HPE ProLiant CPU Compatibility Guide

HPE ProLiant CPU compatibility is generation-, socket-, firmware- and model-dependent. A processor from one ProLiant generation cannot be installed in a server built for a different generation, and within a generation, HPE's own documentation sets explicit rules for which second processor can be paired with the first. This guide covers which CPU families each generation supports, what changes at each generation boundary, and what to check before buying, upgrading, or matching a second processor.

Quick Generation Table

Generation	Representative models	CPU family	Socket count	Max cores/socket	Memory generation
Gen9	DL360, DL380, ML350 Gen9	Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3/v4	1 or 2	Up to 22	DDR4
Gen10	DL360, DL380, ML350 Gen10	1st or 2nd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable	1 or 2	Up to 28	DDR4
Gen11	DL360, DL380, ML350 Gen11	4th or 5th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable	1 or 2	Up to 64	DDR5

No ProLiant generation in this table shares a CPU family, memory generation, or management controller with another. HPE Gen10 Plus (3rd Gen Intel Xeon Scalable) exists in HPE's lineup but is not currently part of TekBoost's catalog, so it is not covered here rather than described from outside documentation. See the generation sections below for the per-model detail and sourcing.

Gen9/Gen10/Gen11 CPU Compatibility

HPE Gen9 CPU compatibility

Gen9 ProLiant servers (DL360, DL380, ML350 Gen9) support the Intel Xeon E5-2600 v3 or v4 processor family, depending on the exact model and configuration. HPE's own DL360 Gen9 QuickSpecs documents 24 DDR4 DIMM slots per server (12 per processor, 4 memory channels per processor, 3 DIMMs per channel), topping out at 3 TB with LRDIMM or 768 GB with RDIMM. A second processor ships with a physical HPE Smart Socket Guide to support correct CPU seating. Management is handled through iLO 4.

HPE Gen10 CPU compatibility

Gen10 ProLiant servers (DL360, DL380, ML350 Gen10) support 1st or 2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors, up to 28 cores per socket on 2nd Generation. HPE's own DL360 Gen10 and DL380 Gen10 QuickSpecs both independently confirm 24 DDR4 DIMM slots (12 per processor, 6 channels per processor, 2 DIMMs per channel), and both define the same processor suffix system: "L" (large-memory, up to 4.5 TB per socket), "M" (medium-memory, up to 2.0 TB per socket), "U" (single-socket only), "V" (VM-optimized), and "Y" (Speed Select). Management moves to iLO 5, built on a dedicated ASIC.

HPE Gen11 CPU compatibility

Gen11 ProLiant servers (DL360, DL380, ML350 Gen11) support 4th or 5th Generation Intel Xeon Scalable processors, up to 64 cores per socket, with DDR5 memory across 32 DIMM slots (16 per processor, 8 channels per processor, 2 DIMMs per channel) and PCIe 5.0 — a platform-wide jump from PCIe 3.0 and DDR4 on Gen9/Gen10. HPE's own DL360 Gen11 QuickSpecs documents an expanded processor suffix system for 4th/5th Gen SKUs, including a new "H" (DB and Analytics) tier for highest core counts. Management moves to iLO 6. Storage controllers also rebrand at this generation: HPE's MR216i/MR408i/MR416i Gen11 controllers replace the Smart Array naming used on Gen9/Gen10, though select Gen10-branded controllers (e.g. E208e-p) remain offered as options.

Cross-Generation Upgrade Limits

None of the three generations in this guide share a CPU family, and HPE's own documentation states explicit, generation-specific incompatibilities rather than leaving them to be inferred:

Gen9: HPE's DL360 Gen9 QuickSpecs states plainly, "Mixing of E5-2600 v3 and E5-2600 v4 processors is not supported." The same document also notes NVDIMM support is only available on factory-configured E5-2600 v4 systems — "not supported on servers upgraded from E5-2600 v3 to E5-2600 v4 processors."
Gen10: HPE's documentation ties specific memory technologies to specific CPU generations rather than the chassis: NVDIMM support is listed only for 1st Generation Xeon Scalable processors, while HPE Persistent Memory is listed only for 2nd Generation Xeon Scalable processors (and only on specific Platinum 8200, Gold 6200/5200, and 4215 SKUs).
Gen11: HPE's DL360 Gen11 QuickSpecs is the most explicit of the three: "The required firmware for the 5th Generation Intel Xeon Processors is not compatible with the DL360 Gen11 system board shipped with the 4th Generation Intel Xeon Processors. A new server order (latest firmware system board) is required for the activation of the 5th Generation Intel Xeon Processors. Field upgrade from the 4th Generation... to the 5th Generation is not supported."

A Gen9, Gen10, or Gen11 processor cannot be moved into a server built for a different generation. This follows directly from the platform and firmware changes HPE documents at each boundary, not from an assumption about physical socket compatibility.

Dual-Socket CPU Guidance

HPE's own documentation sets an explicit second-processor rule for each generation covered here, rather than leaving dual-socket population to assumption:

Gen9: A second processor ships with a physical HPE Smart Socket Guide specifically to support correct installation.
Gen10: HPE's own ordering guidance states, "For second processor, please select the same processor model" — documented through matched SKU pairs (e.g. a first processor as an "-L21" option, the second as the matching "-B21" option of the identical model).
Gen11: HPE's QuickSpecs states directly, "Mixing of 2 different processor models is not supported," and separately that the quantity of installed processors and installed heatsinks must match.

Confirm the exact pairing requirement for a specific model and processor pair against its own HPE documentation before populating a second socket.

Model-Specific References

Configure/Shop Options

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. Every system is tested before shipment. To confirm an exact processor and configuration against current stock, request a quote.

Methodology and sources

Last reviewed: 2026-11-13. CPU family, socket count, core counts, memory architecture, and documented cross-generation/dual-socket rules are drawn directly from HPE's official QuickSpecs for the DL360 Gen9 (document c04346229enw), DL360 Gen10 (a00008159enw), DL380 Gen10 (a00008180enw), and DL360 Gen11 (a50004306enw), each read and searched in full for this guide. HPE marks the Gen9 and Gen10 documents as retired editions for obsolete base products; they are cited here as the authoritative primary source available for direct reference, not presented as current. No physical socket pin designation is stated in any of the three documents reviewed, so that field is omitted rather than estimated. TekBoost's current HPE catalog spans Gen9, Gen10, and Gen11; Gen10 Plus is not covered because it is not part of TekBoost's current lineup.

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