HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Lenovo are both solutions in the Rack Servers category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #2 with an average rating of 8.6, while Lenovo is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.5. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 21.2% 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 ProLiant DL Servers

Read 156 HPE ProLiant DL Servers reviews

10,946 Views
8,990 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 ProLiant DL Servers

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Ser...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 22, 2024

HPE ProLiant DL Servers and Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are prominent competitors in the server industry, offering diverse features and benefits. In terms of remote management and scalability, HPE ProLiant maintains an edge due to its noted manageability, while Lenovo stands out for incorporating IBM technologies.

Features: HPE ProLiant DL Servers are recognized for their reliability, easy manageability, and strong remote management capabilities using tools like iLO. They also emphasize scalability, crucial for infrastructure development. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers benefit from the integration of IBM's Predictive Failure Analysis, simplifying server management through tools like XClarity. Additionally, Lenovo offers user-friendly GUI options for ease of use.

Room for Improvement: HPE ProLiant DL Servers receive criticism for complex rail kit installations, higher prices, and slower boot times. Users express a need for enhanced iLO functionalities and improved third-party software integration. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers could better their pricing structure, provide advanced RAID management tools, and improve technical support response. Reducing supply chain delays could enhance customer experience.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: HPE ProLiant DL Servers facilitate efficient deployments, particularly within hybrid cloud environments. Although customer service is generally rated highly, some users report slow responses at times. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are favored for their ease of deployment and intuitive GUI interfaces, suggesting a user-friendly focus. However, their technical support indicates room for improved responsiveness.

Pricing and ROI: HPE ProLiant DL Servers are perceived as slightly more expensive but justify their cost with strong performance and support, offering good ROI in stable environments requiring high reliability. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are acknowledged for competitive pricing, although still on the higher end. They present a cost-effective option for budget-conscious buyers, ensuring good ROI prospects.

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

Buyer's Guide

HPE ProLiant DL Servers 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 ProLiant DL Servers

Ranking in Rack Servers

2nd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

156

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

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 ProLiant DL Servers is 21.2%, down from 21.9% 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

SHIVAKUMAR A P

Country Manager - Emerging Business at Orbit Techsol

With an easy setup phase in place, it is suitable for small and large-sized businesses

When you speak of any enhancements in the product, you need to shift to the tool's commercial mode. You get more features in the solution if you pour in more money. If a customer needs some features in the solution, they will have to buy it since certain features are not loaded by default in the server. With entry-level licenses, servers are shipped to customers free of cost. Customers need to pay if they want more and more features in the solution. Every OEM solution in the market, including HPE ProLiant DL, operates similarly. The overall cost of the product needs to be lower, as it is one of the areas of concern in the product.

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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

"The solution has always been very stable and reliable."

"The solution is highly scalable."

"It is stable."

"HPE ProLiant DL Servers are easy to maintain. When we need to update the firmware or we need to log on remotely via the IO management interface. It's very convenient, easy. The supply chain is fast when we need to replace some failed hardware, such as hard drives or power supplies. Most of the time, it only takes a few days. The HPE ProLiant DL Servers services are officially certified for Red Hat usage which is a big advantage."

"Its reliability and after-sales support are very good."

"This product is feature-rich and is easy to install."

"In regards to the components that you can put into the servers, I feel that HP provides a wider variety of parts in comparison to Dell. For example, there is the ILO which is a network cable that goes into the server and reports back with an abundance of information about the server, even when it is off."

"It's flexible."

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers pros

"Easy integration with UPS systems provides added convenience and efficiency for our operations."

"It is a scalable product."

"The IMM tool is great because we can upgrade different views and device versions very quickly. We can upgrade everything from a single point through a single dashboard, which is great for us because we also have Lenovo storage. Lenovo ThinkSystem also has Xclarity built into the system."

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

"The initial setup of Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers is straightforward. The process of implementation took me approximately two to three days. We only had to install the hardware for the installation."

"One of the main advantages of this tool is its ease of use, as it is a GUI-based tool needing a simple and easy configuration...It is a stable solution."

"The product scales well."

"The solution is very simple to install."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers pros

Cons

"In the HPE ProLiant DL Servers generation nine, there was a problem when the expansion cards were installed on the server. There was only a small amount of room for the top expansion cards that hand could insert or remove the cables inside."

"My customers are tilted toward GPU users, and the mixed version of the enabled hard drives require — flash drives, SSD, NNL, and PLAS — all mixed and matched in a single box. These are requirements I've already shared with the HPE account manager."

"The most pressing issue is that downloads depend at present on the current period."

"The hardware was frequently faulty and sometimes broke down."

"ProLiant servers could be more scalable. For example, some models can only contain four hard drives, but many of our customers expect six. If they were to add another extendable hard drive slot, it would be easier to sell the servers to our customers."

"The price of this solution should be lowered to make it more competitive."

"They should work with Microsoft to make licensing costs better. That's because the physical servers have processors with all these cores, and Microsoft now licenses Windows virtual server desktops based on the number of cores and the serving servers. So, if you got to build 10 or 20 servers on that desktop, you got to license them all with Microsoft. They should have a partnership with Microsoft to decrease the virtual licensing of servers in partnerships so that when you purchase the servers, you also get licensing for Microsoft on top of them. That's because it gets very expensive to license virtual operating systems to run on physical servers."

"The solution is a little bit expensive."

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers cons

"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."

"The performance of the solution could be better."

"Throughout the use of the product, special needs will arise which may require a global need."

"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."

"For the price my company pays for Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers, we can have more from other vendors offering the same functionalities that are present in Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers at a lower price."

"Upgrading firmware is easier in Dell than in Lenovo."

"I do not have any notes for improvements."

"Performance and scalability-wise, there are certain areas where the product lacks and needs improvement as it does not provide a lot of fancy features presently."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is reasonable."

"It is not expensive. Its price is similar to other solutions."

"An investment in DL380 is worth it."

"I give the pricing a six out of ten."

"I give the cost a ten out of ten."

"If you have to include the warranty, enhance the warranty support."

"The pricing of these servers is fair. It is in the mid-range."

"I rate the product price an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price."

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers pricing and cost advice

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

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

"It is expensive compared to other vendors."

"As the costs got high, we had to use the virtualization feature to consolidate the server farm."

"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."

"Your budget determines the scalability."

"Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers can be categorized as a product falling under an affordable price range but more expensive than its competitors."

"It is the cheapest solution we have seen on the market."

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Government

Computer Software Company

16%

University

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

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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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.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for HPE ProLiant DL Servers?

The product is expensive. I rate the product price an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price. On the needs of the customers, the product offers a lot of suppor...

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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

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers?

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers are cheaper than HPE, so my company saw it as a product that is available at a bang for one's buck.

See all answers

Comparisons

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 47% of the time

HPE Synergy vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 9% of the time

HPE Apollo Systems vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 6% of the time

IBM Power Systems vs HPE ProLiant DL Servers

Compared 5% of the time

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

Compared 5% of the time

More HPE ProLiant DL Servers Competitors

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 56% 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

Dell PowerEdge XE Servers vs Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

Compared 2% of the time

More Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

HPE ProLiant DL Servers

February 2025

Download HPE ProLiant DL Servers product report

Buyer's Guide

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

February 2025

Download Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers product report

Also Known As

HP ProLiant DL series, HP ProLiant DL

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

Overview

HPE ProLiant DL Servers are utilized by organizations for tasks like virtualization, database hosting, and application hosting, deployed both on-premises and in private clouds for diverse needs.

Organizations depend on HPE ProLiant DL Servers for stability, performance, and reliability. They are essential for running active directories, enterprise applications, and handling high-performance computing. These servers are known for their easy setup, scalability, and extensive management capabilities like iLO. Offering compatibility with many components and energy efficiency, they provide reliable hardware and good performance under demanding conditions. However, there is a need for improved price, stability, scalability, airflow, and power consumption. Enhancements in controller cache, port sizes, SAN connectivity, support availability, and management interface are also required. Faster technical support, better documentation, simplified configurations, and enhanced monitoring features and security integration would benefit users.

What are the key features?

Easy Setup: Quick and straightforward deployment.
Scalability: Adaptable to growing business needs.
Extensive Management: Features like iLO for advanced control.
Energy Efficiency: Optimized for lower power consumption.
Compatibility: Works well with various components.
Reliable Hardware: Robust and dependable technology.
Redundancy: Ensures high availability and minimal downtime.

What are the benefits and ROI?

High Performance: Excellent for demanding computing tasks.
User-Friendly: Easy to maintain and operate.
Flexibility: Versatile for different applications.
Good Technical Support: Access to professional assistance.

HPE ProLiant DL Servers are implemented across industries like finance for active directories and payment solutions, education for virtual desktops, healthcare for database synchronization, and IT firms for high-performance computing and application hosting.

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

AmeriPride Services, iSource, Bolagsverket, BlueShore Financial, British Columbia Assessment Authority, National Stock Exchange, Cardlytics

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

Buyer's Guide

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

January 2025

Free Report: HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs. Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers

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