Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs Dell PowerEdge XE-Series comparison

Dell PowerEdge R-Series and Dell PowerEdge XE-Series are both solutions in the Rack Servers category. Dell PowerEdge R-Series is ranked #1 with an average rating of 9.0, while Dell PowerEdge XE-Series is ranked #8 with an average rating of 9.0. Dell PowerEdge R-Series holds a 27.2% mindshare in Rack Servers, compared to Dell PowerEdge XE-Series’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 98% of Dell PowerEdge R-Series users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Dell PowerEdge XE-Series users who would recommend it.

Dell PowerEdge R-Series

Read 230 Dell PowerEdge R-Series reviews

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12,742 Comparison Views

98% willing to recommend

Dell PowerEdge XE-Series

Read 11 Dell PowerEdge XE-Series reviews

682 Views
682 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Dell PowerEdge R-Series

Dell PowerEdge XE-Series

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 26, 2025

Dell PowerEdge R-Series and XE-Series compete in the server market, with the R-Series having an edge in flexibility and remote management capabilities, while the XE-Series excels in big data and analytics applications.

Features: The Dell PowerEdge R-Series is notable for its scalability, ease of upgrades, and robust remote management tools like iDRAC and DRAC Enterprise. It performs exceptionally well in decentralized environments. In contrast, the Dell PowerEdge XE-Series is recognized for its compatibility with data center ecosystems and big data analytics, making it ideal for high-demand, data-centric tasks.

Room for Improvement: Dell PowerEdge R-Series could improve on memory speed, IOPS, and streamlined management interfaces. Parts availability and technical documentation also need enhancement. Dell PowerEdge XE-Series would benefit from better extensibility, improved stability, and enhanced market presence. Improved API support and additional scalability features are also noted as potential improvements.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both Dell PowerEdge R-Series and XE-Series are praised for dependable on-premises deployment capabilities. The R-Series supports hybrid and private cloud environments with comprehensive support. Both series are commended for excellent customer service, with the R-Series having quick issue resolution, despite some delays post-COVID, and the XE-Series noted for its prompt technical support and responsiveness.

Pricing and ROI: The Dell PowerEdge R-Series, though seen as more expensive than some competitors, provides strong value with transparent and reasonable licensing. It's cost-effective due to varied pricing strategies catering to different organizational needs. Conversely, the XE-Series is seen as competitively priced with a low cost of implementation. Users appreciate its ROI through operational efficiencies and reliability, but R-Series stands out for abundant pricing options catering to diverse requirements.

To learn more, read our detailed Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs. Dell PowerEdge XE-Series Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs. Dell PowerEdge XE-Series

September 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:

Categories and Ranking

Dell PowerEdge R-Series

Ranking in Rack Servers

1st

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

230

Ranking in other categories

Converged Infrastructure (3rd), Data Center Networking (3rd), Blade Servers (4th)

Dell PowerEdge XE-Series

Ranking in Rack Servers

8th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2025, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of Dell PowerEdge R-Series is 27.2%, down from 28.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Dell PowerEdge XE-Series is 1.5%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rack Servers Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Dell PowerEdge R-Series	27.2%
Dell PowerEdge XE-Series	1.5%
Other	71.3%

Rack Servers

Featured Reviews

Ravi Ramananda

Assistant VP, Information Technology at a insurance company with 1,001-5,000 employees

Offers unmatched security, stability, and uptime

Based on my experience, one area where Dell could improve the PowerEdge R-Series servers is in the disk bus controllers. There is a need for advancements in this area from a hardware perspective. While PowerEdge has several AI-enabled models and is making strides in technology, I believe that the hard disk controllers need to be more effective compared to competitors like Lenovo and HPE. Currently, even when using SSDs or SaaS disk models in my Dell PowerEdge R-Series servers, the throughput is roughly 10%-15% lower compared to similar offerings from HPE and Lenovo. While this doesn't have a major impact on my business, it is worth noting since Dell has a strong position in Gartner ratings. Overall, the hardware quality is good, but I frequently encounter errors that are not hardware-related; they're mainly cyclic errors where the server struggles to process data as quickly as other manufacturers' controllers. Despite this, I am completely satisfied with the functionality of the Dell PowerEdge R-Series. Flexibility is a debatable topic, and I would rate it about a six out of ten. When it comes to flexibility, we do need to account for downtime if we want to extend or make changes. There are very few hot-pluggable devices in Dell servers compared to others, making online plug-and-play opportunities limited. So, I would rate flexibility as a six rather than a five.

Read full review

Muzammil Nasim

Software Architect at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees

We're hardly using 15 percent of their computing power, so there's a lot left over that we could utilize

It should be easier to extend PowerEdge XE servers. We haven't architected them with an eye toward scalability. They have a fixed number of slots for hard drives, which is enough for our present use case, However, we would have more options if we could extend that. We could deploy the servers in a broader range of use cases with different requirements. It's fine for our current deployment with only a few thousand users. We're exploring other solutions like such as VxRail or PowerFlex for larger public-facing use cases.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"This is a stable solution."

"I like how I can stack many servers on top of each other, and they work like a cloud."

"The performance of Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers is very good."

"We are using the Dell PowerEdge Rack Server for core banking applications. It is working fine and we are happy with it."

"We have a great representative, LaShonda, who helps us navigate that."

"The main benefits we receive from Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers are stability and reliability."

"The upside of Dell solutions over its competitors lie in their support; they are spread across multiple vendors in Israel, and we are really pleased with the support we're getting from the Dell provider we're working with."

"It is quite stable. We didn't have a single downtime of failure. Nor have we ever experienced any downtime in electrical components or the hardware. In this way, the server is reliable."

More Dell PowerEdge R-Series pros

"The solution is flexible in my experience."

"One of the most valuable features of Dell PowerEdge XE Servers is the ease of fixing issues if there are any."

"The most valuable feature is that it can support up to 32 drives of internal storage."

"In general, it works well. We haven't had issues."

"The most valuable feature of these servers is the ability to store a lot—the capacity and the number of hard disk drives."

"Its reliability and consistency are most valuable."

"The strong point of this solution is its compatibility with VMware and its resilience."

"The resource management features are valuable."

More Dell PowerEdge XE-Series pros

Cons

"I do not have any qualms or problems with Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers. However, when it comes to the software, some of their competitors are already feeding a lot of performance and availability data to an online platform. We have not seen that with PowerEdge."

"They should reduce its size. Because the CPU power is more now, they can reduce the size of the servers."

"We have experienced some challenges with iDRAC when upgrading firmware."

"My only complaint would be if you're calling the specific fed line, sometimes they don't transfer you, and they want to get information that you can't give them before they do, even if you call the dedicated fed line, which is not always consistent, depending on the time of day."

"I'd appreciate seeing more options in terms of expandability for certain Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers models."

"My biggest grievance is related to getting a caddy. We have decommissioned our old servers that we used for development or testing. You cannot buy hard drives for old servers from Dell. It is very annoying."

"The price is acceptable but could be improved."

"There are certain aspects, features, and functionality on the motherboard that need improvement."

More Dell PowerEdge R-Series cons

"It is mostly stable, but the usual problem would be, for example, upgrading to a newer version of VMware or dealing with compatibility issues during the process."

"The support team must improve the speed of response."

"In future releases, there should be more support options for the latest processor."

"It should be easier to extend PowerEdge XE servers. We haven't architected them with an eye toward scalability. They have a fixed number of slots for hard drives, which is enough for our present use case, However, we would have more options if we could extend that. We could deploy the servers in a broader range of use cases with different requirements. It's fine for our current deployment with only a few thousand users. We're exploring other solutions like such as VxRail or PowerFlex for larger public-facing use cases."

"The quality and reliability could be improved."

"I would like to have support for performing a detailed analysis of the server from a mobile device."

"We use OpenManager a lot, and that can be a bit clunky at times. They can make that better."

"Upgrading can be a bit difficult."

More Dell PowerEdge XE-Series cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"This is an expensive solution."

"I have no issues with the pricing and licensing costs. They are fine."

"I know the pricing for Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers went up last year, and we weren't too happy about that, but it is what it is."

"The licensing comes with a warranty."

"There is room for improvement in making it more cost-effective."

"I wouldn't say the solution's pricing is the best, but it's very competitive."

"We have a strong agreement in place with our parent company, that typically ensures favorable pricing terms for us, although occasionally we may need to negotiate with Dell representatives for further discounts to provide competitive pricing to our customers."

"We have not compared them with others. The price is okay, but they can always be a little bit cheaper."

More Dell PowerEdge R-Series pricing and cost advice

"This solution is priced very reasonably."

"If you want an SLA for parts and equipment then you need to purchase a support agreement."

"Dell has competitive pricing."

"The pricing model is quite competitive."

"There are different types of licensing available, that works well for customers. The product is not very much to purchase."

"You always want slightly cheaper, but overall, they are quite comparable and quite neutral."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

21%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

University

Computer Software Company

16%

Financial Services Firm

University

Retailer

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	79
Midsize Enterprise	52
Large Enterprise	95

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	4
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	3

Questions from the Community

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 were the better fit for us. We ultimately decided to go with Dell EMC Poweredge....

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?

When it comes to how Dell PowerEdge R-Series can be improved, I honestly don't know as I'm not on the technical side anymore.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell PowerEdge XE Servers?

For Dell PowerEdge XE Servers, particularly for standalone servers, extendability would be a great improvement. This feature is currently available only with virtualization environment. Adding exte...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Dell PowerEdge XE Servers?

I worked with HP Blade Servers including HP Integrity and Altex for the banking sector where I sold blade servers. I have not sold HP Superdome X or HP NonStop. The customers are using it for big d...

See all answers

What advice do you have for others considering Dell PowerEdge XE Servers?

The reviewer primarily works with HCI, specifically Dell VxRail Hyper-Converged Infrastructure. Dell's HCI solution is considered superior to HP's in Egypt, where most customers prefer VxRail. For ...

See all answers

Comparisons

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Dell PowerEdge R-Series

Compared 40% of the time

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers vs Dell PowerEdge R-Series

Compared 27% of the time

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

Compared 10% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Dell PowerEdge R-Series

Compared 6% of the time

More Dell PowerEdge R-Series Competitors

HPE Apollo Systems vs Dell PowerEdge XE-Series

Compared 21% of the time

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers vs Dell PowerEdge XE-Series

Compared 15% of the time

Oracle SPARC Servers vs Dell PowerEdge XE-Series

Compared 15% of the time

Dell PowerEdge XR-Series vs Dell PowerEdge XE-Series

Compared 14% of the time

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

Compared 13% of the time

More Dell PowerEdge XE-Series Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerEdge R-Series

November 2025

Download Dell PowerEdge R-Series product report

Buyer's Guide

Rack Servers

October 2025

Download Dell PowerEdge XE-Series product report

Also Known As

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers

PowerEdge XE Servers

Overview

PowerEdge R-Series delivers high performance, flexibility, and scalability for data centers. It supports demanding tasks with robust management tools and advanced cooling, providing reliability and efficiency across various workloads.

Engineered for large deployments, PowerEdge R-Series supports extensive configurations optimizing performance in data centers. With features like advanced cooling and energy-efficient architecture, it empowers organizations to manage heavy workloads while facilitating seamless scalability. It offers remote management, robust security, and integration with VMware ensuring operational excellence and high availability for business-critical applications.

What are the key features of Dell PowerEdge R-Series?

Scalability: Supports flexible configurations for diverse workloads.
Remote Management: iDRAC and OpenManage facilitate easy oversight.
Energy Efficiency: Architecture helps reduce energy consumption.
Security: Robust features ensure protected performance.
VMware Integration: Enhances manageability and productivity.

What benefits and ROI should you look for?

Performance: Handles high-performance and demanding tasks.
Flexibility: Offers easily upgradable configurations.
Reliability: Provides consistent performance with long-term support.
Efficiency: Reduces energy use and operational costs.
Ease of Use: Simplifies management and maintenance.

PowerEdge R-Series is deployed across industries for virtualization, database hosting, and application servers. It supports environments like VMware and Hyper-V for AI, cloud infrastructure, and computing tasks. Widely used by finance, healthcare, and academia, it enhances reliability and efficiency of IT infrastructure.

Dell Technologies

The PowerEdge XE-Series caters to AI-centric workloads by offering exceptional GPU support and processing power for demanding tasks like inferencing and large-scale training, making it ideal for organizations aiming to innovate with AI.

PowerEdge XE-Series stands out in modern GPU-centric computing with its purpose-built design for AI acceleration. Known for handling extreme workloads like model fine-tuning and AI-driven applications, it supports high-density GPU configurations and advanced thermal management. Its vast storage capacity and compatibility with VMware ensure reliable performance across virtualization, big data, and analytics while providing trusted security integration and robust scalability options. However, improvements in processor support, reliability, and management monitoring are sought by users.

What are the key features of PowerEdge XE-Series?

High-Density GPU Support: Configures multiple GPUs for demanding AI tasks.
Advanced Thermal Design: Optimizes cooling for enhanced performance.
Vast Storage Capacity: Supports up to 32 drives for extensive data management.
Compatibility: Works seamlessly with platforms like VMware.
Security Integration: Includes trusted platform modules for data protection.

What benefits should users expect from PowerEdge XE-Series?

Efficient AI Management: Enhances AI workloads with advanced processing.
Scalability: Adapts to growing demands in virtualization and big data.
Security: Offers robust data protection and reliability.
Improved Resource Management: Facilitates straightforward setup and usage.

In different industries, PowerEdge XE-Series is utilized for hosting SaaS, high-performance computing, and general-purpose servers. System integrators use it in client networks for applications like Hadoop, backup, and ERP. It supports virtualization and hyper-converged infrastructure solutions. Real estate sectors leverage iDRAC for efficient management, enhancing data security, power, and network redundancy.

Dell Technologies

Sample Customers

NxtGen Datacenter, Medien-Service Untermain (MSU), Exasol, IndigoVision, Dayco

Epsilon, ROZETTA CORP, JIGUANG, RACKSPACE, NEW BELGIUM BREWING

Buyer's Guide

Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs. Dell PowerEdge XE-Series

September 2025

Free Report: Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs. Dell PowerEdge XE-Series

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