Dell PowerEdge T640 Tower Server with Dual Intel Xeon Scalable processors 24 DDR4 DIMM slots and Up to 3TB RDIMM/LRDIMM memory

Some server projects are easy to define.

A small office might need a file server.

A backup server might simply need several large HDDs.

But larger projects often combine several requirements:

• More CPU cores
• More memory
• Large storage capacity
• Fast SSD or NVMe storage
• RAID protection
• High-speed networking
• GPU acceleration
• Additional PCIe cards

This is where the T640 becomes interesting.

Instead of choosing a small server and replacing it when the workload grows, the T640 provides considerable room for expansion from the beginning.

It supports up to 24 DDR4 DIMMs, multiple storage backplane choices, up to eight NVMe drives in supported configurations, and up to eight PCIe Gen3 slots according to Dell's current specification documentation.

• 5U dual-socket tower/rackable design
• Up to 2 × Intel Xeon Scalable processors
• Up to 28 cores per CPU
• 24 × DDR4 DIMM slots
• Up to 3TB RDIMM/LRDIMM memory
• SAS, SATA and SSD storage support
• Up to 18 × 3.5-inch drives
• Up to 32 × 2.5-inch drives
• Up to 8 × NVMe drives in supported configurations
• Multiple PERC RAID controller options
• Up to 8 PCIe Gen3 expansion slots
• Up to 4 double-width GPUs or 8 single-width GPUs depending on configuration
• Dual 10GbE networking
• iDRAC9 with Lifecycle Controller
• Redundant hot-plug power supplies
• Windows Server, Linux and VMware support

The T640 supports up to two Intel Xeon Scalable processors, with processors available up to 28 cores per CPU.

This gives the T640 a much broader performance range than a single-socket tower server.

A customer does not necessarily need to populate both CPU sockets immediately.

For moderate workloads, a single CPU configuration can provide a more economical starting point.

For virtualization, databases or heavily consolidated applications, a dual-CPU configuration can provide substantially more processing resources.

Single CPU

Suitable for:

• File services
• Backup
• General business applications
• Small virtualization environments
• Moderate databases

Dual CPU

Better suited to:

• Virtualization clusters
• Large database workloads
• Enterprise applications
• Analytics
• High-concurrency applications
• GPU-assisted workloads
• Server consolidation

The right processor should be selected according to the workload rather than simply choosing the highest-core-count CPU available.

The T640 provides 24 DDR4 DIMM slots and supports RDIMM and LRDIMM memory. Dell lists up to 3TB maximum memory for RDIMM/LRDIMM configurations.

This is particularly useful for virtualization and memory-intensive applications.

Instead of treating memory as an afterthought, customers can build the server around their expected workload.

For example:

A practical starting point for virtualization and general enterprise applications.

A stronger configuration for multiple virtual machines and larger databases.

Suitable for more demanding virtualization, analytics and memory-intensive applications.

Useful when the application environment genuinely benefits from very large memory capacity.

The T640 provides enough DIMM slots to expand without having to replace the entire memory configuration.

The T640 was designed for customers who may need a lot of storage.

Dell supports several drive configurations, including:

• Up to 8 × 3.5-inch SAS/SATA/SSD
• Up to 18 × 3.5-inch SAS/SATA/SSD
• Up to 16 × 2.5-inch SAS/SATA/SSD
• Up to 32 × 2.5-inch SAS/SATA/SSD
• Up to 16 × 2.5-inch drives with up to 8 NVMe drives

This makes the T640 much more than a conventional tower server.

It can become a centralized storage platform while still retaining substantial compute capacity.

For customers who need large amounts of economical storage, the 3.5-inch drive configuration is particularly attractive.

A T640 can be configured with multiple high-capacity SATA, SAS or Near-Line SAS drives.

Typical applications include:

• Backup repositories
• File servers
• Surveillance storage
• Media archives
• Engineering data
• Research datasets
• Long-term business archives
• Software-defined storage

When the primary requirement is capacity rather than maximum IOPS, HDD storage can provide a much better cost-per-terabyte balance than filling every bay with SSDs.

A 2.5-inch configuration makes more sense when storage response time is important.

Enterprise SSDs can be used for:

• Databases
• Virtual machine datastores
• ERP systems
• CRM applications
• Transaction processing
• Frequently accessed business data

The T640 allows the storage architecture to be designed around the application instead of forcing every customer into the same drive configuration.

The T640 also supports NVMe storage in selected configurations.

Dell documents configurations with up to eight NVMe drives.

NVMe can be particularly useful for workloads where storage latency becomes a bottleneck.

Examples include:

• High-performance databases
• Virtualization
• Analytics
• Video processing
• Data-intensive applications
• Application caching

A practical design can also combine different storage types.

For example:

HDD → bulk capacity

SAS/SATA SSD → general application storage

NVMe → high-I/O workload

This allows customers to spend their storage budget where performance actually matters.

The PowerEdge T640 supports Dell PERC storage controllers including H330, H730P and H740P, as well as HBA330 and other storage options.

The RAID controller should be selected together with the drive type and workload.

A straightforward choice for operating system volumes or small two-drive deployments.

Useful when customers need a balance between capacity and redundancy.

A stronger option for larger HDD arrays where protection against multiple drive failures is important.

Suitable for applications requiring both storage performance and redundancy.

For database and virtualization projects, controller cache and drive type should also be considered rather than choosing a RAID level alone.

This is one of the strongest reasons to consider the T640.

A conventional storage server may provide plenty of drive capacity but limited compute resources.

A conventional compute server may offer strong CPUs but limited internal storage.

The T640 sits between those two categories.

For example, a single system could be configured with:

• Dual Xeon Scalable CPUs
• 256GB or 512GB ECC memory
• SSDs for applications
• Large HDDs for data
• RAID controller
• 10GbE networking

This can create a compact platform for virtualization + application hosting + centralized storage.

The T640 also supports GPU acceleration.

Dell specifies configurations supporting up to four double-width GPUs or eight single-width GPUs, depending on the selected configuration.

This opens the platform to workloads that would normally require a dedicated GPU server.

Potential applications include:

• AI inference
• Machine learning
• Computer vision
• VDI
• Medical imaging
• 3D visualization
• Data analytics
• GPU-accelerated applications

GPU installation should always be planned together with the PSU, cooling, risers and selected GPU model.

The T640 provides extensive PCIe expansion capability, with Dell documentation listing up to eight PCIe Gen3 slots in the platform specification.

This can be useful when the standard configuration is not enough.

Possible expansion devices include:

• 10GbE network cards
• 25GbE adapters
• Fibre Channel HBAs
• Additional storage controllers
• GPU accelerators
• SAS HBAs
• Specialized PCIe cards

For system integrators, this means the T640 can serve as a flexible base platform rather than a fixed-purpose server.

The T640 includes dual 10GbE LOM connectivity according to Dell's specifications.

This is useful when the server needs to move large amounts of data between:

• Storage systems
• Virtualization hosts
• Backup servers
• NAS/SAN environments
• High-speed workstation networks
• Data processing systems

For storage-heavy deployments, network throughput can become just as important as local disk performance.

There is little benefit in building an extremely fast storage subsystem if the network connection becomes the bottleneck.

The T640 includes iDRAC9 with Lifecycle Controller and supports remote management technologies including Redfish.

This allows administrators to monitor and manage the server without always being physically beside it.

This is particularly useful for:

• Remote offices
• Branch locations
• Warehouses
• Data centers
• Multi-site businesses
• Managed service environments

For companies with limited on-site IT resources, remote management can significantly simplify routine server administration.

Although the T640 is commonly described as a tower server, its design supports tower or rack deployment in a 5U form factor.

This gives businesses more flexibility.

A company can initially deploy the server as a tower in an office or server room.

If the infrastructure later moves into a rack environment, the platform can be integrated into that environment without changing to an entirely different server family.

The T640 supports hot-plug redundant power supplies, with available PSU options ranging from lower-power configurations to high-capacity units for demanding CPU, storage and GPU configurations.

Power requirements should be calculated based on the complete configuration.

A server with:

• Two CPUs
• Large memory
• Multiple HDDs
• NVMe drives
• Several GPUs

will naturally require a different PSU configuration from a basic single-CPU storage server.

This is particularly important when configuring T640 systems for GPU or high-density storage applications.

The T640 is well suited to server consolidation.

Instead of running separate physical machines for:

• Database
• File sharing
• ERP
• Monitoring
• Internal applications
• Development

an appropriately configured T640 can host multiple virtual machines.

The combination of multiple CPU cores, 24 memory slots and high-speed storage options gives virtualization administrators considerable room to balance compute, memory and I/O resources.

For larger environments, several T640 systems can also be deployed as part of a virtualization cluster.

Database workloads often require a combination of CPU, memory and storage performance.

The T640 can be configured accordingly.

A database-oriented configuration might prioritize:

CPU: Higher-core-count Xeon Scalable

Memory: 256GB–512GB ECC RDIMM

Storage: Enterprise SSD / NVMe

RAID: Performance-oriented PERC configuration

Network: 10GbE

The important point is that database performance rarely comes from one component alone.

A fast CPU cannot compensate for slow storage.

Large memory cannot compensate for an overloaded storage subsystem.

The T640's flexibility allows these components to be balanced around the database workload.

For backup projects, the priority is often completely different.

Instead of maximum CPU performance, customers may care about:

• Drive capacity
• RAID protection
• Network throughput
• Reliability
• Expansion capability

A T640 equipped with multiple large-capacity 3.5-inch HDDs can provide a substantial local backup repository.

Its large internal drive capacity is one of the reasons the T640 can be attractive for backup and archive projects. Dell lists support for up to 18 × 3.5-inch drives in supported configurations.

Software-defined storage environments often benefit from having a large number of drives combined with substantial compute and memory resources.

The T640 can provide a useful hardware foundation for SDS deployments that require:

• Multiple storage devices
• High memory capacity
• Multi-core CPU resources
• High-speed networking
• PCIe expansion

Possible environments include distributed storage, virtualization storage and other software-defined infrastructure platforms.

The final configuration should be selected according to the specific SDS software's hardware compatibility requirements.

The T640's GPU support makes it different from many conventional business tower servers.

With supported GPU configurations, it can be used for:

• Virtual desktop infrastructure
• CAD visualization
• Medical imaging
• AI inference
• Video analysis
• Professional graphics
• GPU-accelerated applications

For these projects, the GPU should not be treated as an isolated component.

A complete design should consider:

GPU + CPU + memory + PCIe topology + power + cooling + storage.

Specifications vary according to chassis, CPU, backplane, riser, RAID controller, GPU and PSU configuration.

There is no reason to configure every T640 the same way.

Prioritize:

• Single or dual Xeon
• 64GB–128GB RAM
• Multiple 3.5-inch HDDs
• PERC RAID
• 10GbE

Best for: Backup, file storage and archive.

Prioritize:

• Dual Xeon Scalable
• 256GB+ DDR4 RDIMM
• Enterprise SSD/NVMe
• PERC RAID
• 10GbE

Best for: VMware, Hyper-V and server consolidation.

Prioritize:

• High-core-count Xeon
• 256GB–512GB ECC memory
• SSD/NVMe
• RAID 10
• 10GbE

Best for: SQL databases, ERP and transaction-heavy applications.

Prioritize:

• Dual Xeon Scalable
• Large memory configuration
• Supported GPU
• High-capacity redundant PSU
• Appropriate PCIe risers
• NVMe storage

Best for: AI, VDI, imaging and GPU-accelerated workloads.

A smaller tower server may be cheaper.

But the purchase price is not the only consideration.

If the project is expected to grow, a platform with more expansion capacity can avoid a complete hardware replacement later.

The T640 offers:

2 CPU sockets

24 memory slots

Large internal storage capacity

NVMe support

Multiple PCIe slots

GPU support

Redundant power

This makes it more appropriate when the project is expected to grow beyond the capabilities of a basic single-socket tower server.

The T640 can be configured across a wide price and performance range, making it useful for different customer projects.

Its combination of CPU, memory, storage, GPU and PCIe expansion makes it a flexible base for customized solutions.

The tower/rackable design provides an option for environments that may not have standardized rack infrastructure.

Businesses can use the T640 for virtualization, databases, storage and application workloads.

The large number of supported drive bays makes the T640 suitable for capacity-focused deployments.

Yes. The T640 is a 5U dual-socket tower server that can also be deployed in a rack environment.

It supports up to two Intel Xeon Scalable processors.

The T640 has 24 DDR4 DIMM slots and supports up to 3TB of RDIMM/LRDIMM memory according to Dell's specifications.

Depending on the chassis and backplane, the T640 supports up to 18 × 3.5-inch drives or up to 32 × 2.5-inch drives.

Yes. Supported configurations can accommodate up to 8 NVMe drives.

Yes. Its large internal drive capacity makes it particularly suitable for storage, backup and archive applications.

Yes. Dell lists support for up to four double-width GPUs or eight single-width GPUs depending on the configuration.

Yes. The combination of dual Xeon processors, large memory capacity and flexible SSD/NVMe storage makes it suitable for virtualization environments.

Yes. The platform includes iDRAC9 with Lifecycle Controller.

Yes. It is a 5U tower/rackable platform.

Yes. With sufficient memory, enterprise SSD/NVMe storage and an appropriate RAID configuration, it can be configured for database workloads.

The best T640 configuration is not necessarily the one with the most expensive processor or the largest amount of RAM.

A backup server may need large HDD capacity.

A virtualization host may need more memory.

A database server may benefit more from SSD/NVMe performance.

A GPU project requires careful attention to power, cooling and PCIe configuration.

A storage platform may need more drive bays rather than more CPU cores.

We provide customized Dell PowerEdge T640 configurations for distributors, resellers, system integrators and end users.

Available options can include:

• Intel Xeon Scalable processors
• DDR4 ECC RDIMM/LRDIMM
• SATA HDD
• SAS HDD
• Near-Line SAS HDD
• SATA SSD
• SAS SSD
• NVMe SSD
• PERC RAID controllers
• 10GbE network adapters
• GPU accelerators
• Redundant power supplies
• iDRAC9
• Operating system options
• Server accessories

Tell us your workload, CPU requirement, memory capacity, storage type, number of drives or target budget, and we can build a Dell PowerEdge T640 configuration around your actual project.

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