Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] vs NETGEAR Switches comparison

Dell Technologies and Netgear are both solutions in the LAN Switching category. Additionally, 90% of Dell Technologies users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of Netgear users who would recommend it.

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Read 34 Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] reviews

90% willing to recommend

NETGEAR Switches

Read 57 NETGEAR Switches reviews

9,706 Views
971 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

NETGEAR Switches

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] and NETGEAR Switches based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Netgear and others in LAN Switching.

To learn more, read our detailed LAN Switching Report (Updated: May 2026).

Buyer's Guide

LAN Switching

May 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

Dell PowerConnect Switches ...

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

8.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

NETGEAR Switches

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

LAN Switching (6th), Ethernet Switches (5th), AV Over IP Switching (2nd)

Featured Reviews

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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Tomas Devriese

Teamleader Av Installers at solufak

VLAN support has improved audiovisual installations and secures network traffic for our projects

Our major use cases include audiovisual installations and we mainly use the AV line for that. We work with the VLAN support feature The best things about NETGEAR Switches are the support they provide and the ease of implementation. The ease of installation helps with network performance. It helps…

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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

"The most valuable feature of Dell PowerConnect Switches for me is the throughput. I also like that the product has more compatibility with Dell infrastructure, especially with EMC and new generation Dell servers. Dell PowerConnect Switches can also easily integrate with Dell servers, and this is another pro."

"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."

"The most valuable feature of this product is its reliability."

"The tool is reliable, and it stands up well. The solution works fine and lasts a long time."

"The support is just so good that there is no reason to re-evaluate because of the impact on the trust structure of operations."

"This is a very reliable solution."

"There is high reliability since we have used them for close to twenty years and only had possibly one failure."

"For me, excellent, never had any issue."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is easy to use."

"The ability to mix and match is invaluable. So, we didn't have to run massive super extensive switches in the data closets where it wasn't necessary. Being able to manage it all from one place, as all your network configuration settings went live across your entire building from one management console was really handy."

"The big winner for NETGEAR is their modular switch: the 96X version. That is something that you don't see in the market anywhere else, except for Cisco who has it at a high level for a high expense. The ability to customize your own switch with their modules is a big plus for what we do in the market right now. Instead of having to piece together standardized switches, trying to make something work, or fitting the design into the mold, the modular switches are aware that you can make a mark in the industry because you purchased one switch and design with different modules added and removed later on for functionality."

"The cloud management has just been huge for us. We have 80 clients and they all have switches... With the cloud-managed Insight ones... we know more information without having to do complicated SNMP traps. We get nice emails, we get a web interface, and we're not having to wait for our RMM tools to get SNMP traffic to notify us. We don't have to do complicated configurations."

"SFP, speed, and 10-Gigabit are the most valuable aspects of this solution. We're an architecture firm and we sometimes deal with large files. Anything we can do to eke out even a fraction of a second less time to get something done over the course of a year adds up. If I can get 10-Gigabit running in my server room, which I am right now, even though we're only gigabit to the desktop, due to the client computers we have, I can get more performance from everybody. I'm ready to start bringing in 10-Gigabit Ethernet to the desktop once I get the hardware to do that."

"We have a wide range of switches for various applications, including a collection specifically designed for ProAV, as well as Multi-gig Switches, which are also quite well-known or unique."

"The initial setup was straightforward."

"The most valuable features are routing and access control."

More NETGEAR Switches pros

Cons

"The CLI for Dell PowerConnect Switches is sometimes confusing, especially with the LAN, but for the GUI it is simple."

"I think accessibility and management could be improved."

"I expect it to be a zero-touch or a plug-and-play device. To some extent, it is, but we need to know the architecture, and we need to know what exactly we are doing. It is not so easy to implement. It depends on what exactly we are doing and it is still not a plug-and-play or zero-touch device. In the upcoming version, they can make it zero-touch, where we can just power it on and start using it. They can have some templates for different scenarios, such as when you are using it for the data center or adding it to your existing infrastructure."

"However, we are now having a problem where it does not integrate well with SDN."

"The one issue you face in the industry there is always some planned obsolescence in these switches."

"We've only been using the solution for half a year. We haven't run into any issues, but maybe over time, that may change. It's too soon to tell. Offhand, there aren't any features that are lacking."

"The network features are not good."

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

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons

"There are a lot of systems that are moving into different areas. There are a lot of cloud-based things happening. One nice feature that I've seen in other switches is artificial intelligence on the actual porting. They've got AI technology that will tell you when a port is down. They not only tell you when a port is down; they also tell you when a port is running slower. You can do a cable-fault check, or you can do other checks. It would be nice to have this information in NETGEAR. This feature might already be there in a new release of the NETGEAR's firmware, but I haven't seen it."

"The product could be more robust."

"The main negative thing is the speed. When you use the portal, if you have a lot of customers and locations in the portal, and you need to scroll through those clients or those locations, it takes a pretty long time to load those pages and to select the client. That's the problem in the portal on the laptop, and it's the same problem in the portal on the app."

"I find NETGEAR battling a little bit in comparison to Ubiquiti."

"The only true con for NETGEAR is they are known more for residential applications, wireless routers, wireless pieces, etc. They don't have the reputation of a Cisco or Extreme on the enterprise side."

"I'd like to see a little bit of slowdown on the firmware updates. They've been doing a lot of them. I don't know if that's just because it's such a new product line, but the firmware updates have been a little annoying because they've been coming once a week. For a switch, that's a little extreme."

"I would also like to see switches with more ports that provide room for new protocols of communications."

"The security features must be improved."

More NETGEAR Switches cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

"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."

"The initial cost was high but since they have lasted for over ten or twenty years they are worth it."

"The solution is less expensive and more cost-efficient."

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

"Cheaper than its competitors"

"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."

"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."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is phenomenal. It's not only good for the company providing the solution, but the customer gets a good deal too. There's a good profit margin for the business to be able to resell it to a client or to offer a good price to the client. It's a win-win for both the company providing this particular equipment to the customer and for the customer."

"We find the cost of NETGEAR hardware and additional services to be below average compared to the top tier. There are still cheaper products out there, but they lack in functionality."

"Licensing is always a hassle and a pain point."

"The solution is expensive. You need to pay the costs one-time."

"It was an initial, single purchase for us. For the three switches, because I had the 96X and the two 48 port single gigabyte ones, then all the cards, etc. The total price on it, which may be a little on the low side, for the client was around $16,000 or $17,000."

"There are no licensing costs. It only involves the costs of the devices."

"NETGEAR Switches' pricing is low compared to other brands. I rate it an eight out of ten."

"NETGEAR pricing is the best on the market by far. I was shocked when I saw what their price came out as for their subscription. It's extremely reasonable."

More NETGEAR Switches pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Construction Company

22%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Energy/Utilities Company

Manufacturing Company

10%

Construction Company

University

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	43
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	11

Questions from the Community

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How do NETGEAR switches compare with Cisco ethernet switches?

NetGear switches have a lot to offer. They have high availability, zero-downtime stacking, L2 and L3 functionality, and are AV-over-IP ready. NetGear switches also have a command line interface and...

See all answers

Which switches are better - Ubiquiti Unifi or Netgear?

Ubiquiti Unifi offers a great set of features. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and also doesn’t require a learning curve because it is easy to use. It is also simple to reconfi...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for NETGEAR Switches?

If I were to rate price, I would give it eight or nine points. It is an expensive product.

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Comparisons

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 26% of the time

HPE ProCurve vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 17% of the time

Dell PowerSwitch N-Series vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 13% of the time

Arista Networks Platform vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 10% of the time

ExtremeSwitching vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 8% of the time

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Competitors

Cisco Linksys Ethernet Switches vs NETGEAR Switches

Compared 28% of the time

Ubiquiti UniFi Switches vs NETGEAR Switches

Compared 11% of the time

D-Link Ethernet Switches vs NETGEAR Switches

Compared 10% of the time

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs NETGEAR Switches

Compared 6% of the time

Cisco Catalyst Switches vs NETGEAR Switches

Compared 4% of the time

More NETGEAR Switches Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

June 2026

Download Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report

Buyer's Guide

NETGEAR Switches

June 2026

Download NETGEAR Switches product report

Also Known As

PowerConnect Switches

NETGEAR Insight Managed Switches, NETGEAR GC Series, NETGEAR M Series

Overview

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

NETGEAR Switches offer ease of setup, low cost, and power efficiency. With robust remote management and modular designs, they are ideal for small businesses and large enterprises, ensuring reliable performance and flexible connectivity solutions.

NETGEAR Switches provide intuitive interfaces with both GUI and CLI options, supporting VLANs, multicast, and stackable configurations. Their competitive pricing, lifetime warranty, and powerful AV-over-IP capabilities make them a preferred choice. Despite their strengths, there is room for improvement in virtual stacking compatibility, feature expansion on the Insight portal, and consistent firmware management. A more refined remote management tool and enhancements in scalability and security are also needed. NETGEAR Switches' scalability serves sectors such as audiovisual, education, and healthcare.

What are the key features of NETGEAR Switches?

Ease of Setup: Simple installation process with user-friendly interfaces.
Cost Efficiency: Competitive pricing with valuable features for investment.
Power Efficiency: Designed to minimize energy consumption.
Remote Management: Offers robust remote and cloud-based control capabilities.
Modular Design: Flexible structures for easier network customization.
AV-over-IP Capabilities: Supports audiovisual transmission over IP networks.
VLAN and Multicast Support: Enhanced network segmentation and data transmission.

What benefits should be considered in reviews?

Competitive Pricing: Provides great value for a wide range of features.
Lifetime Warranty: Peace of mind with long-term support and coverage.
Reliable Performance: Consistent and stable network operations.
Scalability: Easily adjustable to fit growing business needs.
Excellent Technical Support: Backed by a knowledgeable support team to assist users.

IT service providers utilize NETGEAR Switches for small to medium business infrastructures, enabling 10GB internet and office network expansion. Models like M4300, GC728XP, and GC752XP are deployed for enterprise connectivity and Pro AV tasks in audiovisual, educational, and medical sectors, offering robust performance and management.

Netgear

Sample Customers

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

Blaze Networks

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