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HPE BladeSystem vs Lenovo Flex System comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 3, 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

HPE BladeSystem
Ranking in Blade Servers
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
140
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Lenovo Flex System
Ranking in Blade Servers
9th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
10
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2026, in the Blade Servers category, the mindshare of HPE BladeSystem is 8.6%, down from 13.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Lenovo Flex System is 4.5%, up from 3.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Blade Servers Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
HPE BladeSystem8.6%
Lenovo Flex System4.5%
Other86.9%
Blade Servers
 

Featured Reviews

Kapil Pandey - PeerSpot reviewer
Technology Management Consultant at National Institute for Smart Government - NISG
Reliability and reasonable pricing enhance data center management
I researched on peerspot.com about IT solutions, specifically about HPE BladeSystem and HPE Synergy, because we are already using HP servers in our state data center. In HP Cloud System, we are using a converged infrastructure to connect LAN and SAN connectivity across the network. Regarding Virtual Connect technology, there is a noticeable impact on network management. For day-to-day operations, we use various applications such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams to connect virtually. Using HPE BladeSystem Virtual Connect technology in HP Cloud System, we achieve efficient network management with well-defined LAN and SAN connectivity. We already have a defined modular architecture in place designed by the HP team for our data center. My company name is National Institute for Smart Government, also called NISG, under the National e-Governance Division. My title is Technology Management Consultant. I would rate HPE BladeSystem as an eight out of ten.
FA
Senior System Administrator at Khushhali Microfinance Bank
Used to run the compute load on servers, but firmware and driver upgrades are a bit difficult
We use the solution for multiple purposes, such as in the virtualization cluster and the standalone applications We use the solution as a compute model to run the compute load on servers. The solution's firmware and driver upgrades are a bit difficult. I have been using Lenovo Flex System for…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution is issue-free and works almost flawlessly."
"We are very happy with flexible NIC configuration features which are possible if you combine the BladeServers with HPE flex switches in the enclosures."
"The product is very robust and we have not experienced downtime within the last 11 years of use."
"It's a lot easier than dealing with the rack mount servers and it is a lot faster."
"The most valuable feature of HPE BladeSystem is simplified management."
"Valuable features include the speed at which you can deploy a system, the server profiles, and the ability to move those profiles around at will."
"BladeSystem provides consolidation of hardware into single or more manageable components."
"We have a large DSX infrastructure for VMWare and having it uniform and having it compact is a good thing for us."
"The initial setup is straightforward."
"I'd recommend Flex System to others as it's much better than any other product we've had and advise that they use XClarity for system management."
"The Lenovo Flex System is very stable."
"The Lenovo Flex System is very stable."
"We use the solution as a compute model to run the compute load on servers."
"Flex System's best features are its performance and stability."
"The product is very user-friendly and has many resources at the enterprise level."
"It's stable, it works well, and we have had no problem with it for a long time."
 

Cons

"It is lacking in the ability to replicate virtual machines more easily."
"There have been some hardware failures with them."
"There have been some hardware failures with them. These failures have since been solved by HPE support partners."
"They are not selling BladeSystem anymore."
"Technical support is great, once you get to it"
"The technical support sucks, would be understating it. Because the first line and the second line support tend to give out stupid suggestions that are completely useless, and they aren't listening to anything."
"Some bugs, which were solved by a firmware update."
"The latest version of this system is called Synergy from HPE, and it comes with more advanced features. This is currently the most advanced solution available in the market. One of its key features is its energy efficiency, which optimizes energy usage."
"The solution's firmware and driver upgrades are a bit difficult."
"It does not have the same module flexibility that was present in IBM Blade. On the Blade System, I was able to choose between the Cisco module, or BMC module; since the switch to Lenovo, I have not had the same choice of modules, only the BMC modules."
"It does not have the same module flexibility that was present in IBM Blade. On the Blade System, I was able to choose between the Cisco module, or BMC module. Since the switch to Lenovo, I have not had the same choice of modules, only the BMC modules."
"The most valuable feature of the Lenovo Flex System is the storage system."
"The installation was not easy."
"The product could improve its integration capabilities."
"Flex System's integration with the XClarity Management System could be improved."
"I had some difficulties with the initial setup."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The prices for the HPE Virtual Connect Modules are expensive compared to other I/O Modules available."
"The chassis itself, with no blade server inside, so expensive. The C7000 model costs around $100,000."
"With regards to the prices, they need to adapt to the current needs of the country."
"it would make everyone happy if the solution were less expensive."
"I need to pay for the license, and it is expensive. We make yearly payments."
"Regarding the cost, HPE BladeSystem is not cheap. The solution and its support are costly, and there are challenges with renewal and pricing, especially in Nigeria, due to the dollar rate and FX issues. However, it is reliable. I don't have specific figures for licensing costs, as the procurement and finance departments handle them."
"It is expensive. There are no additional costs. We are able to get good discounts anyway from HPE, but if the price can come down, we'll be happy."
"The licensing is on an annual basis."
"The 14 blade server allows significant room for upscaling before having to invest in another chassis. You would have to purchase another chassis much sooner in the case of an eight or nine blade server."
"The price is interesting. I am able to quote a client based on their needs and offer them either Lenovo or Dell."
"We are just paying the operational cost, which is not much."
"There is a one-off payment to buy the equipment and the support is purchased annually."
"We have the whole maintenance for the 3 years, starting the deployment. We also have the VMware license for 3 years and I think we have another license to buy. There are no additional costs besides licensing."
"The is an annual license cost to use the Lenovo Flex System. If the price was less expensive and flexible overall and for additional features, our customers would be happier."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Construction Company
10%
Marketing Services Firm
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Construction Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
11%
University
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business29
Midsize Enterprise40
Large Enterprise104
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business3
Large Enterprise7
 

Questions from the Community

How would you choose between HPE's Bladesystem and Synergy?
For me, choosing between HPE’s Bladesystem and Synergy came down to which solution was more powerful, reliable, and stable. It turns out Bladesystem was the winner. Bladesystem is excellent because...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE BladeSystem?
With around 19 years of exposure in working with various servers, including HPE, I encounter challenges in identifying reasonable prices during the setup cost and licensing process, especially for ...
What needs improvement with HPE BladeSystem?
The main area for improvement I see is the training process. When you use anything, how easily it is to manage is very important in hyper-converged solutions. If you compare it with VMware, it is v...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Lenovo Flex System?
Compared to its quality, the pricing is very reasonable and represents good value.
What needs improvement with Lenovo Flex System?
Continuing the production of this product is necessary. It is currently out of support, and we are seeking support from other sources besides Lenovo.
What is your primary use case for Lenovo Flex System?
We are using Lenovo Flex System on the server for our VMware environment, which includes our VMs and all our servers, Linux and Windows. It manages the daily operation efficiently.
 

Also Known As

HP ProLiant BL Series Servers, HP ProLiant BladeSystem
Flex System Blade Servers, Flex System SN Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

EMIS Health
Information Not Available
Find out what your peers are saying about HPE BladeSystem vs. Lenovo Flex System and other solutions. Updated: April 2026.
893,244 professionals have used our research since 2012.