Overview
The Dell PowerEdge R750 and HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 are flagship 2U rack servers that have dominated enterprise data centers for years. Both offer exceptional reliability, scalability, and management capabilities, making them popular choices on the secondary server market.
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Dell PowerEdge R750: Dell's 15th generation Intel-based server, supporting 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors (Ice Lake). Known for its exceptional storage density and PCIe Gen4 expansion capabilities.
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HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10: HPE's workhorse 2U server, supporting both Intel Xeon Scalable and AMD EPYC processors. Renowned for its iLO management, security features, and broad software ecosystem integration.
Both servers are widely available on the used market as enterprises refresh to newer generations, offering excellent value for secondary infrastructure, disaster recovery, and budget-conscious deployments.
Specifications Comparison
| Parameter | Dell PowerEdge R750 | HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 | |--------------------------|---------------------------|------------------------------| | Form Factor | 2U Rack | 2U Rack | | CPU Support | Up to 2x 3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable (40 cores each) | Up to 2x Intel Xeon Scalable or AMD EPYC | | Max Memory | 4TB DDR4 (32 DIMMs) | 3TB DDR4 (24-48 DIMMs) | | Drive Bays | Up to 24x 2.5" or 12x 3.5" | Up to 24x 2.5" or 12x 3.5" | | PCIe Slots | Up to 8x PCIe Gen4 | Up to 8x PCIe Gen3/Gen4 | | Power Supplies | Dual 800W-2400W Titanium | Dual 500W-1600W Platinum | | Management | iDRAC9 with Lifecycle Controller | iLO 5 with Advanced License | | Network | 2x 1GbE base, 10/25GbE options | 4x 1GbE base, 10/25GbE options |
Used Market Pricing
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Dell PowerEdge R750: Typically priced between $4,000–$8,000 depending on CPU configuration, memory capacity, and included storage. Barebone chassis start around $2,500.
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HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10: Ranges from $3,500–$7,000, with AMD EPYC variants often commanding slight premiums over Intel configurations due to core density advantages.
Price Influencers:
- CPU Configuration: Servers with high-core-count CPUs (28+ cores) command significant premiums.
- Memory Population: Fully populated memory configurations add $1,000–$3,000 to base pricing.
- Storage Configuration: Servers with NVMe drive bays or RAID controllers carry 15-20% premiums.
- Warranty Status: Units with remaining Dell ProSupport or HPE Foundation Care warranties are 20-30% more expensive.
When to Choose Each
Dell PowerEdge R750
- High-Density Storage: Superior drive bay density for storage-heavy workloads.
- PCIe Gen4 Workloads: Ideal for NVMe storage arrays and high-speed networking.
- Modern Workloads: Better performance for virtualization, containers, and AI inference at the edge.
- Dell Ecosystem: Organizations already standardized on Dell management tools (OpenManage, iDRAC).
HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10
- Ecosystem Integration: Seamless integration with HPE Synergy, SimpliVity, and OneView management.
- Security Focus: Silicon Root of Trust and advanced security features for regulated industries.
- AMD Options: EPYC variants offer exceptional core density for virtualization workloads.
- Proven Reliability: Extensive track record in mission-critical enterprise environments.
Secondary Market Availability
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Dell PowerEdge R750: High availability as enterprises refresh to 16th generation (R760) platforms. Many units available from cloud provider and enterprise decommissioning.
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HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10: Very high availability due to massive production volumes and broad enterprise adoption. Both Intel and AMD variants readily available.
Sourcing Challenges:
- Rails and Cables: Ensure rails, power cables, and bezel are included or budget separately.
- Firmware Locks: Some enterprise units may have iDRAC/iLO passwords or firmware locks requiring reset procedures.
- Drive Caddies: Servers sold without drives often lack caddies, which cost $15-30 each.
- License Transfers: Advanced management features may require license transfers from original owners.
Verdict
The Dell PowerEdge R750 excels for organizations prioritizing modern PCIe Gen4 expansion, maximum storage density, and the latest Intel processor architectures. Its iDRAC9 management is intuitive and feature-rich.
The HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen10 offers superior ecosystem integration for HPE-centric environments and provides excellent AMD EPYC options for core-dense virtualization deployments. Its security features are industry-leading.
Recommendation:
- Dell R750: Choose for modern infrastructure builds requiring PCIe Gen4 and maximum storage flexibility.
- HPE DL380 Gen10: Opt for established enterprise environments with HPE ecosystem investments or requiring AMD EPYC core density.
Both servers represent excellent value on the used market and will serve reliably for years with proper maintenance.