Dell OptiPlex 3070 SFF vs. Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3070_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_3090_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen 10 i3/i5/i7/i9; Pentium
ChipsetH370Q470
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1650
RAMDIMM DDR4-2400/2666DIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots22
RAM speed2666 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;Display Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;
Optional portsSerial+PS2; DP1.2/HDMI2.0b/VGA; Media Card Reader; WiFi antenna; HDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA;
SATA ports23
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 2.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim);3.5in; 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU200 W260 W
Weight5.26 kg (11.57 lb)6.50 kg (14.33 lb)
Released20192021
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 3070 SFF and Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower which was released in 2021. The Dell OptiPlex 3070 SFF is older and entered production in 2019.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 3070 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower 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 3090 Tower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 3070 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.

None of the desktops has an advantage when it comes to the speed of the RAM being used. Both models support RAM speeds of up to 2666. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3070 SFF can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 8. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. None of the desktop models has a USB 3.1 port (10Gb/s), so if you need a fast connection to your peripherals, like external Solid State Drive, you will need to look elsewhere.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 3070 SFF has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower is the better choice.

The Dell OptiPlex 3070 SFF comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower 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 3090 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3070 SFF has 2 slot(s).

When your goal is to have the fastest SSD transfer speeds, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, it is good that both models have M.2 SSD slots. Today M.2 SSDs are not much more expensive than the average SATA drives, so it really does not make sense to invest in SATA drives anymore.

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 3070 SFF comes with a decent 200 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 260 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_3070_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_3090_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout