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

HPE DL380 Gen12 vs HPE DL380a Gen12

A specification-by-specification comparison of the HPE ProLiant Compute DL380 Gen12 and the HPE ProLiant Compute DL380a Gen12, built from HPE’s own documents. 2 headline measures favour the DL380 Gen12, 2 favour the DL380a Gen12, and 31 processors appear in both lists.

Bottom line. DL380 Gen12 leads on storage density. DL380a Gen12 leads on AI and acceleration. Neither vendor publishes benchmarks for these machines, so every call here is made on what their documents state.

HPE ProLiant Compute DL380 Gen12 2U server, front view: 24 SFF bays in three 8-bay boxes, USB-C iLO port, USB port and health LEDs
HPE ProLiant
DL380 Gen12
2U Rack2 sockets32 DIMMHPE iLO 7
Configure the DL380 Gen12 →Full data sheet
VS
HPE ProLiant Compute DL380a Gen12 4U front with the bezel fitted, NVMe drive cages along the lower edge and the model badge on the right ear
HPE ProLiant
DL380a Gen12
4U Rack2 sockets32 DIMMHPE iLO 7
Configure the DL380a Gen12 →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
288
Cores, fully populated
Largest listed processor × its socket count
288
8 TB
Memory ceiling
As each document states it
8 TB
36Higher
Drive bays
16
Up to 8
Accelerators
HigherUp to 10
2,200 W
Largest power supply
Higher3,200 W
2U RackHigher
Rack height
4U Rack
400 GbE class
Fastest network option
400 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 DL380 Gen12 if…

  • Drive bays: 36 against 16 on the DL380a Gen12
  • Rack height: 2U Rack against 4U Rack on the DL380a Gen12
  • Two Xeon 6 core types in one chassis: seven E-core parts of 64 to 144 cores for dense throughput, and 27 P-core parts of 8 to 86 cores for per-core speed.

Choose the DL380a Gen12 if…

  • Accelerators: Up to 10 against Up to 8 on the DL380 Gen12
  • Largest power supply: 3,200 W against 2,200 W on the DL380 Gen12
  • Ten double-wide GPU positions in 4U, with the H200 NVL, RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell, RTX PRO 6000D, L40S, L20 and L4 in HPE’s accelerator list.
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.

VirtualisationDL380 Gen12: 288 cores with 8 TB. DL380a Gen12: 288 cores with 8 TB.Line ball
Databases & in-memoryMemory ceiling 8 TB against 8 TB, across 32 and 32 DIMM slots.Line ball
Storage density36 bays in 2U against 16 in 4U.DL380 Gen12
AI & acceleration8 accelerators against 10 in the vendor documents.DL380a Gen12
Network throughputFastest card listed: 400 GbE class against 400 GbE class.Line ball
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.

SpecificationDL380 Gen12DL380a Gen12
Processors listed3432
Single-processor optionYesNo

Storage

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

SpecificationDL380 Gen12DL380a Gen12
Maximum bays3616
Documented layouts132
Bay sizes2.5-inch · E3.S · 3.5-inch2.5-inch · E3.S
Boot devicesHPE NS204i-u v2 480GB NVMe Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device · HPE NS204i-u v2 960GB NVMe Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device · HPE NS204i-u v2 960GB NVMe SED Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device + 3 moreHPE NS204i-u v2 960GB NVMe Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device · HPE NS204i-u v2 960GB NVMe SED Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device · HPE NS204i-u v2 480GB NVMe Hot Plug Boot Optimized Storage Device + 1 more
Storage controllers147

Accelerators & I/O

SpecificationDL380 Gen12DL380a Gen12
Accelerators supportedUp to 8Up to 10
Double-wide cards listed40
PCIe network slots86
Network cards listed3936

Power & platform

SpecificationDL380 Gen12DL380a Gen12
Power-supply options53
Output range800–2,200 W2,400–3,200 W
Input typesAC · −48 V DCAC · 277 VAC / HVDC
Chassis depthVendors measure depth differently — see each data sheetSFF/EDSFF CTO: 72.70 cm (28.62 in)80.26 cm (31.60 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.

DL380 Gen12: processors by cores and TDP

HPE ProLiant Compute DL380 Gen12 processors081624324048566472808896104112120128136144100 W150 W200 W250 W300 W350 WCores per processorIntel Xeon 6780E — 144 cores · 330 W · 2.2 GHz base · 108 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6766E — 144 cores · 250 W · 1.9 GHz base · 108 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6756E — 128 cores · 225 W · 1.8 GHz base · 96 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6746E — 112 cores · 250 W · 2 GHz base · 96 MB cache · DDR5-5600Intel Xeon 6731E — 96 cores · 250 W · 2.2 GHz base · 96 MB cache · DDR5-5600Intel Xeon 6740E — 96 cores · 250 W · 2.4 GHz base · 96 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6710E — 64 cores · 205 W · 2.4 GHz base · 96 MB cache · DDR5-5600Intel Xeon 6787P — 86 cores · 350 W · 2 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6788P — 86 cores · 350 W · 2 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6762P — 64 cores · 350 W · 2.9 GHz base · 320 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6767P — 64 cores · 350 W · 2.4 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6760P — 64 cores · 330 W · 2.2 GHz base · 320 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6768P — 64 cores · 330 W · 2.4 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6747P — 48 cores · 330 W · 2.7 GHz base · 288 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6748P — 48 cores · 300 W · 2.5 GHz base · 192 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6740P — 48 cores · 270 W · 2.1 GHz base · 288 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6736P — 36 cores · 205 W · 2 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6732P — 32 cores · 350 W · 3.8 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6745P — 32 cores · 300 W · 3.1 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6737P — 32 cores · 270 W · 2.9 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6738P — 32 cores · 270 W · 2.9 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6730P — 32 cores · 250 W · 2.5 GHz base · 288 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6530P — 32 cores · 225 W · 2.3 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6527P — 24 cores · 255 W · 3 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6520P — 24 cores · 210 W · 2.4 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6728P — 24 cores · 210 W · 2.7 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6725P — 16 cores · 235 W · 3.7 GHz base · 192 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6724P — 16 cores · 210 W · 3.6 GHz base · 72 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6517P — 16 cores · 190 W · 3.2 GHz base · 72 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6515P — 16 cores · 150 W · 2.3 GHz base · 72 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6505P — 12 cores · 150 W · 2.2 GHz base · 48 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6714P — 8 cores · 165 W · 4 GHz base · 48 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6507P — 8 cores · 150 W · 3.5 GHz base · 48 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6503P — 8 cores · 135 W · 2.8 GHz base · 48 MB cache · DDR5-64006780E144 cores — the top SKU6766E1.7 W/core — most efficient
Xeon 6 E-core 7Xeon 6 P-core 27Bubble size = L3 cache · hover a bubble for the full SKU

DL380a Gen12: processors by cores and TDP

HPE ProLiant Compute DL380a Gen12 processors081624324048566472808896104112120128136144150 W200 W250 W300 W350 WCores per processorIntel Xeon 6780E — 144 cores · 330 W · 2.2 GHz base · 108 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6766E — 144 cores · 250 W · 1.9 GHz base · 108 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6756E — 128 cores · 225 W · 1.8 GHz base · 96 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6746E — 112 cores · 250 W · 2 GHz base · 96 MB cache · DDR5-5600Intel Xeon 6740E — 96 cores · 250 W · 2.4 GHz base · 96 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6710E — 64 cores · 205 W · 2.4 GHz base · 96 MB cache · DDR5-5600Intel Xeon 6787P — 86 cores · 350 W · 2 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6788P — 86 cores · 350 W · 2 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6767P — 64 cores · 350 W · 2.4 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6776P — 64 cores · 350 W · 2.3 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6760P — 64 cores · 330 W · 2.2 GHz base · 320 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6768P — 64 cores · 330 W · 2.4 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6747P — 48 cores · 330 W · 2.7 GHz base · 288 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6748P — 48 cores · 300 W · 2.5 GHz base · 192 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6740P — 48 cores · 270 W · 2.1 GHz base · 288 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6736P — 36 cores · 205 W · 2 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6732P — 32 cores · 350 W · 3.8 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6745P — 32 cores · 300 W · 3.1 GHz base · 336 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6737P — 32 cores · 270 W · 2.9 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6738P — 32 cores · 270 W · 2.9 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6730P — 32 cores · 250 W · 2.5 GHz base · 288 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6530P — 32 cores · 225 W · 2.3 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6527P — 24 cores · 255 W · 3 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6520P — 24 cores · 210 W · 2.4 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6728P — 24 cores · 210 W · 2.7 GHz base · 144 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6725P — 16 cores · 235 W · 3.7 GHz base · 192 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6724P — 16 cores · 210 W · 3.6 GHz base · 72 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6517P — 16 cores · 190 W · 3.2 GHz base · 72 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6515P — 16 cores · 150 W · 2.3 GHz base · 72 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6505P — 12 cores · 150 W · 2.2 GHz base · 48 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6714P — 8 cores · 165 W · 4 GHz base · 48 MB cache · DDR5-6400Intel Xeon 6507P — 8 cores · 150 W · 3.5 GHz base · 48 MB cache · DDR5-64006780E144 cores — the top SKU6766E1.7 W/core — most efficient
Xeon 6 E-core 6Xeon 6 P-core 26Bubble size = L3 cache · hover a bubble for the full SKU

DL380 Gen12: memory with every slot filled

16 GB512 GB32 GB1 TB64 GB2 TB96 GB3 TB128 GB4 TB256 GB8 TB32 slots · 16 per processor · each tick = one DIMM

DL380a Gen12: memory with every slot filled

16 GB512 GB32 GB1 TB64 GB2 TB96 GB3 TB128 GB4 TB256 GB8 TB32 slots · 16 per processor · each tick = one DIMM

DL380 Gen12: drive bays

Front panel

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

SAS/SATANVMeSAS/SATA + NVMe

DL380a Gen12: drive bays

Front panel

4 × 2.5" NVMe at the front — 4 bays in total.

SAS/SATANVMeSAS/SATA + NVMe

DL380 Gen12: power supplies

05001000150020002500800 W Platinum — HPE 800W Flex Slot Platinum Hot Plug Low Halogen Power Supply Kit. Input voltage not printed. Not compatible with Energy Star 4.0 compliance (doc: 'Platinum Power Supply 800W & 1600W are not compatible').800Platinum1000 W Titanium — HPE 1000W Flex Slot Titanium Hot Plug Power Supply Kit. Named in the ErP Lot 9 section as 96% efficient. Input voltage not printed.1000Titanium1600 W null — HPE 1600W Flex Slot -48VDC Hot Plug Power Supply Kit; no efficiency rating printed. Requires HPE 1600W -48VDC Power Cable Lug Kit (P36877-B21) OR the 1600W DC PSU Power Cable Kit.1600DC1600 W Platinum — HPE 1600W Flex Slot Platinum Hot Plug Low Halogen Power Supply Kit. '1600W Power supplies only support high line voltage (200 VAC to 240 VAC).' Not compatible with Energy Star 4.0 compliance.1600Platinum2200 W Titanium — Printed as 'HPE 1800W-2200W Flex Slot Titanium Hot Plug Power Supply Kit' (watts recorded as upper figure; per-voltage ratings not printed). Named in the ErP Lot 9 section as 96% efficient.2200TitaniumWatts · dashed line = output at 100–120 V low line
AC−48 V DC

DL380a Gen12: power supplies

05001000150020002500300035002400 W Titanium — HPE M-CRPS family (Modular Common Redundant Power Supply); P67252-B21 named in the EU ErP Lot 9 section as 96% efficient; C19/C19-C20 power cords only; 2400W or 3200W required for H100 NVL / H200 NVL / RTX Pro 6000 GPUs2400Titanium2800 W Titanium — HPE M-CRPS family; 277VAC input unit (added in Version 16, 04-May-2026); no efficiency percentage or BTU figure printed for this unit2800Titanium3200 W Titanium — HPE M-CRPS family; P67248-B21 named in the EU ErP Lot 9 section as 96% efficient; C19/C19-C20 power cords only; 2400W or 3200W required for H100 NVL / H200 NVL / RTX Pro 6000 GPUs3200TitaniumWatts · dashed line = output at 100–120 V low line
AC277 VAC / HVDC
06 — Like for like

31 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: 3 more are exclusive to the DL380 Gen12 and 1 to the DL380a Gen12.

ProcessorCoresTDP
Intel Xeon 6766E144250 W
Intel Xeon 6780E144330 W
Intel Xeon 6756E128225 W
Intel Xeon 6746E112250 W
Intel Xeon 6740E96250 W
Intel Xeon 6787P86350 W
Intel Xeon 6788P86350 W
Intel Xeon 6710E64205 W
Intel Xeon 6767P64350 W
Intel Xeon 6760P64330 W
Intel Xeon 6768P64330 W
Intel Xeon 6747P48330 W
07 — Questions

DL380 Gen12 vs DL380a Gen12, answered

Is the DL380 Gen12 or the DL380a Gen12 the faster server?

Neither document publishes benchmark results, so this page compares what they do state. The DL380 Gen12 lists 34 processors up to 144 cores at 350 W; the DL380a Gen12 lists 32 up to 144 cores at 350 W. Fully populated that is 288 cores against 288.

Which holds more memory?

The DL380 Gen12 has 32 DIMM slots and a stated ceiling of 8.0 TB. The DL380a Gen12 has 32 and 8.0 TB.

Which takes more drives?

DL380 Gen12: 36 bays across 13 documented layouts. DL380a Gen12: 16 across 2. Counts include rear and mid-chassis positions where the vendor documents them.

Can either take GPUs?

DL380 Gen12: up to 8 accelerators, 4 double-wide cards listed. DL380a Gen12: up to 10, 0 double-wide listed.

Do they share any processors?

Yes — 31 processors appear in both documents, including the Intel Xeon 6766E. That makes a like-for-like build possible on either server.

Where these figures come from. DL380 Gen12: HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen12 QuickSpecs (Version 19 - 08-Sep-2026) (HPE document). DL380a Gen12: HPE ProLiant Compute DL380a Gen12 QuickSpecs (Version 20 - 08-Sep-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.

Other comparisons in this class

R7625 vs DL380 Gen12Dell vs HPER770 vs DL380 Gen12Dell vs HPER7725 vs DL380 Gen12Dell vs HPEDL380 Gen12 vs SR650a V4HPE vs LenovoDL380 Gen12 vs SR665 V3HPE vs LenovoXE7745 vs DL380a Gen12Dell vs HPEXE9685L vs DL380a Gen12Dell vs HPEXE9785 vs DL380a Gen12Dell vs HPE

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