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 ...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

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.

To learn more, read our detailed LAN Switching Report (Updated: August 2025).

Buyer's Guide

LAN Switching

August 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 867,370 peers since 2012

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.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The CLI is pretty much the same across all switching and routing platforms from Cisco, making deployment of new switches, replacement of damaged equipment, or upgrades to newer platforms very easy."

"The solution is durable."

"It's easy to configure."

"A good feature of Cisco Catalyst is that it records crash log files which can be used to literally identify the cause of a crash because there is a lot of information. And Cisco Catalyst supports the use of external flash disks for storing of images and file systems."

"The Cisco software ties all the hardware together better than the competition."

"The solution is reliable."

"These switches are stable."

"The most valuable features of the solution are BGP, VPN, and spine-leaf architecture."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches 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."

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

"The functionality is very good."

"The product is reliable."

"The most valuable feature is stability."

"This is a very reliable solution."

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

"The platform's most valuable features are network switch functionality and fiber switch capabilities."

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pros

Cons

"Cisco should support all of the features that are included with the suite."

"The solution is expensive. They should work on their pricing model to try to make it more affordable for customers."

"Cisco Catalyst Switches could improve by having more integration with third-party products."

"My company would prefer that the price was more cost-effective."

"First of all, there are some features that take a long time to get implemented, and other vendors have them for a long time before them. For example, it took a long time to have a way to commit change with the timer, so it gets undone if the user doesn't accept the change after it's done. Like, having to say the changes be done, and everything works fine. In the end, everything works fine, but it didn't exist. That's just an example of stuff that came late to Catalyst."

"The stability must be improved."

"If we have a major problem, fixing it takes two or three days and six to eight engineers from Cisco. When they escalate a ticket, it goes through too many levels. Every time the issue is passed along to a new person at Cisco support, they ask the same questions repeatedly."

"The product’s pricing needs improvement."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches cons

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

"The pricing could always be a bit lower."

"I would like to see better scalability and more features on these switches in the future."

"Accessibility and management could be improved."

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

"When it comes to the configuration, there should be documentation and interactive help available to assist people who have experience with products from other vendors."

"What's lacking in Dell PowerConnect Switches is SD-WAN integration, and this is what needs to be improved in it. All enterprises now move towards SD-WAN infrastructure, and because Dell PowerConnect Switches don't currently support SD-WAN, the product would be replaced, considered a secondary switch, or linked up to a different switch. Integration or support for SD-WAN is what I'd like to see in the next version of Dell PowerConnect Switches."

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

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"If you consider Cisco's price with the Dell, you will definitely lose with Cisco. But Cisco has a major area of equipment in general. Cisco has routers, firewalls, NAC, certain video conferencing, Apple phones, and different security solutions. But Dell doesn't have such areas, Dell only has switching architecture."

"There is a one-time license, but we pay for the smart net license every three years for support."

"I rate the product price a nine on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price."

"The price of these switches is on the upper end. It is around $3,500 plus for a 24-Port switch. These switches are more expensive than Linksys and TP-Links, but you get what you pay for. If you look at the pros and cons per switch, you can justify the cost compared to a lesser and cheaper brand."

"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 general price of the solution could be cheaper."

"The product is quite expensive."

"These switches are expensive."

More Cisco Catalyst Switches pricing and cost advice

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

"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."

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

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

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

"Cheaper than its competitors"

"The price of these switches is okay."

"Inexpensive"

More Dell PowerConnect Switches [EOL] pricing and cost advice

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which LAN Switching solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

867,370 professionals have used our research since 2012.

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 ...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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.

DOWNLOAD NOW

867,370 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our list of best LAN Switching vendors and best Data Center Networking vendors.

We monitor all LAN Switching reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.