A network switch system-in-package includes a carrier substrate with a network switch chip and a plurality of photonic input/output modules disposed on the carrier substrate. Each of the plurality of photonic input/output modules includes a module substrate and a plurality of photonic chip pods disposed on the module substrate. Each photonic chip pod includes a pod substrate with a photonic input/output chiplet and a gearbox chiplet attached to the pod substrate. The photonic input/output chiplet includes a parallel electrical interface, a photonic interface, and a plurality of optical macros implemented between the photonic interface and the parallel electrical interface. The gearbox chiplet electrically connects with the parallel electrical interface of the photonic input/output chiplet and a serial electrical interface of the network switch chip. The gearbox chiplet converts between the parallel electrical interface of the photonic input/output chiplet and the serial electrical interface of the network switch chip.