Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF vs. Dell OptiPlex 5000 M

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3020_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_5000_M.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen 12 T i3/i5/i7/i9;
ChipsetH81 Q670
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR3-1600 SODIMM DDR4-3200
RAM slots22
RAM speed1600 MT/s3200 MT/s
RAM max16 GB64 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0; (5x) USB-A 3.0; USB-C 3.1;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; VGA;(2x) Display Port 1.4a;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; RJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;
Optional portsSerial+PS2;HDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C;
SATA ports20
PCI slotsPCIe 2.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1; N.A.
M.2 slotsN.A.(2x)M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5/3.5in; 5.25in(slim);2.5in;
PSU255 W90/130 W
Weight5 kg (11.02 lb)1.33 kg (2.94 lbs)
Released20132022
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
* 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 3020 SFF and Dell OptiPlex 5000 M

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5000 M which was released in 2022. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF is older and entered production in 2013.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 5000 M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF and will fit more easily under your desk.

Processor

Usually the newer the generation of the CPU, the better the performance and efficiency is. If your budget allows it, you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5000 M as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

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 5000 M is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 5000 M as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF has 8 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 5000 M is inferior in this regard and packs 6 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5000 M, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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 5000 M comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5000 M is the better choice.

None of the models has an HDMI port. If your monitor supports only the HDMI interface, you will need to buy an adapter. Such adapters are cheap so nothing to worry about.

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 3020 SFF is better equipped as it comes with 2 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 5000 M has 0 slot(s).

If you want the fastest transfer speeds for your SSD, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, if the M.2 SSD slot is a mandatory requirement for you, go with the Dell OptiPlex 5000 M. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.

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 5000 M comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF has a more powerful one rated at 255 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_3020_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_5000_M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout