Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers comparison

Cisco and Hewlett Packard Enterprise are both solutions in the Rack Servers category. Cisco is ranked #6 with an average rating of 9.0, while Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #2 with an average rating of 9.0. Cisco holds a 5.6% mindshare in Rack Servers, compared to Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s 20.2% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users who would recommend it.

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

Read 31 Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers reviews

2,386 Views
2,243 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Read 160 HPE ProLiant DL Servers reviews

9,181 Views
8,447 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

Read 27 Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers reviews

5,089 Views
5,089 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers, HPE ProLiant DL 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, IBM and others in Rack Servers.

To learn more, read our detailed Rack Servers Report (Updated: March 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Rack Servers

March 2026

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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 April 2026, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is 5.6%, up from 4.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE ProLiant DL Servers is 20.2%, down from 21.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is 12.2%, down from 16.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rack Servers Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
HPE ProLiant DL Servers	20.2%
Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers	12.2%
Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers	5.6%
Other	62.0%

Rack Servers

Featured Reviews

reviewer1441011

Sr, Manager- Network Solution Architect at a energy/utilities company with 10,001+ employees

Comprehensive support and integration ensure smooth cloud infrastructure operations

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 servers. Potential areas for improvement may include a more flexible pricing model, better technical support, or tutorials from the vendor for users.

Read full review

ArifSheikh

Director / Chief Business Artchitect at SMARIF

High availability servers have boosted hosted payment services but still need better local support

We are not using PowerVM because of certain limitations; it is on a back-end engine. However, we are using other components such as vSphere for some small interfaces, and those are the main components we are utilizing. Since these servers are fully dedicated to various high-end solutions, they have some embedded features that their kernel and applications are using, which are bound to that functionality. We may not provide an exact assessment on its usage, but we are considering those products for some AI solutions; however, we are currently in the review stage and have not concluded our evaluation on how those are utilized yet. We are aware of the pricing of HPE ProLiant DL servers, but not off the cuff. We have obviously acquired those solutions ex-Pakistan, so they are on the rise, and while we do not remember those prices offhand, they are generally better than the IBM series, although they are becoming slightly pricey in Pakistan due to processor shortages and demand. Improvements could be made in database engine hosting services because, as it stands, the pricing of Oracle is too high from both the service and software solution perspectives. If pricing can be reduced, especially for DB servers, that could have a direct positive impact on the overall solution. Regarding reliability, it has been satisfactory so far, but since the distributors are not physically present in Pakistan, that creates a risk for long-term large customers. They provide import-based services, necessitating us to over-invest in backup stock and offline servers. If there was a market presence from those players in Pakistan, it could benefit both clients and distributors by reducing the need for investment in backup inventory.

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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 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."

"Excellent server solution with incredible network throughput."

"We have many people in my organization using Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers in the administration."

"The most valuable features of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers are integration and customization."

"On the Cisco side, there is a benefit in terms of server management. Cisco provides UCS Manager, which is a multi-tenant site manager. We can manage multiple sites while maintaining disaster recovery, a feature not available on other platforms."

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

"The first advantage of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is that you don't need to buy physical hardware like I used to have to do for each application."

"The solution is reliable and easy to use."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pros

"We have had our system working for between two and three years with no downtime."

"We chose HPE because they were a more innovative solution for us, as far as operating servers."

"Very practical and easy to maintain."

"The technical support is very good, especially for onsite support for hardware problems, and they are always reliable."

"The robustness of the design of the server is the most valuable; HP servers are easy to use and user-friendly, the server is not complicated, and it is easy to use ILO systems."

"Some of our customers are using it for five years, six years without the need to even replace a single part or use the service from HPE."

"It is stable and has been for many years."

"The product is compatible and flexible for small and medium businesses."

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers pros

"I like everything about this solution; it is a very good server, with excellent availability, adequate power, and beneficial low heating."

"Technical support has been very good and we've been satisfied with the level of service we get."

"The server itself covers all of the bases — my clients are really happy with it."

"It is a scalable product."

"They have taken a lot of technology from IBM, and IBM always delivered very powerful hardware to the IT industry compared to Dell EMC or anyone else."

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

"The solution is very simple to install."

"The product scales well."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers pros

Cons

"The initial setup could be easier."

"The improvement should be done as per customer requirements."

"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 solution can be improved by adjusting the cost."

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

"Some customers have complained about delivery time. So, the main weakness is the lead time."

"The initial setup could be easier."

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

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers cons

"Serial number tracking and trying to get that tied to my account. I have a terrible time with that with HP."

"I would like to see the booting process be a little bit faster."

"They are pretty solid servers, but, just like all servers, they become obsolete after some time. They can maybe provide a console to monitor the health of the servers. There should be some kind of console to which you can log in to remotely check on the health of a server, even when the server is off. The servers that we have are only scalable to some extent. They have got a limited amount of hard drive that you can insert. Their scalability should be improved."

"The technical support is pretty good, however, they could be a bit faster and more responsive."

"I can't think of anything right now regarding improvements except perhaps the price."

"The solution is not cheap. It's quite expensive."

"The licensing fees are expensive and have room for improvement."

"The technical support sucks, would be understating it, because the first line and the second line support tend to give out stupid suggestions that are completely useless, and they aren't listening to anything."

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers cons

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

"Throughout the use of the product, special needs will arise which may require a global need."

"It is quite an expensive product. Its price can be improved."

"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."

"HP has a riser inside, but Lenovo does not have a riser. It would be good to have a riser with Lenovo. The GUI of the system is really bad. HP has a very good UI for smart memories and everything inside, but in Lenovo, we have a black-and-white UI. HP right now manufactures a server with scalable SP1 and SP2 on a single machine, which is not the case with Lenovo. They are changing the machine. For SP 1, there is one server, and for SP2, there is another server, which is really bad. In HP, we can use two models of processors in a single case. Lenovo should also be improved to have SP1 and SP2 scalable processors simultaneously on a single machine. They should not release another machine. This issue is also there in H3650 severs. They are all inside, but only V3 CPU or only v4 CPU can work, whereas, in HBG9, we can deploy V3 and V4 simultaneously. Lenovo also needs to advertise more because I can't see advertisements anywhere."

"Its price could be better. Its price is sometimes an issue for our clients."

"It was complex to get this started because the Lenovo and VMware are not very compatible. We had to get some updates in order for it to be implemented."

"It should have tools for integration with the cloud. We should be able to transmit data from our on-premises server to the servers in the cloud."

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"

"The solution requires an annual licensing fee."

"The solution could be more cost-effective."

"The price for Cisco is a bit higher than its competitors. We paid 40k for one server."

"The price of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is high."

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

"The price of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is approximately 20 percent more than other solutions."

"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

"If you have to include the warranty, enhance the warranty support."

"I give the price a five out of ten."

"The price of the product is a little high."

"The solution's pricing is high. It needs to be more flexible. The flexibility would be beneficial for our clients, especially in a competitive market. Adding additional features and addressing complex requirements on top of the price can be challenging for us as a reseller."

"We have to pay for an annual license which is expensive."

"The hardware should be cheaper."

"The price of HPE ProLiant DL Servers is reasonable compared to other solutions."

"We did not need to pay for a license for the use of HP DL servers, just for normal hardcore support."

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers pricing and cost advice

"The licensing cost is the same as HP. It doesn't have any additional cost. However, the price, for example, for the memory option, does not match other vendors such as HP or Dell. They should work on the pricing of Lenovo. It is a great competitor, and it should compete with the price."

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

"The price of the solution is very expensive when compared to other solution like HP or Dell."

"The cost of the solution depends entirely on the client. There are not any additional costs other than the standard licensing fee."

"I don't know the exact amount of money, but when I compared it to Dell or HPE, Lenovo was the best when it comes to price and equipment."

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

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

"Other than the standard licensing fees there are no other additional costs. The price of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers could be better, and the availability of the solution could improve. We have been waiting two months for one server."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

11%

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Retailer

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

University

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	11
Midsize Enterprise	6
Large Enterprise	14

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	56
Midsize Enterprise	28
Large Enterprise	98

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	18
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	9

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...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

We are running AI on Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers, and we can do it sometimes even without any GPU.

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

I would strongly recommend Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers to others.

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 is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE ProLiant DL Servers?

The pricing of HPE ProLiant DL Servers depends purely on the configuration, and it is not affordable. However, if you...

See all answers

What needs improvement with HPE ProLiant DL Servers?

We are not using PowerVM because of certain limitations; it is on a back-end engine. However, we are using other comp...

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

Comparisons

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

Compared 39% of the time

HPE Synergy vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 6% of the time

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

Compared 6% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 5% of the time

HPE Apollo Systems vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 4% of the time

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers Competitors

Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 50% of the time

HPE Synergy vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 7% of the time

HPE Apollo Systems vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 5% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 5% of the time

Huawei FusionServer RH Series Rack Servers vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 3% of the time

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers Competitors

Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 45% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 5% of the time

Oracle SPARC Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

Huawei FusionServer RH Series Rack Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

Hypertec ORION RS vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

April 2026

Download Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers product report

Buyer's Guide

HPE ProLiant DL Servers

March 2026

Download HPE ProLiant DL Servers product report

Buyer's Guide

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

March 2026

Download Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers product report

Also Known As

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

HP ProLiant DL series, HP ProLiant DL

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

HPE ProLiant DL Servers are known for their reliability, scalability, and robust performance. They deliver advanced management capabilities and excel in handling high workloads, offering cost efficiency and versatile customization options suited for diverse enterprise needs.

HPE ProLiant DL Servers feature a user-friendly design that facilitates quick deployment and efficient maintenance. Their advanced iLO technology supports remote management, allowing users to handle server operations efficiently. Users appreciate the system's compatibility with multiple applications and infrastructures, along with robust support services. Despite these strengths, some models have issues like missing front ports, slow boot times, and a reliance on Java for management tasks. Suggestions for improvement include enhanced power monitoring, refined software, better redundancy, and energy-efficient operation. Many look for improved virtualization capabilities and faster processors. Support and documentation inconsistencies are also noted concerns.

What are the key features of HPE ProLiant DL Servers?

Reliability and Scalability: Designed to support mission-critical applications with outstanding reliability and scalability.
iLO Remote Management: Advanced iLO features enable convenient remote server management.
Customization Options: Highly flexible configurations ensure adaptability to specific business needs.
Redundant Power Supplies: Ensures uptime and reliability with dual power sources.

What benefits should users consider?

Cost Efficiency: Delivers consistent performance at a favorable cost ratio.
Flexibility: Accommodates a range of applications and infrastructures.
High Workload Support: Efficiently manages demanding workloads.
Strong Support Services: Backed by comprehensive support, aiding in trouble-free operations.

HPE ProLiant DL Servers are widely implemented in enterprise and educational settings, excelling in virtualization on VMware and Hyper-V platforms. They support databases like Oracle and MongoDB and are essential for high-performance computing and AI projects. These servers are integrated into system environments, supporting rack and hyperconversion setups effectively.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

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

AmeriPride Services, iSource, Bolagsverket, BlueShore Financial, British Columbia Assessment Authority, National Stock Exchange, Cardlytics

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, IBM and others in Rack Servers. Updated: March 2026.

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