Dell PowerSwitch S4148F-ON vs S5248F-ON
Dell PowerSwitch S4148F-ON (10GbE)
Dell PowerSwitch S5248F-ON (25GbE)
Both switches are 1U Open Networking top-of-rack platforms from the Dell PowerSwitch family, and the right pick comes down to one question: how fast are the servers underneath them. The S4148F-ON is a proven 10GbE access switch for racks built around 10-gig server NICs. The S5248F-ON steps up to 25GbE access with denser 100GbE uplinks, giving you headroom for NVMe storage, virtualization at scale, and AI or analytics nodes. Uniqcli configures and quotes both, so this is about matching the switch to your NIC generation and growth curve rather than picking a universal winner.
Side by side
| Dell PowerSwitch S4148F-ON (10GbE) | Dell PowerSwitch S5248F-ON (25GbE) | |
|---|---|---|
| Positioning / tier | 10GbE leaf / top-of-rack in the S4100-ON series. The workhorse access switch for racks standardized on 10-gig server connectivity. | 25GbE leaf / top-of-rack in the S5200-ON series. The step-up platform for higher-bandwidth server fabrics and denser east-west traffic. |
| Server-facing port speed | 48 SFP+ ports at 10GbE, with support for 1GbE down-negotiation on compatible optics. Ideal where server NICs are 10-gig. | 48 SFP28 ports at 25GbE, backward compatible with 10GbE optics. Ready for 25-gig NICs without a forklift later. |
| Uplinks / fabric | Includes 40GbE and 100GbE QSFP-class uplinks for spine connectivity. Plenty of headroom for a 10-gig access layer. | Denser 100GbE QSFP28 uplink capacity to feed the higher 25-gig access bandwidth into a leaf-spine spine tier. |
| Target workload | General enterprise racks, virtualization hosts, and edge or branch aggregation where 10GbE is more than enough. | NVMe and all-flash storage fabrics, dense virtualization, containers, and GPU or analytics nodes that saturate 10-gig links. |
| Expandability / future-proofing | Right-sized and cost-efficient for a stable 10-gig footprint. Best when NIC refresh cycles are not imminent. | More runway. As servers move to 25GbE, the access layer already matches, extending the switch's useful life in the rack. |
| Management / OS | Open Networking design. Runs Dell SmartFabric OS10 with support for third-party network operating systems. | Same Open Networking model and SmartFabric OS10, so operations, automation, and VLT leaf-spine designs carry over consistently. |
| Federal readiness | TAA-compliant configurations available for NASA SEWP V, GSA, and GPC purchases through Uniqcli. | TAA-compliant configurations available on the same contract vehicles, a common choice for higher-throughput federal storage and compute racks. |
| Price posture | Lower acquisition cost per port. The budget-efficient choice when 10GbE meets the requirement. | Higher cost per port, justified by the added bandwidth, density, and multi-year headroom it delivers. |
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Dell PowerSwitch S4148F-ON (10GbE)
Dell PowerSwitch S5248F-ON (25GbE)
Choose Dell PowerSwitch S4148F-ON (10GbE) when
Your servers ship with 10-gig NICs and you have no near-term plan to move past them. It is the cost-efficient fit for general enterprise racks, virtualization hosts, and edge or branch aggregation where 10GbE has plenty of margin. Pick it when budget-per-port matters and the workload profile is stable. Send us the rack layout and port count on a /bom and we will size the optics, breakout cables, and uplinks with it.
Choose Dell PowerSwitch S5248F-ON (25GbE) when
Your servers already run, or are about to run, 25-gig NICs, or the workload leans on NVMe and all-flash storage, dense virtualization, containers, or GPU and analytics nodes that push past 10GbE. It is also the smart hedge when you want the access layer to outlast the next server refresh. The denser 100GbE uplinks keep a leaf-spine fabric fed. Start a /quote and we will spec the SFP28 and QSFP28 optics to match your spine.
There is no single winner here, only the right match to your server fabric. If the rack is built on 10-gig NICs and cost efficiency drives the decision, the S4148F-ON delivers proven top-of-rack connectivity without paying for bandwidth you will not use. If you are moving to 25-gig, running storage or GPU workloads that saturate 10GbE, or you simply want the access layer to outlive the next refresh, the S5248F-ON is the durable choice. Both run the same SmartFabric OS10 and Open Networking model, so your operations and automation stay consistent whichever you deploy, and mixing them across tiers is common. Uniqcli sells and supports both, TAA-compliant for federal buyers. Send us a /bom or start a /quote and we will scope the exact config, optics, and uplinks for your environment.
Talk to a specialistFrequently asked
What is the core difference between the S4148F-ON and the S5248F-ON?
Access-port speed. The S4148F-ON provides 48 ports of 10GbE for server connectivity, while the S5248F-ON provides 48 ports of 25GbE with denser 100GbE uplinks. If your servers use 10-gig NICs, the S4148F-ON fits. If they use, or will use, 25-gig NICs, the S5248F-ON is the match.
Can the S5248F-ON still connect my existing 10GbE servers?
Yes. Its 25GbE SFP28 ports are backward compatible with 10GbE optics, so you can run 10-gig links today and move to 25-gig as you refresh servers. That backward compatibility is a big reason buyers choose it as a future-proofing hedge. We will confirm the right optics on your /bom.
Do both switches run the same network operating system?
Both are Open Networking platforms that run Dell SmartFabric OS10 and support third-party network operating systems. Your VLT leaf-spine designs, automation, and day-two operations carry over between them, which makes mixing a 10GbE access tier and a 25GbE tier in the same environment straightforward.
Are these TAA-compliant for federal purchases?
Yes. Uniqcli provides TAA-compliant configurations of both PowerSwitch models for NASA SEWP V, GSA, and GPC procurement. Send your requirement through /quote and we will align the configuration and contract vehicle to your agency's needs.
How do I decide which one to standardize on?
Start with your server NIC generation and workload. Stable 10-gig racks favor the S4148F-ON on cost. Storage-heavy, virtualization-dense, or GPU workloads favor the S5248F-ON on bandwidth and longevity. Share your rack layout and port counts on a /bom and we will model both side by side with pricing.
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