Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower vs. Dell OptiPlex 7000 M

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3000_Tower.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_7000_M.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9; PentiumIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9;
ChipsetB660Q670
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR4-3200SODIMM DDR5-4800
RAM slots22
RAM speed3200 MT/s4800 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;(3x) USB-A 3.0; (3x) USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.2;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;(2x) Display Port 1.4a;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA; SerialHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C;
SATA ports30
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) (2x)M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);N/A
PSU180/240/300 W90/130/180 W
Weight6.61 kg (14.59 lb)1.25 kg (2.75 lb)
Released20222022
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

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* Dedicated GPU warning: Check if your particular power supply model has enough power. Additionally some PSUs don't come with an auxiliary PCIe power connector and you may need to buy a SATA to PCIe power adapter.

Differences between Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower and Dell OptiPlex 7000 M

Both computers, the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower and the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M, were released during the same year - 2022.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower and will fit more easily under your desk.

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 12 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (2 RAM). Usually two RAM slots are more than enough for most cases. However, the count should be taken into account when planning how much and what combination of RAM you are going to need for your system.

The Dell OptiPlex 7000 M is using the faster 4800 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 3200 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 GB of RAM will be enough for most people. However, if you will be needing more RAM, make sure to check other desktop models too.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M has 9 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds significantly. For people who want to use external drives on regular basis, this might be an issue.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M is the better choice.

The Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).

SATA ports are placed on the system board and it is where you connect your HDD, SSD and Optical Disk Drives. More SATA slots will allow you to have more drives running at the same time. In this regard the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M has 0 slot(s).

An M.2 SSD can be several times faster than a SATA one. Thus, we are happy to see that both models support the M.2 interface. However, the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M has 1 M.2 slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower comes with just 1.

Make sure that the available M.2 slot supports the PCIe (also called NVMe) interface. This is important as there are M.2 slots which support only the inferior SATA III interface. For comparison, the SATA III interface has max speeds of 6Gb/s, while the PCIe 3.0 x4 will support speeds up to 32Gb/s!

Power Supply

Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The Dell OptiPlex 7000 M comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 300 Watts. Choosing either one depends on your specific requirements and use case. Also don't forget that some models might have more than one PSU option - try to always get the most powerful one, especially if you plan to upgrade to a powerful GPU.

Motherboard

Dell_OptiPlex_3000_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_7000_M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout