Dell OptiPlex 5050 MT vs. Dell Vostro 3070

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5050_MT.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3070.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Intel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7/i9;
ChipsetQ270B360
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2133/2400 DIMM DDR4-2400/2666
RAM slots42
RAM speed2400 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max64 GB32 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;HDMI 1.4; VGA;
Other portsSerial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsVGA; Media Card Reader;N/A
SATA ports41
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4); (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2242 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe) N.A.
Drive bays3.5in/5.25in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);3.5in;
PSU240 W180 W
Weight7.93 kg (17.49 lb)5.2kg (11.46 lbs)
Released20172019
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 5050 MT and Dell Vostro 3070

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 3070 which was released in 2019. The Dell OptiPlex 5050 MT is older and entered production in 2017.

Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.

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 Vostro 3070 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 5050 MT is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 5050 MT has 4 RAM slots while the Dell Vostro 3070 has only 2 slot(s). This is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM you are going to use.

The Dell Vostro 3070 is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5050 MT is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2400 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 5050 MT as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell Vostro 3070 can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 5050 MT has 10 USB ports. The Dell Vostro 3070 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. 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.

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 5050 MT has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3070 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

In case your monitor supports HDMI only, you will be happy to hear that both models come with an HDMI port.

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 5050 MT is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell Vostro 3070 has 1 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 5050 MT. Sadly, the Dell Vostro 3070 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 Vostro 3070 comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 5050 MT has a more powerful one rated at 240 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_5050_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3070_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout