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Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs Dell PowerEdge C- Series comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 2, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...
Ranking in Density Optimized Servers
2nd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
4.3
Number of Reviews
31
Ranking in other categories
Rack Servers (5th)
Dell PowerEdge C- Series
Ranking in Density Optimized Servers
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
29
Ranking in other categories
Blade Servers (6th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Density Optimized Servers category, the mindshare of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is 10.9%, up from 10.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Dell PowerEdge C- Series is 24.7%, up from 22.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Density Optimized Servers Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Dell PowerEdge C24.7%
Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers10.9%
Other64.4%
Density Optimized Servers
 

Featured Reviews

Berthold Manz - PeerSpot reviewer
Seamless server transitions enhance IT infrastructure for AI projects and improve management capabilities
If you are integrated into the Cisco management solution, it is very easy to handle. The performance aspects of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers are very strong. The ability to move from one server to another without changing anything is excellent. We can transfer all the identity of the servers between the servers.
Naveen Radhwani - PeerSpot reviewer
Offers great performance and customization for application servers
There are a few bugs in PowerEdge C that require some configurational settings to be done with the help of a support team when we reconfigure the solution. This is one area where they can improve the performance of the server or implement some application improvements in the solution to make it easier for end users to implement properly.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The processors are so strong that they can deliver AI solutions without any additional GPU card, but we are also using some GPUs, which surely gives even better results."
"The solution is stable."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is the expansion and replacement of parts."
"The most valuable features of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers are agileness, ease of operation, and manageability."
"What I really like about the Cisco USC Server is its service profile."
"The initial setup is straightforward and easy to do."
"Cisco rack servers are very easy to integrate with other products from different vendors."
"Excellent server solution with incredible network throughput."
"The solutions are easy to handle, priced correctly, reliable, and dependable."
"The hybrid solution is much more stable than other products."
"The product's initial setup phase was easy."
"It's a good product. Virtualization on it is good."
"The initial setup is not complex. It's a user-friendly tool."
"Technical support has been helpful."
"PowerEdge servers have high CPU processing power, and the support is also good."
"The most significant benefits, in my experience, are the configuration, reliability of the equipment, and the support of Dell."
 

Cons

"In the version we need to use, the manager is still reliant on a full Java install on a Windows OS. This is inconvenient and problematic if you have multiple management tools on different versions of Java or if you move to a machine without the appropriate Java environment."
"The solution can be improved by adjusting the cost."
"Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers could improve by adding a wider portfolio because they only have two main categories, the C-220 and 240. There is no wide range of options as other solutions have, such as Dell. Additionally, if it was more flexible with the configuration it would be good."
"I think the pricing is high. Cisco has to look for bundling this solutions with other applications."
"The warranty and support periods should be extended."
"Definitely the support area needs improving. Especially the time response in case of hardware failure."
"Technical support could be more responsive."
"Some customers have complained about delivery time. So, the main weakness is the lead time."
"The reliability needs improvement."
"There could be some more ports added in the future."
"The VxRail should be opened to allow other virtualization platforms to be used."
"The price must be improved."
"It would be better if it worked with SMTP servers on the cloud. Right now, it only allows notifications via the SMTP server. In the next release, I would like to have a better processor."
"The need to update the firmware and check if there is any bug in the product is one of the areas where Dell PowerEdge C falls short and needs to make improvements."
"We had a few minor issues with compatibility on the latest version during the installation process."
"There is some trouble with the stability part of the product, making it an area where improvements are required."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This solution is a little expensive."
"The price of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is high."
"This product is slightly more expensive when compared to others."
"If they plan to expand their infrastructure in periods, then simply Cisco is not a good choice."
"​Best to buy all the blades configured for the same purposes of load balancing and failover or load shifting.​"
"My company has an agreement with Cisco to get discounted rates. It is one of the reasons why we chose the product."
"The price for Cisco is a bit higher than its competitors. We paid 40k for one server."
"The solution requires an annual licensing fee."
"The price could be reduced."
"The cost depends on the configuration."
"Despite the slightly higher price, we prefer Dell due to the high quality of their products."
"When we talk about pricing it is the cheapest on the market that I have found."
"PowerEdge C is very expensive, but personally, I think it's worth the price."
"PowerEdge C is a reasonably priced product, and the pricing depends on how many years you need the product. The cost also includes the support."
"I would rate the pricing 4 out of 10, in terms of its cost expense."
"We buy licenses for the solution's advanced features."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Energy/Utilities Company
6%
Venture Capital & Private Equity Firm
12%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Computer Software Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business11
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise13
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business15
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise10
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?
I may not be the right person to comment on advanced improvements because we are just using basic functionalities. We are getting all the functionalities which we used to get in other OEM rack serv...
What do you like most about PowerEdge C?
The solution provides good support and service.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PowerEdge C?
My experience with the pricing of this tool is that it's in mid-range. They have good competitors in the market who are offering better pricing, so there is scope for improvement in this area.
What needs improvement with PowerEdge C?
There are a few bugs in PowerEdge C that require some configurational settings to be done with the help of a support team when we reconfigure the solution. This is one area where they can improve t...
 

Also Known As

Unified Computing System C-Series, Cisco UCS C-Series
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Advanced Medical Transport, Aegean Motorway, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Artoni Transporti, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, City of Mississauga, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Kind en Gezin, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Nationwide, Quest, Talbots, University of St. Gallen
NxtGen Datacenter, Medien-Service Untermain (MSU), Exasol, IndigoVision, Dayco
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. Dell PowerEdge C- Series and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
867,676 professionals have used our research since 2012.