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 #10 with an average rating of 8.7. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 13.7% mindshare in Blade Servers, compared to Lenovo’s 3.0% 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 139 HPE BladeSystem reviews

1,875 Views
1,838 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Lenovo Flex System

Read 10 Lenovo Flex System reviews

393 Views
393 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Room for Improvement: HPE BladeSystem faces challenges with outdated technology and limited parts availability, with concerns over scalability and licensing processes.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: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HPE BladeSystem vs. Lenovo Flex System

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

HPE BladeSystem

Ranking in Blade Servers

3rd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

139

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Lenovo Flex System

Ranking in Blade Servers

10th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Blade Servers category, the mindshare of HPE BladeSystem is 13.7%, up from 13.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Lenovo Flex System is 3.0%, down from 3.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Blade Servers Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
HPE BladeSystem	13.7%
Lenovo Flex System	3.0%
Other	83.3%

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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Syed Ibrahim

Assistant Manager Systems - IT Infrastructure at a transportation company with 10,001+ employees

Provides a high initial ceiling before upscaling is required, user-friendly and rich in resources, but has occasional stability issues

The solution should come with cloud native applications to prepare for cloud based solutions. 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 level of customer support needs to be improved. There is currently an issue with Lenovo switching out SAN switches from the chassis, which will cause problems for people who already have a set up with the SAN switch connected to the central storage. This could require an entirely different network, adding an additional cost for the user.

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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

"Cabling complexity and volume have been reduced."

"Uptime and service are valuable for us. When we have an issue, uptime and being able to get an emergency replacement or actual service is the most important thing for us."

"One of the most valuable features I have found to be the enclosure. It is really easy to manage and everything is integrated. You are able to upgrade the software quite easily."

"The most valuable feature of HPE BladeSystem is the ease of management. It is easy to communicate from the server to the storage."

"We are very happy with flexible NIC configuration features which are possible if you combine the BladeServers with HPE flex switches in the enclosures."

"The solution has good scalability."

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

"With just one cable, for redundancy let's say two, you can feed sixteen servers in a single c7000 chassis."

More HPE BladeSystem pros

"The functionality is reliable and requires minimal support."

"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 stability and speed are always good. The processor is good and it's still working with our loads."

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

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

"The initial setup is straightforward."

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

More Lenovo Flex System pros

Cons

"I'd like to see an all-in-one packet in the future."

"The latest version of this system is called Synergy from HPE, and it comes with more advanced features. This is currently the most advanced solution available in the market. One of its key features is its energy efficiency, which optimizes energy usage."

"HPE BladeSystem could improve the communication between the server and the storage."

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

"The only side that must be improved is the active-passive interconnect module architecture."

"The interface in terms of management could be much more intuitive."

"The management side of this solution could be improved."

"The problem is that when want to expand with a new chassis, you have to do everything manually. It's not automatic."

More HPE BladeSystem cons

"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 product could improve its integration capabilities."

"The user-interface needs improvement, because they have an application from which we have to manage the whole system and all the infrastructure. This application is not working at our premises, because of some problem with the hardware itself. So although we brought it with our systems, and we used it to manage all the systems: the storage, the switches, and everything, nevertheless we have to support every part alone and enter the interface in one-by-one."

"The solution could improve by providing more integration with other platforms."

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

"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."

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

"I had some difficulties with the initial setup."

More Lenovo Flex System cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price for HPE BladeSystem can vary between $100,000 to $1 million or above. The price can be high."

"The prices for the HPE Virtual Connect Modules are expensive compared to other I/O Modules available."

"I don't have access to your financial information or the specific details of this solution's pricing. There are no additional fees. It is the hardware and the support."

"Add OneView and ILO advanced to the base product. Don’t adjust the price, but just include them."

"Their licensing program is pretty simple."

"The price of HPE BladeSystem could improve. They need to reduce the price to be able to compete better with other vendors, such as Dell."

"The pricing is competitive."

"The price of HPE BladeSystem is less expensive than some other solutions, such as Dell. The cost of replacement equipment is expensive."

More HPE BladeSystem pricing and cost advice

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

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

"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 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."

"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."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Computer Software Company

Performing Arts

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	29
Midsize Enterprise	40
Large Enterprise	103

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 65% of the time

Dell PowerEdge MX- Series vs HPE BladeSystem

Compared 15% of the time

Cisco UCS B-Series vs HPE BladeSystem

Compared 8% of the time

HPE Superdome X vs HPE BladeSystem

Compared 6% of the time

Supermicro SuperBlade vs HPE BladeSystem

Compared 6% of the time

More HPE BladeSystem Competitors

HPE Superdome X vs Lenovo Flex System

Compared 53% of the time

HPE Synergy vs Lenovo Flex System

Compared 47% of the time

More Lenovo Flex System Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HPE BladeSystem

October 2025

Download HPE BladeSystem product report

Buyer's Guide

Blade Servers

October 2025

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

September 2025

Free Report: HPE BladeSystem vs. Lenovo Flex System

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