The Dell PowerEdge MX740C is a 14th-generation compute sled for the Dell EMC PowerEdge MX7000 modular infrastructure platform — Dell's next-generation alternative to the M1000e blade chassis. Built on dual-socket 2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable (Cascade Lake), the MX740C delivers the same 14th gen compute capabilities as the R640 and R740 rack servers in a modular sled form factor designed for the MX7000's disaggregated fabric architecture.

Critical prerequisite: The MX740C requires a Dell EMC PowerEdge MX7000 chassis. It cannot function as a standalone server. If you don't have an MX7000 chassis, the MX740C cannot be deployed. Contact us to quote the MX7000 chassis alongside compute sleds.

MX7000 vs. M1000e — the architectural difference: The MX7000 is not simply an updated M1000e. It represents a fundamentally different design philosophy: disaggregated fabric where network fabric, storage fabric, and compute sleds are independently configured and scaled. The MX7000 supports Software-Defined Networking (SmartFabric) and enables flexible NVMe, SAN, and Ethernet connectivity without the I/O module constraints of the M1000e. For organizations building new modular infrastructure, the MX7000 platform is the current Dell recommendation over M1000e.

Processors

Single or dual 2nd Generation Intel Xeon Scalable (Cascade Lake) — same processor family as R640/R740. Up to 28 cores per CPU, up to 56 cores / 112 threads dual-socket. iDRAC9 with Silicon Root of Trust. TPM 2.0 supported.

Memory

24 DDR4 DIMM slots — 12 per CPU, six channels per socket. Maximum 3 TB with LRDIMMs. DDR4 at up to 2933 MT/s on Cascade Lake. Same memory architecture as the R640 rack server.

Local Storage

6-Bay 2.5" SAS/SATA hot-swap bays. More local storage than the M640 blade's 2 bays — one of the MX740C's advantages over the M-series blades for workloads requiring some local SSD storage alongside SAN-attached primary storage. PERC H740P available for production RAID. BOSS module for OS boot.

Fabric Connectivity

The MX740C connects to the MX7000 chassis fabric via two fabric A and two fabric B ports, providing redundant connectivity to MX7000's SmartFabric switches or pass-through modules. 25 GbE Ethernet, 100 GbE Ethernet, and FC fabric options are available through the MX7000 chassis — without the I/O module slot constraints of the M1000e. Confirm MX7000 chassis and fabric switch population at quote time.

Our Assessment

The MX740C is the right sled for organizations deploying Dell MX7000 modular infrastructure — the current-generation alternative to M1000e blades. For organizations with existing MX7000 chassis, the MX740C provides 14th gen Xeon Scalable compute with iDRAC9, BOSS module, and 6-bay local storage. For organizations without an MX7000 chassis, evaluate whether the MX7000 modular platform or rack servers (R640, R440) better fit the deployment scale and budget before committing to modular infrastructure.

Navigation: M1000e blades → M640 Blade. Rack alternative → R640 8-Bay.

Ready to Configure?

MX740C configurations require MX7000 chassis and fabric switch compatibility planning. Contact our account team with your chassis details, fabric switch configuration, workload type, and sled count. We return a validated configuration with formal pricing within 24 hours.