Dell PowerEdge XE8640
The Dell PowerEdge XE8640 is an air-cooled 4U four-way GPU enterprise server purpose-built for artificial intelligence model development, fine-tuning, and enterprise machine learning workloads. Powered by dual 4th or 5th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, the XE8640 integrates a 4-way NVIDIA H100 SXM5 baseboard interconnected by third-generation NVLink, providing high GPU-to-GPU bandwidth without requiring facility liquid cooling infrastructure. Its 4U chassis provides massive air cooling channels powered by high-output counter-rotating fans. Secondary market shoppers should inspect the SXM5 GPU baseboard and verify quad 2800W power supplies.
Also written as: PowerEdge XE8640, Dell XE8640, XE8640 4-Way GPU Server
Specifications
| Brand | Dell |
|---|---|
| Family | PowerEdge XE |
| Form factor | 4U rack |
| Released | May 2023 |
| Cpu sockets | 2 |
| Cpu platform | Intel Xeon Scalable 4th and 5th Gen (up to 2 processors, 350W TDP) |
| Memory slots | 32 |
| Memory type | DDR5-4800 / DDR5-5600 RDIMM |
| Memory max (GB) | 4,096 |
| Drive bays | Up to 8x 2.5-inch NVMe U.2 / U.3 or E3.S SSDs |
| Pcie slots | Up to 4 PCIe Gen5 slots |
| Gpu support | 4x air-cooled NVIDIA H100 SXM5 GPUs with NVLink (700W each) |
| Network onboard | OCP 3.0 mezzanine slot; 1x 1GbE iDRAC9 port |
| Power supply | Quad hot-plug 2800W Titanium power supplies (2+2) |
Generations
- Previous generation: Dell PowerEdge XE8545
Compatible parts
Power supplies
450-ALMN Dell 2800W Titanium Hot-Plug Redundant Power Supply (Common Slot)
Boot devices
BOSS-S2 Dell Boot Optimized Storage Solution (BOSS-S2) Hot-Plug Rear Controller with Dual M.2 SSDs
Works together
How the Dell PowerEdge XE8640 connects to servers, storage and the network: 5 ways, with the parts and products on each path.
Fibre Channel SAN
Match the speed: 16Gb and 32Gb FC HBAs, switches and array ports work together, and each generation also runs one or two speeds below its own (a 32Gb port runs at 16Gb and 8Gb).
Adapters for the server (check the fit list)
540-BBUU Dell Emulex LPe31002 Dual Port 16Gb Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
540-BBUV Dell QLogic 2692 Dual Port 16Gb Fibre Channel Host Bus Adapter
540-BCMS Dell QLogic 2770 Single Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
540-BCMT Dell QLogic 2772 Dual Port 32Gb Fibre Channel PCIe Adapter
Switches
Lenovo ThinkSystem DB730S 2U rack
Lenovo ThinkSystem DB630S 2U rack
Lenovo ThinkSystem DB610S 1U rack
Storage
Dell PowerStore 1200T 2U rack
Dell PowerStore 3200T 2U rack
Dell PowerStore 5200T 2U rack
Dell PowerStore 9200T 2U rack
Dell PowerVault ME5012 2U rack
Dell PowerVault ME5024 2U rack
Optics
iSCSI and NVMe/TCP over Ethernet
Keep the speed the same at all three points: a 25GbE server, a 25GbE switch port and a 25GbE array port. Mixed speeds work but the slowest link sets the pace.
Adapters for the server (check the fit list)
540-BBHG Dell Intel X520/I350 2x10GbE SFP+ + 2x1GbE BASE-T Network Daughter Card (rNDC)
540-BBHH Dell Intel X540/I350 2x10GBASE-T + 2x1GbE BASE-T Network Daughter Card (rNDC)
540-BBIU Dell Broadcom 57416/5720 2x10GBASE-T + 2x1GbE Network Daughter Card (rNDC)
540-BBIV Dell Broadcom 57412/5720 2x10GbE SFP+ + 2x1GbE Network Daughter Card (rNDC)
Direct-attached SAS
12Gb SAS uses Mini-SAS HD (SFF-8644) connectors; older 6Gb gear uses Mini-SAS (SFF-8088). Adapter cables exist, but the link runs at the slower speed.
Adapters for the server (check the fit list)
405-AANT Dell 12Gbps SAS HBA Dual Port External PCIe Controller
405-AASU Dell HBA355e External SAS 12Gb/s Host Bus Adapter
Storage
- Dell PowerVault ME5012 2U rack
- Dell PowerVault ME5024 2U rack
Dell PowerVault ME5084 5U rack
Dell PowerVault ME4012 2U rack
Dell PowerVault ME4024 2U rack
Dell PowerVault ME4084 5U rack
File storage (NFS and SMB)
Front-end ports face the clients; back-end ports (on scale-out systems) connect the nodes to each other and need their own switch pair.
Adapters for the server (check the fit list)
- 540-BBHG Dell Intel X520/I350 2x10GbE SFP+ + 2x1GbE BASE-T Network Daughter Card (rNDC)
- 540-BBHH Dell Intel X540/I350 2x10GBASE-T + 2x1GbE BASE-T Network Daughter Card (rNDC)
- 540-BBIU Dell Broadcom 57416/5720 2x10GBASE-T + 2x1GbE Network Daughter Card (rNDC)
- 540-BBIV Dell Broadcom 57412/5720 2x10GbE SFP+ + 2x1GbE Network Daughter Card (rNDC)
Storage
Lenovo ThinkSystem DM3010H 2U rack
Lenovo ThinkSystem DG5000 2U rack
Lenovo ThinkSystem DM3200F 2U rack
Lenovo ThinkSystem DM5100F 2U rack
Lenovo ThinkSystem DM3000H 2U rack
GPU cluster fabric
InfiniBand adapters and switches must match the generation: HDR is 200Gb, NDR is 400Gb. VPI adapters such as ConnectX-6 and ConnectX-7 can run either InfiniBand or Ethernet.
GPUs
NVIDIA Data Center GPU H100 PCIe 80GB PCIe 5.0 dual-slot full-height full-length
NVIDIA Data Center GPU H100 SXM5 80GB SXM5 module
Adapters for the server (check the fit list)
540-BCVE Dell NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-6 VPI Single Port 200Gb/s HDR InfiniBand / 200GbE PCIe Adapter
540-BDDW Dell NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-6 VPI Dual Port 200Gb/s HDR InfiniBand / 200GbE PCIe Adapter
540-BDRV Dell NVIDIA Mellanox ConnectX-7 Dual Port 400Gb/s NDR InfiniBand / 400GbE PCIe Gen5 Adapter
Plan and size it
- Draw this setup in the topology planner mrplanb.com
- Add up rack power and space rack-density.com
- Virtualization storage Ledger: scored storage platforms mrplanb.com
- SAN transport and NVMe over FC for backup mrplanb.com
- Dell E-Lab Navigator (Dell interoperability) dell.com
Equivalent models from other brands
- NVIDIA Dgx A100
- Supermicro Gpu 4U
Buying a used XE8640: what to check
Confirm all four NVIDIA H100 SXM5 modules are securely seated and thermal paste is intact. Verify quad 2800W power supplies and inspect high-output air fan array.
FAQ
Does the PowerEdge XE8640 require liquid cooling?
No, the XE8640 is designed for standard air-cooled data centers using heavy-duty fans and engineered airflow channels.
What GPU interconnect is used in the XE8640?
It uses fourth-generation NVIDIA NVLink interconnecting all four H100 SXM5 GPUs at 900 GB/s bidirectional bandwidth.
Buying or selling XE8640?
New, refurbished or used. Tell us the quantity and condition and we connect you with a vetted reseller in your region, usually within one working day.
Sources
- Dell PowerEdge XE8640 Spec Sheet, checked 2026-10-27