Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs Dell PowerEdge XE Servers comparison

Cisco and Dell Technologies are both solutions in the Rack Servers category. Cisco is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.8, while Dell Technologies is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.3. Cisco holds a 4.5% mindshare in Rack Servers, compared to Dell Technologies’s 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Dell Technologies users who would recommend it.

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

Read 29 Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers reviews

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1,896 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Dell PowerEdge XE Servers

Read 10 Dell PowerEdge XE Servers reviews

672 Views
378 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

Dell PowerEdge XE Servers

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers and Dell PowerEdge XE Servers compete in the server market. Dell PowerEdge XE often has the upper hand due to its enhanced processing speed and hardware capabilities, making it more suitable for high-demand applications.

Features: Cisco UCS C-Series provides significant flexibility and scalability, enabling seamless adaptation in various environments. Integrated management simplifies administrative tasks. Cisco supports diverse infrastructures effectively. Dell PowerEdge XE Servers offer robust performance, especially for compute-heavy tasks, have extensive storage options, and are noted for high reliability.

Room for Improvement: Cisco UCS users see a need for better software updates, compatibility with third-party components, and customer support enhancements. Dell PowerEdge XE users suggest improvements in cooling systems, noise levels, and user interface design.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco users find integration easy due to detailed documentation, but report long wait times for customer support. Dell PowerEdge servers offer straightforward deployment with responsive and timely customer service.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco UCS users perceive higher setup costs with reliable ROI due to steady performance. Dell PowerEdge users justify initial expenses with long-term benefits and feature advantages, finding the pricing more attractive due to its cost-efficiency.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. Dell PowerEdge XE Servers Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. Dell PowerEdge XE Servers

April 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

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Ser...

Ranking in Rack Servers

5th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

5.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Density Optimized Servers (5th)

Dell PowerEdge XE Servers

Ranking in Rack Servers

10th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is 4.5%, down from 4.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Dell PowerEdge XE Servers is 1.1%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rack Servers

Featured Reviews

Ehsan Emad

Head of IT at Synnapex

The VIC card is the most important feature.

I rate Cisco USC C-Series Rack Servers 10 out 10. If you plan to buy a C-Series, you should be clear about why you want to use it because the uses vary. different. Whether you're using Cisco, HPE, Dell or any other brand, it's essential to define your use case. For example, are you using it for a simulation graphics, calculations, etc.? Depending on the use case, you might want to go with a small server with more CPU. Sometimes you need a light CPU with a powerful GPU. For example, if we have a C-Series with four CPUs at the same time, or we have a server that's handled two CPUs at the same time—the purpose is crucial. C-Series is good enough compared to other competitors like HPE and the other ones. The HPE C20 is one unit and has a lot of RAM support, but the C-series is number one, in my opinion.

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Muzammil Nasim

Software Architect at a manufacturing company with 501-1,000 employees

We're hardly using 15 percent of their computing power, so there's a lot left over that we could utilize

It should be easier to extend PowerEdge XE servers. We haven't architected them with an eye toward scalability. They have a fixed number of slots for hard drives, which is enough for our present use case, However, we would have more options if we could extend that. We could deploy the servers in a broader range of use cases with different requirements. It's fine for our current deployment with only a few thousand users. We're exploring other solutions like such as VxRail or PowerFlex for larger public-facing use cases.

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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

"Cisco rack servers are very easy to integrate with other products from different vendors."

"The initial setup is straightforward and easy to do."

"The solution is easily scalable."

"The hardware customization capabilities are great."

"The most valuable feature of this solution is the expansion and replacement of parts."

"We have many people in my organization using Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers in the administration."

"In most cases, computes compute, and there isn't much differentiation, but one point of differentiation is Intersight cloud management."

"The technical support from Cisco is fine."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pros

"The most valuable feature is the trusted platform module."

"PowerEdge XE servers are high-performing. We're hardly using 15 percent of their computing power, so there's a lot left over that we could utilize."

"In general, it works well. We haven't had issues."

"Its reliability and consistency are most valuable."

"The strong point of this solution is its compatibility with VMware and its resilience."

"One of the most valuable features of Dell PowerEdge XE Servers is the ease of fixing issues if there are any."

"The solution is flexible in my experience."

"The resource management features are valuable."

More Dell PowerEdge XE Servers pros

Cons

"The hard drive of Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers is not very good. I have already replaced three of them."

"The product's stability and delivery time could be better."

"The scalability of the product is an area of concern where Cisco needs to focus on making some improvements."

"The C-Series is not designed to be as scalable. They are designed to have enough RAM and enough CPU on their own side. If you want scalability, it's better to choose the B-Series— the Blade Servers — because those are much more scalable with Fabric Interconnect."

"In the version we need to use, the manager is still reliant on a full Java install on a Windows OS. This is inconvenient and problematic if you have multiple management tools on different versions of Java or if you move to a machine without the appropriate Java environment."

"Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers could improve by adding a wider portfolio because they only have two main categories, the C-220 and 240. There is no wide range of options as other solutions have, such as Dell. Additionally, if it was more flexible with the configuration it would be good."

"The only thing I would change is to provide more proactive support."

"Cisco UCS C-Series Rack could improve by selling storage. Cisco doesn't sell storage, which is a problem because some customers ask for storage. There are several brands in the market, such as HPE, and Dell EMC. However, Cisco doesn't have any storage. This is where the tension comes from buying this solution."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers cons

"The quality and reliability could be improved."

"The support team must improve the speed of response."

"We use OpenManager a lot, and that can be a bit clunky at times. They can make that better."

"It is mostly stable, but the usual problem would be, for example, upgrading to a newer version of VMware or dealing with compatibility issues during the process."

"It should be easier to extend PowerEdge XE servers. We haven't architected them with an eye toward scalability. They have a fixed number of slots for hard drives, which is enough for our present use case, However, we would have more options if we could extend that. We could deploy the servers in a broader range of use cases with different requirements. It's fine for our current deployment with only a few thousand users. We're exploring other solutions like such as VxRail or PowerFlex for larger public-facing use cases."

"Dell PowerEdge XE Servers can improve by adapting HCI technology."

"In future releases, there should be more support options for the latest processor."

"I would like to have support for performing a detailed analysis of the server from a mobile device."

More Dell PowerEdge XE Servers cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is expensive."

"Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis, which is only $2,000 or $3,000."

"The server itself isn't costly at all, but the CPU and the RAM can be pretty expensive. You can buy a UCS for $2,000, but the RAM and CPU can cost up to $80,000. The most expensive asset is the intel processor, but it depends on how many cores you want and the technology you want to use on your CPU, like Hyper-V, etc."

"The solution could be more cost-effective."

"We have to pay for the VMware and Cisco licenses."

"The price of the Cisco UCS C-Series Rack could improve. It's a little more expensive in comparison with Dell or HPE solutions."

"The solution is moderately priced."

"The solution is expensive and I give the price a four out of ten."

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

"The pricing model is quite competitive."

"Dell has competitive pricing."

"If you want an SLA for parts and equipment then you need to purchase a support agreement."

"There are different types of licensing available, that works well for customers. The product is not very much to purchase."

"You always want slightly cheaper, but overall, they are quite comparable and quite neutral."

"This solution is priced very reasonably."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

20%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

University

Computer Software Company

20%

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The C-series is the most valuable.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The solution is moderately priced.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers?

The improvement should be done as per customer requirements.

See all answers

What do you like most about Dell PowerEdge XE Servers?

The resource management features are valuable.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell PowerEdge XE Servers?

Dell has competitive pricing.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Dell PowerEdge XE Servers?

The support team must improve the speed of response. The product should be promoted more in the market.

See all answers

Comparisons

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 56% of the time

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

Compared 24% of the time

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

Compared 9% of the time

HPE Synergy vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

HPE Moonshot vs Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers Competitors

HPE Apollo Systems vs Dell PowerEdge XE Servers

Compared 41% of the time

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers vs Dell PowerEdge XE Servers

Compared 33% of the time

Dell XR2 Rugged Server vs Dell PowerEdge XE Servers

Compared 18% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Dell PowerEdge XE Servers

Compared 8% of the time

More Dell PowerEdge XE Servers Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers

April 2025

Download Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers product report

Buyer's Guide

Rack Servers

March 2025

Download Dell PowerEdge XE Servers product report

Also Known As

Unified Computing System C-Series, Cisco UCS C-Series

PowerEdge XE Servers

Overview

UCS C-Series Rack Servers deliver unified computing in an industry-standard form factor to reduce TCO and increase agility. Each server addresses varying workload challenges through a balance of processing, memory, I/O, and internal storage resources.

Cisco

Our newest addition to the Dell EMC PowerEdge family, PowerEdge XE servers are purpose-built for complex, harsh and compute-intensive workloads.

Dell Technologies

Sample Customers

Advanced Medical Transport, Aegean Motorway, Anilana Hotels and Resorts, Artoni Transporti, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, City of Mississauga, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Kind en Gezin, Kuwait Petroleum Italia, Nationwide, Quest, Talbots, University of St. Gallen

Epsilon, ROZETTA CORP, JIGUANG, RACKSPACE, NEW BELGIUM BREWING

Buyer's Guide

Cisco UCS C-Series Rack Servers vs. Dell PowerEdge XE Servers

April 2025

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