Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Dell PowerEdge FX vs IBM Power Systems comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

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

Dell PowerEdge FX
Ranking in Rack Servers
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
8.1
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
IBM Power Systems
Ranking in Rack Servers
4th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
8.5
Number of Reviews
69
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of Dell PowerEdge FX is 1.4%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Power Systems is 9.2%, up from 8.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Rack Servers
 

Featured Reviews

MarcGaethofs - PeerSpot reviewer
A highly stable product that seamlessly integrates with the storage portfolio and provides excellent technical support
We have a lot of questions during the order process. They get answered well. The machines are ready to go when we switch on the power. It will depend on our configuration. If we don't make an order with all the configuration specs in it, we’ll get nothing. We will have to do it all by ourselves. Which isn't a problem, but it will take longer. The solution is deployed on-premise, but we're transitioning to more hybrid solutions. We have a team for storage and connectivity. We also have a team for switching and networking. We need three to five enterprise system engineers to build a normal-sized cluster with 500 users. We also need a project manager.
Omobolaji Olaloku - PeerSpot reviewer
Extremely stable, good ROI, and scalable
The most valuable feature of our machines is their ability to replace faulty parts without causing any downtime. Our servers are equipped with advanced technology, making it possible to replace defective parts without having to bring down the servers. This is crucial, as any disruption to our services would result in inconvenience to our customers. Therefore, being able to service the machines and replace parts without causing any downtime is highly beneficial.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The console and user-friendly UI of Dell PowerEdge FX are the most valuable features. Its interface is easy to understand even for non-technical users."
"We like PowerEdge for its high-performance computing architecture."
"The remote management is great."
"The most valuable feature is its stability."
"The best feature is PowerEdge's ability to stack up eight blade servers in one 2U chassis."
"The features that I have found most valuable are that it has very robust servers and a very heavy load. We've been working on servers now for 10 years and those servers are still up and running. Those servers are still very powerful until today."
"The product's initial setup phase was simple and easy."
"The setup is straightforward. It can take anywhere from an hour to half a day."
"IBM Power Systems provides very good performance and stability compared to other brands or processors."
"The solution does not require any maintenance."
"We value the stability and technology capability of this solution the most. It is very stable, and the processor technology of IBM is very good. When you have a CIO and you are dealing with C-level every day, you can, without any doubt, support the core banking or critical applications with this solution."
"The installation is easy."
"The performance and stability are great."
"The virtualization and the quality you get from it is one reason we like the solution."
"The most valuable feature of IBM Power Systems is its performance."
"It is a very scalable solution."
 

Cons

"Before the cloud solution and virtualization, we relied on Dell hardware from specific vendors. The lifecycle for cloud infrastructure is shorter than it used to be. We need a longer lifecycle from the IT supplier providing the computing solution."
"It should have more simplified management. It is a common problem where vendors think that they have simplified a solution, but the users don't look at it in the same way. A vendor thinks that there are only ten steps for a task, but we consider them as many steps. It should also have more support for NVMe. For high performance and speed, there should also be more network cards for the fiber channel and ethernet."
"They could improve from a manufacturing perspective."
"There are times when a part might break down and we need to have Dell replace it."
"There are certain shortcomings with Dell PowerEdge FX's integration capabilities with different operating systems, where improvements are needed."
"I rate Dell support six out of 10. It varies. Sometimes it's good. Sometimes it's bad. The response time could be better."
"The positioning of the power supply is not ideal. Both of them are on the same side, so you need to untie the cabling when you're installing the server. Another thing is storage separation. The storage can only be used by a particular server blade. I want the ability to use a storage unit for more than one server."
"I think that Dell has full documentation on their products, but it needs to be improved for this one."
"I think IBM needs a little more work on managing the overall environment with eliminating Systems Director."
"Sometimes, the availability of additional services can be a challenge. Certain IBM software takes time to deliver to the client. It can be slow."
"I would like to see IBM Power Systems integrate with all cloud types."
"In Power6, latency was an issue, but nowadays, we are on Power8, which doesn't have any such problems. Sometimes, we have issues when we are moving to a new version, which is the case with almost every company. Some new issues or problems show up suddenly, and you do not have the time to research and find the solution. That's when we contact IBM technical support."
"The number of times IBM refreshes its operating system appears to be very slow."
"The solution is quite expensive."
"I would like to see firmware available to all of the systems."
"There are improvements that can be made on the technical side."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I rate the product price a four on a scale of one to ten, where one is a high price, and ten is a low price."
"Compared to other brands, this solution is the cheapest. I would rate the pricing as a five out of five."
"The cost of Dell PowerEdge FX depends on the configuration we are using. We usually pay $5,000 to $10,000 based on the configuration, including RAM and storage."
"Payments are generally made towards the perpetual-based licensing costs attached to the solution, but people can also opt for subscription-based licenses."
"The price of the license is expensive."
"The price of Dell PowerEdge FX is affordable, and when compared to other solutions, such as Lenovo and HPE it is less expensive. There are any extra costs other than the standard solution."
"The price of the solution depends upon the configuration part of it. Based on what configuration you want to go for it, there is a range like IBM Power Systems POWER9 and IBM Power Systems Power10."
"IBM Power Systems is very expensive."
"When there is an error in the SAS drive of 10,000 RPM, my company buys support for 1,500 USD."
"The additional software costs are high."
"The price of IBM Power Systems is expensive and could improve."
"The solution's pricing is very, very high compared to other platforms."
"It is designed for a large workload, as opposed to a small workload. For our circumstances, and even as an independent, I can't buy a Power system to experiment on. It can't happen. You cannot buy them."
"Power Systems is very cheap and provides good value for money."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Rack Servers solutions are best for your needs.
850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
18%
Computer Software Company
13%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Legal Firm
6%
Financial Services Firm
17%
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Dell PowerEdge FX?
The product's initial setup phase was simple and easy.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerEdge FX?
The cost of Dell PowerEdge FX depends on the configuration we are using. We usually pay $5,000 to $10,000 based on the configuration, including RAM and storage.
What needs improvement with Dell PowerEdge FX?
The system is good, but compared to open-source and assembled servers, it is somewhat costly. If it were cheaper, it would be even better. I would prefer the next releases of Dell PowerEdge FX to b...
What do you like most about IBM Power Systems?
IBM Power Systems provides very good performance and stability compared to other brands or processors.
What needs improvement with IBM Power Systems?
IBM should provide a platform where users can learn about the storage and security of IBM Power Systems.
What is your primary use case for IBM Power Systems?
In my company, we use the system for the data center and our IBM Cloud Pak System.
 

Also Known As

PowerEdge FX
IBM OpenPOWER LC
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Tracewell, Govers, AXA ASSISTANCE ITALIA
Cipher
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell PowerEdge FX vs. IBM Power Systems and other solutions. Updated: April 2025.
850,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.