Which switch delivers more PoE power and at what standard per port?

The ES-48-500W provides a 500W shared PoE budget across all 48 RJ45 ports, with each port rated at up to 34.2W under IEEE 802.3at (PoE+). A note in the spec data also references Passive PoE at 17W per port, which applies to non-802.3at legacy devices. Certifications include CE, FCC, and IC.

The HV-GS980M/52PS-10 carries a 740W PoE budget — 240W more than the Ubiquiti unit — and its PoE standard is listed as IEEE 802.3bt (PoE++), which supports up to 90W per port on compliant devices. This is a meaningful step up for powering high-wattage endpoints such as multi-sensor panoramic cameras, PTZ units with heaters, or Wi-Fi 6E access points that draw beyond the 30W PoE+ ceiling.

For deployments where all 48 ports are simultaneously loaded with standard PoE+ cameras (averaging 10–15W each), both units have sufficient headroom. The 740W budget on the Hanwha unit becomes decisive when a significant portion of endpoints require PoE++ power levels or when the aggregate draw of the installation approaches 500W.

How do the uplink ports, switching capacity, and forwarding rates compare?

The ES-48-500W provides two 10G SFP+ uplinks and two 1G SFP uplinks, with LAG (Link Aggregation) support documented. Switching capacity is listed in the spec data with two figures: 140 Gbps (from one field) and 20 Gbps (from another field); the forwarding rate is listed as 14.88 Mpps in one field and 104.16 Mpps in another. Because these figures conflict within the provided spec set, only the ranges as supplied can be cited — buyers should verify against the manufacturer datasheet at the path noted (/content/product-datasheets/ES-48-500W.pdf). The 10G SFP+ uplinks are confirmed and are a clear architectural advantage for high-bandwidth uplinks to a core switch or router.

The HV-GS980M/52PS-10 datasheet reference lists 4 SFP uplink ports for fiber connectivity. The uplink speed of those SFP ports is not explicitly stated in the provided spec data beyond a generic SFP designation. Switching capacity and forwarding rate are not provided in the supplied spec fields for the Hanwha unit. Buyers requiring confirmed throughput figures should consult the manufacturer datasheet at /content/product-datasheets/HV-GS980M_52PS-10.pdf.

On uplink architecture, the ES-48-500W has a confirmed 10G SFP+ uplink tier, which is directly specified. The Hanwha unit's 4 SFP ports offer more uplink port count but their speed class is unconfirmed from the supplied data.

What management capabilities, environmental ratings, and warranty terms apply to each?

The ES-48-500W is a Layer 2/3 managed switch with access via Web GUI, CLI, SNMP, and an RJ45 serial console. These are standard enterprise management interfaces. Operating temperature and enclosure rating are not explicitly provided as clean switch-context values in the supplied spec fields. The unit is 1U rackmount, weighs 16.25 lbs, and ships with a manufacturer warranty (duration not specified in the provided data). Country of origin is China. Certifications: CE, FCC, IC.

The HV-GS980M/52PS-10 spec data includes Layer 2/3 management with VLAN, QoS, and port mirroring noted in the tagline/bullet fields. The operating temperature range of -40°C to +55°C (-40°F to +131°F) is present in the spec data, though it appears within a mixed field that also references an HPoE injector — buyers should verify this applies to the switch chassis. The spec data also lists IP66, IK10, and NEMA 4X, NEMA-TS 2 ratings; given the data contamination from camera spec fields noted in this record, these environmental ratings cannot be confirmed as applying to the switch itself without consulting the manufacturer datasheet directly. Warranty is explicitly stated as 5 years.

The warranty delta is concrete and meaningful: Hanwha specifies 5 years; Ubiquiti's warranty duration is not stated in the supplied data. If the environmental ratings (IP66, NEMA 4X, -40°C operating temp) do apply to the Hanwha switch, that would differentiate it significantly for outdoor or harsh-environment enclosure deployments — but that must be verified against the datasheet before specifying.

Which should you choose: the ES-48-500W or the GS980M/52PS-10?

Our take: The HV-GS980M/52PS-10 is the stronger choice when PoE power budget and warranty term are the primary drivers. Its 740W budget exceeds the ES-48-500W's 500W by 240W, and its IEEE 802.3bt (PoE++) port standard supports endpoints above the 30W PoE+ ceiling. The Hanwha unit also carries an explicit 5-year warranty versus an unspecified term for the Ubiquiti. Conversely, the ES-48-500W has confirmed dual 10G SFP+ uplinks — a concrete upstream bandwidth advantage the Hanwha's uplink speed class does not match from the supplied spec data. For a high-density IP camera deployment with a mix of PoE++ PTZ or multi-sensor units, the Hanwha's power headroom is decisive. For a campus access layer demanding confirmed 10G uplinks to a core switch, the ES-48-500W's architecture is the cleaner fit. Verify Hanwha's environmental ratings against its datasheet before specifying for harsh environments.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Spec-for-spec, from manufacturer data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Related Resources

• Ubiquiti ES-48-500W product page — full specs and to add to a quote
• Hanwha GS980M/52PS-10 product page — full specs and to add to a quote