HPE Apollo Systems vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Lenovo are both solutions in the Rack Servers category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #6 with an average rating of 8.0, while Lenovo is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.5. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 4.3% mindshare in Rack Servers, compared to Lenovo’s 16.2% mindshare. Additionally, 95% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Lenovo users who would recommend it.

HPE Apollo Systems

Read 22 HPE Apollo Systems reviews

2,476 Views
1,885 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

Read 27 Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers reviews

8,254 Views
6,806 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

HPE Apollo Systems

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 8, 2024

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers and HPE Apollo Systems are competing products in the server market. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are favored for better pricing and support, while HPE Apollo Systems is seen as superior for its robust features, justifying its higher price.

Features: Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers provide reliable performance, customizable configurations, and are well-suited for enterprises with specific needs. HPE Apollo Systems offer high-density storage, advanced analytics tools, and are designed for data-intensive applications.

Room for Improvement: Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers could enhance energy efficiency, cooling options, and update management tools. HPE Apollo Systems could improve scalability options, integration flexibility, and cost management strategies.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are noted for straightforward deployment and responsive customer support. HPE Apollo Systems are appreciated for detailed deployment guides, though they face challenges with longer customer support response times.

Pricing and ROI: Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers stand out for cost-effective setup and quick ROI, attracting budget-conscious buyers. HPE Apollo Systems, while more costly to set up, provide significant ROI through comprehensive features and long-term value.

To learn more, read our detailed HPE Apollo Systems vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

HPE Apollo Systems vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

January 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

HPE Apollo Systems

Ranking in Rack Servers

6th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Density Optimized Servers (2nd)

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

Ranking in Rack Servers

3rd

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2025, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of HPE Apollo Systems is 4.3%, down from 4.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is 16.2%, down from 16.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rack Servers

Featured Reviews

Gayan Senadheera

Director at Tyax Pvt Ltd

Offers higher capacities compared to other solutions, making it suitable for handling large storage needs

In terms of improvement, we could benefit from some training. If there could be some training for our team, we would be better equipped to promote and support HPE Apollo. Currently, we haven't received any specific training related to HPE Apollo throughout my career. If HPE Apollo provides training, we can share the knowledge with our partners, which could lead to more opportunities for HPE Apollo in the market. Deal protection and other support measures would also be beneficial, as they could help us achieve better results in this market.

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Adalberto Giaretta

Technology director at Infodive Representações e Serviços ltda

Reliable with an easy setup and good support

These are rack servers. We use them for applications. It stores everything including VM servers, application servers, Windows, et cetera The reliability is great. The solution is like any other commodity like Dell or HPE. These are all very similar. Setting up the solution is easy. It is stable.…

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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

"We're going to buy another Apollo 6500. We may configure it with half the number of GPUs because that may be all we need. In a sense, we can see the Apollo 6500 being so powerful that we only need half the GPU capability that we have now."

"We usually use three blades for two-rack units, and with enough storage, it's really a small system with a powerful CPU, powerful hard drives, powerful disks."

"The technical support from HPE has always been good in my experience."

"It enables us to implement software defined solutions very easily, because Apollo servers are certified for use with Linux systems"

"It's going to meet our needs moving forward, it is scalable."

"It's very reliable. I haven't had a single failure at all in the year and a half; not the slightest problem with it."

"Apollo Systems provide stuff that standard services do not. More HTDs, more compute power, at very reasonable pricing."

"we can use the same platform for several use cases: Hadoop, Ceph, and we are considering the server for another use case right now. It's a single solution, we only have to integrate it once and we can use it for several technologies."

More HPE Apollo Systems pros

"The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is the easiest product to set up and maintain."

"The solution is very simple to install."

"The initial setup is easy."

"It has good integration. You have VMware for connecting many machines, and you can support microservices. You can also easily connect the networks. It is also very easy to use and implement, and it comes with good support."

"It is a scalable product."

"The product scales well."

"I would say the stability of the system itself would be the biggest advantage."

"The hardware is good."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers pros

Cons

"I would want to see the flexibility of being able to run various network protocols including InfiniBand, Fibre Channel, as well as iSCSI, with iSCSI going up to 100 gigabytes per second -that would be outstanding."

"If there could be some training for our team, we would be better equipped to promote and support HPE Apollo."

"The support from HPE Apollo could be better, they are making knowledgeable."

"What's coming out in Gen 10 is very strong in terms of additional security."

"We are quite happy with it, but its price and storage density can be better."

"There is a shared battery for all cache controllers in the node. When you have to replace that element, you have to take down all three nodes and not just one."

"We would like to see SimpliVity on top of the Apollo."

"We have tried to used standardization using Ubuntu Linux and it's been hard. They had some difficulties getting the RAID configuration up and running because there are no drivers for it. It's not supported by HPE."

More HPE Apollo Systems cons

"HP has a riser inside, but Lenovo does not have a riser. It would be good to have a riser with Lenovo. The GUI of the system is really bad. HP has a very good UI for smart memories and everything inside, but in Lenovo, we have a black-and-white UI. HP right now manufactures a server with scalable SP1 and SP2 on a single machine, which is not the case with Lenovo. They are changing the machine. For SP 1, there is one server, and for SP2, there is another server, which is really bad. In HP, we can use two models of processors in a single case. Lenovo should also be improved to have SP1 and SP2 scalable processors simultaneously on a single machine. They should not release another machine. This issue is also there in H3650 severs. They are all inside, but only V3 CPU or only v4 CPU can work, whereas, in HBG9, we can deploy V3 and V4 simultaneously. Lenovo also needs to advertise more because I can't see advertisements anywhere."

"The RAID Management and the RAID Configuration tools need to be improved."

"Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers does a very good job. However, what could be improved can be their Configurator because it's very bulky and it sometimes gives logical errors."

"I do not have any notes for improvements."

"Its price could be better. Its price is sometimes an issue for our clients. XClarity Controller is a very good feature, and Lenovo should include the XClarity Controller license without any additional cost. It should be integrated within the product."

"It is quite an expensive product. Its price can be improved."

"Improvements could be made in the network cards, particularly by offering options for higher-speed cards beyond the current 10 GB."

"To be frank, the technical support from Lenovo's team needs improvement. There seems to be a lack of support, and it is important for Lenovo to address this issue."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is an annual license required to use HPE Apollo."

"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."

"Compared to other products, HPE Apollo is not an expensive solution."

"Obviously I would like to see the cost go down. That speaks for itself."

"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."

"The price of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is competitive."

"The price of the solution is very expensive when compared to other solution like HP or Dell."

"The price of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is highly competitive. Many customers prefer this solution because of the price. However, the price could be reduced."

"The cost of the solution depends entirely on the client. There are not any additional costs other than the standard licensing fee."

"Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are cheaper than HPE...It is a good product that offers value for money."

"Your budget determines the scalability."

"Other than the standard licensing fees there are no other additional costs. The price of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers could be better, and the availability of the solution could improve. We have been waiting two months for one server."

"It is expensive compared to other vendors."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Financial Services Firm

12%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Government

10%

Computer Software Company

16%

University

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about HPE Apollo?

HPE Apollo's pricing is low, and implementation is very easy compared to other products.

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What needs improvement with HPE Apollo?

HPE Apollo's after-sales support and technical support should be improved. The solution should provide fast delivery when it comes to replacing a particular product that is under warranty.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for HPE Apollo?

We use HPE Apollo for specific requirements of Linux servers.

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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...

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When shopping for a rack server, would you go with Dell EMC Poweredge or Lenovo Thinksystem?

Our organization ran comparison tests to determine whether the Dell EMC Poweredge or Lenovo Thinksystem rack servers were the better fit for us. We ultimately decided to go with Dell EMC Poweredge....

See all answers

What do you like most about Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers?

The most valuable feature of the solution is that it is the easiest product to set up and maintain.

See all answers

Comparisons

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs HPE Apollo Systems

Compared 35% of the time

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs HPE Apollo Systems

Compared 22% of the time

Dell PowerEdge FX vs HPE Apollo Systems

Compared 10% of the time

Dell PowerEdge XE Servers vs HPE Apollo Systems

Compared 10% of the time

HPE Synergy vs HPE Apollo Systems

Compared 7% of the time

More HPE Apollo Systems Competitors

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 56% of the time

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 34% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

Dell PowerEdge FX vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 3% of the time

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

Compared 2% of the time

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HPE Apollo Systems

February 2025

Download HPE Apollo Systems product report

Buyer's Guide

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

February 2025

Download Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers product report

Also Known As

HP Apollo Systems, HP ProLiant SL, HP Apollo

SR Series, Lenovo SR Series, ThinkSystem Rack Servers, IBM Rack Servers, ThinkSystem SR Series, Lenovo Rack Servers,

Overview

The HPE Apollo high-density server family is built for the highest levels of performance and efficiency. They are rack-scale compute, storage, networking, power and cooling – massively scale-up and scale-out – solutions for your big data analytics, object storage and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. From water-cooling that’s 1,000X more efficient than air, to “right-sized scaling” with 2X the compute density for workgroup and private cloud workloads, the HPE Apollo line is a dense, high-performance, tiered approach for organisations of all sizes.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

From growing small businesses to enterprise workloads, Lenovo rack servers offer the unmatched value, flexibility and industry-leading efficiency to meet mission-critical demands with legendary quality and reliability.

Lenovo

Sample Customers

Weta Digital

immixGroup, Komsomolskaya Pravda, SRG Global, Seekr, Infiniti Red Bull Racing, jKool, Tennis Australia, VEKA, Netpoints, Gamma Powersports

Buyer's Guide

HPE Apollo Systems vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

January 2025

Free Report: HPE Apollo Systems vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Find out what your peers are saying about HPE Apollo Systems vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.

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