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Dell PowerEdge XR-Series vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 14, 2025

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 XR-Series
Ranking in Rack Servers
8th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
5.3
Number of Reviews
6
Ranking in other categories
Rugged Servers (1st)
HPE ProLiant DL Servers
Ranking in Rack Servers
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
159
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of Dell PowerEdge XR-Series is 1.3%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of HPE ProLiant DL Servers is 20.9%, up from 20.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Rack Servers Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
HPE ProLiant DL Servers20.9%
Dell PowerEdge XR-Series1.3%
Other77.8%
Rack Servers
 

Featured Reviews

Igor Tiskov - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Virtualization Engineer at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
Redfish manageability has supported remote site operations and consistent private cloud deployment
I think Dell PowerEdge R-Series can be improved in appearance. I would say that the improvement opportunity is probably on the monitoring side, the overall monitoring side. I would love to see closer integration with different vendors. As a company, we are still using a multi-vendor approach and cannot go all-in with one single vendor. What we struggle with is that we cannot afford to have three different monitoring systems, management systems, or lifecycle management systems for different environments. I would love to see in the future how that integrates with other vendors as well. Perhaps not as a primary tool, but at least some features and functions from other vendors.
ArifSheikh - PeerSpot reviewer
Director / Chief Business Artchitect at SMARIF
High availability servers have boosted hosted payment services but still need better local support
We are not using PowerVM because of certain limitations; it is on a back-end engine. However, we are using other components such as vSphere for some small interfaces, and those are the main components we are utilizing. Since these servers are fully dedicated to various high-end solutions, they have some embedded features that their kernel and applications are using, which are bound to that functionality. We may not provide an exact assessment on its usage, but we are considering those products for some AI solutions; however, we are currently in the review stage and have not concluded our evaluation on how those are utilized yet. We are aware of the pricing of HPE ProLiant DL servers, but not off the cuff. We have obviously acquired those solutions ex-Pakistan, so they are on the rise, and while we do not remember those prices offhand, they are generally better than the IBM series, although they are becoming slightly pricey in Pakistan due to processor shortages and demand. Improvements could be made in database engine hosting services because, as it stands, the pricing of Oracle is too high from both the service and software solution perspectives. If pricing can be reduced, especially for DB servers, that could have a direct positive impact on the overall solution. Regarding reliability, it has been satisfactory so far, but since the distributors are not physically present in Pakistan, that creates a risk for long-term large customers. They provide import-based services, necessitating us to over-invest in backup stock and offline servers. If there was a market presence from those players in Pakistan, it could benefit both clients and distributors by reducing the need for investment in backup inventory.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The storage and the disc performance in terms of IOPS is great."
"Dell PowerEdge XR-Series is better compared to other servers and runs more efficiently, with stability and reliability that have been good so far."
"The scalability of the Dell XR2 Rugged Server is good and easy to do."
"What I like the most about Dell PowerEdge R-Series is probably the Redfish manageability, which provides management, remote management, and remote configuration capabilities."
"Stability, good performance, and good tools to manage the system are the best features for me."
"I appreciate the management tool, iDRAC, in Dell PowerEdge XR-Series, as it is convenient for administrators to use when managing Dell PowerEdge XR-Series."
"We decided to switch because this solution provides more memory density."
"It's easy to upgrade, and it is very easy to take care of the firmware upgrades."
"The initial setup for HPE ProLiant DL Servers is easy."
"HPE offers the products we need. They come back with solutions. It's uncomplicated to deal with HPE."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is HPE Integrated Lights-Out (iLO)...Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"Its management, IOs, and stability are the most valuable features. It works fine. It has all the features of a typical server. All that can be done has already been done."
"This is all I've ever used. These servers are strong, and they have very few failures on them. They are also easy to manage and monitor."
"The product is compatible and flexible for small and medium businesses."
 

Cons

"I think Dell PowerEdge R-Series can be improved in appearance. I would say that the improvement opportunity is probably on the monitoring side, the overall monitoring side."
"The support could work faster, but that is the only small thing that could be better."
"Dell XR2 Rugged Server could improve if there was more customization allowed."
"Regarding the weakness of Dell PowerEdge XR-Series, I think the main drawback is that it is more expensive than other servers."
"It lacks a modular option to expand to a 16-bay system."
"Service is a specific aspect that could be improved, but it is nothing bad."
"The price of the solution could be less expensive to be more competitive."
"We have had issues with ProLiant's intelligent provisioning. Sometimes, the drivers do not come up, so we have to install them manually."
"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 pricing of HPE ProLiant DL Servers depends purely on the configuration, and it is not affordable."
"The licensing fees are expensive and have room for improvement."
"Its management console could be better."
"The technical support is pretty good, however, they could be a bit faster and more responsive."
"Configurations could be simplified."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of one Dell XR2 Rugged Server is approximately $10,000."
"It is not expensive. Its price is similar to other solutions."
"The price of the product is a little high."
"This was a one-time purchase for us because it's hardware that we purchased from HPE. There aren't any licensing costs."
"The price of HPE ProLiant DL Servers is reasonable, but because of covid and other factors, the price could be reduced. The license is paid annually."
"​An investment in DL380 is worth it."
"The pricing of these servers is fair. It is in the mid-range."
"We have to pay for an annual license which is expensive."
"This is an expensive product and there is licensing required for iLO, which is the HPE monitoring system."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
15%
University
11%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business55
Midsize Enterprise28
Large Enterprise98
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Dell EMC XR2 Rugged Server?
The pricing, the setup cost, and the licensing of Dell PowerEdge R-Series is competitive. It is based on the deal and everything involved. I will say that because Dell is a partner of choice for us...
What needs improvement with Dell EMC XR2 Rugged Server?
There is always room for improvement. Dell PowerEdge XR-Series is acceptable and will work. Service is a specific aspect that could be improved, but it is nothing bad. The service is better than ba...
What is your primary use case for Dell EMC XR2 Rugged Server?
In the data center, Dell PowerEdge XR-Series runs through the router and the switch.Dell PowerEdge XR-Series is beginning to play a role in AI initiatives in the company. The server will be turned ...
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...
 

Also Known As

XR2 Rugged Server
HP ProLiant DL series, HP ProLiant DL
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

DIGISTOR - Secure Data Storage
AmeriPride Services, iSource, Bolagsverket, BlueShore Financial, British Columbia Assessment Authority, National Stock Exchange, Cardlytics
Find out what your peers are saying about Dell PowerEdge XR-Series vs. HPE ProLiant DL Servers and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
881,082 professionals have used our research since 2012.