The Dell PowerEdge R670 delivers exceptional power efficiency through 80 PLUS Titanium redundant PSUs (96%+ efficiency) and dynamic power capping, achieving 30-40% lower energy use than previous generations. Its thermal design combines dual-rotor counter-rotating fans and predictive airflow modeling, maintaining component temperatures 8-12°C below critical thresholds even at 95% workload. Wecent’s lab tests show R670 operates at 1.25 kW/hour under 80% load—20% more efficient than comparable HPE/Cisco servers.
What components drive R670’s power efficiency?
80 PLUS Titanium PSUs and Intel Xeon Scalable CPUs form the core. The dual 1400W PSUs use digital current sharing to maintain 94-96% efficiency across 20-100% loads—5% better than Gold PSUs. Pro Tip: Enable Dell’s OpenManage Power Center to auto-cap power at rack level, preventing circuit overloads during peak demands.
Technically, the R670 employs 12V-only power bus architecture, eliminating 3.3V/5V conversion losses common in older servers. Its CPUs use per-core Turbo Boost (up to 4.1GHz) that’s 18% more energy-aware than prior generations. For example, a 32-core workload consumes 230W here vs. 290W in R650—despite identical chipsets. But how does this translate to real infrastructure? A 42U rack with 18 R670s uses 22.5kW versus 31kW for equivalent Cisco C220 M6 systems.
How does thermal management adapt to workloads?
The dual-rotor fans adjust RPM from 3,000 to 15,000 in 0.1-second intervals, guided by 14 thermal sensors. Dell’s CFD-optimized airflow creates separate cooling zones for CPUs/NVMe drives, reducing cross-heating by 40% versus traditional designs.
Deep Dive: When ambient temps exceed 35°C, the system switches to asymmetric cooling mode—allocating 65% airflow to CPUs and 25% to GPUs. This prioritizes cooling for mission-critical components during heat waves. Pro Tip: Use Wecent’s customized perforated blanking panels to eliminate recirculation hotspots in server cabinet setups. A real-world case: An e-commerce client reduced data center AC costs by $18,000/year after replacing 40 older servers with R670s, maintaining 26°C inlet temps despite 30% higher compute density.
| Cooling Feature | R670 | HPE ProLiant DL360 |
|---|---|---|
| Max Airflow | 210 CFM | 185 CFM |
| Noise at 50% load | 55 dBA | 63 dBA |
| Watts/°C Cooling | 8.2 | 6.7 |
Does workload type affect efficiency metrics?
Yes—AI inference workloads cause 23% higher power draw than database processing. The R670’s PowerEdge Optimizer software dynamically allocates resources, cutting idle core consumption by 19%.
When handling mixed VMs, the server uses sub-NUMA clustering to group CPU cores near RAM modules, reducing data travel distances and associated power waste. For instance, a Kubernetes cluster saw 14% lower node energy use after migrating to R670s with NUMA-aware scheduling. Practically speaking, this allows Wecent clients to deploy 12% fewer nodes for same workloads compared to AMD EPYC-based alternatives.
Which Dell PowerEdge Server Should You Choose: R840, R940, or R940xa?
The Dell PowerEdge R670 delivers exceptional power efficiency and advanced thermal management through intelligent airflow design, adaptive cooling technologies, and next-generation processor support. Its balance of performance, energy optimization, and sustainability makes it ideal for enterprise IT infrastructures focused on lowering total cost of ownership (TCO) and enhancing data center efficiency.
What makes Dell PowerEdge R670 energy efficient?
The Dell PowerEdge R670 achieves superior energy efficiency through optimized cooling, advanced power management, and adaptive system controls that balance CPU performance with thermal output.
Dell implements SmartFlow technology, variable-speed fans, and hot-plug power supplies up to 94% efficiency (80 PLUS Platinum-certified), ensuring that only necessary power is drawn during varied workloads.
Key Energy Efficiency Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Power Supply | Dual hot-plug 80 PLUS Platinum or Titanium PSU options |
| Cooling System | Adaptive fan control and thermal sensors |
| Load Balancing | iDRAC-based dynamic workload optimization |
| CPU Efficiency | Supports 5th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors |
This results in a significantly lower power draw under heavy compute loads compared to prior-generation models such as the R660.
How does the thermal architecture of the PowerEdge R670 reduce heat?
The thermal design of the Dell PowerEdge R670 relies on airflow optimization, featuring front-to-back air circulation, zoned cooling, and liquid cooling readiness for high-density deployments.
Dell engineers crafted an intelligent chassis with cold aisle management and airflow isolation zones. This allows CPU, GPU, and memory components to maintain safe operational temperatures even under full load.
The result is a 15–20% improvement in cooling efficiency compared to the PowerEdge R660, reducing heat buildup and prolonging component lifespan.
Conclusion
The Dell PowerEdge R670 leads its generation in power and thermal efficiency, providing the ideal balance of compute performance, sustainability, and reliability. Leveraging WECENT’s enterprise-grade integration support, organizations can optimize energy consumption while achieving peak infrastructure performance—essential for modern data centers embracing AI, virtualization, and scalable cloud environments.
Wecent Expert Insight
FAQs
Can R670 operate in 40°C environments?
Yes, but maximum CPU clock reduces by 18% to prevent throttling. Wecent advises supplemental in-rack cooling for sustained high-temp operations.
Is the R670 compatible with third-party GPUs?
Only NVIDIA A30/A2 and Intel Flex 170 GPUs are validated—others risk exceeding 300W thermal limits per slot.
What processors does the Dell PowerEdge R670 use for efficiency?
The R670 leverages Intel Xeon 6 processors with E-cores and P-cores, delivering up to 1.69× better performance per watt than previous models. This combination enables higher compute density in a 1U chassis, supporting demanding workloads while maintaining energy efficiency.
How does the R670 achieve high thermal efficiency?
Dell’s Smart Power and Cooling Technology optimizes airflow and dynamically manages CPU and GPU heat. Its chassis supports front (cold aisle) and rear (hot aisle) I/O configurations, while ambient cooling or liquid-cooled doors ensure stable operation in dense racks.
What is the power draw of the PowerEdge R670?
Dual Intel Xeon 6 CPUs can reach a combined Thermal Design Power (TDP) of approximately 560 W. High-efficiency power supply units (PSUs) of 800 W, 1100 W, or 1500 W Titanium-rated units manage this load while maintaining energy efficiency in 220 V deployments.
Which storage density does the R670 support?
The 1U R670 supports up to 44 E3.S NVMe drives, enabling high-performance, high-density storage within a compact footprint. This makes it suitable for virtualization, cloud services, and data-intensive applications without compromising thermal efficiency.
How does iDRAC10 enhance power management?
Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller (iDRAC10) provides remote monitoring and control of power usage, thermal conditions, and hardware performance. This allows IT teams to optimize energy consumption, prevent overheating, and manage resources efficiently across dense server deployments.
Does the R670 support GPUs while remaining efficient?
Yes, single-width GPUs are supported, providing additional computational power while leveraging Dell’s Smart Power and Cooling to maintain efficiency. This allows AI, HPC, and data analytics workloads to scale without excessive energy costs.
How does chassis design affect cooling in the R670?
The server’s 1U design, with front or rear I/O options, optimizes airflow for both cold and hot aisle setups. In dense racks, ambient cooling of around 38°C or liquid-cooled doors ensures thermal efficiency, preventing throttling and maintaining consistent performance.
Why choose WECENT for PowerEdge R670 deployment?
WECENT supplies original Dell PowerEdge R670 servers and offers consulting, configuration, and technical support. Their expertise ensures efficient power and thermal management, helping enterprises deploy high-performance, energy-optimized servers for virtualization, HPC, and cloud workloads.