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Head-to-head · every figure from the vendor documents

Dell R860 vs HPE DL560 Gen11

A specification-by-specification comparison of the Dell PowerEdge R860 and the HPE ProLiant DL560 Gen11, built from Dell’s and HPE’s own documents. 2 headline measures favour the R860, 2 favour the DL560 Gen11, and 9 processors appear in both lists.

Bottom line. R860 leads on storage density. DL560 Gen11 leads on AI and acceleration, network throughput. Neither vendor publishes benchmarks for these machines, so every call here is made on what their documents state.

Dell PowerEdge R860 front with 24 × 2.5-inch drive bays across the 2U panel, control panel at left, USB and VGA at right
Dell PowerEdge
R860
2U Rack4 sockets64 DIMMiDRAC9
Configure the R860 →Full data sheet
VS
HPE ProLiant DL560 Gen11 2U front, bezel fitted over three boxes of SFF drive bays, with iLO and USB ports and the model badge on the right ear
HPE ProLiant
DL560 Gen11
2U Rack4 sockets64 DIMMHPE iLO 6
Configure the DL560 Gen11 →Full data sheet
01 — Scoreboard

The measures that decide it

Each row is a figure both vendors publish. Bars show the split between the two; a badge marks the larger figure, which is not always the better buy — a shallower chassis or a lower power ceiling can matter more.

4
Processor sockets
4
240
Cores, fully populated
Largest listed processor × its socket count
240
16 TB
Memory ceiling
As each document states it
16 TB
28Higher
Drive bays
24
None listed
Accelerators
HigherUp to 2
2,800 WHigher
Largest power supply
2,200 W
2U Rack
Rack height
2U Rack
100 GbE class
Fastest network option
Higher200 GbE class
02 — Verdict

Which one, and why

Drawn from the measures above and each model’s own data sheet. Neither vendor publishes benchmark results for these servers, so nothing here claims one is “faster”.

Choose the R860 if…

  • Drive bays: 28 against 24 on the DL560 Gen11
  • Largest power supply: 2,800 W against 2,200 W on the DL560 Gen11
  • Four sockets and 64 DIMM slots in 2U — up to 240 cores and 16 TB of DDR5 — where Dell’s R960 needs 4U for the same processors and memory.

Choose the DL560 Gen11 if…

  • Accelerators: Up to 2 against None listed on the R860
  • Fastest network option: 200 GbE class against 100 GbE class on the R860
  • 240 cores from four 60-core Platinum 8490H processors, with sixteen DIMM slots per socket, in a 2U chassis.
03 — By workload

Where each one pulls ahead

Calls made on documented capacity only — cores, memory, bays, accelerators and network options — with the figures behind each one shown.

VirtualisationR860: 240 cores with 16 TB. DL560 Gen11: 240 cores with 16 TB.Line ball
Databases & in-memoryMemory ceiling 16 TB against 16 TB, across 64 and 64 DIMM slots.Line ball
Storage density28 bays in 2U against 24 in 2U.R860
AI & accelerationno accelerators against 2 in the vendor documents.DL560 Gen11
Network throughputFastest card listed: 100 GbE class against 200 GbE class.DL560 Gen11
04 — Specifications

Side by side, differences first

Everything both documents state, grouped. The default view hides rows where the two machines are identical.

Processors

Every processor each vendor lists for the model, from its own document.

SpecificationR860DL560 Gen11
Processors listed109

Memory

SpecificationR860DL560 Gen11
Fastest rated speed5,600 MT/s4,800 MT/s
Memory typesRDIMM DDR5-4800 · RDIMM DDR5-5600RDIMM DDR5-4800

Storage

Bay counts are the maximum each document states, including rear and mid-chassis positions.

SpecificationR860DL560 Gen11
Maximum bays2824
Documented layouts134
Boot devicesBOSS-N1HPE NS204i-u Gen11 NVMe Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device · HPE ProLiant DL560 Gen11 NS204i-u Front Enablement Kit · HPE ProLiant DL380a/DL560 Gen11 NS204i-u Rear Enablement Kit
Storage controllers912

Accelerators & I/O

SpecificationR860DL560 Gen11
Accelerators supportedNone listedUp to 2
Double-wide cards listed01
OCP slots12
PCIe network slots86
Network cards listed1433

Power & platform

SpecificationR860DL560 Gen11
Output range1,100–2,800 W800–2,200 W
Input typesACAC · −48 V DC
ManagementiDRAC9HPE iLO 6
Chassis depthVendors measure depth differently — see each data sheet883.2 mm with bezel / 869.2 mm without bezel (Features table)80.6 cm (31.75 in) deep (SFF CTO servers: 8.75 x 43.3 x 80.6 cm)
05 — The data

Processors, memory, bays and power

The same charts each data sheet carries, drawn to the same scale so the two ranges can be read against each other.

R860: processors by cores and TDP

Dell PowerEdge R860 processors0816243240485664150 W200 W250 W300 W350 WCores per processorIntel Xeon Platinum 8490H — 60 cores / 120 threads · 350 W · 1.9 GHz base · 113 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Platinum 8468H — 48 cores / 96 threads · 330 W · 2.1 GHz base · 105 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Platinum 8460H — 40 cores / 80 threads · 330 W · 2.2 GHz base · 105 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Platinum 8454H — 32 cores / 64 threads · 270 W · 2.1 GHz base · 83 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Gold 6448H — 32 cores / 64 threads · 250 W · 2.4 GHz base · 60 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Platinum 8450H — 28 cores / 56 threads · 250 W · 2 GHz base · 75 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Gold 6418H — 24 cores / 48 threads · 185 W · 2.1 GHz base · 60 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Gold 6416H — 18 cores / 36 threads · 165 W · 2.2 GHz base · 45 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Platinum 8444H — 16 cores / 32 threads · 270 W · 2.9 GHz base · 45 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Gold 6434H — 8 cores / 16 threads · 195 W · 3.7 GHz base · 23 MB cache · DDR5-48008490H60 cores · 5.8 W/core — top SKU and most efficient
4th Gen Xeon Scalable 10Bubble size = L3 cache · hover a bubble for the full SKU

DL560 Gen11: processors by cores and TDP

HPE ProLiant DL560 Gen11 processors0816243240485664150 W200 W250 W300 W350 WCores per processorIntel Xeon-Platinum 8490H — 60 cores · 350 W · 1.9 GHz base · 112.5 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon-Platinum 8468H — 48 cores · 330 W · 2.1 GHz base · 105 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon-Platinum 8460H — 40 cores · 330 W · 2.2 GHz base · 105 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon-Gold 6448H — 32 cores · 250 W · 2.4 GHz base · 60 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon-Platinum 8450H — 28 cores · 250 W · 2 GHz base · 75 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon-Gold 6418H — 24 cores · 185 W · 2.1 GHz base · 60 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon-Gold 6416H — 18 cores · 165 W · 2.2 GHz base · 45 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon-Platinum 8444H — 16 cores · 270 W · 2.9 GHz base · 45 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon-Gold 6434H — 8 cores · 195 W · 3.7 GHz base · 22.5 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon-Platinum 8490H60 cores · 5.8 W/core — top SKU and most efficient
4th Gen Xeon Scalable 9Bubble size = L3 cache · hover a bubble for the full SKU

R860: memory with every slot filled

16 GB1 TB32 GB2 TB64 GB4 TB96 GB6 TB128 GB8 TB256 GB16 TB64 slots · 16 per processor · each tick = one DIMM

DL560 Gen11: memory with every slot filled

16 GB1 TB32 GB2 TB64 GB4 TB96 GB6 TB128 GB8 TB256 GB16 TB64 slots · 16 per processor · each tick = one DIMM

R860: drive bays

Front panel

Rear module

24 × 2.5" SAS/SATA at the front, plus 4 × EDSFF NVMe at the rear — 28 bays in total.

SAS/SATANVMeSAS/SATA + NVMe

DL560 Gen11: drive bays

Front panel

12 × EDSFF NVMe at the front — 12 bays in total.

SAS/SATANVMeSAS/SATA + NVMe

R860: power supplies

0500100015002000250030001100 W Titanium — Mixed mode (100-240 V AC / 240 V DC); 1050 W at low line 100-120 V; 60 mm10501100Titanium1400 W Platinum — Mixed mode (100-240 V AC / 240 V DC); 1050 W at low line 100-120 V; 60 mm10501400Platinum1800 W Titanium — Mixed mode (200-240 V AC / 240 V DC); no 100-120 V low-line rating; 60 mm1800Titanium2400 W Platinum — Mixed mode (100-240 V AC / 240 V DC); 1400 W at low line 100-120 V; 86 mm14002400Platinum2800 W Titanium — Mixed mode (200-240 V AC / 240 V DC); no 100-120 V low-line rating; 86 mm2800TitaniumWatts · dashed line = output at 100–120 V low line
AC

DL560 Gen11: power supplies

05001000150020002500800 W Platinum — HPE 800W Flex Slot Platinum Hot Plug Low Halogen Power Supply Kit; HPE Flex Slot family; up to 94% efficiency; C-14 inlet; 800W at 100/240 VAC (240 VDC China only)800Platinum1000 W Titanium — HPE 1000W Flex Slot Titanium Hot Plug Power Supply Kit; HPE Flex Slot family; up to 96% efficiency; C-14 inlet; EU ErP Lot 9 compliant (96%). Standard Features calls it '...Hot Plug Low Halogen Power Supply Kit'.1000Titanium1600 W null — HPE 1600W Flex Slot -48VDC Hot Plug Power Supply Kit; HPE Flex Slot family; Standard Features names it 'HPE 1600W FS 48VDC Hot Plug LH Power Supply Kit' with '94% efficiency'; no 80 PLUS tier printed. Tech Specs rated steady-state/peak shows 800W (at -40 Vdc / -72 Vdc) - contradicts 1600W name.1600DC1600 W Platinum — HPE 1600W Flex Slot Platinum Hot Plug Low Halogen Power Supply Kit; HPE Flex Slot family; up to 94% efficiency; C-14 inlet; Core Options note calls it 'Platinum Plus'1600Platinum2200 W Titanium — HPE 1800W-2200W Flex Slot Titanium Hot Plug Power Supply Kit; HPE Flex Slot family; up to 96% efficiency; C-14 inlet; 1800W-2200W at 200-240 VAC, 2200W at 240 VDC (China only); output capped at 1600W on Gen10/Gen10 Plus; EU ErP Lot 9 compliant (96%)2200TitaniumWatts · dashed line = output at 100–120 V low line
AC−48 V DC
06 — Like for like

9 processors you can order in either

Both vendor documents list these parts, so a build can be matched across the two and the comparison comes down to the chassis: 1 more are exclusive to the R860 and 0 to the DL560 Gen11.

ProcessorCoresTDP
Intel Xeon Platinum 8490H60350 W
Intel Xeon Platinum 8468H48330 W
Intel Xeon Platinum 8460H40330 W
Intel Xeon Gold 6448H32250 W
Intel Xeon Platinum 8450H28250 W
Intel Xeon Gold 6418H24185 W
Intel Xeon Gold 6416H18165 W
Intel Xeon Platinum 8444H16270 W
Intel Xeon Gold 6434H8195 W
07 — Questions

R860 vs DL560 Gen11, answered

Is the R860 or the DL560 Gen11 the faster server?

Neither document publishes benchmark results, so this page compares what they do state. The R860 lists 10 processors up to 60 cores at 350 W; the DL560 Gen11 lists 9 up to 60 cores at 350 W. Fully populated that is 240 cores against 240.

Which holds more memory?

The R860 has 64 DIMM slots and a stated ceiling of 16 TB. The DL560 Gen11 has 64 and 16.0 TB.

Which takes more drives?

R860: 28 bays across 13 documented layouts. DL560 Gen11: 24 across 4. Counts include rear and mid-chassis positions where the vendor documents them.

Can either take GPUs?

R860: no accelerator option in its document. DL560 Gen11: up to 2, 1 double-wide listed.

Do they share any processors?

Yes — 9 processors appear in both documents, including the Intel Xeon Platinum 8490H. That makes a like-for-like build possible on either server.

Where these figures come from. R860: Dell PowerEdge R860 Technical Guide (December 2024, Rev. A05) (Dell document). DL560 Gen11: HPE ProLiant DL560 Gen11 QuickSpecs (Version 33 - 03-Aug-2026) (HPE document). Each claim on this page is derived from those documents, checked page by page on the two data sheets, and carries no pricing.

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