Used Server Market Trends: Q1 2026 Report

The used data center hardware market enters 2026 with strong fundamentals. Increasing enterprise refresh cycles, VMware licensing migration activity, and continued AI infrastructure investment are all driving both supply and demand. Here's our analysis of the key trends shaping Q1 2026.

Market Overview

The used enterprise server market continues to grow, driven by several converging factors:

• Enterprise refresh cycles hitting 14th and 15th gen Dell / Gen10 HPE platforms are generating steady supply
• Cloud provider decomissions continue as hyperscalers upgrade to custom silicon and newer platforms
• SMB and mid-market demand remains strong as organizations look to offset rising software costs with lower hardware costs
• Home lab and edge computing markets are growing, creating new buyer segments

Overall transaction volume in Q4 2025 was up approximately 15% year-over-year, and we expect Q1 2026 to continue that trajectory.

Server Pricing Trends

Dell PowerEdge

The PowerEdge market continues to be the most liquid segment, with Dell servers representing roughly 40% of all secondary market transactions.

15th Gen (R750, R750xs, R650): Prices have stabilized after initial post-launch depreciation. A well-configured R750 trades at 35-45% of its original list price. Demand is steady from both production and lab buyers.

14th Gen (R740, R740xd, R640): Still the volume sweet spot. These systems trade at 20-30% of original list. The R740xd with its high storage density remains particularly popular for storage and backup workloads.

13th Gen (R730, R630) and older: Values continue to decline, but slowly. The R730 has found a floor around $300-500 for decent configurations, supported by persistent home lab demand. R630 systems can be found under $200.

Dell PowerEdge R760View current valuations

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HPE ProLiant

HPE servers typically trade at a slight discount to equivalent Dell models due to lower brand recognition in the secondary market.

Gen11 (DL380 Gen11, DL360 Gen11): Very limited secondary market supply. When available, these command 50-65% of list price.

Gen10/Gen10+ (DL380, DL360): The core of HPE's secondary market. Gen10+ with Xeon Scalable 3rd Gen is gaining traction as a strong value play. Pricing at 25-35% of original list.

Gen9 (DL380, DL360): Declining but still active. Gen9 systems are popular with the Proxmox community due to their strong hardware compatibility and low prices. Expect $200-500 range.

HPE ProLiant DL380 Gen11View current valuations

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Lenovo ThinkSystem

Lenovo continues to be the value play in the secondary market. ThinkSystem servers consistently trade at 15-25% below equivalent Dell or HPE models, despite comparable hardware quality. This discount is largely driven by lower brand awareness and smaller parts/accessories ecosystem.

For buyers focused on performance per dollar rather than brand, Lenovo represents the best value in the used server market.

Networking Equipment Trends

The secondary networking market has its own dynamics, largely independent of the server market.

Cisco

Cisco equipment still dominates the used networking market by volume. Key trends:

• Nexus 9300 series: Strong demand for data center switching. Prices holding steady.
• Catalyst 9000 series: Growing supply as organizations refresh from Catalyst 3000/4000 platforms.
• End-of-life announcements continue to drive urgent buying as organizations stock spare parts for platforms nearing EoS.

Arista

Used Arista switches are increasingly available but command premium prices. The 7050X3 series is popular for organizations looking to add high-performance switching without new procurement timelines.

Arista 7050X3View current valuations

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Storage Market

Storage equipment on the secondary market remains complex. Value depends heavily on software licensing:

• NetApp FAS/AFF: Resale value tied to ONTAP license transferability. Systems with perpetual licenses hold value; those requiring subscription renewals are significantly discounted.
• Dell EMC PowerStore/Unity: Growing availability as Dell refreshes customers to newer platforms. Software licenses generally transfer with hardware.
• Pure Storage: Limited secondary market activity due to Pure's subscription model and Evergreen program, which reduces hardware turnover.

Key Drivers for the Rest of Q1

AI Infrastructure Refresh

As organizations move from A100 to H100/B100 GPU platforms, displaced A100 systems and their supporting infrastructure are hitting the market. This is creating opportunities in:

• High-performance compute servers (4U GPU chassis)
• High-bandwidth networking (100GbE switches and NICs)
• NVMe storage arrays

VMware Migration Activity

Broadcom's VMware licensing changes continue to drive infrastructure decisions. Organizations migrating to alternative hypervisors are both selling VMware-optimized hardware and buying general-purpose servers for Proxmox, Hyper-V, and other platforms.

Budget Cycles

Q1 budget releases are driving purchasing activity, particularly in:

• Government and education sectors (fiscal year alignment)
• SMB buyers using prior-year budget for current-year infrastructure
• Organizations investing software savings into hardware

Forecast

We expect the following trends through the remainder of Q1 2026:

• Server prices: Stable to slightly increasing for 14th/15th gen, continued decline for 13th gen and older
• GPU servers: A100 prices stabilizing, H100 prices beginning gradual decline as B-series supply grows
• Networking: Stable, with Arista seeing the strongest demand growth
• Storage: Mixed, with software licensing remaining the key value driver
• Overall volume: Continued growth, 10-15% year-over-year

Stay tuned for our Q2 report with full half-year data analysis.