The R740 and R740XD are the same 2U Dell PowerEdge 14th generation server with different drive backplanes. Processors, memory and expansion are shared. The XD exists for one reason: more drives, and NVMe. If storage is not the constraint, the R740 is the same machine for less.
Drive configurations compared
These are the chassis configurations TekBoost lists for each platform.
| PowerEdge R740 | PowerEdge R740XD | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | 2U rackmount | 2U rackmount |
| Generation | Dell 14th generation | Dell 14th generation |
| 2.5" configurations | Up to 8 SAS/SATA Up to 16 SAS/SATA |
Up to 24 SAS/SATA Up to 24 SAS/SATA plus 4 rear SAS/SATA |
| 3.5" configurations | Up to 8 SAS/SATA | Up to 12 SAS/SATA Up to 12 SAS/SATA plus 2 rear SAS/SATA Up to 12 SAS/SATA plus 4 internal SAS/SATA |
| NVMe-capable backplanes | Not listed | Up to 12 NVMe/SAS/SATA plus 12 SAS/SATA Up to 24 NVMe/SAS/SATA |
| Maximum listed drive count | 16 | 28 (24 front plus 4 rear) |
What the difference actually means
Drive count is the whole comparison
An R740 tops out at 16 x 2.5" or 8 x 3.5". An R740XD reaches 24 x 2.5" front, and adds rear and internal bay options that the R740 does not offer. If you need more than sixteen 2.5" drives or more than eight 3.5" drives in 2U, the XD is not a preference, it is the requirement.
NVMe is the second reason, and it is XD-only here
The NVMe-capable backplanes are listed for the R740XD and not for the R740. Two are available: a split configuration of 12 NVMe/SAS/SATA plus 12 SAS/SATA, and an all-24 NVMe/SAS/SATA configuration. If the design calls for NVMe in front bays rather than on add-in cards, that decides the platform.
Worth being precise about: a backplane being NVMe-capable is not the same as a unit arriving with NVMe drives fitted, and the split configuration means only half the bays take NVMe.
The backplane is chosen at build, not later
This is the practical trap on the used market. The drive configuration is a chassis and backplane decision made when the server is built. You cannot buy an 8-bay R740 and populate it to 16 by adding caddies — the backplane is different hardware. Buy the bay count you need, with headroom, the first time.
Rear and internal bays are not equivalent to front bays
The R740XD's 4 rear 2.5" and 2 rear 3.5" options, and the 4 internal 3.5" option, are genuinely useful for boot or cache volumes. They are less convenient for drives you expect to replace often, because access differs from the hot-plug front bays.
If storage is not the constraint
Both platforms are the same 2U 14th generation server otherwise. When the workload needs cores and memory rather than spindles — virtualisation hosts with shared storage, application servers, compute nodes — the R740 is usually the better value, and the money saved is better spent on memory.
Where to go next
- Dell PowerEdge R740 specifications and options
- Dell PowerEdge R740xd specifications and options
- R730XD compared with R740XD
- 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.