DELL PowerEdge R740 2x Gold 6126 12C 128GB 8x 960GB SAS SSD H730P rack server

Dual 12-core Gold 6126 platform

This 2U rack server ships with two Intel Gold 6126 processors running at 2.6 GHz, each providing 12 cores and 19.25 MB cache. The 128 GB DDR4 memory kit uses eight 16 GB modules at PC4-2666 speed. Eight 960 GB SAS SSDs sit behind an H730P RAID controller in the 2.5-inch drive bays.

Upgrade from single-socket or HDD arrays

The dual-socket design doubles thread count over single-CPU configurations, and the all-flash SAS array removes the latency ceiling of mechanical drives. The jump is worth it when virtualisation density or database throughput exceeds what a single processor and spinning media can sustain. Buyers who need more storage bays than eight 2.5-inch slots should look elsewhere.

PCIe Gen 3 and 10GbE ceiling

Up to eight PCIe Gen 3 slots set the expansion bandwidth limit for additional controllers or accelerators. The integrated Intel X550 network daughter card caps wired throughput at 10 GbE over RJ45. Workloads that demand PCIe Gen 4 lanes or 25 GbE and above will hit the interface ceiling of this generation.