The T440 and T640 are Dell's two 14th generation tower servers. Both are 5U floor-standing chassis, both take the same generation of processors, and they are often priced closer together than people expect. The difference is how far each one scales — drive bays first, then everything that follows from a bigger chassis.
Drive configurations compared
These are the chassis configurations TekBoost lists for each platform.
| PowerEdge T440 | PowerEdge T640 | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | 5U tower | 5U tower |
| Generation | Dell 14th generation | Dell 14th generation |
| 3.5" configurations | Up to 8 SAS/SATA | Up to 8 SAS/SATA Up to 18 SAS/SATA (quote required) |
| 2.5" configurations | Up to 16 SAS/SATA | Up to 16 SAS/SATA Up to 32 SAS/SATA (quote required) |
| Maximum listed drive count | 16 | 32 |
What the difference actually means
At the entry configurations they are the same machine
An 8-bay 3.5" T440 and an 8-bay 3.5" T640 hold the same number of drives. If the requirement is eight large drives in a tower, the T440 meets it, and it is the less expensive platform. Paying for a T640 to run it at T440 capacity buys nothing on day one.
The T640 is the one that keeps going
The T640 doubles the ceiling in both form factors: 18 x 3.5" against 8, and 32 x 2.5" against 16. That is the entire reason the platform exists. If the server is a file store, a backup target, a media library or a virtualisation host with local storage, the T440 will reach its limit first and cannot be extended past it.
The large T640 configurations are quote-only here
Worth being precise: the 18-bay 3.5" and 32-bay 2.5" T640 configurations are listed by TekBoost as quote required, not as standard stock builds. They exist as platform configurations, but availability and price are confirmed per request rather than assumed. Plan on a lead time for those.
The backplane is fixed when the server is built
This is the practical trap on the used market, and it applies to both platforms. Drive capacity is a chassis and backplane decision made at build. An 8-bay T440 cannot be populated to 16 by buying caddies, because the backplane is different hardware. Buy the bay count you need with headroom the first time.
Towers are not just racks on their side
A 5U tower needs floor space rather than rack units, runs without rails, and is usually quieter than an equivalent rack server because the fans are larger and turn slower. For a branch office, a workshop or a small business without a comms room, that is frequently the deciding factor rather than any specification in the table.
Choosing between them
Pick the T440 when the workload is known, the drive count is settled at eight or sixteen, and the budget matters. Pick the T640 when storage is expected to grow, when the machine is the only server on site, or when consolidating several roles onto one box.
What these figures describe
The table sets out the chassis configurations these platforms were built in. It does not describe the backplane fitted to a particular unit. Confirm the configuration against real stock before ordering.
Where to go next
- Dell PowerEdge T440 specifications and options
- Dell PowerEdge T640 specifications and options
- Rack or tower: choosing a PowerEdge form factor
- 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.