of the equipment."

"Facilitating and adapting the security updates would be a good improvement, because usually it requires to reboot the router to get them"

More Cisco Catalyst Switches cons

"Their hardware is not reliable, it's faulty."

"If I were to rate the support for Dell PowerConnect Switches, I'd give a rating of two out of five."

"The IOS software that is used on the switches could be improved."

"You have to build the stackable interface by yourself in Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL], making it an area that can be considered for improvement."

"It would be great to have modules that integrate with SDN solutions such as Cisco ACI, Arista SDN, Huawei Agile, and IBM."

"Dell is sometimes slow to provide updates to firmware."

"I would rate it a seven out of ten. Not a ten because I have to do a lot of testing on it."

"The pricing could always be a bit lower."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing of these devices can be better."

"The price of Cisco Catalyst switches is reasonable."

"Licensing is on a yearly basis. We usually spend up to $20,000."

"There is no licensing fee. All of the features are available on the switch from day one."

"The cost of a license before COVID and before the lockdown was approximately three lakh 70,000 in Indian Rupees. After this COVID situation, the cost has gone down to two lakh 46,000 rupees."

"The cost of Cisco switches is a little more expensive than the competition. However, as the saying goes, "you get what you pay for." If you want a reliable solution and other benefits, Cisco Catalyst Switches are worth the money."

"Pricing from Cisco is expensive but we pay for the reliability."

"The price could always be lower."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pricing and cost advice

"If one is the cheapest price and ten is the most expensive, I rate the product price as an eight or nine. The tool is not cheap."

"I would rate the pricing as a seven or eight."

"Pricing for Dell PowerConnect Switches is quite competitive compared to Cisco and HP pricing. Dell has cheaper pricing and the company is trying to push for sales for its switching infrastructure because right now, the current market is dominated by Cisco. In the US market, there's Cisco, HP, Juniper, and Arista which you can buy for data center switching meant for different kinds of enterprises and ISPs. Dell PowerConnect Switches, on the other hand, is a product for people who need smaller setups or individual switches, especially those looking for a cheaper product and basic switching, though you can also buy a complete suite packaged with the switches."

"Its price is okay. Sometimes, it is lower than a Cisco solution."

"Cheaper than its competitors"

"This solution is much cheaper than comparable products by Cisco."

"The product has a low price for the features it provides."

"The product is cheaper than Cisco and licensing is yearly. We have to pay additional costs for support."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Construction Company

Outsourcing Company

Construction Company

27%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Outsourcing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	83
Midsize Enterprise	29
Large Enterprise	85

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	21
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	6

Questions from the Community

Would you recommend replacing a Cisco Catalyst Switch by a D-link one?

Hello Mesfin It depends on the real scenario, the cisco 2960 is a very good device and they usually have routing functions but there are many different models within the same 2960 line, and on the ...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?

My experience with pricing, setup costs, and licensing was not all good. Licensing is quite a nightmare in the Cisco world, and I wish we had simplified licensing.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco Catalyst Switches?

Regarding the impression of end-to-end visibility offered by Cisco, I would love to have more visibility. What I want to see in the future regarding Cisco Catalyst Switches is more integrations bet...

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Compared 13% of the time

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 8% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Catalyst Switches

August 2026

Download Cisco Catalyst Switches product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

August 2026

Download Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst

PowerConnect Switches

Overview

Cisco Catalyst Switches are renowned for their Power over Ethernet capabilities, performance stability, and dependable security. They support features like DHCP, stacking, and dynamic routing, offering ease of management, scalability, and reliability across different sectors.

Cisco Catalyst Switches are valued for their robust architecture and global reputation, supported by numerous trained professionals. They ensure consistent performance and adaptability across industries such as finance, education, and hospitality. With features like CLI and software integration, these switches offer ease of management, scalability, and strong technical support. Users appreciate modularity, speed, and network segmentation versatility. There is room for improvement in cost reduction, licensing simplification, usability, third-party integration, and security enhancements. Calls for improved configuration, product compatibility, faster support, and advanced training are noted.

What are the key features of Cisco Catalyst Switches?

PoE Capability: Ensures efficient power delivery with network connectivity.
Stable Performance: Maintains network reliability under various conditions.
Dependable Security: Offers robust security features to safeguard networks.
Ease of Management: Provides management simplicity through CLI and software integration.
Modularity: Allows scalable and flexible network configurations.

Why should users consider Cisco Catalyst in their reviews?

Scalability: Enables network growth with seamless integration.
Reliability: Consistent and dependable network performance.
Technical Support: Access to strong, professional technical support services.
Versatility in Network Segmentation: Efficiently organizes and manages network traffic.

Organizations utilize Cisco Catalyst Switches for diverse applications, including data centers, campuses, and WAN connectivity. Supporting enterprise networking, VLAN configurations, and user access, they integrate smoothly with existing infrastructure. These switches enhance connectivity for access layers, core components, and edge networking, catering to industries like finance, education, and hospitality for reliable and scalable performance.

Cisco

PowerConnect Switches family offers a set of flexible, manageable and comprehensive switch solutions supporting up to 10 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and optimized Internet iSCSI (iSCSI) performance with Dell Storage solutions, ideal for enterprise and campus LAN environments alike.

Dell Technologies

Sample Customers

Afni, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Del Papa Distributing, Explorer Pipeline, Mindtree, Omaha World Herald, Radio 538, Sony Corporation, Telecom Italia, Telenor Arena

Amerijet Holdings Inc., CGD Securities, MavenWire, Tulane University

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Extreme Networks and others in LAN Switching. Updated: August 2026.

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