IBM Power Systems vs Intel Server System comparison

IBM and Intel are both solutions in the Rack Servers category. IBM is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.8, while Intel is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.0. IBM holds a 9.1% mindshare in Rack Servers, compared to Intel’s 5.4% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of IBM users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 66% of Intel users who would recommend it.

IBM Power Systems

Read 69 IBM Power Systems reviews

5,330 Views
3,813 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Intel Server System

Read 3 Intel Server System reviews

2,572 Views
2,390 Comparison Views

66% willing to recommend

IBM Power Systems

Intel Server System

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 22, 2024

Intel Server System and IBM Power Systems compete in the enterprise server market. While Intel Server System is noted for its cost-effectiveness and user-friendly support, IBM Power Systems is perceived as superior due to advanced features and robust performance, justifying its higher price.

Features: Intel Server System offers flexibility, scalability, and a wide variety of configurations to meet diverse business needs. It integrates seamlessly with existing infrastructure, providing high reliability. IBM Power Systems provide exceptional processing power, enhanced security, and are suitable for large enterprise applications and demanding workloads.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Intel Server System is straightforward to deploy with intuitive tools and robust customer support. IBM Power Systems, while slightly more complex, offer comprehensive guidance and support, making the learning curve manageable. Intel prioritizes ease and flexibility, whereas IBM focuses on depth in service support post-deployment.

Pricing and ROI: Intel Server System is cost-effective with a strong ROI, targeting budget-conscious businesses seeking immediate value. IBM Power Systems require higher initial investment but deliver significant long-term ROI through high performance and reliability. Intel's pricing strategy emphasizes initial cost savings and quick returns, while IBM focuses on sustainable long-term gains.

To learn more, read our detailed IBM Power Systems vs. Intel Server System Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

IBM Power Systems vs. Intel Server System

January 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 832,565 peers since 2012

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

IBM Power Systems

Ranking in Rack Servers

4th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

8.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Intel Server System

Ranking in Rack Servers

7th

Average Rating

6.6

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2025, in the Rack Servers category, the mindshare of IBM Power Systems is 9.1%, up from 8.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Intel Server System is 5.4%, down from 5.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Rack Servers

Featured Reviews

Omobolaji Olaloku

Senior Enterprise System Engineer at Zenith-bank

Extremely stable, good ROI, and scalable

The most valuable feature of our machines is their ability to replace faulty parts without causing any downtime. Our servers are equipped with advanced technology, making it possible to replace defective parts without having to bring down the servers. This is crucial, as any disruption to our services would result in inconvenience to our customers. Therefore, being able to service the machines and replace parts without causing any downtime is highly beneficial.

Read full review

Sami Abughosh

Servers Senior Network Administrator at Dukat d.d.

A stable product that constantly enhances its functionalities like multithreading and caching

The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that it is more stable than AMD for VMware. Intel Server System has a good track record for the last 20 years. Multithreading and caching are areas where improvements keep increasing. If you look at the last four years, you will see a big difference when it comes to the area concerning processors.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"It scales a lot, you can just keep on adding frames, you can add on CPUs, you get capacity on demand, you can tune the machine very easily to handle different workloads."

"The most valuable feature of IBM Power Systems is its performance."

"The technical support that clients get from IBM is excellent."

"The most valuable feature of our machines is their ability to replace faulty parts without causing any downtime."

"We found working with IBM Power Systems that LPM is the most valuable feature."

"The solution does not require any maintenance."

"The availability of a solution depends on the requirement of the customer. The most valuable feature is the virtualization. You can have this one system or you can use it for many. They were using almost 120 servers within that specific service."

"We have had a good experience with the technical support team at IBM."

More IBM Power Systems pros

"It is stable and easy to manage."

"It uses well known architecture and it's easy to develop for."

"The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that it is more stable than AMD for VMware."

Cons

"It does not offer the ability to run any X86 or X64 Intel architecture-based application on Power Systems. There are a lot of applications, lots of business use cases that do not support this architecture as of now. If somehow application tasks can be ported on to IBM Power Systems, that would be a big improvement."

"No available price list is on the web. Due to this, the customer cannot compare pricing."

"Better manage heterogeneous footprints of all the different operating systems that are out there across one common interface."

"The number of times IBM refreshes its operating system appears to be very slow."

"The price has room for improvement."

"Software testing and the compatibility of software products that are available in the market should be addressed."

"The solution is highly-priced."

"I would like to see firmware available to all of the systems."

More IBM Power Systems cons

"We have to scale it ourselves but it scales. It depends on the software because it's mostly the hardware platform that Intel is managing."

"When you have an Intel Server System, the prices may be much higher since it is a different processor, making the solution's pricing part one of its shortcomings where improvements are required."

"The shipment time can be improved. When we order Intel products, we have to wait for a long time. They can increase the local services and engineers in China. Local engineers will be able to know and understand customer problems much better."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"IBM Power Systems is very expensive."

"Why should I be charged for that use rather than a single CPU, a single socket?"

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

"Price-wise, I rate the solution a five out of ten."

"IBM Power Systems is a really expensive product."

"The solution's pricing is very, very high compared to other platforms."

"IBM Power is more expensive than other rack-mount servers, and you have to have a license for everything, including cores and memory."

"When there is an error in the SAS drive of 10,000 RPM, my company buys support for 1,500 USD."

More IBM Power Systems pricing and cost advice

"I rate the pricing a ten on a scale from one to ten, where one is inexpensive, and ten is very expensive."

"It is not expensive."

"The price is competitive."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Rack Servers solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

832,565 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

18%

Computer Software Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

18%

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about IBM Power Systems?

IBM Power Systems provides very good performance and stability compared to other brands or processors.

See all answers

What needs improvement with IBM Power Systems?

IBM should provide a platform where users can learn about the storage and security of IBM Power Systems.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for IBM Power Systems?

In my company, we use the system for the data center and our IBM Cloud Pak System.

See all answers

What do you like most about Intel Server System?

The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that it is more stable than AMD for VMware.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Intel Server System?

I rate the pricing a ten on a scale from one to ten, where one is inexpensive, and ten is very expensive.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Intel Server System?

When you have an Intel Server System, the prices may be much higher since it is a different processor, making the solution's pricing part one of its shortcomings where improvements are required.

See all answers

Comparisons

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs IBM Power Systems

Compared 18% of the time

Oracle SPARC Servers vs IBM Power Systems

Compared 16% of the time

HPE ProLiant DL Servers vs IBM Power Systems

Compared 12% of the time

Lenovo ThinkSystem Rack Servers vs IBM Power Systems

Compared 5% of the time

HPE Apollo Systems vs IBM Power Systems

Compared 2% of the time

More IBM Power Systems Competitors

Oracle SPARC Servers vs Intel Server System

Compared 19% of the time

Dell PowerEdge Rack Servers vs Intel Server System

Compared 4% of the time

More Intel Server System Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

IBM Power Systems

January 2025

Download IBM Power Systems product report

Buyer's Guide

Rack Servers

January 2025

Download Intel Server System product report

Also Known As

IBM OpenPOWER LC

No data available

Overview

IBM Power Systems are built to crush the most advanced data applications - from the mission-critical workloads you run today to the next generation of AI.

IBM

Storage is simple with the Intel Storage System JBOD2000 family, a 2U form factor system with support for twelve 3.5" LFF or twenty-four 2.5" SFF drives with a single or multi-cable connectivity. The JBOD2000 family includes redundant, hot-swap fans and the option for redundant, hot-swap power supplies. The JBOD2000S2 products support 6Gb/s SAS/SATA connectivity via industry-standard SFF-8088 connectors with the latest JBOD2000S3 version supports up to 12 Gb/s SAS connectivity via industry standard SFF-8644 connectors. All these JBOD offerings are designed to provide highly available and easily expandable storage for Intel servers at an affordable price point.

Intel

Sample Customers

Cipher

Emerson, Baosight, Pentamaster

Buyer's Guide

IBM Power Systems vs. Intel Server System

January 2025

Free Report: IBM Power Systems vs. Intel Server System

Find out what your peers are saying about IBM Power Systems vs. Intel Server System and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

832,565 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our IBM Power Systems vs. Intel Server System report.

See our list of best Rack Servers vendors.

We monitor all Rack Servers reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.