Server Generations Explained: CPUs, DDR5, PCIe and NVMe Storage

Server hardware moves in generations. Each new platform brings faster processors, a newer memory standard, faster PCIe lanes and better storage. Understanding what changed between generations helps you decide whether a newer server is worth the premium, or whether a refurbished previous generation does the job for much less.

Quick answer: the main changes in recent server generations are DDR5 memory, PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 (which double bandwidth each step), more NVMe storage and higher core counts. For most small and mid-sized business workloads, refurbished servers on Xeon Scalable with DDR4 and PCIe 3.0, such as Dell 14th generation and HPE Gen10, remain more than capable at a far lower price.

How server generations compare

Platform	Typical servers	Memory	PCIe
Intel Xeon E5 v3 / v4	Dell 13th gen, HPE Gen9	DDR4	3.0
Intel Xeon Scalable 1st and 2nd gen	Dell 14th gen, HPE Gen10	DDR4	3.0
Intel Xeon Scalable 3rd gen	Dell 15th gen, HPE Gen10 Plus	DDR4	4.0
Intel Xeon Scalable 4th gen and later	Dell 16th gen, HPE Gen11	DDR5	5.0
AMD EPYC 2nd and 3rd gen	Various Dell and HPE models	DDR4	4.0
AMD EPYC 4th gen and later	Dell 16th gen, HPE Gen11	DDR5	5.0

What each change means in practice

PCIe bandwidth: each PCIe generation roughly doubles bandwidth per lane. It matters most for NVMe storage, fast networking and GPUs.
DDR5 memory: higher bandwidth for memory-heavy workloads such as large databases and analytics.
NVMe storage: NVMe drives connect over PCIe and are much faster than SATA or SAS, especially for databases and virtualisation.
Core counts: newer CPUs offer more cores per socket, useful for dense virtualisation, but per-core software licensing can raise costs.
Accelerators: newer platforms add more support for GPUs and AI accelerators.

Good to know: Windows Server and some database software are licensed per core, so a newer CPU with many more cores can increase licensing costs. Sometimes fewer, faster cores are the cheaper choice overall.

Do you need the newest generation?

If you…	Consider
Run file, domain, print and small application servers	Refurbished 13th or 14th gen Dell, or HPE Gen9 or Gen10
Run a busy virtualisation host	Refurbished 14th gen or Gen10 with plenty of RAM and SSDs
Need very fast NVMe storage or 100GbE networking	A newer PCIe 4.0 or 5.0 platform
Need the longest possible software support	The newest generation your budget allows

Pro tip: spend on the bottleneck. Moving a refurbished server from hard drives to SSDs, or adding RAM, often gives a bigger real-world improvement than jumping a whole generation.

Watch out: check operating system and hypervisor support before buying any generation, old or new. Software support, not hardware wear, usually decides how long a server stays useful.

Compare specific models in our Dell vs HP servers guide, and read refurbished vs new servers for the cost side.

Frequently asked questions

What is the latest server generation?

Dell PowerEdge 16th generation and HPE ProLiant Gen11 and later use DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0, with newer platforms continuing to follow.

Is PCIe 3.0 still good enough for servers?

For most small business workloads, yes. PCIe 4.0 and 5.0 matter mainly for very fast NVMe storage, high-speed networking and GPUs.

What is NVMe?

NVMe is a storage protocol that connects SSDs over PCIe, giving much higher speed and lower latency than SATA or SAS.

Should I buy a new or refurbished server?

If a previous generation meets your needs and your software supports it, refurbished saves a lot. Buy new when you need the latest features or the longest support.

Browse our Dell PowerEdge 14th gen and HPE ProLiant Gen9 and Gen10 servers, or ask our team.