The R440 and R640 are Dell's two 1U 14th generation rack servers. They occupy the same rack space and look nearly identical from the front. The R640 is the platform that supports NVMe and reaches further on drives; the R440 is the cheaper machine for workloads that need neither.
Drive configurations compared
These are the chassis configurations TekBoost lists for each platform.
| PowerEdge R440 | PowerEdge R640 | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | 1U rackmount | 1U rackmount |
| Generation | Dell 14th generation | Dell 14th generation |
| 2.5" configurations | Up to 8 SAS/SATA Up to 10 SAS/SATA |
Up to 8 SAS/SATA Up to 10 SAS/SATA |
| 3.5" configurations | Up to 4 SAS/SATA | Not listed |
| NVMe-capable backplanes | Not listed | Up to 4 NVMe/SAS/SATA + 6 SAS/SATA Up to 8 NVMe/SAS/SATA + 2 SAS/SATA Up to 10 NVMe/SAS/SATA |
| Storage controllers | PERC S140 software RAID (SATA only), PERC H330, PERC H730P 2GB, PERC H740P 8GB | |
What the difference actually means
On SAS and SATA bay counts they match
Both reach 8 or 10 x 2.5". If the requirement is ten SAS drives in 1U, both platforms meet it, and the R440 is the less expensive way to get there. This is the case where the cheaper server is genuinely the right answer rather than a compromise.
NVMe is the dividing line
The three NVMe-capable backplanes are listed for the R640 only. This is the single specification that cannot be worked around later, because the backplane is fixed when the server is built. If NVMe in front bays is on the roadmap at all, it decides the platform now.
The R440 has a 3.5" option the R640 does not
Four 3.5" bays are listed for the R440 and no 3.5" configuration is listed for the R640. For a small backup target or an archive node using large spinning disks in 1U, that makes the R440 — not the higher model — the platform to look at.
Controllers are shared, and S140 is the catch
Both list PERC S140, H330, H730P and H740P. S140 is software RAID and SATA only. A plan involving SAS drives needs a hardware controller on either platform, and this is the most common specification mistake on used 14th generation servers.
Choosing between them
- NVMe now or later — R640, without exception.
- 3.5" drives in 1U — R440, which is the only one of the two that lists them.
- Eight or ten SAS/SATA drives and nothing unusual — R440, and spend the difference on memory.
- A platform you expect to re-purpose in three years — R640, for the headroom.
What these figures describe
The table sets out chassis configurations these platforms were built in, not the backplane fitted to a particular unit. Confirm against real stock before ordering.
Where to go next
- Dell PowerEdge R440 specifications and options
- Dell PowerEdge R640 specifications and options
- R640 compared with R740
- Which Dell PowerEdge rack server?
- Plan drive capacity and RAID with the Storage & RAID Advisor
- Browse refurbished Dell PowerEdge servers
Hardware bought from TekBoost carries our standard 3-year warranty with Next Business Day part replacement, subject to the terms, exclusions and conditions on that page. To have a configuration checked against real stock, request a quote.