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

Dell XE8640 vs HPE Compute XD690

A specification-by-specification comparison of the Dell PowerEdge XE8640 and the HPE Compute XD690, built from Dell’s and HPE’s own documents. 2 headline measures favour the XE8640, 2 favour the Compute XD690, and they share no processors.

Bottom line. XE8640 leads on virtualisation, databases and in-memory work, storage density. Compute XD690 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 XE8640 front with eight 2.5-inch NVMe bays above five hot-swap GPU fans, with a control panel at each side
Dell PowerEdge
XE8640
4U Rack2 sockets32 DIMMiDRAC9
Configure the XE8640 →Full data sheet
VS
HPE Compute XD690 10U front: twelve modules in two rows of six above an HPE-logo mesh intake; lower tray with eight E1.S bays and I/O ports
HPE ProLiant
Compute XD690
10U Rack2 sockets32 DIMMHPE Compute XD690 Baseboard Management Controller
Configure the Compute XD690 →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.

2
Processor sockets
2
128
Cores, fully populated
Largest listed processor × its socket count
128
4 TBHigher
Memory ceiling
As each document states it
3 TB
8
Drive bays
8
Up to 4
Accelerators
HigherUp to 8
3,200 W
Largest power supply
3,200 W
4U RackHigher
Rack height
10U Rack
200 GbE class
Fastest network option
Higher400 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 XE8640 if…

  • Memory ceiling: 4 TB against 3 TB on the Compute XD690
  • Rack height: 4U Rack against 10U Rack on the Compute XD690
  • Four H100 SXM5 GPUs at 700 W each share one HGX board, and Dell quotes up to 900 GB/s of NVLink bandwidth between them.

Choose the Compute XD690 if…

  • Accelerators: Up to 8 against Up to 4 on the XE8640
  • Fastest network option: 400 GbE class against 200 GbE class on the XE8640
  • Eight NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra GPUs on an HGX B300 board in a chassis designed for air-cooled infrastructure, with ARCS or a rear door heat exchanger as options.
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.

VirtualisationXE8640: 128 cores with 4 TB. Compute XD690: 128 cores with 3 TB.XE8640
Databases & in-memoryMemory ceiling 4 TB against 3 TB, across 32 and 32 DIMM slots.XE8640
Storage density8 bays in 4U against 8 in 10U.XE8640
AI & acceleration4 accelerators against 8 in the vendor documents.Compute XD690
Network throughputFastest card listed: 200 GbE class against 400 GbE class.Compute XD690
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.

SpecificationXE8640Compute XD690
Processors listed152
Processor families4th Gen Xeon Scalable · 5th Gen Xeon ScalableXeon 6 P-core

Memory

SpecificationXE8640Compute XD690
Largest module listed128 GB96 GB
Fastest rated speed5,600 MT/s6,400 MT/s
Memory typesRDIMM DDR5-4800 · RDIMM 3DS DDR5-4800 · RDIMM DDR5-5600 · RDIMM 3DS DDR5-5600RDIMM DDR5-6400

Storage

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

SpecificationXE8640Compute XD690
Documented layouts31
Bay sizes2.5-inch · E3.SE3.S
Boot devicesBOSS-N1 (2 x M.2 NVMe, HW RAID 1)HPE Compute XD 1.92 TB NVMe Read Intensive M.2 2280 SSD (S6V50A), up to 2 on a single carrier card (the document does not explicitly label it a boot device)
Storage controllers30

Accelerators & I/O

SpecificationXE8640Compute XD690
Accelerators supportedUp to 4Up to 8
OCP slots10
PCIe network slots42
Network cards listed185

Power & platform

SpecificationXE8640Compute XD690
Power-supply options21
Output range2,800–3,200 W3,200–3,200 W
Input typesAC · 277 VAC / HVDCAC
ManagementiDRAC9HPE Compute XD690 Baseboard Management Controller
Chassis depthVendors measure depth differently — see each data sheet865.54 mm ear to PSU handle (spec sheet: 901.4 mm with bezel)800 mm (31.5 in) deep
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.

XE8640: processors by cores and TDP

Dell PowerEdge XE8640 processors0816243240485664150 W200 W250 W300 W350 WCores per processorIntel Xeon Platinum 8480+ — 56 cores / 112 threads · 350 W · 2 GHz base · 105 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Platinum 8470 — 52 cores / 104 threads · 350 W · 2 GHz base · 98 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Platinum 8468 — 48 cores / 96 threads · 350 W · 2.1 GHz base · 90 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Platinum 8460Y+ — 40 cores / 80 threads · 300 W · 2 GHz base · 75 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Platinum 8452Y — 36 cores / 72 threads · 300 W · 2 GHz base · 67.5 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Platinum 8462Y+ — 32 cores / 64 threads · 300 W · 2.8 GHz base · 60 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Gold 6448Y — 32 cores / 64 threads · 225 W · 2.2 GHz base · 60 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Gold 6442Y — 24 cores / 48 threads · 225 W · 2.6 GHz base · 45 MB cache · DDR5-4800Intel Xeon Gold 5418Y — 24 cores / 48 threads · 185 W · 2 GHz base · 45 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon Platinum 8592+ — 64 cores / 128 threads · 350 W · 1.9 GHz base · 320 MB cache · DDR5-5600Intel Xeon Platinum 8580 — 60 cores / 120 threads · 350 W · 2 GHz base · 300 MB cache · DDR5-5600Intel Xeon Platinum 8568Y+ — 48 cores / 96 threads · 350 W · 2.3 GHz base · 300 MB cache · DDR5-5600Intel Xeon Platinum 8562Y+ — 32 cores / 64 threads · 300 W · 2.8 GHz base · 60 MB cache · DDR5-5600Intel Xeon Gold 6548Y+ — 32 cores / 64 threads · 250 W · 2.5 GHz base · 60 MB cache · DDR5-5200Intel Xeon Gold 6542Y — 24 cores / 48 threads · 250 W · 2.9 GHz base · 60 MB cache · DDR5-52008592+64 cores · 5.5 W/core — top SKU and most efficient
4th Gen Xeon Scalable 95th Gen Xeon Scalable 6Bubble size = L3 cache · hover a bubble for the full SKU

Compute XD690: processors by cores and TDP

HPE Compute XD690 processors0816243240485664350 WCores per processorIntel Xeon 6776P — 64 cores · 350 W · 2.3 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6767P — 64 cores · 350 W · 2.4 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-64006776P64 cores · 5.5 W/core — top SKU and most efficient
Xeon 6 P-core 2Bubble size = L3 cache · hover a bubble for the full SKU

XE8640: memory with every slot filled

32 GB1 TB64 GB2 TB96 GB3 TB128 GB4 TB32 slots · 16 per processor · each tick = one DIMM

Compute XD690: memory with every slot filled

64 GB2 TB96 GB3 TB32 slots · 16 per processor · each tick = one DIMM

XE8640: drive bays

Front panel

8 × EDSFF NVMe at the front — 8 bays in total.

SAS/SATANVMeSAS/SATA + NVMe

Compute XD690: drive bays

Front panel

8 × EDSFF NVMe at the front — 8 bays in total.

SAS/SATANVMeSAS/SATA + NVMe

XE8640: power supplies

05001000150020002500300035002800 W Titanium — Mixed mode: 200-240 V AC (15.6 A) or 240 V DC (13.6 A); 86 mm; C22 input socket needs C21-to-C20 jumper cord (C20/C19 cords do not fit). 54 V PSU. Four PSUs installed2800Titanium3200 W Titanium — Mixed mode: 277 V AC (13 A) or 336 V DC HVDC (11.5 A); 86 mm; APP 2006G1 cord. Spec sheet lists 260-400 VDC3200TitaniumWatts · dashed line = output at 100–120 V low line
AC277 VAC / HVDC

Compute XD690: power supplies

05001000150020002500300035003200 W Titanium — 12x Titanium 3,200-Watt 200-240 VAC input supplies in an embedded kit included with chassis S6G97A; configuration is fixed and non-selectable. PSU family not named: the document mentions neither Flex Slot nor M-CRPS, and hot-plug is not stated. Standard power draw 14.3 kW continuous, 16.4 kW peak. 12 x S6V53A HPE Compute XD690 C19-C20 250 V 20A 1 m D-Lock power cords included.3200TitaniumWatts · dashed line = output at 100–120 V low line
AC
07 — Questions

XE8640 vs Compute XD690, answered

Is the XE8640 or the Compute XD690 the faster server?

Neither document publishes benchmark results, so this page compares what they do state. The XE8640 lists 15 processors up to 64 cores at 350 W; the Compute XD690 lists 2 up to 64 cores at 350 W. Fully populated that is 128 cores against 128.

Which holds more memory?

The XE8640 has 32 DIMM slots and a stated ceiling of 4 TB. The Compute XD690 has 32 and 3 TB practical ceiling.

Which takes more drives?

XE8640: 8 bays across 3 documented layouts. Compute XD690: 8 across 1. Counts include rear and mid-chassis positions where the vendor documents them.

Can either take GPUs?

XE8640: up to 4 accelerators, 0 double-wide cards listed. Compute XD690: up to 8, 0 double-wide listed.

Do they share any processors?

No. The two documents list different processors, so a like-for-like processor build is not possible across these two.

Where these figures come from. XE8640: Dell PowerEdge XE8640 Technical Guide (Rev. A05, December 2024) (Dell document). Compute XD690: HPE Compute XD690 QuickSpecs (Version 6 - 06-July-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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