Ubiquiti USW-48-POE vs Ubiquiti USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE: Specification Comparison
Both the USW-48-POE and USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE are Ubiquiti UniFi 1U rack-mount managed switches offering 48 access ports with PoE output, SGCC steel enclosures, and identical VLAN depth. The comparison spans three tiers of the same product family: a cost-optimised 1G access switch with a 195W PoE budget versus a multi-speed aggregation-capable switch with a 720W PoE++ budget and 10G SFP+ uplinks. Buyers cross-shopping these models are typically sizing PoE headroom, port-speed headroom, and switching capacity against deployment scale and budget.
In This Guide
- Which switch delivers enough PoE power and port speed for your device count?
- Can the switching fabric handle aggregated traffic without becoming a bottleneck?
- What are the power draw, physical footprint, and management integration differences?
- Which should you choose: the USW-48-POE or the USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE?
- Side-by-Side Specs
- FAQ
Which switch delivers enough PoE power and port speed for your device count?
The USW-48-POE provides 195W of PoE+ (802.3at, up to 30W per port) across 32 of its 48 RJ-45 ports; the remaining 16 ports are non-PoE. At full 32-port utilisation the per-port average is approximately 6W, so deployments mixing cameras and low-draw APs will reach budget before all 32 slots are consumed by high-draw devices. Uplinks are 4 × 1G SFP only.
The USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE supplies 720W of PoE++ (802.3bt) across all 48 ports, with an internal 870W power supply backing it. That is 3.7× the PoE headroom of the USW-48-POE and supports devices drawing up to the full 802.3bt ceiling. Port-speed specs list 1G and 2.5G RJ-45 access ports plus 2 × 10G SFP+ uplinks, enabling multi-gigabit edge devices and high-bandwidth uplink aggregation that the USW-48-POE cannot provide.
Can the switching fabric handle aggregated traffic without becoming a bottleneck?
The USW-48-POE has a switching capacity of 104 Gbps and a non-blocking throughput of 52 Gbps at a forwarding rate of 77 Mpps. For a pure 1G access layer these numbers are sufficient: 48 ports at 1G full-duplex require 96 Gbps of capacity, which the 104 Gbps fabric covers. However, there is no headroom for multi-gigabit uplinks or future 2.5G edge devices.
The USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE doubles that headroom with a 224 Gbps switching capacity, 112 Gbps non-blocking throughput, and 167 Mpps forwarding rate—more than double every fabric metric of the USW-48-POE. This headroom accommodates mixed 1G/2.5G access traffic plus 10G uplink aggregation simultaneously without fabric contention.
What are the power draw, physical footprint, and management integration differences?
Both switches share the same 1U rack depth profile and SGCC steel enclosure, and both operate on 100–240V AC at the same -5°C to 40°C range. The USW-48-POE draws 45W base (excluding PoE) from a 240W internal supply and weighs 4.5 kg; its footprint is 442 × 285 × 44 mm. The USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE draws 100W base from an 870W internal supply and weighs 6.2 kg at 442 × 400 × 44 mm—55W more base draw and 115 mm deeper, which affects dense rack layouts.
Management is UniFi controller-based on both units with VLAN support capped at 1,000 on each. The USW-48-POE spec lists a 1.3-inch LCM colour touchscreen for local status visibility; no equivalent display spec is provided for the USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE. Both carry CE, FCC, IC, and Anatel certifications and are NDAA-compliant per the provided specs.
Which should you choose: the USW-48-POE or the USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE?
Our take: The USW-48-POE is the stronger choice when all edge devices are 1G, PoE draw stays below 195W across no more than 32 ports, and rack depth or budget is constrained. The USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE is the stronger choice for larger or denser PoE deployments: its 720W PoE++ budget is 3.7× greater (720W vs 195W), its switching capacity is more than double (224 Gbps vs 104 Gbps), and its 10G SFP+ uplinks support aggregation tiers the USW-48-POE's 1G SFP uplinks cannot. The PRO-MAX also extends PoE to all 48 ports versus only 32 on the base model. The trade-off is a higher base power draw (100W vs 45W), a deeper chassis (400 mm vs 285 mm), and added weight (6.2 kg vs 4.5 kg). Both units suit UniFi-managed environments exclusively; neither spec documents third-party controller compatibility.
Side-by-Side Comparison
Spec-for-spec, from manufacturer data.
| Specification | Ubiquiti USW-48-POE | Ubiquiti USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE |
|---|---|---|
| SKU | USW-48-POE | USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE |
| PoE Standard | PoE+ (802.3at) | PoE++ (802.3bt) |
| PoE Budget | 195W | 720W |
| PoE-Capable Ports | 32 of 48 | 48 of 48 |
| Max PoE per Port | 30W | Not specified per port |
| Access Port Speed | 1G RJ-45 | 1G and 2.5G RJ-45 |
| Uplink Ports | 4 × 1G SFP | 2 × 10G SFP+ (+ 2.5G access) |
| Switching Capacity | 104 Gbps | 224 Gbps |
| Non-Blocking Throughput | 52 Gbps | 112 Gbps |
| Forwarding Rate | 77 Mpps | 167 Mpps |
| VLAN Support | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Base Power Draw (excl. PoE) | 45W | 100W |
| Internal PSU Capacity | 240W | 870W |
| Dimensions (W × D × H mm) | 442 × 285 × 44 | 442.4 × 400 × 44 |
| Weight (without brackets) | 4.5 kg (10 lb) | 6.2 kg (13.7 lb) |
| Local Display | 1.3" LCM colour touchscreen | — |
| NDAA Compliant | Yes | Yes |
| Operating Temperature | -5°C to 40°C | -5°C to 40°C |
Frequently Asked Questions
Which should you choose: the USW-48-POE or the USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE?
The USW-48-POE is the stronger choice when all edge devices are 1G, PoE draw stays below 195W across no more than 32 ports, and rack depth or budget is constrained. The USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE is the stronger choice for larger or denser PoE deployments: its 720W PoE++ budget is 3.7× greater (720W vs 195W), its switching capacity is more than double (224 Gbps vs 104 Gbps), and its 10G SFP+ uplinks support aggregation tiers the USW-48-POE's 1G SFP uplinks cannot. The PRO-MAX also extends PoE to all 48 ports versus only 32 on the base model. The trade-off is a higher base power draw (100W vs 45W), a deeper chassis (400 mm vs 285 mm), and added weight (6.2 kg vs 4.5 kg). Both units suit UniFi-managed environments exclusively; neither spec documents third-party controller compatibility.
Is the USW-48-POE or USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE better for larger IP camera deployments?
For larger camera deployments the USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE is the more capable option based on its specs. It provides 720W of PoE++ budget across all 48 ports, versus the USW-48-POE's 195W limited to 32 ports. If your cameras are high-draw (802.3bt devices) or you need more than 32 simultaneously powered ports, the PRO-MAX has the headroom; the USW-48-POE will exhaust its PoE budget well before all ports are loaded with full-draw cameras.
Can the USW-48-POE handle a 10G uplink to a core switch?
No. The USW-48-POE spec lists only 4 × 1G SFP uplink ports; no 10G SFP+ interface is specified for this model. If a 10G uplink to a core or aggregation switch is required, the USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE is the correct choice, as its specs include 2 × 10G SFP+ ports alongside 2.5G RJ-45 access ports.
Do both switches support the same VLAN count and work with the same UniFi controller?
Yes. Both the USW-48-POE and USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE specify support for up to 1,000 VLANs and are managed via Ubiquiti's UniFi controller platform (management via Ethernet on both). No third-party controller compatibility is stated in either product's specifications. The USW-48-POE additionally specifies a 1.3-inch LCM colour touchscreen for local management; that display is not listed in the USW-PRO-MAX-48-POE specs.
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