Best Dell Servers

Updated October 2020

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Bottom Line

Pros

Cons

Best of the Best

Dell

PowerEdge T30 Business Mini Tower Server System (2018)

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Bottom Line

While you'll pay up for it, you'll get a lot for your money, including space for 6 SATA hard disk drives and 3 terabytes in drives to start you off.

Pros

Features an Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 3.3 gigahertz processor, with 16 gigabyes or UDIMM memory and 3 terabytes in hard drives (a 1TB and a 2TB drive). Fits a total of 6 SATA hard disk drives. Good business transaction response time. Secure and manageable. Comes with a wide variety of ports, including a Displayport and 10 USB ports.

Cons

Does not come with an operating system or an optical drive. This option is on the expensive side.

Best Bang for the Buck

Dell

PowerEdge T30 Tower Server System (2017)

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Bottom Line

A quiet and affordable option that is both easy to work with and versatile.

Pros

Inexpensive. Comes with 8 gigabytes of UDIMM RAM, a 1 terabyte 7200 rpm drive, and an Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 3.3 gigahertz processor. Easy to work with, and has good speed and versatility. Four RAM slots in all. Runs quiet.

Cons

Power button blends in a bit too much with the case — hard to see in low-light conditions. Does not come with an operating system. Some reports of this option arriving with a bad drive.

Dell

PowerEdge T30 Mini Tower Server Premium Desktop

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Bottom Line

Stands out for its 2 terabyte hard drive and its 16 gigabytes of memory (expandable to 64 gigabytes).

Pros

Available in a couple of other configurations. This version comes with a 2 terabyte 7200 rpm drive, 16 gigabytes of DDR4 SDRAM, and an Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 3.3 gigahertz processor. Features include a DVD+ rewritable optical drive and a variety of ports, including 10 USB ports and an HDMI.

Cons

Does not come with an operating system. On the expensive side.

Dell

PowerEdge T30 Business Mini Tower Server (2017)

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Bottom Line

A powerful mid-priced server with a lot of power inside it, although the drive it ships with could be larger.

Pros

Can hold up to 6 SATA hard disk drives. Comes with 16 gigabytes of UDIMM memory, an Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 3.3 gigahertz processor, and a 1 terabyte 7200 rpm drive. Quiet and fast. Easy to upgrade, with lots of available room inside the chassis. Features a variety of ports, including a PS2, HDMI, and 10 USB ports.

Cons

The 1 terabyte drive it comes with is on the small side, compared with other options. Does not ship with an operating system.

Dell

PowerEdge T20 Tower Server System

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Bottom Line

While less powerful than other options, this server is an affordable and space-friendly entry-level choice.

Pros

Good entry-level server that comes with an Intel Xeon E3-1225 v3 3.2 gigahertz processor, 8 gigabytes of DDR3, and a 1 terabyte 7200 rpm drive. Smaller physical footprint than other options (12 inches by 8 inches by 4 inches). Comes with a DVD+ rewritable optical drive. Decent price.

Cons

Not as powerful as other options. It's also, at 25.2 pounds, heavier than other options.

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Servers become necessary when you find yourself in need of a dedicated network computer that offers more power, memory, and storage than you have with your current system. Small businesses can really benefit from these, and Dell offers a range of quality servers to meet those needs. When shopping for one, try to buy the best processor, memory, and storage capacity that you can afford. Make sure it is easy to manage and secure. Consider the amount of noise the server generates, and the physical space it takes up if you are installing it in cramped quarters. The server should also be versatile enough that it meets your current needs, and expandable enough to meet your future ones.

Other Products We Considered

The BestReviews editorial team researches hundreds of products based on consumer reviews, brand quality, and value. We then choose a shorter list for in-depth research and testing before finalizing our top picks. These are the products we considered that ultimately didn't make our top 5.

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