How to choose a refurbished server
Most buyers arrive knowing the workload but not the model. Three decisions narrow it down quickly.
Rack or tower
Rack servers mount in a 19-inch cabinet and are measured in rack units — a 1U platform such as the Dell PowerEdge R640 saves height, while a 2U platform such as the R730 or R740 trades height for more drive bays and more expansion capacity. Tower servers stand on the floor and suit offices without a cabinet. If you are deploying into a rack you already own, count the free units before choosing.
Processors, memory and storage
Size the processor to the workload rather than to the model year: the installed CPU count affects how much memory and expansion the platform can use. Confirm DIMM type and the population rules for your CPU count, and check that drive size, backplane, controller and carriers match one another — not just the drive you have in mind. The figures published on each model page are platform capabilities, so treat them as the ceiling for that platform rather than as the configuration supplied with any given system. Every configure-to-order listing here resolves those dependencies for you.
Which generation
Older generations cost less and are supported by a mature parts supply; newer generations bring later processor families and faster interconnects. If you are weighing one against another, the Dell and HPE generation comparison sets them side by side, the Dell 13th generation and 14th generation ranges group the models, and the Technical Center collects the manufacturer documents.
Why configure to order is our best value
Refurbished configure-to-order systems are the option we sell most commonly, and they are where the value sits. Instead of buying a fixed build and paying for components you will not use, you select the processors, memory and storage the workload needs and see the configured price before you order. Start from a platform below, or browse by manufacturer: Dell PowerEdge or HPE ProLiant.
Need something the configurator does not list — a specific controller, a drive capacity outside the menu, or a quantity build? Send a custom quote request with the model and the components you need.
Dell PowerEdge or HPE ProLiant
Both lines are represented here and both are configured the same way. The practical differences are management tooling, parts availability and what your team already runs: matching an existing fleet keeps spares, firmware process and staff familiarity on your side. Browse Dell rack and tower servers or HPE rack servers, or compare specific generations before deciding.
If you want the longer version, the refurbished and used Dell PowerEdge and refurbished and used HPE ProLiant pages set out how the generations and chassis differ within each line.
Warranty and support
Servers, workstations and parts for those systems sold on TekBoost.com come standard with a 3-year warranty, with an option to upgrade to 5-year coverage. Warranty terms are set per product, so check the product details page for the term that applies to the system you are configuring. Full details, coverage levels and warranty registration are on the warranty page.
What used, refurbished and recertified mean in the market
These three words are used loosely across the industry and rarely mean the same thing from one seller to the next. They are industry terms rather than a grading system applied on this site, and none of them should be read as a manufacturer certification unless the manufacturer is named making it. Rather than rely on the label, check three things on any listing: what testing the hardware has been through, what warranty comes with it, and exactly which components are included in the configuration you are quoted. The terms that apply to systems sold here are set out under Warranty and support above, and the specification you receive is the one selected at checkout.
How a system is assembled matters more than the label it is given. A configure-to-order system is built to the processor, memory, storage and controller you select, which is why it is usually the better value and the option most customers here choose. Where a platform has no online configuration page, use the model information page and request a quote.
Choosing a refurbished server
Most of the decision comes down to four questions. These guides answer each one with the chassis configurations and platform specifications TekBoost actually lists, rather than generic advice.
1. Rack or tower?
A rack server needs a cabinet, rails and somewhere that tolerates the noise; a tower stands on a floor and is usually quieter. If there is no rack on site, a tower is the correct answer rather than a compromise.
- Rack vs tower: choosing a form factor — bay counts across seven platforms and where NVMe is available
2. Which generation?
Generation decides processor family, memory architecture and, increasingly, whether NVMe front bays exist at all. Neither 13th generation platform lists them; several 14th generation platforms do.
3. Which model?
- Which Dell PowerEdge rack server? — the R340 to R740XD ladder in one table
- T440 vs T640 — the Dell tower pair
- DL360 vs DL380 Gen10 and ML350 vs DL380 Gen10
4. How much storage, and what kind?
Drive capacity is a chassis and backplane decision made when the server is built. An 8-bay server cannot be populated to 16 by adding caddies, so buy the bay count you need with headroom the first time.
- R740 vs R740XD and R640 vs R740 — where NVMe backplanes are and are not listed
- Storage & RAID Advisor — plan capacity and check the complete drive path
What you get from TekBoost
Every server is built to order. Drives are wiped as they come into stock, as part of how TekBoost prepares incoming inventory. Hardware carries our standard 3-year warranty with Next Business Day part replacement, subject to the terms, exclusions and conditions on that page. If you would rather describe the workload than pick a model, request a quote.
Our chassis configuration data
We publish the full matrix of every chassis configuration we list — 65 configurations across 22 platforms — including which platforms offer NVMe front bays and where the highest bay counts actually are.