HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Lenovo are both solutions in the Rack Servers category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #2 with an average rating of 9.5, while Lenovo is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.5. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 22.0% mindshare in Rack Servers, compared to Lenovo’s 15.6% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Lenovo users who would recommend it.

HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Read 158 HPE ProLiant DL Servers reviews

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8,561 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

Read 27 Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers reviews

6,146 Views
6,146 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 29, 2025

HPE ProLiant DL Servers and Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are key players in the server market. HPE ProLiant DL Servers seem to have an edge in areas like remote management features and diverse deployment options whereas Lenovo is praised for its integration of IBM technology and ease of use.

Features: HPE ProLiant DL Servers are recognized for their robust performance, reliability, and advanced management capabilities such as the iLO feature for remote management and predictive failure analysis. These servers are also valued for scalability and cost efficiency, supporting Hyper-V and offering various storage options. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers incorporate IBM technology offering high reliability and competitive performance. Key features include Lenovo’s XClarity management software and Predictive Failure Analysis for proactive management and hardware diagnostics.

Room for Improvement: HPE ProLiant DL Servers are critiqued for longer boot-up times, inconsistent licensing, and management interface complexities. Suggestions include better out-of-band management and reduced pricing. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers could improve technical support responsiveness and competitive pricing, with calls for better network speed options and refined management software.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HPE ProLiant DL Servers are versatile with deployment scenarios, including hybrid and on-premises environments, and are backed by positive user feedback on support responsiveness. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers favor on-premises deployments, offering satisfactory customer support, though improvements in technical support response times are noted.

Pricing and ROI: HPE ProLiant DL Servers, while considered expensive, justify their cost with features and long-term stability, providing a solid ROI. Additional costs are attributed to features like separately charged iLO. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers offer competitive pricing but have scope for improvement in costs related to additional features and support services, granting good ROI with cost-effective alternatives in high-performance server offerings.

To learn more, read our detailed HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

July 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 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

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

Ranking in Rack Servers

3rd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

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 22.0%, up from 20.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is 15.6%, down from 17.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rack Servers Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
HPE ProLiant DL Servers	22.0%
Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers	15.6%
Other	62.4%

Rack Servers

Featured Reviews

SHIVAKUMAR A P

General Manager at orbit techsol w pvt.ltd

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.

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Adalberto Giaretta

Technology director at Infodive Representações e Serviços ltda

Reliable with an easy setup and good support

These are rack servers. We use them for applications. It stores everything including VM servers, application servers, Windows, et cetera The reliability is great. The solution is like any other commodity like Dell or HPE. These are all very similar. Setting up the solution is easy. It is stable.…

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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

"There is a lot of extra storage. I am only using half of what I need."

"The hardware is reliable."

"It is a stable solution."

"The solution is highly scalable."

"One of the most valuable features is iLO, which is very good. Another thing is the HPE support is very good."

"HPE service in Taiwan is quick and professional, and ProLiant is cost-effective compared to Dell. Dell is good for one or two servers, but HPE is cheaper than Dell for a large deployment. Cost is the most important thing in the market."

"This product is feature-rich and is easy to install."

"The solution's deployment was easy."

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers pros

"The product scales well."

"The product is designed to make adding RAM and disk space easier for users."

"The IMM tool is great because we can upgrade different views and device versions very quickly. We can upgrade everything from a single point through a single dashboard, which is great for us because we also have Lenovo storage. Lenovo ThinkSystem also has Xclarity built into the system."

"The most valuable aspect of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is the brand name and the service relationship we have with Lenovo."

"Ensures high availability, better hardware management, and support for active features."

"They have taken a lot of technology from IBM, and IBM always delivered very powerful hardware to the IT industry compared to Dell EMC or anyone else."

"I would say the stability of the system itself would be the biggest advantage."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is the easiest product to set up and maintain."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers pros

Cons

"The price of HPE ProLiant DL Servers could improve."

"In Qatar, HPE doesn't have as much support as Dell. I would recommend Dell if given the option because it has a solid local presence."

"The technical support response time has room for improvement."

"There is currently no artificial intelligence in the product. It would actually be helpful to have some features with AI."

"They should build risc processors with high speed."

"The hardware was frequently faulty and sometimes broke down."

"They can increase the controller cache. Currently, it has a controller cache of up to 4 GB. The RAID controller card comes with a maximum of 4 GB cache in HPE servers, whereas it comes with a maximum of 8 GB cache in Dell servers. They can also improve the port size. HP provides a 25 GB port on the server, whereas both Dell and Cisco provide a 100 GB port."

"On the software side, I would like for the management of the server overall (including reviewing its health) to be a bit easier. Right now, we have something that sits on the server to make sure all hardware drivers and other thing are up to date. This is a pain to set up."

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers cons

"The solution's initial setup was complicated."

"HP has a riser inside, but Lenovo does not have a riser. It would be good to have a riser with Lenovo. The GUI of the system is really bad. HP has a very good UI for smart memories and everything inside, but in Lenovo, we have a black-and-white UI. HP right now manufactures a server with scalable SP1 and SP2 on a single machine, which is not the case with Lenovo. They are changing the machine. For SP 1, there is one server, and for SP2, there is another server, which is really bad. In HP, we can use two models of processors in a single case. Lenovo should also be improved to have SP1 and SP2 scalable processors simultaneously on a single machine. They should not release another machine. This issue is also there in H3650 severs. They are all inside, but only V3 CPU or only v4 CPU can work, whereas, in HBG9, we can deploy V3 and V4 simultaneously. Lenovo also needs to advertise more because I can't see advertisements anywhere."

"To be frank, the technical support from Lenovo's team needs improvement. There seems to be a lack of support, and it is important for Lenovo to address this issue."

"The power consumption needs to be optimized in Lenovo."

"For the price my company pays for Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers, we can have more from other vendors offering the same functionalities that are present in Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers at a lower price."

"It was complex to get this started because the Lenovo and VMware are not very compatible. We had to get some updates in order for it to be implemented."

"Upgrading firmware is easier in Dell than in Lenovo."

"I do not have any notes for improvements."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I like the price of this product and the add-on components. It is cheaper than Dell and is a one-time hardware purchase with minimal ongoing costs."

"If you have to include the warranty, enhance the warranty support."

"Proliant DL Servers have a reasonable cost. They are not as expensive as the Cisco servers. Everything is included when you purchase a server. You just have to install and configure it."

"I give the pricing a six out of ten."

"HPE ProLiant DL Servers have a higher price than Dell servers. However, the Japanese counterpart has the lowerest priced servers. The price of the HPE ProLiant DL Servers could improve, it could be less expensive."

"We have to pay for an annual license which is expensive."

"This product is within our budget."

"It's expensive."

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers pricing and cost advice

"The price of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is competitive."

"I don't know the exact amount of money, but when I compared it to Dell or HPE, Lenovo was the best when it comes to price and equipment."

"Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are cheaper than HPE...It is a good product that offers value for money."

"It costs around $8,000. There is an additional cost for the support for a year."

"In India, the solution is cheap compared to its competitors."

"It is the cheapest solution we have seen on the market."

"As the costs got high, we had to use the virtualization feature to consolidate the server farm."

"The price of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is highly competitive. Many customers prefer this solution because of the price. However, the price could be reduced."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Government

Computer Software Company

12%

University

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	54
Midsize Enterprise	28
Large Enterprise	98

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	18
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	9

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...

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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.

See all answers

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...

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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 Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers?

The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is the easiest product to set up and maintain.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers?

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are cheaper than HPE, so my company saw it as a product that is available at a bang for one's buck.

See all answers

Comparisons

Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 46% of the time

HPE Synergy vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 8% of the time

HPE Apollo Systems vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 6% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 6% of the time

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 5% of the time

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers Competitors

Dell PowerEdge R-Series vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 53% of the time

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

Dell PowerEdge XE-Series vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 1% of the time

Oracle SPARC Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 1% of the time

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HPE ProLiant DL Servers

August 2025

Download HPE ProLiant DL Servers product report

Buyer's Guide

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

August 2025

Download Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers product report

Also Known As

HP ProLiant DL series, HP ProLiant DL

SR Series, Lenovo SR Series, ThinkSystem Rack Servers, IBM Rack Servers, ThinkSystem SR Series, Lenovo Rack Servers,

Overview

HPE ProLiant DL Servers are utilized by organizations for tasks like virtualization, database hosting, and application hosting, deployed both on-premises and in private clouds for diverse needs.

Organizations depend on HPE ProLiant DL Servers for stability, performance, and reliability. They are essential for running active directories, enterprise applications, and handling high-performance computing. These servers are known for their easy setup, scalability, and extensive management capabilities like iLO. Offering compatibility with many components and energy efficiency, they provide reliable hardware and good performance under demanding conditions. However, there is a need for improved price, stability, scalability, airflow, and power consumption. Enhancements in controller cache, port sizes, SAN connectivity, support availability, and management interface are also required. Faster technical support, better documentation, simplified configurations, and enhanced monitoring features and security integration would benefit users.

What are the key features?

Easy Setup: Quick and straightforward deployment.
Scalability: Adaptable to growing business needs.
Extensive Management: Features like iLO for advanced control.
Energy Efficiency: Optimized for lower power consumption.
Compatibility: Works well with various components.
Reliable Hardware: Robust and dependable technology.
Redundancy: Ensures high availability and minimal downtime.

What are the benefits and ROI?

High Performance: Excellent for demanding computing tasks.
User-Friendly: Easy to maintain and operate.
Flexibility: Versatile for different applications.
Good Technical Support: Access to professional assistance.

HPE ProLiant DL Servers are implemented across industries like finance for active directories and payment solutions, education for virtual desktops, healthcare for database synchronization, and IT firms for high-performance computing and application hosting.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

From growing small businesses to enterprise workloads, Lenovo rack servers offer the unmatched value, flexibility and industry-leading efficiency to meet mission-critical demands with legendary quality and reliability.

Lenovo

Sample Customers

AmeriPride Services, iSource, Bolagsverket, BlueShore Financial, British Columbia Assessment Authority, National Stock Exchange, Cardlytics

immixGroup, Komsomolskaya Pravda, SRG Global, Seekr, Infiniti Red Bull Racing, jKool, Tennis Australia, VEKA, Netpoints, Gamma Powersports

Buyer's Guide

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

July 2025

Free Report: HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

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