The XR5610 is Dell’s rugged single-socket 1U edge server, 463 mm deep without its bezel in the Rear Accessed build and rated to run from −5°C to 55°C, aimed at 5G RAN, defence, retail and manufacturing sites. What follows covers its two chassis orientations, 4th and 5th Gen Xeon including Edge-Enhanced vRAN Boost parts, and which components stay supported as the air gets hotter.
1U Rack1 socket4th Gen Xeon Scalable5th Gen Xeon ScalableiDRAC9
32cores, one CPU4th Gen or Edge-Enhanced · 5th Gen to 16
1TBDDR5 maximum8 RDIMM slots · 8 × 128 GB
4drive bays2.5" SATA, SAS or NVMe SSD
55°Cmaximum operatingfrom −5°C · no cold boot below 5°C
463mmdeep without bezelRear Accessed · 472.7 mm Front Accessed
Our read of Dell’s documentation: where the XR5610 is strong, and the limits worth knowing before you spec one.
Strengths
+Two chassis orientations: Rear Accessed, or Front Accessed with power, network ports and PCIe slots all on the front face — useful in cabinets you can only reach from one side.
+Rated −5°C to 55°C, with military shock and vibration test methods, MIL-STD-901E Grade A in an approved transit case, and dedicated rails for a Pelican DE2412-05/24/05 case.
+Edge-Enhanced Xeon parts with Intel vRAN Boost, and four embedded 25 GbE SFP28 ports, give a RAN node network I/O before any card is added.
+Made for shallow cabinets: Dell’s minimum is a 600 mm deep cabinet, with 50 mm of exhaust space behind the chassis at up to 55°C.
+An RJ45 dry-contact port brings seven sensor inputs into iDRAC, and Lifecycle Controller logs every open or close change once an input is enabled.
Watch-outs
!Front Accessed and Rear Accessed chassis cannot be converted into each other, and each takes only its own keyed power supplies — decide the orientation before ordering.
!Storage stops at four 2.5-inch SSDs: there are no rear bays, and Dell’s drive table lists no hard disks.
!Dell’s summary drops the PCIe slots to Gen4 with Edge-Enhanced processors and cuts the lanes to 64 (MCC) or 48 (LCC); with an EE-LCC part it recommends no more than two add-in cards.
!Heat narrows the options: above 35°C Dell drops NVMe SSDs and 96 GB and 128 GB DIMMs, and its Rear Accessed matrix also stops the OCP card and the listed BOSS-N1 M.2 drives there.
!The fans are cold-swap only, where the previous-generation XR11 had hot-swap fans.
Processors13 SKUs
Cores / CPU8–32
DIMM slots8
Drive layouts3
Max bays4
GPUsup to 2
PSU options5 · to 1,800 W
02 — Processors
13 supported processors, mapped
Thirteen processors for one socket. Dell’s table mixes standard 4th Gen Xeon Scalable parts (SPR-SP), Edge-Enhanced parts with Intel vRAN Boost (SPR-EE), two QAT-equipped N-series chips and a single 16-core 5th Gen (Emerald Rapids) entry; the chart plots each by cores and TDP. None exceeds 205 W.
Processor landscape — cores × TDP
13 SKUs · 2 families
4th Gen Xeon Scalable 125th Gen Xeon Scalable 1Bubble size = L3 cache · hover a bubble for the full SKU
Processor explorer
filter · sort · compare
Processor
Cores / threads
Base
L3 cache
TDP
W / core
Memory
Intel Xeon Gold 6433N
32 / 64
2 GHz
60 MB
205 W
6.4
DDR5-4400
Intel Xeon Gold 6438N
32 / 64
2 GHz
60 MB
205 W
6.4
DDR5-4800
Intel Xeon Gold 6421N
32 / 64
1.8 GHz
60 MB
185 W
5.8
DDR5-4400
Intel Xeon Gold 6423N
28 / 56
2 GHz
52.5 MB
195 W
7.0
DDR5-4400
Intel Xeon Gold 5412U
24 / 48
2.1 GHz
45 MB
185 W
7.7
DDR5-4400
Intel Xeon Gold 6403N
24 / 48
1.9 GHz
45 MB
185 W
7.7
DDR5-4000
Intel Xeon Gold 5411N
24 / 48
1.9 GHz
45 MB
165 W
6.9
DDR5-4400
Intel Xeon 5423N
20 / 40
2.1 GHz
37.5 MB
145 W
7.3
DDR5-4000
Intel Xeon Gold 5416S
16 / 32
2 GHz
30 MB
150 W
9.4
DDR5-4400
Intel Xeon (Dell part XN8K0, EMR-SP MCC 16-core)
16 / 32
2 GHz
30 MB
150 W
9.4
DDR5-4400
Intel Xeon (Dell part R6FN6, SPR-EE LCC mainline 12-core)
12 / 24
2.4 GHz
30 MB
150 W
12.5
DDR5-4400
Intel Xeon 3408U
8 / 8
1.8 GHz
22.5 MB
125 W
15.6
DDR5-4000
Intel Xeon (Dell part WYY2W, SPR-EE LCC mainline 8-core)
8 / 16
2.6 GHz
22.5 MB
125 W
15.6
DDR5-4400
Three rows list codes instead of Intel model numbers: XN8K0 (5th Gen, 16 cores, 150 W), R6FN6 (12 cores, 150 W) and WYY2W (8 cores, 125 W), the last two Edge-Enhanced LCC “mainline” parts. The thermal tables instead name a Silver 4514Y, 4510 and 4509Y, and Dell does not say how the two lists correspond.
Every row’s turbo column simply reads “Turbo”, with no frequency, so no turbo clocks are shown. Each row also carries a 4 TB memory-capacity figure; the spec sheet caps this server at 1 TB.
Memory speed follows the processor: 4000 MT/s with the 3408U, 5423N and 6403N, 4800 MT/s only with the 6438N, and 4400 MT/s with every other part.
At 55°C (Edge2) Dell calls for the HPR heat sink on several parts, and the Silver 4514Y is not supported at that temperature in the Rear Accessed chassis.
03 — Memory
8 DDR5 DIMM slots
Eight DDR5 RDIMM slots on one socket, one DIMM per channel, to 1 TB. The two documents disagree on speed: the spec sheet quotes up to 5600 MT/s, while the technical guide lists 5600 MT/s-rated modules running at 4000, 4400 or 4800 MT/s depending on the processor.
Capacity with every slot filled
by DIMM size
Rated memory speed
from the processor table
Processor family
Up to
4th Gen Xeon Scalable
4800 MT/s
5th Gen Xeon Scalable
4400 MT/s
1 TB is 8 × 128 GB, the largest (quad-rank) module in Dell’s memory matrix.
Above 35°C only the 16, 32 and 64 GB modules stay supported, so a build meant for 40–55°C tops out at 512 GB (8 × 64 GB).
The thermal tables also cover 4800 MT/s RDIMMs from 16 GB to 128 GB, with the same temperature limits as the 5600 MT/s parts.
Empty slots need DIMM blanks.
04 — Storage
3 drive-bay layouts, up to 4 bays
A single four-bay 2.5-inch backplane in three variants: SATA-only on the onboard controller, SAS/SATA behind an HBA355i, H755 or H355 adapter, or NVMe-only through S160 software RAID or an H755 or H965i adapter. The bays face forward in the Rear Accessed chassis and backward in the Front Accessed one.
PERC H755 — RAID. Value Performance tier; adapter; SAS/SATA or NVMe backplane
PERC H965i — RAID. Premium Performance tier; adapter; NVMe backplane; can only be installed in slot 1 of riser 3A, slot 2 must be empty
PERC H965e — RAID. Premium Performance external; not compatible with Intel Ethernet 100G 2P E810-2C adapter
BOSS-N1 (2 x M.2 NVMe SSD, HW RAID 1) — boot
The onboard-SATA layout is the only one that cannot take BOSS-N1; every adapter and S160 layout can.
Every controller apart from onboard SATA and S160 is an adapter that needs riser 3A, and the H965i must sit in slot 1 with slot 2 left empty, so plan GPUs and NICs around it.
Dell’s drive table: SATA SSDs from 480 GB to 3.84 TB, 24 Gb SAS SSDs from 800 GB to 15.36 TB, and Gen4 NVMe SSDs from 960 GB to 30.72 TB.
The thermal tables cap 2.5-inch NVMe at 35°C and SAS SSDs at 45°C in both chassis. SATA SSDs have no entry there, so confirm the drive choice for sites that run at 50–55°C.
The BOSS-N1 boot card pairs two M.2 NVMe SSDs as a hardware RAID 1 set; in the Rear Accessed chassis the four M.2 models Dell lists for it are supported only to 35°C.
The PERC H965e cannot be paired with the Intel E810-2C 100G adapter. Dell’s external-storage table names only USB tape and a NAS software stack.
Every documented layout
3 with drive bays
2.5-inch3.5-inchEDSFF (E1.S / E3.S)
05 — Accelerators & I/O
GPUs, PCIe and networking
Two single-width, full-height, half-length GPUs at most; the thermal tables name the NVIDIA A2 and L4. Their temperature limit depends on the chassis — 50°C in the Front Accessed build, 40°C in the Rear Accessed — and neither is supported at 55°C. Up to 2 × single-width FH/HL cards: 75 W each on the spec sheet, “75 W/150 W” in the technical guide.
NVIDIA A2
up to 2
NVIDIA L4
up to 2
I/O topology
80 lanes per CPU
One socket feeds everything. Standard and 5th Gen parts provide 80 lanes of PCIe 5.0; Dell’s summary gives Edge-Enhanced vRAN parts Gen4 slots with 64 (MCC) or 48 (LCC) lanes. Four riser configurations are listed, from no riser to IO1A plus R3A.
Dell 100GbE QSFP28 (PCIe, listed in thermal restriction tables)
× 100GbE
PCIe
Intel Ethernet 100G 2P E810-2C adapter (PCIe, referenced in PERC H965e compatibility note)
2 × 100GbE
PCIe
Nokia Cloud RAN SmartNIC 2x QSFP56-DD (PCIe RAN accelerator NIC, thermal tables)
2 × QSFP56-DD (traffic simulated up to 200G per port)
PCIe
Qualcomm X100 (PCIe RAN accelerator card, thermal tables)
×
PCIe
The OCP 3.0 slot is small-form-factor and Gen4, with up to four ports at 25 GbE or less and a 35 W rating, and Dell does not support it with high-TDP Edge-Enhanced processors. Its temperature limit is stated inconsistently: the OCP table flags 35°C as critical in the Front Accessed chassis, while the thermal matrix limits the card to 35°C in the Rear Accessed one.
Table 1 lists the two Edge-Enhanced “LCC mainline” parts with 48 lanes of PCIe 5.0, an exception to the Gen4 rule for Edge-Enhanced processors.
The embedded LOM connects at 10 or 25 GbE, never lower. iDRAC can share the LOM, the OCP ports or riser 3 slot 1, and the serial console is disabled while shared management is active.
Dell credits PTP and SyncE timing to add-in NICs.
Riser choices: none, IO1A with R3A, IO1A alone, or R3A alone. PERC adapters need R3A.
Add-in cards named in the thermal tables: Qualcomm X100, Nokia Cloud RAN SmartNIC 2 × QSFP56-DD and a Dell 100GbE QSFP28 card; none is supported at 55°C in the Rear Accessed chassis.
06 — Power & cooling
5 power supplies, 800–1,800 W
Up to two 60 mm supplies with 1+1 redundancy and auto-sensing input: mixed-mode AC/HVDC units at 800 W (Platinum), 1100 W (Titanium), 1400 W (Platinum) and 1800 W (Titanium) — classes as printed in Dell’s PSU table — plus a DC unit of 1100 W for −48 to −60 V. Supplies are keyed to the chassis orientation, so Rear Accessed and Front Accessed PSUs are not interchangeable.
AC
Two notes in the guide place the 1100 W −48 V DC unit and the 1400 W AC unit in the Front Accessed offering, yet Dell’s Rear Accessed rear photo and its Rear Accessed acoustic test build both use 1400 W supplies — confirm what is orderable for the orientation you choose.
On 100–120 V low line the 1400 W and 1100 W AC units drop to 1050 W; the 1800 W unit has no low-line rating and runs only from 200–240 V AC or a 240 V DC feed.
Above 50°C ambient both supplies must be fitted in redundant mode; one PSU on its own is not supported.
Fit a matched pair: BIOS and iDRAC warn about mixed wattages at POST, and a supply hot-added with a different rating is not enabled.
Cords: C13 for the 800 W and 1100 W AC units, C15 for the 1400 W, and a DC power cable for the 1100 W DC and, according to Table 18, the 1800 W.
Dell’s tables disagree on two classes: the 1800 W is Platinum in the guide’s technology and comparison tables but Titanium in its PSU, rating and efficiency tables and on the spec sheet, while the 1100 W AC is Titanium everywhere except the efficiency table, which lists it as Platinum.
07 — Management, security & OS
Run it, secure it, choose the OS
Management
iDRAC9 with Lifecycle Controller (Express licence by default on XR series; Enterprise and Datacenter upgrades)
iDRAC Direct (front micro-AB USB 2.0)
iDRAC RESTful API with Redfish
iDRAC Service Module
NativeEdge Endpoint Orchestrator
OpenManage Enterprise with Power Manager, Service and Update Manager plug-ins
Data at Rest Encryption (SEDs, local or external key management)
Secure Erase
System Lockdown (iDRAC9 Enterprise or Datacenter)
TPM 2.0 FIPS, CC-TCG certified; TPM 2.0 China NationZ
Optional key-locked bezel with sand and dust filter
Operating systems
Canonical Ubuntu Server LTS
Microsoft Windows Server with Hyper-V
Red Hat Enterprise Linux
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
VMware ESXi
Dell NativeEdge OS
08 — Compare
XR11 → XR5610
Dell’s guide sets the XR5610 against the XR11 it replaces. Both keep four 2.5-inch bays, eight DIMM slots and the choice of two chassis orientations; the changes sit in memory, expansion, cooling and networking.
Previous generationPowerEdge XR11
This modelPowerEdge XR5610
Processor
1 × 3rd Gen Xeon Scalable
1 × 4th or 5th Gen Xeon Scalable, incl. Edge-Enhanced with vRAN Boost
Memory
8 × DDR4 RDIMM or LRDIMM · Optane PMem 200 option
8 × DDR5 RDIMM · up to 4800 MT/s
Drive bays
4 × 2.5" SAS, SATA or NVMe
4 × 2.5" SAS, SATA or NVMe
Storage controllers
PERC H345, H755, H355 · HBA355i/e · BOSS-S1 · S150
Source: Dell PowerEdge XR5610 Technical Guide (Rev. A02, December 2024), Table 2 — XR5610 compared with XR11.
The XR5610 family side by side
The XR5610 is the single-socket 1U model among Dell’s XR servers covered here, beside the two-socket 2U XR7620 and the half-width XR8720t telecom sled. The data-centre R660 (1U, two sockets, 32 DIMM slots) and R360 (1U, one socket, four DIMM slots) show how the rugged model compares with conventional racks.
This modelSiblings and successorEach value from that model’s own verified spec file · bars scale per column
Four edge builds that respect the temperature and slot rules in Dell’s guide. Each opens pre-filled in the configurator using only parts it allows for the XR5610. The configurator does not yet list the four-bay drive backplane, so front SSDs are added to the quote on request.
Telco · 5G RAN
DC-powered RAN node at a cell site
The 32-core 6433N is an Edge-Enhanced part with vRAN Boost, and the four built-in 25 GbE SFP28 ports carry traffic without using a slot. Dell offers the −48 V DC supply with the Front Accessed chassis, which also keeps every cable on one face of the rack.
1 × Xeon Gold 6433N — 32 cores @ 2 GHz, 205 W
8 × 32 GB DDR5-5600 RDIMM — 256 GB (runs at up to 4400 MT/s with this processor)
BOSS-N1 boot mirror (2 × 480 GB M.2 NVMe, RAID 1)
2 × 1100 W −48 to −60 V DC (1+1)
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9
ProSupport, 4-hour response, 5 years
Dell rules out the OCP card with high-TDP Edge-Enhanced processors without giving a threshold, so with the 205 W 6433N plan extra ports or PTP/SyncE timing on a PCIe NIC. At 55°C the 6433N needs the HPR heat sink in either chassis, and above 50°C both supplies must be installed.
Dell certifies the XR5610 in one transit case, the Pelican DE2412-05/24/05, with rails made for it, and tests it to MIL-STD-901E Grade A shock in an approved military case. A single L4 handles image and sensor inference in the field, and 64 GB DIMMs stay supported across every temperature class.
1 × Xeon Gold 6421N — 32 cores @ 1.8 GHz, 185 W
8 × 64 GB DDR5-5600 RDIMM — 512 GB (runs at up to 4400 MT/s with this processor)
The military vibration and shock methods apply with Dell’s Military tool kit, and two-post racks are not supported in rugged use. The L4 is supported to 40°C in the Rear Accessed chassis and 50°C in the Front Accessed; in the Rear Accessed chassis the listed BOSS-N1 M.2 drives stop at 35°C.
Two NVIDIA A2 cards give a store or depot local video inference, and a 16-core 5416S leaves headroom for the camera software. VMware ESXi 8.0 appears in Dell’s virtualisation table, so the analytics can share the box with point-of-sale services.
1 × Xeon Gold 5416S — 16 cores @ 2 GHz, 150 W
8 × 32 GB DDR5-5600 RDIMM — 256 GB (runs at up to 4400 MT/s with this processor)
A 25 Gb NIC or an A2 of 60 W or more raises fan noise, which matters where staff work nearby. Two GPUs fill both riser 3A slots and leave none for a RAID adapter — onboard SATA and S160 NVMe need no slot. Dell’s Rear Accessed matrix supports the OCP card only to 35°C.
An 8-core 3408U, 128 GB and four 10GBASE-T ports on an OCP card suit a gateway that collects machine and sensor data beside a production line. The filtered, lockable bezel keeps dust out, and the dry-contact inputs can report cabinet sensors straight to iDRAC.
1 × Xeon 3408U — 8 cores @ 1.8 GHz, 125 W
8 × 16 GB DDR5-5600 RDIMM — 128 GB (runs at up to 4000 MT/s with this processor)
Intel 4 × 10 GbE BASE-T OCP 3.0
BOSS-N1 boot mirror (2 × 480 GB M.2 NVMe, RAID 1)
2 × 800 W Platinum (1+1)
Canonical Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS
ProSupport, 4-hour response, 3 years
Dell recommends checking the bezel filter every three months. Its Rear Accessed thermal matrix supports the OCP card only up to 35°C, so for a hotter site plan on the embedded SFP28 ports instead.
All ports on the front; USB 3.0 replaces the front USB 2.0 · no rear ports
Environment & ruggedisation
ASHRAE
A2 10–35°C · A3 5–40°C · A4 5–45°C (below 900 m)
Edge1 / Edge2
−5°C to 50°C / 55°C · de-rate 1°C per 80 m above 900 m · no cold start below 5°C
Non-operating
−40°C to 65°C · up to 12,000 m
Operating altitude
Up to 3,048 m
Vibration / shock
0.21 Grms, 5–500 Hz operating · 6 G, 11 ms operating shock · Military tool kit: Methods 514.8 and 516.8
Naval shock
MIL-STD-901E, Grade A, Class 2, Type A in an approved military transit case
Spec-sheet ratings
MIL 810H and NEBS Level 3 (SR3580) for limited configurations · IEC 61850-3 compliant
11 — FAQ
XR5610 questions, answered from the documentation
What is the maximum memory of the Dell PowerEdge XR5610?
1 TB, from eight DDR5 RDIMM slots filled with 128 GB modules. The 96 GB and 128 GB modules are supported only up to 35°C, so a server meant for hotter sites stops at 512 GB with eight 64 GB DIMMs. Operating speed is 4000, 4400 or 4800 MT/s in the technical guide, set by the processor fitted; the spec sheet quotes up to 5600 MT/s.
Which processors does the XR5610 support?
One processor from a list of thirteen: 4th Gen Xeon Scalable, Edge-Enhanced parts with Intel vRAN Boost, and one 16-core 5th Gen part. Cores range from 8 to 32 and TDP from 125 W to 205 W. Three entries appear as codes rather than Intel model numbers (XN8K0, R6FN6, WYY2W).
What is the difference between the Rear Accessed and Front Accessed XR5610?
In the Rear Accessed chassis the drives, power button and status LEDs face forward and the power supplies, network and PCIe slots are at the back. The Front Accessed chassis reverses that, putting power, network and PCIe on the front and the drives at the rear. The two cannot be converted, their PSUs are keyed differently, and the Front Accessed version is deeper with its bezel (566.05 mm against 487.7 mm).
What temperatures can the XR5610 run at?
Dell rates it for −5°C to 55°C in its Edge2 category, and it must not be cold-started below 5°C. Some parts have lower limits: NVMe SSDs run to 35°C, SAS SSDs to 45°C, 96 GB and 128 GB DIMMs to 35°C, and GPUs to 40°C or 50°C depending on the chassis. Above 50°C both power supplies must be installed.
How many drives does the XR5610 hold?
Four 2.5-inch SSDs — SATA, SAS or NVMe, depending on which backplane is fitted. Dell’s drive table goes up to 30.72 TB for a single NVMe SSD and lists no hard disks. A BOSS-N1 card adds two mirrored M.2 NVMe drives for the operating system, except with the onboard-SATA backplane.
Does the XR5610 support GPUs?
Yes, up to two single-width, full-height, half-length cards; Dell’s tables name the NVIDIA A2 and L4. The spec sheet rates them at 75 W and the technical guide at 75 W/150 W. They are supported to 50°C in the Front Accessed chassis and 40°C in the Rear Accessed, and not at 55°C.
Can the XR5610 run on −48 V DC, and is it NEBS certified?
Yes. Dell lists a −48 to −60 V DC power supply rated at 1100 W, which its notes place in the Front Accessed configuration. The spec sheet claims MIL 810H and NEBS Level 3 (SR3580) for limited configurations, plus IEC 61850-3 compliance, so check the exact build with us.
How deep is the XR5610?
Without the bezel the Rear Accessed chassis is 463 mm deep and the Front Accessed 472.7 mm (487.7 mm and 566.05 mm with bezels). Dell’s spec sheet quotes 400 mm from rack ear to rear wall, whereas the technical guide’s dimension table gives 439.2 mm and 408.8 mm for that span. Dell asks for a cabinet at least 600 mm deep with 50 mm of exhaust space behind the server at up to 55°C.
What changed from the XR11 to the XR5610?
Dell’s comparison shows DDR5 in place of DDR4, an optional OCP 3.0 slot the XR11 lacked, and up to two PCIe Gen5 slots where the XR11 had three Gen4 slots. GPU support rises from 70 W to 75 W/150 W cards, the drive count stays at four, and the fans change from hot-swap to cold-swap.
Is the Dell PowerEdge XR5610 end of life?
Neither Dell’s technical guide nor its spec sheet for the XR5610 states an end-of-sale or end-of-support date. When Dell announces one, it appears in our server end-of-life checker.
Specifications are extracted from Dell’s published documents and independently re-checked line by line. Configurations are quote-based; availability and exact options are confirmed at quotation. Last reviewed 2026-09-11.
