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

Cisco and Dell Technologies are both solutions in the Rack Servers category. Cisco is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.3, while Dell Technologies is ranked #1 with an average rating of 9.0. Cisco holds a 4.8% mindshare in Rack Servers, compared to Dell Technologies’s 27.4% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 99% of Dell Technologies users who would recommend it.

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

Read 30 Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers reviews

2,702 Views
2,594 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Read 209 Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers reviews

14,476 Views
14,331 Comparison Views

99% willing to recommend

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

Read 27 Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers reviews

6,856 Views
6,856 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers, Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers, and Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lenovo and others in Rack Servers.

To learn more, read our detailed Rack Servers Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Rack Servers

July 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

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

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is 4.8%, down from 4.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is 27.4%, down from 28.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is 15.9%, down from 17.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rack Servers

Featured Reviews

Kalpesh Savaliya

Asst. Manager IT at APM Terminals, Inc.

Good support, and this product well-suited to our size of environment

We use these rack servers for terminal operating systems The initial setup could be easier. I have been working with Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers for five years. This is a stable product. For our use case, this product is scalable up to 16 blades, including two sites. I don't know how well…

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Syed Masuood

Country manager at Asta Innosys

Handles workloads and diverse applications efficiently

We have a lot of VMs on Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers. On a single server, we have probably hosted 14 or 15 VMs. Out of these, 8 to 10 are continuously running, and four of them are backup VMs, so it can handle a good workload. For cybersecurity, it is only accessible on the intranet; it is not accessible through the web. We use it for local development purposes, and it is behind our firewall. Its security is strong. We handle a lot of test data for government and confidential customers. It is safe and strong locally. We have not experienced any security issues. Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers have helped to reduce unplanned production downtime if we need to replace a hard disk, instead of completely shutting a server, there is a hot swap feature. It is quite good in that aspect. Usually, for any activity, there is a downtime of about 30 minutes. It has saved a lot of time. We have tried AI workloads for a development environment for a government customer in Singapore. The servers are hosted in Singapore. It is an ML-based engine with AI. It is a government project where data is processed, and we run it on Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers. The benefit of running AI workloads on PowerEdge Servers is that it is easy to allocate memory. The application we are running is memory intensive. It is pretty easy to scale memory and storage.

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Adalberto Giaretta

Technology director at Infodive Representações e Serviços ltda

Reliable with an easy setup and good support

These are rack servers. We use them for applications. It stores everything including VM servers, application servers, Windows, et cetera The reliability is great. The solution is like any other commodity like Dell or HPE. These are all very similar. Setting up the solution is easy. It is stable.…

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It is very nice and stable with an easy administration GUI."

"Excellent server solution with incredible network throughput."

"The solution is stable."

"It is very stable and easy to use. It integrates easily with Cisco's cloud-based UC solutions. There are tools for management that make the management a bit easier, but we don't use them. We don't use what you would term as power users."

"Cisco rack servers are very easy to integrate with other products from different vendors."

"In terms of the features that I have found most valuable, that is basically the hardware, which is more dynamic."

"The most valuable feature of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is server management."

"In most cases, computes compute, and there isn't much differentiation, but one point of differentiation is Intersight cloud management."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pros

"The product is well-rounded and has been effective in meeting our needs."

"VxRail has a smart and easy way to perform updates. The hypervisor on the other servers performs well according to the hypervisor level. The support is magnificent, and it's easier to administer the servers."

"The solutions accelerated GPUs helped to support demanding workloads and to reduce data processing time in our organization."

"The newer servers are more energy-efficient compared to older ones."

"We were running out of memory, and that was the first time we heard of a solution that supports a terabyte of core memory. That was the primary reason we got the first box. We've stayed with it since then because we have so many Dell workstations."

"PowerEdge is one of the top solutions when it comes to the security features that it provides including firmware, drift protection, and systems management."

"They are very stable. They are rock solid. I am happy with them."

"Ease of use."

More Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers pros

"The initial setup is easy."

"The solution is very simple to install."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is the easiest product to set up and maintain."

"The product is very user-friendly."

"The hardware is good."

"I would say the stability of the system itself would be the biggest advantage."

"We appreciate the stability and easy mountings of all the machines. We have some direct connections with IBM, Lenovo, and other companies, and we get close support from them."

"One of the main advantages of this tool is its ease of use, as it is a GUI-based tool needing a simple and easy configuration...It is a stable solution."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers pros

Cons

"The warranty and support periods should be extended."

"The price of the solution is problematic, not the solution itself. It could be less expensive."

"I think the pricing is high. Cisco has to look for bundling this solutions with other applications."

"The product must add customer-friendly monitoring features."

"Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers can improve by providing customization features to allow us to deploy them on the cloud. For example, we need VMware to allow us to accomplish a cloud deployment."

"Its accessibility and manageability can be improved. Currently, we have to visit the office to manage it. It should be manageable outside our network. I would like it to be on the cloud."

"The only thing I would change is to provide more proactive support."

"The solution can be improved by adjusting the cost."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers cons

"Their support can be better. The speed of their support is not always great because the access to the data centers is sometimes complicated, so there is back and forth."

"The analytics reports could be more useful."

"They need improvement in spare part availability in Argentina, but the servers are very good from a hardware point of view."

"Occasionally, there might be extended wait times between placing an order and receiving the delivery."

"We are leaning away from this particular product because Dell's VxRail solution makes us buy four nodes at a time which is not scalable. Other solutions such as Cisco offer more innovation on this front."

"I need more transparency on how OpenManage can help me with our company being an SMB. I want more documentation for SMBs regarding Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers."

"I do not any have input as such, but there can be some AI capabilities."

"I would prefer more flexibility when configuring Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers."

More Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers cons

"There are other solutions that are less expensive."

"To be frank, the technical support from Lenovo's team needs improvement. There seems to be a lack of support, and it is important for Lenovo to address this issue."

"The solution's initial setup was complicated."

"From our side, our budgets are really not there. The availability of cash is a little bit limited. We buy as much as we can, If it was less expensive, we could buy more."

"The RAID Management and the RAID Configuration tools need to be improved."

"Upgrading firmware is easier in Dell than in Lenovo."

"Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers does a very good job. However, what could be improved can be their Configurator because it's very bulky and it sometimes gives logical errors."

"Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers could improve the availability of their solution. The supply chain is severely broken, we've had to wait many months for component parts to a system time after time. The availability of discs and raid controllers has been difficult lately."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The prices of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers are higher compared to the competition. When we try and sell against the competition, then it becomes quite difficult to sell"

"My company has an agreement with Cisco to get discounted rates. It is one of the reasons why we chose the product."

"This solution is a little expensive."

"The solution could be more cost-effective."

"The solution is expensive and I give the price a four out of ten."

"This product is slightly more expensive when compared to others."

"The solution is moderately priced."

"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis, which is only $2,000 or $3,000."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

"The price of this solution is reasonable. It's very comparable to similar solutions."

"It's not a very expensive solution."

"We weren't paying very much, but it was at the end of the lifecycle. We are now using the VxRail hyper-converged infrastructure, and the pricing was very similar for the same amount of power but with easier automation."

"They are affordable. Even during our recent procurement, the cost of Dell servers was lower than that of HPE."

"I personally think the pricing and licensing of Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is actually fairly decent, though the way the business runs leads to sticker shock anytime we give them a quote."

"The solution's prices are good, especially considering what you get to use...The licensing aspect of the solution is also fine."

"It is expensive. The price needs to be more competitive. Additional licenses are required to enable some of the features for scalability."

"It's abundantly clear that the specific licensing requirements will be dictated by the intricacies of the machinery we deploy."

More Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

"In India, the solution is cheap compared to its competitors."

"It costs around $8,000. There is an additional cost for the support for a year."

"Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers can be categorized as a product falling under an affordable price range but more expensive than its competitors."

"The price of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is competitive."

"Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are cheaper than HPE...It is a good product that offers value for money."

"As the costs got high, we had to use the virtualization feature to consolidate the server farm."

"Your budget determines the scalability."

"It is the cheapest solution we have seen on the market."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Energy/Utilities Company

Computer Software Company

21%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Educational Organization

Computer Software Company

14%

University

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The C-series is the most valuable.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The solution is moderately priced.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The improvement should be done as per customer requirements.

See all answers

When shopping for a rack server, would you go with Dell EMC Poweredge or Lenovo Thinksystem?

Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether the Dell EMC Poweredge or Lenovo Thinksystem rack servers ...

See all answers

What do you like most about Dell EMC PowerEdge Rack Servers?

It has helped us reduce unplanned downtime by 20% to 30%.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell EMC PowerEdge Rack Servers?

Mainly, I would like to improve the speed of storage response. We would like to improve our performance by using disk...

See all answers

How do Lenovo ThinkSystem rack servers compare with HPE ProLiant DL servers?

Lenovo ThinkSystem rack servers offer flexibility and efficiency in order to meet mission-critical demands. I like th...

See all answers

What do you like most about Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers?

The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is the easiest product to set up and maintain.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers?

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are cheaper than HPE, so my company saw it as a product that is available at a bang f...

See all answers

Comparisons

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 23% of the time

HPE Synergy vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 2% of the time

Oracle SPARC Servers vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 2% of the time

HPE Apollo Systems vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers Competitors

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Compared 40% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Compared 6% of the time

Huawei FusionServer RH Series Rack Servers vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Compared 5% of the time

HPE Apollo Systems vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

Lenovo Edge Servers vs Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

Compared 2% of the time

More Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers Competitors

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 35% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

Dell PowerEdge FX vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 2% of the time

Dell PowerEdge XE Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 1% of the time

Oracle SPARC Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 1% of the time

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

July 2025

Download Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers product report

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

July 2025

Download Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers product report

Buyer's Guide

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

July 2025

Download Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers product report

Also Known As

Unified Computing System C-Series, Cisco UCS C-Series

PowerEdge R

SR Series, Lenovo SR Series, ThinkSystem Rack Servers, IBM Rack Servers, ThinkSystem SR Series, Lenovo Rack Servers,

Overview

UCS C-Series Rack Servers deliver unified computing in an industry-standard form factor to reduce TCO and increase agility. Each server addresses varying workload challenges through a balance of processing, memory, I/O, and internal storage resources.

Cisco

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are designed to optimize performance and efficiency in a data center environment, supporting various applications. Dell stands as the leading vendor in accelerated servers for AI, commanding a 33.8% revenue share. Based on user reviews, Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers supporting tasks from basic web hosting to more demanding applications like data analytics and virtualization. They are engineered to offer high performance, reliability, and scalability. With a focus on automation and integrated security, these servers simplify operations and protect against threats, making them a smart choice for businesses of all sizes.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are a robust, secure, and scalable solution that can meet the diverse needs of businesses, backed by comprehensive support. Benefits to look for in reviews include performance, reliability, scalability, and customer support.

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers key features include:

Scalability: These servers can easily scale to meet growing business needs, supporting more workloads and processing power.
Integrated Security: From hardware to firmware to the operating system, Dell PowerEdge servers are designed with security in mind, offering layers of protection.
Energy Efficiency: Advanced thermal design and energy-smart technology help reduce operational costs and environmental impact.
Automation: With Dell EMC OpenManage, the management of servers is streamlined, allowing for automated deployment, monitoring, and updates.

In terms of implementation, Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are used across various industries, from small businesses to large enterprises. They serve as the foundation for IT infrastructure, powering critical applications in healthcare, finance, education, and more. The adaptability of these servers means they can be tailored to specific industry needs, from handling large datasets in research institutions to supporting high-transaction databases in financial services.

Dell Technologies

From growing small businesses to enterprise workloads, Lenovo rack servers offer the unmatched value, flexibility and industry-leading efficiency to meet mission-critical demands with legendary quality and reliability.

Lenovo

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

immixGroup, Komsomolskaya Pravda, SRG Global, Seekr, Infiniti Red Bull Racing, jKool, Tennis Australia, VEKA, Netpoints, Gamma Powersports

Find out what your peers are saying about Dell Technologies, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Lenovo and others in Rack Servers. Updated: July 2025.

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862,543 professionals have used our research since 2012.