DELL PowerEdge R940 3U rack server 4× Xeon Gold 5120 2.2GHz 14-core 512GB DDR4 8× 400GB SSD H730P

Mission-critical compute density

The Dell PowerEdge R940 is a 3U rack server built for databases, virtualisation and analytics workloads that demand four-socket scalability in a compact form factor. It ships with four Intel Xeon Gold 5120 processors, each running at 2.2 GHz with 14 cores, and 512 GB of DDR4 registered ECC memory across 16 modules. Organisations running in-memory databases, dense virtual-machine clusters or real-time decision engines can deploy the system immediately without additional configuration.

Enterprise chassis and connectivity

The 3U enclosure provides eight hot-swap 2.5-inch drive bays populated with 400 GB SATA SSDs behind a Dell PERC H730P 2 GB controller supporting RAID 0, 1, 5, 6, 10, 50 and 60. Networking is handled by an Intel X520/I350 daughter card delivering two 1 GbE and two 10 Gb SFP+ ports, while iDRAC 9 Enterprise gives full out-of-band remote management. Redundant 1600 W platinum power supplies and sliding rails with a front bezel simplify rack integration and ongoing service.

Thermal design and power profile

Four 14-core CPUs and 48 populated DIMM slots generate substantial heat, so the R940 uses a high-airflow 3U thermal architecture with redundant fans to maintain stable inlet temperatures under sustained load. The 1600 W platinum supplies operate efficiently at typical utilisation, reducing waste heat and lowering operating cost compared with lower-efficiency units. Acoustic output is managed for data-centre aisles rather than office environments, reflecting the platform's intended deployment in dedicated server rooms.