Dell PowerEdge R740 Compatible SSDs — Complete 2026 Buying List (NVMe, SAS, SATA)
Every Dell-branded SSD that fits the PowerEdge R740 — 2.5" SAS/SATA, NVMe U.2 hot-plug, M.2 BOSS — with iDRAC compatibility notes, RAID controller pairings, and refurbished pricing.
Why Dell SSD Compatibility Matters on the R740
The Dell PowerEdge R740 is the most-deployed 2U dual-socket server in the US enterprise — over 1.2 million units sold globally — and it remains in active production at thousands of US data centers. Storage upgrades are the single most common R740 service event.
Pop the wrong SSD into the bay, however, and the iDRAC9 will throw "Unsupported drive", the PERC RAID controller may not initialize the foreign config, and Dell SupportAssist will refuse to register the drive for warranty.
This guide lists every Dell-firmware SSD that drops into an R740 with no compatibility friction, organized by drive type, capacity, and use case. Pricing reflects Pro Disk Network's actual 2026 Q2 stock — refurbished and new bulk options listed separately.
Browse all Dell PowerEdge R740 parts at Pro Disk Network — drives, memory, RAID controllers, PSUs, NICs.
R740 Drive Bay Configurations
The R740 ships in three backplane variants. Confirm yours before buying drives:
| Configuration | Total Bays | Drive Types Supported |
|---|---|---|
| 8 × 2.5" SAS/SATA | 8 (front) | 2.5" SAS, SATA SSDs and HDDs |
| 16 × 2.5" SAS/SATA | 16 (front) | 2.5" SAS, SATA SSDs and HDDs |
| 24 × 2.5" SAS/SATA/NVMe | 24 (front) | 2.5" SAS, SATA, U.2 NVMe (with NVMe backplane upgrade) |
| 8 × 3.5" SAS/SATA | 8 (front) | 3.5" SAS/SATA HDDs only — no SSD support in this config |
| 2 × 2.5" rear flex bay | 2 (rear) | 2.5" SAS/SATA SSD/HDD |
| BOSS-S1 / BOSS-S2 | 2 × M.2 | M.2 SATA boot SSDs |
To confirm your backplane: iDRAC > Storage > Physical Disks > slot count, or use racadm get system.ServerOS.HostName plus racadm getsysinfo to identify chassis SKU.
Dell-Branded SAS SSDs for R740 (12Gb/s SAS)
These are 2.5" SFF SAS SSDs with Dell-original firmware that auto-recognize on PERC H730/H740/H840 controllers. All are hot-plug.
Mixed-Use SAS SSDs (3 DWPD)
| Dell SKU | Capacity | Form Factor | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400-AYBN | 800GB | 2.5" SAS 12Gb/s | VM datastores, mixed read/write |
| 400-AZAQ | 1.6TB | 2.5" SAS 12Gb/s | Database log volumes |
| 400-AYDN | 3.2TB | 2.5" SAS 12Gb/s | Large mixed-use VM hosting |
Read-Intensive SAS SSDs (1 DWPD)
| Dell SKU | Capacity | Form Factor | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400-ATIH | 480GB | 2.5" SAS 12Gb/s | Boot, web tier, read caching |
| 400-AXTV | 960GB | 2.5" SAS 12Gb/s | Read replicas, content cache |
| 400-AVCB | 1.92TB | 2.5" SAS 12Gb/s | Static datasets, Splunk indexer cold |
| 400-BCLW | 3.84TB | 2.5" SAS 12Gb/s | Large read-only volumes |
| 400-BJSC | 7.68TB | 2.5" SAS 12Gb/s | Object stores, archive tier |
Write-Intensive SAS SSDs (10 DWPD)
| Dell SKU | Capacity | Form Factor | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400-AMCI | 400GB | 2.5" SAS 12Gb/s | OLTP transaction log |
| 400-ATGT | 800GB | 2.5" SAS 12Gb/s | Heavy-write databases |
Dell-Branded SATA SSDs for R740 (6Gb/s SATA)
Lower cost than SAS; throughput-capped at 540MB/s read / 520MB/s write per drive but acceptable for most workloads.
Mixed-Use SATA SSDs (3 DWPD)
| Dell SKU | Capacity | Form Factor | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400-BCNK | 480GB | 2.5" SATA | VMware datastores |
| 400-BCRH | 960GB | 2.5" SATA | General-purpose VMs |
| 400-BCSC | 1.92TB | 2.5" SATA | Mid-tier mixed workloads |
Read-Intensive SATA SSDs (1 DWPD)
| Dell SKU | Capacity | Form Factor | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400-AXSU | 480GB | 2.5" SATA | Boot, low-utilization VMs |
| 400-AXTM | 960GB | 2.5" SATA | Static content |
| 400-BJSE | 1.92TB | 2.5" SATA | Backup target staging |
| 400-BLLF | 3.84TB | 2.5" SATA | Large archive volumes |
| 400-BMHJ | 7.68TB | 2.5" SATA | Capacity-tier read-only |
Dell-Branded U.2 NVMe SSDs for R740 (PCIe 3.0 x4)
NVMe support requires the 24-bay NVMe-capable backplane (or specific 8-bay NVMe sub-config) plus PCIe NVMe HBA in the riser. Verify in iDRAC before ordering.
Mixed-Use NVMe (3 DWPD)
| Dell SKU | Capacity | Form Factor | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400-BCRJ | 1.6TB | 2.5" U.2 NVMe | Latency-critical VMs |
| 400-BCSE | 3.2TB | 2.5" U.2 NVMe | OLTP databases |
| 400-BJSU | 6.4TB | 2.5" U.2 NVMe | All-flash VSAN cache |
Read-Intensive NVMe (1 DWPD)
| Dell SKU | Capacity | Form Factor | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400-BMHA | 1.92TB | 2.5" U.2 NVMe | Read replicas |
| 400-BLLG | 3.84TB | 2.5" U.2 NVMe | Static content tiers |
| 400-BJSV | 7.68TB | 2.5" U.2 NVMe | Read-heavy capacity tier |
BOSS-S1 / BOSS-S2 M.2 SATA Boot SSDs
The Dell BOSS (Boot Optimized Storage Solution) card mounts up to two M.2 SATA SSDs in a hot-plug PCIe carrier — ideal for hypervisor boot (ESXi, Hyper-V, Proxmox) without consuming front-bay slots.
| Dell SKU | Capacity | Form Factor | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400-BBPK | 240GB | M.2 SATA (BOSS) | ESXi 7/8 boot |
| 400-BCNL | 480GB | M.2 SATA (BOSS) | Boot + scratch |
| 400-AYZG | BOSS-S1 controller | PCIe 2.0 x2 | Carrier card |
| 400-AYJU | BOSS-S2 controller | PCIe 3.0 x2 | Newer carrier (faster initialization) |
RAID Controller Compatibility
The R740 supports four PERC controllers — confirm yours in iDRAC > Storage > Controllers:
| PERC Model | SSD Support | Max Drives | RAID Levels | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PERC H330 | SAS/SATA | 32 | 0/1/5/10/50 | Embedded RAID, no cache |
| PERC H730P | SAS/SATA | 32 | 0/1/5/6/10/50/60 | 2GB NV cache, BBU |
| PERC H740P | SAS/SATA | 32 | 0/1/5/6/10/50/60 | 8GB NV cache, BBU |
| PERC H840 | SAS/SATA, MD-attached | 192 | 0/1/5/6/10/50/60 | External SAS for MD1400/2400 |
| HBA330 | Pass-through | 32 | JBOD only | Required for VSAN, Ceph, ZFS |
| NVMe HBA / Direct PCIe | NVMe only | up to 24 | None (host OS handles) | Required for U.2 NVMe drives |
Mixing SAS and SATA on the same H730P/H740P backplane is supported. Mixing SSD and HDD in the same RAID volume is supported but never recommended — performance is bottlenecked by the slowest disk.
iDRAC9 + OpenManage Recognition
Drive part numbers above are Dell-firmware SKUs — they auto-register in iDRAC9 with full SMART telemetry, predictive failure analysis (PFA), and Dell SupportAssist warranty visibility. Generic third-party SSDs with the same controller silicon will function but will throw "Non-Dell drive" warnings in iDRAC and forfeit predictive-failure logging.
For production R740s under ProSupport or ProSupport Plus contracts, Dell-firmware drives are required to keep predictive-failure SLA active.
Use Cases
VMware vSAN All-Flash R740
24-bay NVMe backplane, 4× cache-tier mixed-use NVMe (1.6TB or 3.2TB), 20× capacity-tier read-intensive NVMe (3.84TB or 7.68TB). HBA330 in pass-through. ESXi 7 or 8 boot from BOSS-S2.
SQL Server / Oracle OLTP Database
8× write-intensive SAS SSDs in RAID 10 for transaction log; 16× mixed-use SAS in RAID 5 or RAID 10 for data files. PERC H740P with 8GB cache, BBU, write-back enabled.
Splunk / Elastic Indexer
Hot-tier: 8× mixed-use NVMe (1.6TB) RAID 10 for current-day indexes. Warm/cold tier: 16× read-intensive SAS SSD (3.84TB or 7.68TB) RAID 6.
VDI Pool Host (Citrix / VMware Horizon)
8–16× mixed-use SAS or SATA SSDs (960GB–1.92TB) in RAID 10. Drives last 3–5 years on typical VDI write patterns.
Backup Target / Veeam Repository
24× read-intensive SATA SSDs (7.68TB or 3.84TB) in RAID 6 — 100+ TB usable, 2GB/s sustained write, lower cost per TB than NVMe.
Refurbished vs New Pricing
Pro Disk Network sells both factory-new Dell SSDs and certified refurbished Dell SSDs — refurbished drives are pulled from decommissioned Dell servers, surface-tested for 100% sector health, secure-erased per NIST 800-88, and re-warranted for 12 months.
| Tier | Price vs Dell List | Warranty | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| New (sealed retail) | -25% to -45% | Dell ProSupport eligible | Production-critical first-tier storage |
| New (bulk OEM) | -55% to -70% | 3-year Pro Disk Network warranty | New deployments, second-tier |
| Refurbished | -75% to -85% | 1-year Pro Disk Network warranty | Capacity expansion, lab, dev/test |
For a 48-drive R740 cluster refresh, refurbished drives can cut the BOM by $40,000–$80,000 vs Dell list.
Buying Checklist
Before ordering, send Pro Disk Network these details:
- R740 service tag (sticker on chassis pull-out tab) — used to verify exact backplane configuration
- Number of populated drive bays today + target after upgrade
- Workload profile — DB, VDI, VSAN, backup, file
- PERC model — H330 / H730P / H740P / H840 / HBA330
- iDRAC + BIOS version — ensures drive firmware is supported
- Refurbished vs new bulk vs new sealed preference
You will receive a per-drive quote with Dell SKU, capacity, DWPD, RAID compatibility note, and 24h or same-day stock confirmation within one business day.
FAQ
Q: Will an Intel/Samsung/Micron SSD work in an R740? A: Mechanically and electrically, yes — any 2.5" SAS or SATA SSD will operate. But iDRAC9 will mark it "Non-Dell drive", PFA will not function, and ProSupport will not cover the drive in warranty events. For non-production use, third-party SSDs are fine. For production, use Dell-firmware drives.
Q: Can I mix SAS and SATA drives in the same R740 chassis? A: Yes — PERC H730P/H740P/HBA330 support SAS+SATA on the same backplane. You cannot mix them in the same RAID virtual disk, but separate VDs on the same controller is fully supported.
Q: How do I tell if my R740 has the NVMe backplane? A: In iDRAC > System > Inventory, look for "PCIe Extender" or "NVMe Backplane" in the chassis component list. Alternatively, run racadm hwinventory | grep -i nvme. If you see Slot 0–23 listed under PCIe SSD, you have NVMe support.
Q: What is the maximum SSD capacity supported by R740? A: PERC H730P/H740P support per-drive capacities up to 32TB SAS / SATA. Real-world Dell-firmware drives top out at 30.72TB SAS read-intensive (Dell SKU 400-BMVE) and 7.68TB U.2 NVMe.
Q: Can I use BOSS-S1 if my server already has BOSS-S2? A: BOSS-S1 and BOSS-S2 are not interchangeable — different PCIe interfaces (S1 is PCIe 2.0 x2, S2 is PCIe 3.0 x2). The chassis BOSS slot is keyed for one or the other. Check iDRAC > Hardware Inventory.
Q: Are refurbished Dell SSDs reliable? A: Yes when sourced correctly. Pro Disk Network refurbishes drives with: (1) full surface scan with bad-block remap verification, (2) NIST 800-88 secure erase, (3) firmware re-flash to current Dell version, (4) 100-cycle write-read endurance smoke test. We back every refurbished drive with a 1-year warranty.
Q: Does the R740 support PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSDs? A: No — R740 chipset is Intel C622 (PCIe 3.0). PCIe 4.0 NVMe drives will negotiate down to PCIe 3.0 x4 and operate normally but at half their potential bandwidth. For PCIe 4.0, look at PowerEdge R750 or R760.
Related Resources
- Dell PowerEdge R740 Parts Guide
- Dell PowerEdge R720 Parts Guide
- Dell PowerEdge R730 Parts Complete Guide
- Dell PowerEdge Server Comparison R760/R750/R740/R640
- How to Choose Enterprise SSD
- Server RAID Controller Guide
- NVMe vs SAS vs SATA Enterprise Storage Comparison
- Browse all Dell server SSDs
- Browse Solid State Drives
Get a Quote — Dell SSD Pricing for R740
Pro Disk Network is a USA enterprise IT hardware supplier with same-day shipping, Net 30 for businesses, and a no-DOA guarantee on every drive.
Email sales@prodisknetwork.com with your R740 service tag and target drive list — we return per-drive pricing, lead time, and stock confirmation within one business day.