HPE BladeSystem vs Lenovo Flex System comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Lenovo are both solutions in the Blade Servers category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.6, while Lenovo is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.7. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 10.5% mindshare in Blade Servers, compared to Lenovo’s 4.4% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Lenovo users who would recommend it.

HPE BladeSystem

Read 140 HPE BladeSystem reviews

2,206 Views
2,162 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Lenovo Flex System

Read 10 Lenovo Flex System reviews

549 Views
549 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

HPE BladeSystem

Lenovo Flex System

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 3, 2025

HPE BladeSystem and Lenovo Flex System are key players in the enterprise server market. Reviews suggest HPE BladeSystem has an advantage in terms of support and scalability, while Lenovo Flex System stands out with resource capacity and user-friendliness.

Features: HPE BladeSystem is known for durability and configurability, particularly for its iLO management and reliability over time. It offers comprehensive management tools and scalability. Lenovo Flex System is praised for reliability and performance, with a focus on storage capabilities and user-friendliness, providing high resource capacity before upscaling.

Room for Improvement: HPE BladeSystem faces challenges with outdated technology and limited parts availability, with concerns over scalability and licensing processes. Its management lags behind competitors, needing better support and integration. Lenovo Flex System requires improved integration with other platforms and better module flexibility, with users noting initial setup and customer support issues.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HPE BladeSystem offers reputable customer service with proactive support but regional discrepancies in response times are noted. Lenovo Flex System shines in initial customer service but struggles with consistent issue resolution, indicating a need for more uniform support.

Pricing and ROI: HPE BladeSystem is perceived as having high initial costs but delivers excellent long-term ROI through reduced operational expenses. It's ideal for large enterprises. Lenovo Flex System offers competitive pricing and more cost-effective scalability options, delivering significant ROI with upfront savings. Both systems have tailored pricing strategies for distinct market needs.

To learn more, read our detailed HPE BladeSystem vs. Lenovo Flex System Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HPE BladeSystem vs. Lenovo Flex System

December 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

HPE BladeSystem

Ranking in Blade Servers

3rd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.5

Number of Reviews

140

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Lenovo Flex System

Ranking in Blade Servers

9th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Blade Servers category, the mindshare of HPE BladeSystem is 10.5%, down from 13.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Lenovo Flex System is 4.4%, up from 3.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Blade Servers Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
HPE BladeSystem	10.5%
Lenovo Flex System	4.4%
Other	85.1%

Blade Servers

Featured Reviews

Kapil Pandey

Technology Management Consultant at National Institute for Smart Government - NISG

Reliability and reasonable pricing enhance data center management

I researched on peerspot.com about IT solutions, specifically about HPE BladeSystem and HPE Synergy, because we are already using HP servers in our state data center. In HP Cloud System, we are using a converged infrastructure to connect LAN and SAN connectivity across the network. Regarding Virtual Connect technology, there is a noticeable impact on network management. For day-to-day operations, we use various applications such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams to connect virtually. Using HPE BladeSystem Virtual Connect technology in HP Cloud System, we achieve efficient network management with well-defined LAN and SAN connectivity. We already have a defined modular architecture in place designed by the HP team for our data center. My company name is National Institute for Smart Government, also called NISG, under the National e-Governance Division. My title is Technology Management Consultant. I would rate HPE BladeSystem as an eight out of ten.

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Farhan-Ahmad

Senior System Administrator at Khushhali Microfinance Bank

Used to run the compute load on servers, but firmware and driver upgrades are a bit difficult

We use the solution for multiple purposes, such as in the virtualization cluster and the standalone applications We use the solution as a compute model to run the compute load on servers. The solution's firmware and driver upgrades are a bit difficult. I have been using Lenovo Flex System for…

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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

"They are reliable, and it's relatively easy to manage them. They also regularly provide patching for the servers."

"It is easy to scale if you have the licensing."

"Currently, we're using HPE BladeSystem BL460, but we're planning to migrate to the Synergy System as part of our strategy since the OEM support for the BL460 will eventually end. The most valuable features are its high computing capability and availability. Additionally, the ability to manage all resources from a single dashboard using the OneView solution that comes with the HP Converge system is incredibly beneficial. The efficientand unique environment makes it an excellent fit for our needs."

"The product has been simple to set up."

"It also has a pretty solid design and management."

"The density of the BladeSystem, that we can keep adding blades as we need more VMs."

"The solution uses less cabling and less space in the data center."

"The feature I find most valuable is the ease of use."

More HPE BladeSystem pros

"It comes at a good price. We didn't face any problems with this product."

"The initial setup is straightforward."

"One of the most valuable features of this solution is its ease of use."

"The product is very user-friendly and has many resources at the enterprise level."

"The functionality is reliable and requires minimal support."

"The Lenovo Flex System is very stable."

"We use the solution as a compute model to run the compute load on servers."

"Flex System's best features are its performance and stability."

More Lenovo Flex System pros

Cons

"It is really stable, however the motherboard sometimes crashes."

"It will be discontinued so we will have to change to another product shortly."

"HPE BladeSystem can improve by providing the latest generation processor engine, such as the I-Flex processor."

"In terms of improvements, I'd suggest enhancing the stability of the HPE BladeSystem, especially regarding network connectivity. We once had an issue where a system didn’t communicate with the network, and it took a while to diagnose the problem. Eventually, we discovered it was a motherboard issue, but we initially thought it was the network card. Improving the onboard administratordashboard to provide more granular insights, like clearly identifying faultycomponents, would make troubleshooting much more efficient. Aside from that, the system is superb and has been reliable."

"Currently, in the case of a disk failure there is a need to remove the whole bay and as a result, to disconnect all the other disks."

"We have not needed to contact support because we have not had an issue. However, the partner support we had could improve. There are some disadvantages compared to Dell. The questions that are asked from the support are too lengthy, this causes a delay in support."

"This product needs a wider range of firmware compatibility matrix from the oldest to the newest blade server."

"I would like to see the upgrade path a little bit smoother."

More HPE BladeSystem cons

"The product could improve its integration capabilities."

"Forced restarts due to free upgrades is an issue that needs to be resolved. We can manage this as we have high availability and redundancy, but without that it could be a real problem."

"The most valuable feature of the Lenovo Flex System is the storage system."

"I had some difficulties with the initial setup."

"Flex System's integration with the XClarity Management System could be improved."

"Continuing the production of this product is necessary. It is currently out of support, and we are seeking support from other sources besides Lenovo."

"It does not have the same module flexibility that was present in IBM Blade. On the Blade System, I was able to choose between the Cisco module, or BMC module. Since the switch to Lenovo, I have not had the same choice of modules, only the BMC modules."

"The solution's firmware and driver upgrades are a bit difficult."

More Lenovo Flex System cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I need to pay for the license, and it is expensive. We make yearly payments."

"Regarding the cost, HPE BladeSystem is not cheap. The solution and its support are costly, and there are challenges with renewal and pricing, especially in Nigeria, due to the dollar rate and FX issues. However, it is reliable. I don't have specific figures for licensing costs, as the procurement and finance departments handle them."

"There is a one-time purchase for the HPE BladeSystem."

"BladeSystem is a little bit cheaper."

"The chassis itself, with no blade server inside, so expensive. The C7000 model costs around $100,000."

"We have been satisfied with the price. However, there are additional costs for support."

"The product’s price is high compared to one of its competitors."

"The pricing is competitive."

More HPE BladeSystem pricing and cost advice

"We are just paying the operational cost, which is not much."

"We have the whole maintenance for the 3 years, starting the deployment. We also have the VMware license for 3 years and I think we have another license to buy. There are no additional costs besides licensing."

"There is a one-off payment to buy the equipment and the support is purchased annually."

"The price is interesting. I am able to quote a client based on their needs and offer them either Lenovo or Dell."

"The is an annual license cost to use the Lenovo Flex System. If the price was less expensive and flexible overall and for additional features, our customers would be happier."

"The 14 blade server allows significant room for upscaling before having to invest in another chassis. You would have to purchase another chassis much sooner in the case of an eight or nine blade server."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Healthcare Company

Government

14%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Construction Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	29
Midsize Enterprise	40
Large Enterprise	104

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Large Enterprise	7

Questions from the Community

How would you choose between HPE's Bladesystem and Synergy?

For me, choosing between HPE’s Bladesystem and Synergy came down to which solution was more powerful, reliable, and stable. It turns out Bladesystem was the winner. Bladesystem is excellent because...

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What do you like most about HPE BladeSystem?

The solution is scalable, offering flexibility and expansion options to meet changing business needs.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE BladeSystem?

With around 19 years of exposure in working with various servers, including HPE, I encounter challenges in identifying reasonable prices during the setup cost and licensing process, especially for ...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Lenovo Flex System?

Compared to its quality, the pricing is very reasonable and represents good value.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Lenovo Flex System?

Continuing the production of this product is necessary. It is currently out of support, and we are seeking support from other sources besides Lenovo.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Lenovo Flex System?

We are using Lenovo Flex System on the server for our VMware environment, which includes our VMs and all our servers, Linux and Windows. It manages the daily operation efficiently.

See all answers

Comparisons

HPE Synergy vs HPE BladeSystem

Compared 50% of the time

Dell PowerEdge MX- Series vs HPE BladeSystem

Compared 13% of the time

Supermicro SuperBlade vs HPE BladeSystem

Compared 10% of the time

Cisco UCS B-Series vs HPE BladeSystem

Compared 7% of the time

More HPE BladeSystem Competitors

HPE Superdome X vs Lenovo Flex System

Compared 23% of the time

HPE Synergy vs Lenovo Flex System

Compared 19% of the time

Dell PowerEdge MX- Series vs Lenovo Flex System

Compared 14% of the time

Supermicro SuperBlade vs Lenovo Flex System

Compared 10% of the time

More Lenovo Flex System Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HPE BladeSystem

January 2026

Download HPE BladeSystem product report

Buyer's Guide

Blade Servers

January 2026

Download Lenovo Flex System product report

Also Known As

HP ProLiant BL Series Servers, HP ProLiant BladeSystem

Flex System Blade Servers, Flex System SN Series

Overview

HP ProLiant BladeSystem share power, cooling, network, and storage infrastructure via the blade enclosure. Since equipment is not needed for each server, you get a dramatic reduction in power distribution units, power cables, LAN and SAN switches, connectors, adapters, and cables. And you can add the newest-generation technologies by simply changing individual components.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Flex System is Lenovo’s proven, 2nd generation blade, that efficiently runs your infrastructure applications with up to 80% better density than standard rack server deployments.

Lenovo

Sample Customers

EMIS Health

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

HPE BladeSystem vs. Lenovo Flex System

December 2025

Free Report: HPE BladeSystem vs. Lenovo Flex System

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