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Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 27, 2025

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
6.9
Number of Reviews
177
Ranking in other categories
LAN Switching (1st), Ethernet Switches (6th), Data Center Networking (1st), AV Over IP Switching (1st)
Dell PowerConnect Switches ...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
8.2
Number of Reviews
34
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Featured Reviews

Joshua Odunsi - PeerSpot reviewer
Ensures efficient performance and supports network growth with optimal speed
Catalyst Switches are efficient and swift, which is valuable for my organization. I experience optimal speed and effective configuration, making them stand out compared to other switches. The PoE switches offer more ports on SFP, and it is efficient in use. Overall, the switches provide me with the value I expect in terms of speed and efficiency.
LarsEvans - PeerSpot reviewer
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Scalable, stable, and reliable product that's easy to install. Technical support is dependable and can be contacted in a variety of ways, e.g. through their ticketing system, hotline number, and community forum."
"It is a pretty good product. I don't see a problem with this product. Cisco Catalyst Switches fit the best for the type of systems that we deploy. Our customers usually are happy with Cisco equipment. Many partners and third parties have ordered this solution."
"The technical support is at an expert level."
"We find the product very easy to configure."
"We have dealt with Cisco's technical support in the past. They were especially helpful and very polite. They are always there if we need them and their insights are always excellent. I would say that we have been satisfied with the level of support we've gotten so far."
"One of the main features of this solution is it is easy to manage."
"The quality of a Cisco switch is very high. They are extremely stable."
"Its implementation is quite simple as there's good documentation you can reference."
"The most valuable features are the jumbo frames and the stacking."
"Its throughout and compatibility are the most valuable."
"This is a very reliable solution."
"The most valuable feature is stability."
"The setup is straightforward. It takes minimum time for deployment."
"When the price is competitive the customers tend to choose the cheaper brand and then look at the features. So having a competitive price is a plus."
"Dell offers very good support."
"Dell PowerConnect Switches are easy to configure."
 

Cons

"Cisco Catalyst Switches could improve by having more integration with third-party products."
"The solution could improve security."
"My company would prefer that the price was more cost-effective."
"To make it a ten they should simplify the licensing, add the cloud-managed feature, and it should be more cost-effective."
"Its price can be improved. Some devices can be very expensive."
"The user interface needs improvement. Meraki has a much nicer UI. Cisco could learn a lot by looking at them. It might make them a bit more user friendly."
"The price is high and it should be improved."
"I would like to see better compatibility between Cisco and other vendors."
"An area for improvement would be that it's very hard to configure if you're not familiar with the UI or CLI of the product. The UI itself could also be improved."
"The one issue you face in the industry there is always some planned obsolescence in these switches."
"The configuration should be improved."
"The product's infrastructure and connectivity features need improvement."
"The pricing could always be a bit lower."
"The product price is an area of concern where improvements are required."
"Scalability, especially with the power connect series is something that you have to take into account before starting the project because any changes to an ongoing project can be difficult."
"Dell is sometimes slow to provide updates to firmware."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Pricing of Cisco equipment is high, but I think these switches are worth the price."
"The product is quite expensive."
"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."
"Catalyst is very expensive."
"The solution provides a good balance between the features and the cost structure"
"Cisco Catalyst Switches is a very expensive solution."
"It is very pricey. You have to pay for support."
"Cisco Catalyst Switches are a bit expensive."
"The solution is less expensive and more cost-efficient."
"I would rate the pricing as a seven or eight."
"On a scale of one to ten, if one means it is a cheap solution, and ten means it is a very expensive tool, I rate the product's price as seven. The tool is a bit pricey."
"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."
"In my opinion, it is a product that is priced somewhere in the middle, making it a well-priced solution in the middle. It is not a very cheap product."
"Inexpensive"
"The price of these switches is okay."
"If you want to purchase a new Dell PowerConnect Switch, you will pay up to $1,600, but I bought them used. I bought the four Dell PowerConnect Switches that I used for $1,000."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Government
8%
Energy/Utilities Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business78
Midsize Enterprise29
Large Enterprise78
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business21
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise6
 

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 ...
What do you like most about Cisco Catalyst Switches?
We are a vendor for the healthcare sector, especially hospitals, and normally, we use a full Cisco solution for stability, especially for the stability of the Access Points and the security of swit...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Catalyst Switches?
For pricing satisfaction, I'd say it will be six to seven because Cisco usually is costly compared to other vendors. Regarding pricing, there is indeed room for improvement.
What do you like most about Dell PowerConnect Switches?
Dell PowerConnect Switches have a VTL feature similar to Cisco's VSS. With VTL, using this technology, you can cluster two switches together to increase redundancy in the environment.
What needs improvement with Dell PowerConnect Switches?
Some proprietary commands available in Cisco are preferred by users accustomed to Cisco systems. These users might hesitate to switch because they want to continue using familiar commands and see t...
 

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst
PowerConnect Switches
 

Overview

 

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, Netgear and others in LAN Switching. Updated: September 2025.
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