Cisco Ethernet Switches vs H3C Ethernet Switches comparison

Cisco and H3C are both solutions in the Ethernet Switches category. Cisco is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.8, while H3C is ranked #16 with an average rating of 8.0. Cisco holds a 12.8% mindshare in ES, compared to H3C’s 2.6% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of H3C users who would recommend it.

Cisco Ethernet Switches

Read 135 Cisco Ethernet Switches reviews

13,797 Views
13,797 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

H3C Ethernet Switches

Read 9 H3C Ethernet Switches reviews

2,271 Views
2,248 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Ethernet Switches

H3C Ethernet Switches

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

Cisco and H3C compete in the Ethernet switch market, with Cisco generally having an advantage in performance and flexibility, while H3C is preferred for its affordability and warranty offerings.

Features: Cisco Ethernet Switches feature a power-saving design, MACSec encryption for enhanced security, and StackPower technology. They offer flexible remote management protocols and support for a range of standards and routing protocols. H3C Ethernet Switches are known for their reliability and cost-effectiveness, offering advanced routing and redundancy, ideal for budget-conscious users.

Room for Improvement: Cisco faces challenges with complex licensing, high pricing, and compatibility issues with third-party systems, often requiring skilled professionals for setup. H3C could enhance its user interface and provide more accessible configuration tools to address perceptions of a technological gap with Western standards.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco offers flexible deployment for hybrid cloud and on-premises environments, with overall good technical support despite occasional inconsistencies. H3C primarily supports on-premises deployments but is recognized for reliable support, with limited need due to product reliability. Both brands achieve similar customer satisfaction levels.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco is known for higher prices with significant licensing costs, though they often provide a strong ROI due to durability and reliability. H3C, with prices around $500 per unit, offers competitive and affordable options targeting SMBs, with no additional subscription costs, appealing to cost-conscious buyers seeking solid long-term ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. H3C Ethernet Switches Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. H3C Ethernet Switches

July 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 Ethernet Switches

Ranking in Ethernet Switches

1st

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

135

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

H3C Ethernet Switches

Ranking in Ethernet Switches

16th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Cisco Ethernet Switches is 12.8%, down from 18.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of H3C Ethernet Switches is 2.6%, up from 1.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Ethernet Switches

Featured Reviews

Myint Aung

Head of the Solutions Department at BIM Group of Companies

Exceptional network support and AI integration drive performance while suggesting enhancements for future use cases

I work with both HyperFlex and other Cisco products. I prefer to make online support available because I can utilize my CCIE architect, solution consultant, and engineer team along with our account manager and product sales team. We can clarify requirements and decide how to support you. We should arrange a conference call about Cisco Ethernet Switches where I can invite my architect and consultant to clarify more about the features that are most beneficial for improving network efficiency. Today is AI day, and all the new firmware includes AI to optimize the performance, traffic, and security of Cisco Ethernet Switches. It's performing very well. With many solutions and vendors available, you have to decide on one. I am extremely satisfied with the licensing cost for Cisco Ethernet Switches. For the price of Cisco Ethernet Switches, I would rate it a 7. My overall rating for Cisco Ethernet Switches is 10 out of 10.

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SHARIQ ALI SHAH

Manager Sales at Megaplus

Enhanced network management and good performance with vital IMC features

The primary use case is about managing network infrastructure. The H3C Ethernet Switches are used internally as switches in the system H3C Ethernet Switches have improved network performance significantly when compared to middle-class networks. The solution has been cost-effective, being much…

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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 am not sure exactly which feature is most valuable because overall, the device helps us to manage our environment."

"The solution can scale."

"Tech support has always been good."

"We have found it to be scalable. We have approximately three million subscribers."

"The tool is stable."

"My overall rating for Cisco Ethernet Switches is 10 out of 10."

"The IP routing is the most important feature."

"Cisco is the world leader in these systems. The expertise they have is very good compared to others. We can trust Cisco from a technical perspective."

More Cisco Ethernet Switches pros

"The IMC feature is valuable."

"Offering a five-year warranty, compared to competitors' one-year warranties, is a unique advantage of H3C switches."

"H3C Ethernet Switches have a fast delivery time."

"Network performance is very good, suggesting that stability has not been an issue."

"We can configure the switch stack on the internet. Other vendors do not offer this facility. It is fast and easy to manage."

"A good high-performance solution."

"To date, it has proven to be highly reliable. We have encountered no issues or challenges with it thus far."

"H3C Ethernet Switches is a cheap solution."

More H3C Ethernet Switches pros

Cons

"The initial setup can be simplified."

"Switches should be made stackable, even if they are not of the same model."

"The price could be lower. It's quite expensive."

"Up to a certain network size, it is easy to scale, but after that, it becomes difficult."

"Cisco's equipment is expensive, especially since it introduced the obligatory purchase of Cisco DNA."

"The price is an area with a shortcoming in the solution."

"Technical support could be better. Firmware upgrades should be better. We have an issue with upgrading the firmware. It's not upgradable. I think it should be easy to improve and upgrade the firmware."

"The local support resources for Cisco in Bangledesh are very poor and should be increased."

More Cisco Ethernet Switches cons

"There is room for improvement in Wi-Fi solutions, which are not optimized."

"There should be more public tools for configuration and comparing products."

"The solution’s stability could be improved."

"To enhance H3C switches for the next release, improving the user interface is crucial."

"The only improvement needed is the significantly better lead time for delivery compared to other American products. In terms of technology, there isn't much difference, especially since X3 is a subsidiary of XP, and they use the same technology. However, the delivery time is notably better."

"Lacks decent cloud management."

"GUI needs to merge with CLI."

"There is room for improvement in Wi-Fi solutions, which are not optimized."

More H3C Ethernet Switches cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cisco is quite expensive. In our market, a lot of customers are forced to go with something else because they cannot afford a brand-new Cisco even though they know a Cisco switch will be more reliable."

"There are different licensing based on the model of the solution."

"Quality comes at a price. I've been around the block a bit, and I know that good quality comes at a price. However, some of the organizations don't have big budgets, so you have to develop different solutions for them. They don't have the budget to get some of the high-end features. Cisco can consider providing entry-level hardware to suit SMBs."

"The solution can be comparatively cheaper."

"It is an expensive product."

"Cisco is an industry leader, but the price is very high."

"I pay a fixed price on it. I'm not the person on the pursing, so I don't really compare."

"Its price is a bit higher than other brands. Indian customers are price-conscious. They should improve its price."

More Cisco Ethernet Switches pricing and cost advice

"H3C Ethernet Switches are reasonably priced."

"H3C Ethernet Switches are priced at around $500 per unit, which is very cheap and one of the most competitive prices out there."

"H3C Ethernet Switches is targeted for SMBs because it's cheaper compared to Huawei switches."

"The pricing is very affordable, making it a not-so-expensive choice. On a scale from one to ten, where one is expensive and ten is cheap, I would rate it a seven."

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Comparison Review

it_user82779

Engineer at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

Jan 29, 2014

Benefits of Juniper vs Cisco

Both are decent products. I prefer Juniper for the following reasons: 1) Cleaner separation of data plane from control plane. Higher end Cisco devices are better at this but most of the lower end products still seem to be more integrated than I like. 2) The Hierarchical config design means I can…

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Government

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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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Which would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?

We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...

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In terms of ethernet switches, would you go with Cisco or Juniper?

Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether Cisco or Juniper Ethernet switches were the better fit for us. We decided to go with Juniper. Juniper ethernet switches are a lesser-known...

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What do you like most about H3C Ethernet Switches?

H3C Ethernet Switches is a cheap solution.

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What needs improvement with H3C Ethernet Switches?

There is room for improvement in Wi-Fi solutions, which are not optimized.

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What is your primary use case for H3C Ethernet Switches?

The primary use case is about managing network infrastructure. The H3C Ethernet Switches are used internally as switches in the system.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access vs Cisco Ethernet Switches

Compared 16% of the time

D-Link Ethernet Switches vs Cisco Ethernet Switches

Compared 9% of the time

NETGEAR Switches vs Cisco Ethernet Switches

Compared 7% of the time

Ubiquiti UniFi Switches vs Cisco Ethernet Switches

Compared 5% of the time

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Huawei Ethernet Switches vs H3C Ethernet Switches

Compared 25% of the time

Aruba Switches vs H3C Ethernet Switches

Compared 16% of the time

HPE Ethernet Switches vs H3C Ethernet Switches

Compared 9% of the time

Ubiquiti UniFi Switches vs H3C Ethernet Switches

Compared 5% of the time

Dell PowerSwitch Managed Campus vs H3C Ethernet Switches

Compared 3% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Ethernet Switches

August 2025

Download Cisco Ethernet Switches product report

Buyer's Guide

Ethernet Switches

August 2025

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Also Known As

Cisco Industrial Ethernet Switches

No data available

Overview

Cisco Ethernet Switches scale to meet the needs of networks of all sizes. They are Secure, Reliable and Seamless.

Cisco

H3C S5560 High Performance Ethernet Switch is the latest development of Gigabit speed Layer 3 Ethernet switch. This powerful and highly secure series switch is built based on industry-leading high performance hardware architecture and H3C Comware V7 platform. It supports diversified services, high capacity GE access port as well as high density 10GE uplink, which meet the requirements for high density campus access and high performance aggregation.

H3C

Sample Customers

Linz AG

Ying Wa College, Centro Digital Pictures

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. H3C Ethernet Switches

July 2025

Free Report: Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. H3C Ethernet Switches

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Ethernet Switches vs. H3C Ethernet Switches and other solutions. Updated: July 2025.

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