Mellanox Spectrum Switches
Mellanox uses its own Spectrum ASIC rather than Broadcom merchant silicon. The Spectrum is a cut-through switch chip with a different buffer architecture from the Trident family.
Models
| Model | Ports | Total Buffer | Max TX Buffer to 1 Port |
|---|---|---|---|
| SX1024 | 48 SFP+ and 12 QSFP | 4.6 MB | 64 KB |
| SX1036 | 36 QSFP | 4.6 MB | 128 KB |
The very small maximum per-port buffer (64–128 KB) reflects a design optimized for latency rather than burst absorption.