The Dell PowerEdge R740 16-Bay SFF 2U Rackmount Server is a professionally refurbished dual-socket platform built on Dell's 14th-generation PowerEdge architecture. Sixteen hot-swap 2.5" SFF drive bays, dual Intel Xeon Scalable processor sockets, and up to 3TB of DDR4 memory — all in a clean 2U chassis. It's a well-rounded machine aimed at organizations that need serious compute and respectable SFF storage density without moving up to the R740xd's larger footprint. Worth noting: this is the standard R740, not the extended-depth xd variant, which means the PCIe riser layout is optimized for compute-focused workloads rather than maximum bay count.
When it comes to processing, this server supports two Intel Xeon Scalable processors (1st and 2nd Gen), ranging from Silver 4110s through Platinum 8270s — up to 28 cores per socket. Memory runs across 24 DDR4 DIMM slots (12 per processor), with speeds available at 2400, 2666, and 2933MHz and a 3TB maximum. Storage is handled across 16 hot-swap 2.5" SFF bays supporting SAS HDD, SATA SSD, and SAS SSD drives, with controller options from the entry-level H330 up through the H740p with 8GB of battery-backed cache. One thing that stands out here is the PCIe expansion: the R740's riser configuration supports up to 8 PCIe Gen 3 slots, which gives this platform more flexibility for add-in networking, storage HBAs, or accelerator cards than many 2U peers.
This is a workhorse platform that thrives in environments like:
- Virtualization hosts running VMware, Hyper-V, or KVM — dual-socket Xeon Scalable compute paired with up to 3TB of DDR4 gives hypervisors the headroom to run dense VM workloads comfortably without resource contention.
- Database servers with moderate local storage requirements — 16 SFF bays cover a solid range of database storage scenarios, and the Xeon Scalable platform handles transactional and analytical query loads without issue.
- Private cloud and OpenStack infrastructure nodes — consistent, configurable hardware with a known performance profile is exactly what cloud fabric nodes need; this platform delivers on both counts.
- Web and application servers with fast SSD tiers — SATA and SAS SSD options across all 16 bays let operations teams build all-flash or tiered storage configurations matched to their application stack.
- HPC clusters and parallel compute workloads — high core counts, large memory capacity, and broad PCIe expansion support make this a capable building block for on-premises compute clusters.
- GPU-assisted workloads and AI inference — the PCIe riser configuration supports add-in GPU cards including the NVIDIA Tesla M10, A2, and V100, making this a usable platform for teams that need accelerated compute without a dedicated GPU chassis.
Redundant power is covered by dual hot-swap PSUs — available in 750W Platinum, 750W Titanium, or 1100W configurations — so a single supply failure stays a non-event. Remote management is via iDRAC9 with Lifecycle Controller, covering out-of-band access, system health monitoring, and firmware management from anywhere on the network. For environments with compliance or data security requirements, an optional TPM 2.0 module is available at configuration, and the platform supports Dell's full suite of Secure Boot and system lockdown features.
Each unit is a professionally refurbished server pulled from an enterprise data center, fully tested, and configured to your exact specifications before it ships. You're getting proven Dell hardware at a substantial discount compared to new — backed by a 90-day warranty and The Server Store's team of people who actually know these machines.
At The Server Store, we don't just sell refurbished Dell PowerEdge R740 servers — we configure them, test them, and make sure you're getting exactly the system you need. Our team is available by phone or chat whenever you need us. Browse our full selection of professionally refurbished, custom-configured servers and IT equipment at The Server Store.
