Dell EMC PowerEdge R240 4×3.5″ Server – Affordable 1U Rack Server for Small Businesses

The Dell EMC PowerEdge R240 4×3.5″ Server is designed as an entry-level 1U rack server that combines affordability, reliability, and flexibility. It is the right choice for budget-conscious businesses, startups, service providers, and remote/branch offices that require enterprise-level performance without overspending on IT infrastructure. This server provides powerful compute, simplified management, scalable storage, and built-in security—making it a well-balanced solution for modern workloads.

Unlike large-scale enterprise servers, the Dell PowerEdge R240 focuses on delivering essential features that small to medium businesses (SMBs) need the most: cost efficiency, consistent performance, and easy deployment. Whether your business is running web hosting, lightweight virtualization, file/print workloads, or point-of-sale (POS) applications, the R240 ensures your IT infrastructure runs smoothly and securely.

Business Value of Dell EMC PowerEdge R240

For small and medium businesses, IT investments must balance performance with affordability. The Dell PowerEdge R240 delivers exactly that. Its combination of Intel® Xeon® E-2200 processors, DDR4 memory, enterprise-class storage, and iDRAC9 management tools makes it a powerful yet cost-effective rack server.

Key business advantages include:

• Affordable entry-level rack server – providing enterprise-grade reliability at a fraction of the cost.

• Compact 1U form factor – saves valuable data center space, perfect for small IT environments.

• Improved performance – thanks to Intel Xeon E-2200 processors, offering 100% more cores compared to previous generations.

• Scalable storage options – supporting up to 4 x 3.5” cabled or hot-plug SATA/SAS drives.

• Secure architecture – with cryptographically signed firmware, Secure Boot, and iDRAC9 Server Lockdown mode.

• Simplified server management – through OpenManage Enterprise, iDRAC9, and mobile access.

With these benefits, the R240 is more than just a hardware investment—it is a business enabler that helps organizations focus on growth instead of IT challenges.

Compute Performance

At the heart of the PowerEdge R240 lies the Intel Xeon E-2200 processor family, delivering significant improvements in speed and efficiency. Compared to earlier models, the R240 provides:

• 100% more CPU cores – enabling better multitasking and handling of demanding applications.

• 11% faster memory speeds – ensuring quicker data access and improved application responsiveness.

• 20% more PCIe lanes – offering higher bandwidth for networking and expansion cards.

This combination ensures the R240 is capable of handling data-intensive workloads, web servers, small virtualization environments, and file storage without compromising reliability.

The R240 also supports alternative processor options, including Intel Pentium®, Intel Core i3®, and Intel Celeron®, allowing businesses to choose the most suitable CPU for their performance and budget needs.

Memory and Storage Scalability

Memory:

The R240 supports up to 64GB DDR4 memory across 4 DIMM slots, operating at speeds up to 2666MT/s. With ECC support, the memory system helps prevent data corruption, ensuring stable and reliable application performance—an important feature for business-critical workloads.

Storage:

Storage flexibility is one of the highlights of the PowerEdge R240. Businesses can choose between cabled drives or hot-plug drives for easier maintenance and scalability. Supported options include:

• Up to 4 x 3.5” SATA, SAS, or SSD drives

• Hot-plug capability for improved serviceability

• RAID support via PERC controllers (S140, H330, H730P, HBA330)

• Boot Optimized Storage Subsystem (BOSS) with dual M.2 SSDs for OS reliability

• Optional microSD cards for virtualization boot needs

This storage architecture makes the R240 a reliable platform for file sharing, application hosting, and web services, while ensuring businesses can scale storage capacity as their data grows.

Power and Energy Efficiency

The Dell EMC PowerEdge R240 4×3.5″ Server comes with energy-efficient power supply options, ensuring organizations reduce operational costs while maintaining reliable performance. Available PSU configurations include:

• Single 250W Bronze power supply (ideal for cost-sensitive environments)

• Single 450W Platinum power supply (delivering higher efficiency and better energy savings)

With Dell’s Multi-Vector Cooling technology, the R240 automatically optimizes airflow and cooling within the chassis, further reducing energy consumption and extending hardware lifespan.

Security and Data Protection

In today’s digital landscape, cybersecurity and data protection are vital, even for small businesses. The PowerEdge R240 integrates a cyber-resilient architecture, ensuring data remains protected across the entire lifecycle of the server.

Key security features:

• Secure Boot – prevents unauthorized firmware and software from loading.

• Cryptographically signed firmware – ensures authenticity of updates.

• iDRAC9 Server Lockdown Mode – prevents configuration changes during cyber threats.

• System Erase – allows administrators to securely and quickly wipe all data before server decommissioning.

• TPM 1.2/2.0 support – adds hardware-level security for encryption and authentication.

These features make the R240 not only an affordable rack server but also a secure platform that protects business data against malware and insider threats.

Simplified IT Management

For SMBs, IT teams are often small and overextended. That’s why the Dell EMC PowerEdge R240 4×3.5″ Server includes Dell EMC OpenManage solutions to simplify administration and reduce manual tasks.

• iDRAC9 with Lifecycle Controller – allows out-of-band server deployment, monitoring, and updates without needing OS access.

• OpenManage Enterprise – provides centralized management across multiple servers in the environment.

• OpenManage Mobile – enables administrators to monitor and manage servers remotely via smartphone or tablet.

• ProSupport Plus with SupportAssist – predictive and proactive support reduces IT effort by up to 72%.

These management tools reduce operational complexity, lower costs, and give SMBs enterprise-level server management capabilities.

Use Cases for Dell EMC PowerEdge R240

The Dell EMC PowerEdge R240 4×3.5″ Server is built to handle a variety of SMB workloads. Its combination of performance, storage scalability, and security makes it versatile enough for different industries and applications.

1. Web Hosting and Email Services – Ideal for service providers running lightweight hosting or mail servers.

2. File and Print Workloads – Supports centralized data sharing and printing for offices.

3. Point-of-Sale (POS) and ERP Applications – Ensures smooth business operations in retail and small offices.

4. Light Virtualization – Suitable for running small-scale virtual machines.

5. Surveillance Storage – Can act as a recording server for video surveillance with storage expansion.

6. Remote/Branch Offices (ROBO) – Compact and efficient design makes it perfect for distributed businesses.

Operating System Support

The Dell EMC PowerEdge R240 4×3.5″ Server is compatible with a wide range of operating systems, including:

• Microsoft® Windows Server® (2016, 2019) with Hyper-V

• Red Hat® Enterprise Linux

• Ubuntu® Server LTS

• SUSE® Linux Enterprise Server

• VMware® ESXi

• Citrix® XenServer®

This flexibility allows organizations to deploy the server in diverse IT environments without compatibility issues.

Dimensions and Form Factor

The Dell EMC PowerEdge R240 4×3.5″ Server comes in a 1U rackmount form factor, making it an excellent choice for dense environments and space-constrained server rooms.

• Width: 434.00mm (17.08 in)

• Depth: 573.596mm (22.58 in) with 3.5” HDD config

• Weight: 12.2 kg (26.89 lb)

This compact size ensures maximum efficiency in rack space utilization.

Why Choose Dell EMC PowerEdge R240?

The Dell EMC PowerEdge R240 4×3.5″ Server is more than just a low-cost entry-level server. It is a future-ready IT solution designed for SMBs who want:

• Enterprise-grade reliability at an affordable price.

• Easy management tools to reduce IT complexity.

• Scalability to grow as business demands increase.

• Security to protect sensitive business data.

• Efficiency to lower energy and operational costs.

By investing in the PowerEdge R240, businesses can modernize their IT environment without overspending—making it a smart, long-term investment for growth.

Conclusion

The Dell EMC PowerEdge R240 4×3.5″ Server is a cost-effective, secure, and reliable rack server that strikes the perfect balance between performance and affordability. Designed specifically for small businesses, startups, and service providers, it offers compute power, storage scalability, integrated management tools, and cyber-resilient security in a compact 1U design.

With support for Intel Xeon E-2200 processors, up to 64GB DDR4 ECC memory, RAID storage controllers, OpenManage software, and iDRAC9 security features, the R240 helps organizations accelerate business growth while minimizing IT complexity.

For SMBs seeking a budget-friendly entry-level rack server, the Dell EMC PowerEdge R240 4×3.5″ Server is the right choice—powerful enough to handle today’s workloads, flexible enough to scale with tomorrow’s demands.

Check full specs and datasheet below: Spec sheet, Technical Guide