Dell PowerEdge Model Numbers Decoded: R730, R740, R6515, MX740c

Quick answer: in a Dell PowerEdge name, the first letter is the form factor (R rack, T tower, M or MX modular), the digits give the system class, the generation and the CPU maker, and a trailing letter marks a variant. So an R730 is a rack server, dual-socket class, 13th generation, Intel. An R6515 is a rack server, 15th generation, one socket, AMD. This page follows Dell's own support article, "PowerEdge: Servers by generation" (last modified 3 June 2026, read on 2 November 2026).

The naming helps when you buy a refurbished Dell server, because the model tells you the generation and the remote management controller before you open a datasheet. For help choosing between specific models, see Serverwale's guide to the best refurbished Dell PowerEdge servers.

Step 1: the first letter is the form factor

Step 2: read the three digits (R730, R740, T440)

Since the 10th generation, Dell names most servers with a letter and three or four numbers. For a three-digit name:

• First digit, the class. 1 to 3 are single-CPU systems, 4 to 7 are dual-CPU systems, 8 can be two or four CPUs, and 9 is four CPUs.
• Second digit, the generation. 0 is the 10th generation, 1 is the 11th, and so on.
• Third digit, the CPU maker. 0 is Intel and 5 is AMD.

Dell's own example: the R740 is a rack, two-CPU system from the 14th generation with Intel processors.

Step 3: the four-digit names (R6515, R7525)

• First digit. 1 to 5 default to iDRAC Basic, and 6 to 9 default to iDRAC Express.
• Second digit. The generation, as before.
• Third digit. Often the number of CPU sockets, 1 for single and 2 for dual.
• Fourth digit. The CPU maker, 0 for Intel and 5 for AMD.

Dell's example: the R6415 is a rack, one-socket system from the 14th generation with AMD processors.

Examples decoded using Dell's model list

Dell's list also shows iDRAC7 for 12th generation servers such as the R620 and R720, iDRAC6 for 11th generation servers such as the R610 and R710, and iDRAC10 or Open Server Manager for the 17th generation R670 and R770. Remote management has changed a lot across these generations; see the out-of-band management guide and, for licences, the iDRAC vs iLO vs IPMI guide. A used server may also be locked: see how to reset the iDRAC password.

Which models belong to which generation?

Dell's article groups its models into generations. Dell's generation table covers the 14th to 17th generations, and this extract shows the 14th to 16th, which is where most current refurbished stock sits:

The 13th generation (R630, R730, R730xd and others) appears in Dell's full model list, as in the table above, rather than in this generation table. The R630 vs R730 vs R730xd guide and the R740 vs R640 comparison cover the two most common refurbished generations, and the Dell R-series chooser and Dell R740 vs HPE DL380 help you compare.

Blade and modular names: MX7000, M1000e, VRTX, FX2

Dell's article says the M1000e enclosure was introduced with the 10th generation and holds up to sixteen half-height server modules, the VRTX was introduced with the 12th generation and holds up to four half-height modules, the FX2 and FX2s were introduced with the 13th generation, and the MX7000 was introduced in the 14th generation with eight front slots. In the MX7000 naming, a trailing c marks a compute sled, s a storage sled and n an IO module. For blade chassis in the refurbished market, see the blade server guide and the blade, rack and tower comparison.

Old four-digit names before the 10th generation

Before the 10th generation, Dell used four digits (for example the PowerEdge 2950): class, generation (up to ninth), server type (5 for rack, 0 for tower) and blade or stand-alone (5 blade, 0 stand-alone). The 2950 is a 2U ninth-generation rack server. These are old systems, so check support first with our end-of-life guide and lifespan guide.

Using the model number when you buy refurbished

• Read the model from the label or the front bezel, and ask for the service tag. Check the warranty by serial number.
• Compare the generation with your software's requirements, and the iDRAC version with how you want to manage the server.
• Ask exactly which drive bays, processor, memory and power supplies the unit has, since one model name covers several builds.
• For spares on older models see spare parts for older Dell, HP and IBM servers and the Dell drive guide.
• Consider firmware: the firmware and BIOS update guide.

Serverwale offers refurbished servers in India, Dell vs HP server comparisons, Dell server rental and server AMC. See current stock and the refurbished server price index, and compare options in new vs refurbished.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the R in Dell R730 mean? The first letter is the form factor. Dell lists R for rack-mountable servers, T for tower servers, M or MX for modular and multiple-node blade servers, C for C Series compute-optimised nodes, F for flexible sleds, HS for cloud-provider optimised solutions, XE for purpose-built servers for complex workloads and XR for industrial-grade servers for extreme environments. So an R730 is a rack server.

How do I tell the generation from the model number? Since the 10th generation, the second digit gives the generation: 0 is the 10th generation, 1 is the 11th, and so on. In an R730 the second digit is 3, so it is 13th generation. An R740 is 14th generation, an R750 is 15th, and an R760 is 16th. Dell's generation list agrees, for example by placing the R630, R730 and R730xd in the 13th generation.

What does the last digit mean, 0 or 5? In the three-digit scheme the last digit shows the CPU maker, 0 for Intel and 5 for AMD. In the four-digit scheme the fourth digit does the same job. An R6515 therefore has AMD processors, and an R740 has Intel processors.

Which iDRAC version does each generation have? Dell's model list shows iDRAC7 for 12th generation servers such as the R620 and R720, iDRAC8 for 13th generation servers such as the R630, R730 and R730xd, iDRAC9 for 14th generation servers such as the R640 and R740 and also for the 15th and 16th generation models checked, and iDRAC10 or Open Server Manager for the 17th generation R670 and R770.

What do the letters after the number mean, like xd or c? Dell's naming article explains only the MX7000 suffixes: c is a compute sled, s is a storage sled and n is an IO module, so an MX740c is a compute sled. Letters such as xd, xs and xa mark variants of a model, and the article does not define them, so check that model's own manual or ask the seller what the variant means for bays and slots.

Not sure which Dell model you need?

Tell us your workload, the number of drives and your budget, and we will suggest a model and tell you what is fitted. Serverwale · Phone +91-87962-44410 · WhatsApp https://wa.me/918796244410 · Contact. Burari, Delhi 110084.

Source: Dell Support, PowerEdge: Servers by generation (article 000137343, last modified 3 June 2026), including its server naming scheme, generation table and PowerEdge model list.