The short answer: in a Dell PowerEdge name, the letter is the form factor (R for rack, T for tower), the first digit is the class or size, the second digit is the generation, and the last digit is the processor maker: 0 for Intel, 5 for AMD. So an R760 is a 16th-generation Intel rack server, and an R7625 is a 16th-generation, two-socket AMD rack server.
The letter: what kind of server
| Letter | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| R | Rack server | R660, R760, R770 |
| T | Tower server | T160, T360, T560 |
| M / MX | Modular: blades and nodes for Dell enclosures such as the MX7000 | MX750c |
| C | Dense, compute-optimised nodes for large-scale environments | C6620, C6615 |
| HS | Configurations tailored for cloud service providers | HS5610, HS5620 |
| XE | High-performance, accelerator-heavy systems, including AI servers | XE9680, XE7745 |
| XR | Rugged servers for harsh or edge environments | XR5610, XR7620 |
Not sure whether you need rack or tower? See rack or tower server for a small business.
Three-digit names (e.g. R760)
- First digit: class. A higher number means a larger, more capable server within the range.
- Second digit: generation. 4 = 14th generation, 5 = 15th, 6 = 16th, 7 = 17th.
- Third digit: processor maker. 0 = Intel, 5 = AMD.
Examples: R740 is a 14th-generation Intel rack server; R760 is its 16th-generation successor; T550 is a 15th-generation Intel tower.
Four-digit names (e.g. R7625)
Four-digit names are used mostly for AMD models, and add a digit for sockets:
- First digit: class.
- Second digit: generation.
- Third digit: usually the number of processor sockets (1 or 2).
- Fourth digit: 0 = Intel, 5 = AMD.
Examples: R7625 is a 16th-generation, two-socket AMD server. R7615 is the one-socket version. R6525 is a 15th-generation, two-socket AMD server.
Suffixes: xs, xa, xd and xd2
Dell describes these variants as tuned for particular jobs:
- xs (R660xs, R760xs): a streamlined configuration for virtualisation and scale-out work, with a smaller feature set and lower cost.
- xa (R760xa): built around accelerators such as GPUs.
- xd and xd2 (R740xd, R760xd2, R7725xd): storage-dense versions with more drive bays.
- No suffix: the standard, most flexible configuration.
What changed in the 17th generation
Dell's 17th-generation servers, launched from 2025, follow the same pattern for generation and processor maker. The second digit is 7, and the last digit is still 0 for Intel and 5 for AMD. What no longer holds is the old rule of thumb that classes 4 to 7 meant two sockets:
| Model | Size | Sockets | Processors |
|---|---|---|---|
| R470 | 1U | 1 | Intel Xeon 6 |
| R570 | 2U | 1 | Intel Xeon 6 |
| R670 | 1U | 2 | Intel Xeon 6 |
| R770 | 2U | 2 | Intel Xeon 6 |
| R4715 | 1U | 1 | AMD EPYC 9005 |
| R5715 | 2U | 1 | AMD EPYC 9005 |
| R6715 / R7715 | — | 1 | AMD EPYC 9005 |
| R6725 / R7725 | — | 2 | AMD EPYC 9005 |
The R470 and R570 are single-socket, whereas their 15th-generation predecessors, the R450 and R550, were two-socket. For 17th-generation servers, treat the first digit as a size and capability class, and check the socket count on the specification sheet.
At the time of writing, Dell's current tower servers (T160, T360 and T560) are 16th generation. There's no 17th-generation tower model.
Which processors each generation uses
| Generation | Intel models | AMD models |
|---|---|---|
| 14th (e.g. R740, R6415) | 1st and 2nd Gen Xeon Scalable | 1st Gen EPYC |
| 15th (e.g. R750, R6525) | 3rd Gen Xeon Scalable | 2nd and 3rd Gen EPYC |
| 16th (e.g. R760, R7625) | 4th and 5th Gen Xeon Scalable | EPYC 9004 series |
| 17th (e.g. R770, R7725) | Intel Xeon 6 | EPYC 9005 series |
Entry-level single-socket models such as the R260, R360, T160 and T360 use Intel Xeon E-2400 processors, and are now also offered with Xeon 6300 series.
How to identify a server you already have
- Front label: the model is on the front panel, and the Service Tag is on a pull-out tag.
- iDRAC: the web interface shows the model and Service Tag on the overview page.
- Service Tag lookup: Dell's support site returns the exact model, configuration and warranty. Our guide to finding a Dell PowerEdge Service Tag shows every method.
Choosing a PowerEdge server
Apaxon supplies Dell PowerEdge servers on quote, through Dell Technologies and Arrow Electronics, who also handle installation and configuration. Browse the Dell PowerEdge range, compare the options in HPE ProLiant vs Dell PowerEdge, or request a quote.
Sources
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