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 177 Cisco Catalyst Switches reviews

5,956 Views
3,335 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 Jul 27, 2025

Cisco Catalyst Switches and Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] are key players in the network switch market. Based on the data comparisons, Cisco Catalyst Switches appear to have the upper hand due to their advanced routing capabilities, reliability, and extensive features.

Features: Cisco Catalyst Switches are noted for their strong VLAN capabilities, enhanced stability, and seamless integration with Cisco products. They provide robust performance and easy configurability. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] highlight simplicity and ease of configuration, paired with competitive pricing, making them attractive for cost-conscious buyers needing straightforward integration.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Catalyst Switches could improve with better pricing and a simplified licensing model, as their high cost can be prohibitive. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] face limitations with advanced features and integration issues with proprietary protocols, which are areas users seek enhancements, including feature expansion and more stable firmware.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Catalyst Switches are recognized for strong on-premises deployment and comprehensive customer support, despite concerns over service quality and pricing models. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] are praised for simpler deployment and adequate support, offering cost-effective solutions, yet Cisco's customer service tends to be more comprehensive.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Catalyst Switches, although expensive, justify their pricing with high performance and reliable support; however, users desire more competitive pricing. Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] are favored for affordability and a good price-to-feature balance, providing cost-effective options for those not requiring advanced functionalities. Both offer satisfactory ROI, with Cisco potentially taking longer due to higher upfront costs.

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August 2025

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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

6.9

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

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Joshua Odunsi

I.T INFRASTRUCTURE/SECURITY ADMINISTRATOR at Haggai Mortgage Bank Ltd

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.

Read full review

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

"I recently discovered the DHCP feature. There is a feature with which you can make the core act as a DHCP server, and it will distribute the IPs for every device. I discovered this feature recently, and it is very nice."

"These switches are very stable. We haven't had any problems. We also have some old switches that are working for almost ten years."

"Cisco offers DNS features over other vendors."

"Technical support is very helpful, even during implementation."

"This technology is a completely mature technology and I don't think anything needs to be changed."

"This is a feature-rich product and the newer models have improved features that allow for many new possibilities."

"The most valuable feature is the ease of configuring a switch."

"Cisco Catalyst Switches are valuable for their reliability and performance."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pros

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

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

"Their support has been excellent, and it has been quite stable and easy to set up."

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

"The product is reliable."

"Dell PowerConnect Switches are easy to configure."

"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."

"This is a very reliable solution."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

Cons

"In a future upgrade, I would like to see integrated wireless in the solution."

"Compared to other switches, the Cisco products are expensive."

"I have had a little hiccup working with Catalyst switches. They used a few power integration features but I'm not sure they really resulted in much power saving. But, it caused cross-vendor equipment trouble."

"Currently, Catalyst is completely proprietary with Cisco. They should have programmability options, through open-source controllers."

"The pricing could be better. Cisco is quite expensive."

"Pricing mainly is the only issue."

"The newer models are not so stable. Other products like 6800, 3750, were stable but starting from 3850 it got worse. We have a lot of issues and a lot of bugs. It's a new product so it's understandable but it should be improved."

"The tool is not user-friendly."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches cons

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

"The solution's ROI for generic networking is not extraordinary."

"A user can take care of the product's installation part, but it may not seem to be an easy process."

"More stable firmware releases would be an improvement because we have had them randomly power on and off."

"I can't think of what we would want in the next release."

"A big issue with this product is that when our customer migrated the data center, one cluster blocked the whole network and because we had a new approach, some commands were not compatible with the new version."

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

"The product's infrastructure and connectivity features need improvement."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"They are expensive."

"We are on an annual license to use this solution and the price of the solution could be reduced. We have spent hundreds of thousands on our Wi-Fi network."

"The price can definitely be lower."

"We love Cisco, but the price is very prohibitive."

"I don't know a lot about the price, but they are affordable compared with other solutions."

"The new products from Cisco in the market are expensive. My company cannot import Cisco products, so they are mostly unavailable."

"It's expensive."

"The general price of the solution could be cheaper."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pricing and cost advice

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

"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."

"Dell PowerConnect switches are cheaper than Cisco switches. Cisco's higher capacity switches (100 or 200 gigs) are super-expensive. With the higher capacity, the price of the switches and the price of the architecture go high. Dell is cheaper and modular. So, I don't need to invest 100% upfront. I can invest as I progress. That is an option because the chassis will not be populated with all the pluggables. I have a choice because it is modular. I can go for 25 gigs today, and after four months, I can go for 100 gigs, and after that, I can go for 200 gigs. I have a choice when it is not a fixed switch."

"Cheaper than its competitors"

"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."

"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."

"The price of these switches is okay."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

11%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Government

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	78
Midsize Enterprise	29
Large Enterprise	78

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 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...

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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.

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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.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerConnect Switches?

The solution is cheaper than Cisco.

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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...

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Comparisons

Arista Networks Platform vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 18% of the time

HPE ProCurve vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 8% of the time

ExtremeSwitching vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 8% of the time

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 7% of the time

Ubiquiti UniFi Switches vs Cisco Catalyst Switches

Compared 5% of the time

More Cisco Catalyst Switches Competitors

Cisco Nexus vs Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

Compared 12% of the time

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Catalyst Switches

September 2025

Download Cisco Catalyst Switches product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL]

September 2025

Download Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] product report

Also Known As

Cisco Catalyst, Catalyst

PowerConnect Switches

Overview

Cisco Catalyst Switches are a reliable and scalable network switching and routing solution, focusing on VLANs and VLAN switching. They are used as access switches, distribution switches, and core switches in various environments, deployed on-premises, and used for long connections. The switches are easy to configure, install, and upgrade and offer good pricing.

The most valuable features include warranty and firmware support, stability, security, good performance, flexibility, etc. The Cisco Catalyst Switches have provided a stable solution for the organizations and are widely used, trusted, and well-known in the networking industry.

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

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