Cisco Catalyst 9300 vs 9200: which refurbished switch fits your stack?
The Catalyst 9300 and 9200 look nearly identical in a rack, but they sit on different silicon and solve different problems. Here is exactly where they diverge — stacking, uplinks, ASIC, buffers, PoE, and licensing — and which one belongs in your stack.
What is the difference between the Cisco Catalyst 9300 and 9200? The Catalyst 9300 is a UADP 2.0 access-plus-distribution switch with StackWise-480 (480 Gbps), StackPower, modular uplinks, and 60W UPOE. The Catalyst 9200 uses the scaled-down UADP 2.0 Mini ASIC, StackWise-160 (or -80 on the 9200L), lighter uplinks, and PoE+ only. Pick the 9300 for flexibility, the 9200 for cost.
The Catalyst 9300 and 9200 look nearly identical in a rack, but they sit on different silicon and solve different problems. Here is exactly where they diverge — stacking, uplinks, ASIC, buffers, PoE, and licensing — and which one belongs in your stack.
Catalyst 9300 vs 9200: the spec-sheet comparison
Both are stackable, 1RU, IOS-XE access switches from the Catalyst 9000 family, which is why they get cross-shopped. But the 9300 is a tier up in silicon, stacking, and PoE, while the 9200 (and the lighter 9200L) is engineered down to a price. The table below is the fast version; browse live inventory in the networking catalog.
| Spec | Catalyst 9300 | Catalyst 9200 | Catalyst 9200L |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forwarding ASIC | UADP 2.0 | UADP 2.0 Mini | UADP 2.0 Mini |
| Stacking | StackWise-480 (480 Gbps) | StackWise-160 (160 Gbps) | StackWise-80 (80 Gbps) |
| Max stack members | 8 | 8 | 8 |
| StackPower | Yes (shared power pool) | No | No |
| Uplinks | Modular network modules (4×1G / 4×mGig / 8×10G / 2×25G / 2×40G) | Modular network modules (4×1G / 4×10G / 2×25G / 2×40G) | Fixed (4×1G, 4×1/10G, or 2×1/10/25G) |
| PoE | PoE+ and 60W UPOE (up to 384 PoE ports/stack) | PoE+ (30W) only | PoE+ (30W) only |
| Packet buffer | 16 MB (Gigabit) / 32 MB (mGig) | 6 MB | 6 MB |
| MAC addresses | 32,000 | 32,000 | 16,000 |
| IPv4 routes (ARP + learned) | 32,000 | 14,000 | 11,000 |
| IPv6 routing entries | 16,000 | 2,000 | 1,500 |
| VLAN IDs | 4,000 | 4,096 | 1,024 |
| Base licensing | Network Essentials / Advantage | Network Essentials / Advantage | Network Essentials / Advantage |
| Primary role | Access + small distribution / SD-Access fabric edge | Layer 2/3 access (midsize, branch) | Layer 2/3 access (small branch) |
Stacking bandwidth and StackPower
The clearest hardware gap is the stack fabric. The Catalyst 9300 uses StackWise-480 — 480 Gbps of back-panel bandwidth across up to eight members. The full Catalyst 9200 uses StackWise-160 (160 Gbps); the 9200L drops to StackWise-80 (80 Gbps). All three cap at eight switches per stack, but the fabrics are not interoperable: you cannot mix a 9300 with a 9200, and you cannot even mix a 9200 with a 9200L, because each tier ships a different stack kit and adapter (C9200-STACK-KIT vs C9200L-STACK-KIT).
The 9300 also carries Cisco StackPower, which pools power-supply capacity across stacked members for PoE headroom and PSU redundancy (extendable to nine members with an XPS-2200). Neither the 9200 nor the 9200L has StackPower — each switch stands alone for power. If you rely on a shared power budget to ride out a PSU failure without dropping PoE loads, that is a 9300-only capability.
Uplinks: modular network modules vs fixed
This is where "modular vs fixed" gets mislabeled. The Catalyst 9300 takes hot-swappable network modules — swap a 4×1G module for 8×10G, 2×25G, or 2×40G as your uplinks grow (C9300-NM-4G, -4M, -8X, -2Y, -2Q; legacy 3850 modules are also supported). The full Catalyst 9200 is also modular (C9200-NM-4G, -4X, -2Y, -2Q). Only the 9200L uses fixed uplinks baked into the SKU: 4×1G, 4×1/10G, or 2×1/10/25G. So if someone tells you "the 9200 has fixed uplinks," that is only true of the 9200L.
Whichever you pick, the uplink is only as good as the optic in it. Confirm SFP/SFP+/SFP28/QSFP+ support before you buy — our Catalyst 9300 transceiver compatibility guide covers the coding and modules that also apply to 9200 network modules.
ASIC, buffers, and table scale
The 9300 runs the full UADP 2.0 ASIC; both 9200 variants run UADP 2.0 Mini, a cost-optimized cut-down of the same architecture. The practical differences show up in buffers and tables. The 9300 carries a 16 MB unified packet buffer on Gigabit models (32 MB on Multigigabit), versus 6 MB on the 9200/9200L — meaningful when you aggregate bursty traffic or run the switch above the pure access edge.
Table scale follows the same pattern: the 9300 holds 32,000 IPv4 routes and 16,000 IPv6 entries; the 9200 holds 14,000 IPv4 routes and 2,000 IPv6 entries, and the 9200L less again (11,000 / 1,500). For a flat Layer 2 wiring closet that gap never matters. For a switch doing real routing, multicast, or fabric duty, it does.
PoE and licensing on the used market
PoE: the 9300 offers PoE+ and 60W Cisco UPOE, with up to 384 PoE ports per stack — enough for PTZ cameras, tri-radio access points, and powered displays. The 9200 and 9200L are PoE+ only (30W max per port); there is no UPOE option in that family. Both families support Fast PoE and Perpetual PoE to hold power through a switch reload.
Licensing: all three use the same base tiers — Network Essentials and Network Advantage — plus optional Cisco DNA Essentials/Advantage subscriptions. Advantage unlocks VXLAN, LISP, and SD-Access; on the 9200, Network Essentials also caps dynamic routing (for example OSPF at roughly 1,000 routes). One used-market catch worth planning for: Network licenses are perpetual and follow the hardware, but DNA is a term subscription that usually does not transfer to a second owner.
9200 vs 9200L: don't confuse the two
Buyers conflate these constantly, and the SKUs look almost identical. They are not the same switch:
| Attribute | Catalyst 9200 | Catalyst 9200L |
|---|---|---|
| Uplinks | Modular network modules | Fixed (4×1G / 4×10G / 2×25G) |
| Stacking | StackWise-160 (160 Gbps) | StackWise-80 (80 Gbps) |
| MAC addresses | 32,000 | 16,000 |
| VLAN IDs / SVIs | 4,096 / 1,000 | 1,024 / 512 |
| DRAM | 4 GB | 2 GB |
| Best for | Midsize access needing uplink flex | Cost-first small-branch access |
They also cannot stack together. Decide up front whether you need the 9200's modular uplinks and larger tables, or whether the 9200L's fixed uplinks and lower price are the better fit.
Choose 9300 if / choose 9200 if
| Decision driver | Choose the 9300 | Choose the 9200 / 9200L |
|---|---|---|
| Uplinks | You will change or upgrade uplinks (25G/40G) later | Fixed 1G/10G is fine and won't change |
| Routing / fabric | SD-Access fabric edge, VXLAN, heavier Layer 3 | Layer 2 access with light OSPF/static routing |
| PoE | Need 60W UPOE for PTZ cameras or tri-radio APs | PoE+ (30W) covers phones, APs, sensors |
| Power resiliency | Want a StackPower shared budget | Per-switch PSU redundancy is enough |
| Buffers / role | Bursty traffic, collapsed-core or distribution | Pure wiring-closet access |
| Scale | Growing campus, larger MAC/route tables | Smaller, stable table scale is fine |
| Budget | Performance and flexibility justify the premium | Lowest cost per access port wins |
Buying either one refurbished
On the secondary market the ordering is predictable: the 9200L is cheapest, the modular 9200 sits above it, and the 9300 commands a premium for its silicon, UPOE, and uplink flexibility. As a rough guide in mid-2026, refurbished 48-port PoE+ units run roughly $700–$1,500 for a 9200L and $1,500–$3,500 for a 9300-48P, though condition, power supplies, and licensing move those numbers a lot.
Verify the license level on the unit, insist on tested hardware with a warranty, and confirm the stack kit and power supplies are included. The Catalyst 9300-48P (C9300-48P-A) is the workhorse config for access-plus-distribution refurb builds; if you are weighing condition and warranty tradeoffs, start with our guide to buying refurbished network switches.
Related: Cisco Catalyst 3850 end-of-life · buying refurbished network switches · browse networking hardware
Frequently asked questions
Is the Catalyst 9200 just a cheaper Catalyst 9300?
No. The 9200 runs the cut-down UADP 2.0 Mini ASIC with a 6 MB buffer, smaller routing tables, no StackPower, and PoE+ instead of UPOE. It is built as a pure access switch, while the 9300's UADP 2.0 silicon, 16 MB buffer, and modular uplinks let it also serve as small distribution or an SD-Access fabric edge.
Can I stack a Catalyst 9200 with a 9300 — or a 9200 with a 9200L?
No to both. Each family uses a different StackWise bandwidth (480 vs 160 vs 80 Gbps) and incompatible stack kits. You cannot even mix a modular 9200 (StackWise-160) with a fixed 9200L (StackWise-80) in the same ring. Build every stack from identical StackWise tiers.
What's the real difference between the 9200 and 9200L?
The 9200L has fixed uplinks (4x1G, 4x10G, or 2x25G), StackWise-80, 16,000 MAC addresses, and 1,024 VLANs. The full 9200 adds modular uplink network modules, StackWise-160, 32,000 MAC addresses, 4,096 VLANs, and more DRAM. The 9200L is cheaper; the 9200 is more flexible.
Do refurbished 9300 and 9200 switches keep their licenses?
Network Essentials and Network Advantage are perpetual and stay with the hardware. Cisco DNA (Essentials/Advantage) is a term subscription that generally does not transfer, so budget to re-license DNA on a used unit. See our refurbished switch buying guide.
Does the Catalyst 9200 support 25G or 40G uplinks?
The modular 9200 does, via the C9200-NM-2Y (2x25G) or C9200-NM-2Q (2x40G) network module. The fixed 9200L tops out at 4x10G or 2x25G depending on SKU. Match optics carefully using the transceiver compatibility guide.
Which switch is right for SD-Access fabric edge?
The 9300. With Network Advantage plus DNA Advantage it is Cisco's mainstream fabric-edge access platform, with the buffers and table scale that fabric needs. The 9200 targets simpler Layer 2/Layer 3 access and has more limited fabric scale.