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Dell PowerEdge C- Series vs HPE Apollo Systems comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jun 3, 2026

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

Dell PowerEdge C- Series
Ranking in Density Optimized Servers
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
42
Ranking in other categories
Blade Servers (4th)
HPE Apollo Systems
Ranking in Density Optimized Servers
3rd
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
5.0
Number of Reviews
25
Ranking in other categories
Rack Servers (10th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2026, in the Density Optimized Servers category, the mindshare of Dell PowerEdge C- Series is 19.7%, down from 25.5% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE Apollo Systems is 20.6%, up from 17.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Density Optimized Servers Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Dell PowerEdge C- Series19.7%
HPE Apollo Systems20.6%
Other59.7%
Density Optimized Servers
 

Featured Reviews

Sanjay Singh Bisht - PeerSpot reviewer
Assistant Manager at a outsourcing company with 51-200 employees
High-density servers have maximized compute efficiency and have powered critical workloads reliably
Regarding how Dell PowerEdge C- Series can be improved, I would highlight a couple of areas. While it's excellent for dense and scale-out workloads, it isn't perfect for every scenario, and the complex I/O and component upgrades pose challenges since each server node is compressed into a narrow removable sled, making physical space inside the node tight. Replacing components requires pulling the entire node out and dismantling the protective casing. PCI expansion is also limited compared to standard 2U single-node servers such as the PowerEdge R700 series, which can hold up to eight PCI slots. Dell PowerEdge C- Series typically supports only two to three slots, restricting the addition of multiple specialized network interface cards. Finally, the initial capital expenditure is heavy; acquiring a PowerEdge C chassis and its multiple sleds requires significant upfront commitment, making it less cost-efficient if you need one or two nodes now, as you generally need to commit to the ecosystem upfront.
Gökhan  DURMAZ - PeerSpot reviewer
Account Manager at TD SYNNEX
High-quality integration and strong support have optimized our rack server operations
HPE Apollo Systems is a good product because it has better support and best quality with integrity. When I speak about integrity, I speak about GPU integration or other integrations such as GPU integration, backup software integration, and hypervisor integration. Regarding the integration of high-speed interconnectors in HPE Apollo Systems, they impact computational tasks because the high-speed interconnect affects performance. I don't remember the specifics. Regarding the cooling technologies, they help to reduce operational costs. The positive impact I see from HPE Apollo Systems is that support is good and quality is good. In general, HPE Apollo Systems appears to be for rack servers with some optimization capabilities.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It was not complex to deploy."
"My experience with Dell PowerEdge C- Series is very good and positive."
"We deployed four PowerEdge C6100 when we needed to reduce the power consumption and the amount of heat generated in our data-center."
"The hybrid solution is much more stable than other products."
"It is a scalable platform."
"Every new version is better than the previous one."
"PowerEdge servers have high CPU processing power, and the support is also good."
"Dell PowerEdge C- Series has strong features including easy implementation and configuration, and it consumes less power compared to other devices."
"It's very hard for a professor to amass the supercomputing resources, so I've been very fortunate to have that level of supercomputing at our disposal and that has really enabled us to do the world's leading superhuman AI research."
"Taking into consideration the cost, HPE gave us the ability to actually do what we wanted to do."
"For us, the most valuable features are the price and density."
"It's pretty flexible. You can choose how much storage you put on the server. You can have one to three nodes, depending on whether you want more CPU or storage."
"It enables us to implement software defined solutions very easily, because Apollo servers are certified for use with Linux systems"
"It's allowed us to compete with cloud storage providers like AWS to put together a scalable on-premises solution of more than 20PB at a similar pricepoint."
"I find HPE Apollo Systems to be scalable and efficient for AI initiatives, and the environmental efficiency has a significant impact on operational costs."
"We are running Apollo with SL-series servers and the best thing about them is the density of the storage area available."
 

Cons

"We had a few minor issues with compatibility on the latest version during the installation process."
"Dell PowerEdge C- Series can be improved in a couple of ways. While it is a powerhouse for dense and scale-out workloads, the complex I/O and component upgrades due to each server node being compressed into a narrow removable sled make parts replacement difficult."
"The reliability needs improvement."
"It should be improved in terms of future expansion. We should be able to have additional free slots for future extensions in terms of memory."
"There has been an increase in quality issues."
"There is some trouble with the stability part of the product, making it an area where improvements are required."
"I am uncertain about the return on investment and whether I have seen a return on investment with Dell PowerEdge C- Series."
"Although Dell PowerEdge C- Series excels at high-density computing, it has major compromises that prevent it from achieving a perfect score."
"The licensing could be greatly improved, I think."
"OpenView is a new product which does not support older versions of the hardware."
"We are struggling a little bit with some of the configuration we need to do, particularly with write capability to drives."
"We would like to see SimpliVity on top of the Apollo."
"Connectivity to the outside of the server needs to be improved at the same time the network is improving."
"The solution could improve the hardware, such as the motherboard or servers. We have had hardware faults in the past."
"The support from HPE Apollo could be better, they are making knowledgeable."
"We would like to see improved cooling because that is quite an issue. If you put that much compute power into a single rack, cooling really becomes an issue. And there is room for improvement there."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price could be reduced."
"We buy licenses for the solution's advanced features."
"The licensing cost of PowerEdge C is very high."
"PowerEdge C is very expensive, but personally, I think it's worth the price."
"PowerEdge C is a product that is priced at a medium range, so it is not too expensive."
"PowerEdge C is a reasonably priced product, and the pricing depends on how many years you need the product. The cost also includes the support."
"I don't handle the financial aspects, so I don't know the exact costs, but in terms of the value it brings, it's worth it."
"The product costs can be high, especially for disks and other components."
"Obviously I would like to see the cost go down. That speaks for itself."
"Compared to other products, HPE Apollo is not an expensive solution."
"The price of the solution is more expensive than Dell which is their main competitor. However, there are times we have managed to receive a comparable price."
"It is an expensive solution but it is worth the money. The standard licensing cost is for the GPU and the features that someone is using. There are additional charges but they depend on the solution."
"There is an annual license required to use HPE Apollo."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Outsourcing Company
23%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Construction Company
7%
Outsourcing Company
15%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business27
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise15
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business9
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise15
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for PowerEdge C?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Dell PowerEdge C- Series is that so far, it is acceptable.
What needs improvement with PowerEdge C?
The product is very good, and I believe it can be improved, but I have nothing else to add.
What is your primary use case for PowerEdge C?
My main use case for Dell PowerEdge C- Series is for AI applications. I am currently using ChatGPT as a specific example of an AI application I'm running on Dell PowerEdge C- Series. Using ChatGPT ...
What needs improvement with HPE Apollo?
It is too early to say what improvements HPE Apollo Systems could implement because the report still needs to come out and the customer needs to properly evaluate the solution.
What is your primary use case for HPE Apollo?
My main use case for HPE Apollo Systems is replacing many of the servers and storage boxes at one of the customer's sites to achieve workload optimization and optimized solutions. Additionally, whe...
What advice do you have for others considering HPE Apollo?
My advice for someone considering HPE Apollo Systems is that if they are looking for consolidation and their workload involves high availability requirements, or if they want to utilize GPUs, then ...
 

Also Known As

No data available
HP Apollo Systems, HP ProLiant SL, HP Apollo
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

NxtGen Datacenter, Medien-Service Untermain (MSU), Exasol, IndigoVision, Dayco
Weta Digital
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell PowerEdge C- Series vs. HPE Apollo Systems and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
920,929 professionals have used our research since 2012.