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

HPE MicroServer Gen11 vs Lenovo ST250 V3

A specification-by-specification comparison of the HPE ProLiant MicroServer Gen11 and the Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 V3, built from HPE’s and Lenovo’s own documents. 1 headline measure favours the MicroServer Gen11, 3 favour the ST250 V3, and 11 processors appear in both lists.

Bottom line. MicroServer Gen11 leads on virtualisation. ST250 V3 leads on storage density, network throughput. Neither vendor publishes benchmarks for these machines, so every call here is made on what their documents state.

HPE ProLiant MicroServer Gen11 front: compact black chassis with green HPE badge, model lettering, four green status LEDs and two USB ports
HPE ProLiant
MicroServer Gen11
Ultra Micro Tower1 socket4 DIMMHPE iLO 6
Configure the MicroServer Gen11 →Full data sheet
VS
Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 V3 tower front: operator panel and two USB ports, a DVD drive in a media bay, and two cages of four 3.5-inch drive bays
Lenovo ThinkSystem
ST250 V3
Tower1 socket4 DIMMXClarity Controller 2
Configure the ST250 V3 →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.

1
Processor sockets
1
12Higher
Cores, fully populated
Largest listed processor × its socket count
8
0.125 TB
Memory ceiling
As each document states it
0.125 TB
4
Drive bays
Higher16
Up to 1
Accelerators
Up to 1
330 W
Largest power supply
Higher800 W
10 GbE class
Fastest network option
Higher25 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 MicroServer Gen11 if…

  • Cores, fully populated: 12 against 8 on the ST250 V3
  • A 15.4 × 26.1 × 24.9 cm chassis weighing 8.52–8.65 kg that can lie flat, stand on end or mount on a brick, concrete or wooden wall.

Choose the ST250 V3 if…

  • Drive bays: 16 against 4 on the MicroServer Gen11
  • Largest power supply: 800 W against 330 W on the MicroServer Gen11
  • Fastest network option: 25 GbE class against 10 GbE class on the MicroServer Gen11
  • Built for the office floor: Lenovo declares 30.5 dBA idle and 33.2 dBA at full processor load for its typical configuration.
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.

VirtualisationMicroServer Gen11: 12 cores with 0.125 TB. ST250 V3: 8 cores with 0.125 TB.MicroServer Gen11
Databases & in-memoryMemory ceiling 0.125 TB against 0.125 TB, across 4 and 4 DIMM slots.Line ball
Storage density4 bays in Ultra against 16 in Tower.ST250 V3
AI & acceleration1 accelerators against 1 in the vendor documents.Line ball
Network throughputFastest card listed: 10 GbE class against 25 GbE class.ST250 V3
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.

SpecificationMicroServer Gen11ST250 V3
Processors listed1218
Most cores per processor128
Processor familiesXeon 6300 · Xeon E-2400 · PentiumPentium · Xeon E-2400 · Xeon 6300

Memory

SpecificationMicroServer Gen11ST250 V3
Fastest rated speed4,800 MT/s5,600 MT/s
Memory typesUDIMM DDR5-4800ECC UDIMM DDR5 (TruDDR5) 4800/5600 MHz, operates at 4400 MHz max

Storage

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

SpecificationMicroServer Gen11ST250 V3
Maximum bays416
Documented layouts26
Bay sizes3.5-inch · 2.5-inch2.5-inch · 3.5-inch
Boot devicesM.2 slot for M.2 SSD support, enabled by HPE ProLiant ML30 Gen11 iLO/NIC/M.2/COM Port KitThinkSystem M.2 SATA/x4 NVMe 2-Bay Adapter (BM8X, software RAID) in slot 4 · ThinkSystem M.2 RAID B540i-2i SATA/NVMe Adapter (BYFF, hardware RAID 0/1 via SAS3808N) in slot 4 · M.2 cable kit 4Z57A88898 (dummy PCIe card + cables); M.2 mutually exclusive with optical drives
Storage controllers43

Accelerators & I/O

SpecificationMicroServer Gen11ST250 V3
PCIe network slots24
Network cards listed57

Power & platform

SpecificationMicroServer Gen11ST250 V3
Power-supply options24
Output range180–330 W300–800 W
ManagementHPE iLO 6XClarity Controller 2
Chassis depthVendors measure depth differently — see each data sheet9.82 in (24.9 cm)578 mm
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.

MicroServer Gen11: processors by cores and TDP

HPE ProLiant MicroServer Gen11 processors08160 W50 W100 WCores per processorIntel Xeon 6377P — 12 cores / 24 threads · 95 W · 3.1 GHz base · 16 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6369P — 8 cores / 16 threads · 95 W · 3.3 GHz base · 24 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6357P — 8 cores / 16 threads · 80 W · 3 GHz base · 24 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6353P — 8 cores / 16 threads · 65 W · 2.7 GHz base · 24 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6349P — 6 cores / 12 threads · 95 W · 3.6 GHz base · 18 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6337P — 6 cores / 12 threads · 80 W · 3.5 GHz base · 18 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6333P — 6 cores / 12 threads · 65 W · 3.1 GHz base · 18 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6325P — 4 cores / 8 threads · 55 W · 3.5 GHz base · 12 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6315P — 4 cores / 8 threads · 55 W · 2.8 GHz base · 12 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon E-2434 — 4 cores / 8 threads · 55 W · 3.4 GHz base · 12 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon E-2414 — 4 cores / 4 threads · 55 W · 2.6 GHz base · 12 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Pentium G7400 — 2 cores / 4 threads · 46 W · 3.7 GHz base · 6 MB cache · DDR5-44006377P12 cores · 7.9 W/core — top SKU and most efficient
Xeon 6300 9Xeon E-2400 2Pentium 1Bubble size = L3 cache · hover a bubble for the full SKU

ST250 V3: processors by cores and TDP

Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 V3 processors080 W50 W100 WCores per processorIntel Pentium G7400 — 2 cores · 46 W · 3.7 GHz base · 6 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Pentium G7400T — 2 cores · 35 W · 3.1 GHz base · 6 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon E-2488 — 8 cores · 95 W · 3.2 GHz base · 24 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon E-2478 — 8 cores · 80 W · 2.8 GHz base · 24 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon E-2468 — 8 cores · 65 W · 2.6 GHz base · 24 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon E-2486 — 6 cores · 95 W · 3.5 GHz base · 18 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon E-2456 — 6 cores · 80 W · 3.3 GHz base · 18 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon E-2436 — 6 cores · 65 W · 2.9 GHz base · 18 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon E-2414 — 4 cores · 55 W · 2.6 GHz base · 12 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon E-2434 — 4 cores · 55 W · 3.4 GHz base · 12 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6369P — 8 cores · 95 W · 3.3 GHz base · 24 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6357P — 8 cores · 80 W · 3 GHz base · 24 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6353P — 8 cores · 65 W · 2.7 GHz base · 24 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6349P — 6 cores · 95 W · 3.6 GHz base · 18 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6337P — 6 cores · 80 W · 3.5 GHz base · 18 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6333P — 6 cores · 65 W · 3.1 GHz base · 18 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6315P — 4 cores · 55 W · 2.8 GHz base · 12 MB cache · DDR5-4400Intel Xeon 6325P — 4 cores · 55 W · 3.5 GHz base · 12 MB cache · DDR5-4400E-24888 cores — the top SKUE-24688.1 W/core — most efficient
Pentium 2Xeon E-2400 8Xeon 6300 8Bubble size = L3 cache · hover a bubble for the full SKU

MicroServer Gen11: memory with every slot filled

16 GB64 GB32 GB128 GB4 slots · 4 per processor · each tick = one DIMM

ST250 V3: memory with every slot filled

16 GB64 GB32 GB128 GB4 slots · 4 per processor · each tick = one DIMM

MicroServer Gen11: drive bays

Front panel

4 × 3.5" SAS/SATA at the front — 4 bays in total.

SAS/SATANVMeSAS/SATA + NVMe

ST250 V3: drive bays

Front panel

8 × 2.5" SAS/SATA at the front — 8 bays in total.

SAS/SATANVMeSAS/SATA + NVMe

MicroServer Gen11: power supplies

0500180 W null — HPE MicroServer Gen11 180W External Power Adapter; non-redundant external power adapter. Ships with a country-specific C5 power cord. C5 optional power cords are supported only with the 180W adapter.180DC330 W null — HPE MicroServer Gen11 330W External Power Adapter; non-redundant external power adapter. Required for processors above 65W. Ships with a country-specific C13 power cord.330DCWatts · dashed line = output at 100–120 V low line
AC

ST250 V3: power supplies

05001000300 W Gold — ATX-300W (BMFL); not ErP Lot 9; no GPU support with this PSU300DC500 W Platinum — ThinkSystem 500W Platinum ATX (BMTC); Energy Star / ErP Lot 9500Platinum800 W Platinum — ThinkSystem 800W 230V/115V Platinum CRPS Hot-Swap v1.4 (BWM5); max 2; 240V DC PRC only800Platinum800 W Titanium — ThinkSystem 800W 230V/115V Titanium CRPS Hot-Swap v1.4 (BWM3); max 2; ErP Lot 9; 240V DC PRC only800TitaniumWatts · dashed line = output at 100–120 V low line
AC
06 — Like for like

11 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 MicroServer Gen11 and 7 to the ST250 V3.

ProcessorCoresTDP
Intel Xeon 6369P895 W
Intel Xeon 6357P880 W
Intel Xeon 6353P865 W
Intel Xeon 6349P695 W
Intel Xeon 6337P680 W
Intel Xeon 6333P665 W
Intel Xeon 6325P455 W
Intel Xeon 6315P455 W
Intel Xeon E-2434455 W
Intel Xeon E-2414455 W
Intel Pentium G7400246 W
07 — Questions

MicroServer Gen11 vs ST250 V3, answered

Is the MicroServer Gen11 or the ST250 V3 the faster server?

Neither document publishes benchmark results, so this page compares what they do state. The MicroServer Gen11 lists 12 processors up to 12 cores at 95 W; the ST250 V3 lists 18 up to 8 cores at 95 W. Fully populated that is 12 cores against 8.

Which holds more memory?

The MicroServer Gen11 has 4 DIMM slots and a stated ceiling of 128GB. The ST250 V3 has 4 and 128 GB.

Which takes more drives?

MicroServer Gen11: 4 bays across 2 documented layouts. ST250 V3: 16 across 6. Counts include rear and mid-chassis positions where the vendor documents them.

Can either take GPUs?

MicroServer Gen11: up to 1 accelerators, 0 double-wide cards listed. ST250 V3: up to 1, 0 double-wide listed.

Do they share any processors?

Yes — 11 processors appear in both documents, including the Intel Xeon 6369P. That makes a like-for-like build possible on either server.

Where these figures come from. MicroServer Gen11: HPE ProLiant MicroServer Gen11 QuickSpecs (Version 16 - 03-Aug-2026) (HPE document). ST250 V3: Lenovo ThinkSystem ST250 V3 Server Product Guide (no revision date printed in the text export) (Lenovo 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

T160 vs MicroServer Gen11Dell vs HPET360 vs MicroServer Gen11Dell vs HPET360 vs ST250 V3Dell vs LenovoMicroServer Gen11 vs ST50 V3HPE vs LenovoML30 Gen11 vs ST250 V3HPE vs LenovoT160 vs ST250 V3Dell vs LenovoMicroServer Gen11 vs ST45 V3HPE vs Lenovo

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