Cisco Nexus 93180YC-FX3 vs 93108TC-FX3
Both are 1RU Nexus 9300 leaf switches with the same six 40/100G uplinks, but the 93180YC-FX3 gives you 48 fiber 1/10/25G SFP28 server ports while the 93108TC-FX3 gives you 48 copper 100M/1/10G BASE-T (RJ45) ports. Pick the YC for a 25G fiber server fabric; pick the TC to reuse existing copper cabling at 1/10G.
Nexus 93180YC-FX3
48-port 1/10/25G SFP28 fiber leaf switch with six 40/100G QSFP28 uplinks for modern 25G data center fabrics.
- 48 x 1/10/25G SFP28 downlinks plus 6 x 40/100G QSFP28 uplinks
- 3.6 Tbps switching capacity, 1.2 Bpps forwarding
- Wire-rate MACsec, SyncE and PTP for timing-sensitive fabrics
- Runs NX-OS standalone or as an ACI leaf
Nexus 93108TC-FX3
48-port 100M/1/10G BASE-T copper leaf switch with six 40/100G QSFP28 uplinks for reusing existing structured cabling.
- 48 x 100M/1/10G RJ45 (10GBASE-T) downlinks plus 6 x 40/100G QSFP28 uplinks
- 2.16 Tbps switching capacity, 1.2 Bpps forwarding
- Reuses in-place Cat6a/Cat7 copper, no optics needed for servers
- Wire-rate MACsec and NX-OS or ACI operation
Nexus 93180YC-FX3 vs Nexus 93108TC-FX3: spec comparison
| Spec | Nexus 93180YC-FX3 | Nexus 93108TC-FX3 |
|---|---|---|
| Server-facing downlinks | 48 x SFP28 (1/10/25G fiber) | 48 x RJ45 (100M/1/10G BASE-T copper) |
| Uplink ports | 6 x QSFP28 (40/100G) | 6 x QSFP28 (40/100G) |
| Max server port speed | 25 Gbps | 10 Gbps |
| Switching capacity | 3.6 Tbps | 2.16 Tbps |
| Forwarding rate | 1.2 Bpps | 1.2 Bpps |
| Cabling for servers | Fiber / DAC (SFP28) | Copper RJ45 (10GBASE-T) |
| MACsec encryption | Yes, wire-rate | Yes, wire-rate |
| SyncE / PTP timing | Yes | Yes |
| Operating modes | NX-OS or ACI | NX-OS or ACI |
| Form factor | 1RU | 1RU |
Choose Nexus 93180YC-FX3 if
Choose the 93180YC-FX3 when servers need 25G fiber connectivity or you are building a higher-bandwidth leaf for virtualization, storage, or AI/ML hosts. It is the right top-of-rack switch for new fiber/DAC fabrics that will scale past 10G.
Choose Nexus 93108TC-FX3 if
Choose the 93108TC-FX3 when you want to reuse existing Cat6a/Cat7 copper runs and your servers top out at 1G or 10G. It avoids the cost of optics and cabling changes for traditional copper-cabled racks.
Verdict
These switches are not better-or-worse, they are different media: the 93180YC-FX3 is the 25G fiber leaf, the 93108TC-FX3 is the 10GBASE-T copper leaf. If your servers have or will get 25G NICs, go YC for headroom; if you are standardizing on in-place copper at 10G, the TC is the cost-effective fit. Both share the same 40/100G uplinks, so they mix cleanly in one fabric.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Nexus 93180YC-FX3 and 93108TC-FX3?
The 93180YC-FX3 has 48 SFP28 fiber ports running 1/10/25G, while the 93108TC-FX3 has 48 RJ45 copper ports running 100M/1/10G. Both share six 40/100G QSFP28 uplinks in a 1RU chassis.
Does the 93108TC-FX3 support 25G to servers?
No. The 93108TC-FX3 copper downlinks top out at 10G (10GBASE-T). For 25G server connectivity you need the SFP28-based 93180YC-FX3.
Can I mix the YC and TC FX3 switches in the same fabric?
Yes. Both use the same six 40/100G QSFP28 uplinks and run NX-OS or ACI, so they interoperate as leaf switches in a common spine-leaf design.
Do both switches support MACsec for federal deployments?
Yes. Both the 93180YC-FX3 and 93108TC-FX3 support wire-rate MACsec encryption, which is useful for federal and regulated environments requiring link-layer encryption.
More Data Center comparisons
Specs are for planning and may change; Uniqcli confirms the current Cisco bill of materials and pricing on your quote. Cisco, Catalyst, Nexus, Meraki, and Firepower are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc.; Uniqcli LLC is an independent authorized Cisco partner.