Dell PowerStore Elite unveiled at Dell Technologies World 2026

The Dell PowerStore Elite on the ITPro background — (Image credit: Dell Technologies/Future)

Dell Technologies has launched a new storage platform in its PowerStore range that it claims offers "breakthrough" performance and efficiency.

Dell PowerStore Elite, as the new product is called, comes in three new models – Dell PowerStore 1500, Dell PowerStore 5500, and Dell PowerStore 9500. Depending on the model, Dell PowerStore Elite offers up to three times more performance compared to the PowerStore 1200T model and three times more throughput than the 9200T models, according to preliminary internal testing.

Varun Chhabra, SVP of infrastructure (ISG) and telecom marketing at Dell Technologies, said PowerStore Elite is the "most substantial update for the [PowerStore] platform in the last two years" and that it "represents the biggest leap forward in the platform's history".

"It's a full refresh of hardware and software, and builds on the success of PowerStore Prime from two years ago," he told press ahead of the announcement. "[It's] designed for what customers are facing next, and its timing is really, really important as... infrastructure planning is becoming far less predictable."

Dell PowerStore Elite specs and features

In terms of specs and features, Dell PowerStore Elite offers:

Xeon Scalable processors, with up to 50% more CPU cores than PowerStore 3200T and PowerStore 5500
DDR5 memory
PCIe Gen 5 support
200Gb RDMA node interconnect for better load balancing and failover
Up to 40 drives and 5.8PB effective capacity in a single 3U chassis
Up to 3x density than prior generations on low-profile E3 NVMe flash
Up to 40 network ports per appliance with 64Gb FC and 200/400Gb Ethernet-ready connectivity.

It also offers a guaranteed 6:1 data compression.

AI-based efficiency improvements

Continuing the theme of Dell Technologies World, AI is a key feature in PowerStore Elite. According to the company, built-in AI continuously balances workloads, tunes performance, and improves efficiency, which, when put together, reduces manual effort by 95% compared to traditional array management. It also offers Dell Private Cloud integration.

"PowerStore Elite is not just a faster array, it is a brand new class of a modern data platform that is built to help customers lead through change, not just react to it," Chhabra said.

PowerStore Elite will be available worldwide from July 2026.

Jane McCallion is Managing Editor of ITPro and ChannelPro, specializing in data centers, enterprise IT infrastructure, and cybersecurity. Before becoming Managing Editor, she held the role of Deputy Editor and, prior to that, Features Editor, managing a pool of freelance and internal writers, while continuing to specialize in enterprise IT infrastructure, and business strategy.

Prior to joining ITPro, Jane was a freelance business journalist writing as both Jane McCallion and Jane Bordenave for titles such as European CEO, World Finance, and Business Excellence Magazine.