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HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs IBM Power Systems comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 29, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
4.5
HPE ProLiant DL Servers offer swift ROI through reliability and virtualization benefits but face challenges in software cost calculations.
Sentiment score
5.0
IBM Power Systems delivered high ROI through improved performance, cost efficiency, scalability, and enhanced processing capabilities with POWER8 upgrades.
In terms of percentage, I am saving from 5 to 10%.
The return on investment is very high.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.5
HPE ProLiant DL Servers offer reliable support, quick part replacement, and responsive service, though documentation and navigation can be improved.
Sentiment score
1.0
IBM Power Systems support is valued for expertise and efficiency, with preference for higher-level assistance and effective local teams.
Technical support from IBM is excellent.
I try to get my support calls pre-routed to the US; I'd rather wait a couple of hours for support becoming available there than going to support somewhere in the Philippines or Indonesia.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
5.5
HPE ProLiant DL Servers excel in scalability, supporting growth with easy expandability, enhancing computing power and capabilities efficiently.
Sentiment score
6.0
IBM Power Systems offers scalable solutions praised for flexibility, supporting all business sizes with seamless transitions and dynamic resource allocation.
IBM Power Systems is a completely scalable solution.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
4.9
HPE ProLiant DL Servers are highly reliable, with minimal stability issues, improved performance, and strong user trust and support.
Sentiment score
3.5
IBM Power Systems are highly reliable and stable, with minimal downtime, excellent performance, security, and strong support.
IBM just released IBM Power11 last month with significant improvements, eliminating the need for downtime in your environment.
 

Room For Improvement

HPE ProLiant DL Servers need better integration, faster boot-up, improved management, scalability, remote capabilities, and cost-efficient local support.
Suggestions for IBM Power Systems include clearer licensing, faster processing, better cloud integration, improved interfaces, scalability, and enhanced marketing efforts.
 

Setup Cost

HPE ProLiant DL Servers are costly yet offer robust value; iLO licensing adds cost but enhances management benefits.
IBM Power Systems are costly but offer high performance and reliability, appealing to larger organizations despite complex configurations.
Initially when sizing it, people perceive IBM Power Systems as quite expensive.
 

Valuable Features

HPE ProLiant DL Servers provide reliable, scalable performance with easy remote management and cost efficiency, favored in global data centers.
IBM Power Systems offer robust performance, scalability, and security, supporting extensive workloads and reducing ownership costs efficiently.
Another advantage is that it helps customers save money because they do not need to purchase separate AI systems such as GPU systems or inferencing systems, as everything is already embedded in the IBM Power Processor.
 

Categories and Ranking

HPE ProLiant DL Servers
Ranking in Rack Servers
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
158
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
IBM Power Systems
Ranking in Rack Servers
4th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
4.8
Number of Reviews
72
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of HPE ProLiant DL Servers is 21.9%, up from 20.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of IBM Power Systems is 8.6%, up from 8.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Rack Servers Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
HPE ProLiant DL Servers21.9%
IBM Power Systems8.6%
Other69.5%
Rack Servers
 

Featured Reviews

SHIVAKUMAR A P - PeerSpot reviewer
Addresses end-to-end customer needs and improves data center efficiency
The AI engines that HPE ProLiant DL Servers suggest for their customers include NVIDIA graphics and EnvyLink graphics for AI customers. The AI engines are more than sufficient for the current situation. HPE ProLiant DL Servers address end-to-end customer needs. It is a perfect combination with the generation 12 now, and there are absolutely no gaps. Customers usually deploy HPE ProLiant DL Servers on-premises, as on cloud, they do not have the option to specify the server model, and the cloud vendors will not specify which server it is. My usual deployment process involves checking the power AC requirements, power and cooling requirements, then the rack requirements, and then I proceed to deploy the servers based on the customer requirement. I rate HPE ProLiant DL Servers 10 out of 10.
Foluso  Jibowo - PeerSpot reviewer
Has empowered enterprises with secure and cost-effective solutions
When discussing disadvantages, I do not see many areas for improvement because we have received good testimonies from every client. IBM gives customers peace of mind. One challenge, which I would not really call a challenge, is that initially people have the notion that IBM Power Systems is quite expensive. However, IBM does not lose deals based on price. This is a message we need to keep communicating to people who feel that IBM is on the high side in terms of cost. We encourage them to have a discussion with us about their total cost of ownership over three or five years. There is a notion in the market that IBM is expensive, which is false. However, once we engage and show them their return on investments and their total cost of ownership savings, they tend to embrace IBM.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
6%
Financial Services Firm
14%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business54
Midsize Enterprise28
Large Enterprise98
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise18
Large Enterprise42
 

Questions from the Community

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 that Lenovo blends outstanding performance, reliability, and manageability. The bi...
What do you like most about HPE ProLiant DL Servers?
The most valuable feature of the solution is HPE Integrated Lights-Out (iLO)...Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
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 look at the technical caliber of the server, if a customer invests that additio...
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?
There are definitely areas for improvement, but that's not really from the technological side of things. I rarely find any people with Power skills on the market. When I get young people from unive...
What is your primary use case for IBM Power Systems?
I use IBM Power Systems for online transactional processing, and in parts, also for online analytical processing. We mainly use IBM Power Systems' IBMI, which is an operating system with an integra...
 

Also Known As

HP ProLiant DL series, HP ProLiant DL
IBM OpenPOWER LC
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

AmeriPride Services, iSource, Bolagsverket, BlueShore Financial, British Columbia Assessment Authority, National Stock Exchange, Cardlytics
Cipher
Find out what your peers are saying about HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs. IBM Power Systems and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
867,370 professionals have used our research since 2012.