Dell PowerEdge R540 2U Rack Server
The Dell PowerEdge R540 is a 14th Generation dual-socket 2U rack server and the cost-effective alternative to the R740. It supports up to 14 total drives (12 front 3.5-inch + 2 rear 3.5-inch) with Intel Xeon Scalable processors up to 20 cores per socket, 16 DDR4 DIMM slots, and up to 1 TB of memory.
Enterasource offers the R540 with 12x3.5-inch LFF front bays plus optional 2x3.5-inch rear bays. Each server is built to order, tested through our multi-point hardware diagnostic process, and backed by a 2-year Enterasource warranty.
The R540 includes iDRAC9 with Redfish API, PERC H330/H730P/H740P RAID controllers, BOSS M.2 boot, and a compact 693mm chassis depth. For file servers, backup targets, development environments, and storage workloads that do not need the R740's GPU support or 8 PCIe slots, the R540 delivers at a lower price.
Starting at
$623.50Total Price:
$0.00
What to Expect from Enterasource
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Complimentary ground shipping on orders over $50 throughout the contiguous United States (exclusions apply to Hawaii and Alaska).
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Our commitment to exceptional customer service and timely delivery make us the ideal choice for all your IT hardware needs. Choose Enterasource for a hassle-free experience and the highest quality product on the market.
Dell PowerEdge R540 2U Rack Server
Manufacturer:
Dell
Condition:
Refurbished
Availability:
Ships in 5-7 Business Days
Description
Dell PowerEdge R540 Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Form Factor | 2U Rack |
| Processors | Up to 2x Intel Xeon Scalable (up to 20 cores per socket) |
| Max Cores | 40 total |
| Memory Slots | 16x DDR4 RDIMM/LRDIMM |
| Max Memory | 1 TB (up to 2666 MT/s) |
| Front Drive Bays | 12x 3.5" SAS/SATA |
| Rear Drive Bays | Optional 2x 3.5" |
| Total Max Drives | 14 |
| Max Storage | 168 TB front (12x 14 TB) + 28 TB rear |
| RAID Controllers | S140 (SW), H330, H730P, H740P, HBA330, H840 (external) |
| BOSS Card | 2x M.2 SATA (120/240 GB) RAID1 |
| Embedded NIC | 2x 1GbE LOM + optional riser |
| Management | iDRAC9 with Lifecycle Controller, Redfish API, Quick Sync 2 |
| Power Supply | 450W Bronze, 495W/750W/1100W Platinum, 750W Titanium |
| Security | TPM 1.2/2.0, Silicon Root of Trust, Secure Boot, System Lockdown |
| Chassis Depth | 693 mm (compact for 2U) |
Dell R540 vs R740 — Budget vs Full-Featured 14G 2U
| Feature | R540 (Budget) | R740 (Full-Featured) |
|---|---|---|
| Max Cores Per CPU | 20 | 28 |
| DIMM Slots | 16 | 24 |
| Max Memory | 1 TB | 3 TB |
| Front Drive Bays | 12x 3.5" | 8x 3.5" or 16x 2.5" |
| Rear Drive Bays | 2x 3.5" | None |
| Total Drives | 14 | 16 |
| PCIe Slots | Limited | Up to 8 |
| GPU Support | None | Up to 3x 300W DW |
| NDC | 2x 1GbE LOM + optional riser | Dedicated NDC (up to 25GbE) |
| Persistent Memory | None | NVDIMM-N + Optane |
| Max PSU | 1100W | 2400W |
| Chassis Depth | 693 mm (compact) | 715 mm |
| Price | Lower | Higher |
Choose the R540 for budget file/backup storage with up to 14x 3.5-inch drives and a compact chassis. Choose the R740 when you need GPU support, extensive PCIe expansion, persistent memory, or more than 1 TB RAM.
Browse all Dell PowerEdge servers available at Enterasource.
Frequently Asked Questions
What generation is the Dell R540?
The Dell PowerEdge R540 is a 14th Generation (14G) server using Intel Xeon Scalable processors. The 13th Gen predecessor is the R530; the 15th Gen successor is the R550.
What is the difference between the Dell R540 and R740?
The R540 is the budget 2U with 16 DIMM slots (vs 24), max 20 cores per CPU (vs 28), no GPU support, and limited PCIe. The R740 adds 8 PCIe slots, up to 3x 300W GPUs, 25GbE NDC, and persistent memory. The R540 supports up to 14 drives (12 front 3.5-inch + 2 rear 3.5-inch) at a lower price.
How much does a refurbished Dell R540 cost?
Pricing depends on processor, memory, and storage configuration. Enterasource builds every R540 to order with a 2-year warranty and free ground shipping to the lower 48 states.
Resources
Technical Specs
| Part Type | Server |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Dell |
| MPN | R540 |
| Condition | Refurbished |
| Product Line | PowerEdge |
| Generation | 14th |
| Form Factor | Rackmount |
| Rack Units | 2U |
| Flex Bay 3.5" Drive Bays | 2 optional |
| Processor Manufacturer | Intel |
| CPU Series | 2nd Gen Scalable |
| CPU Slots | 2 |
| Memory Speed Supported | PC4-21300 |
| Transfer Rates Supported | 12Gbps |
| DIMM Slots | 16 |
| Memory Riser Support | No |
|---|---|
| Internal Controllers Supported | PERC H330, H730p, H740p, HBA330, Software RAID (SWRAID) S140 |
| External Controllers Supported | 12 Gbps SAS HBA |
| RAID Levels Supported | 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50, 60 |
| Drive Types Supported | NL SAS, SAS, SATA, SSD |
| Base NIC | 2x 1GBASE-T LOM |
| PCI-E Slots | 2 |
| PCI-E Version | 3 |
| USB Ports | 4 |
| Power Supply Type | AC, DC |
| Power Supply Slots | 2 |
| PSU Wattage | Up to 1100W |
| System Management | iDRAC9 |
| Optical Drive Support | No |
| Card Reader Support | MicroSD Card Reader Optional |
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