Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT vs. Dell OptiPlex 7050M
Comparison and Differences
| Model | Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT | Dell OptiPlex 7050M |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Mini Tower | Micro |
| CPU options | Intel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Pentium | Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; |
| Chipset | Q470 | Q270 |
| Dedicated GPU * | GeForce RTX 2070 Super | N.A. |
| RAM | DIMM DDR4-2666/2933 | SODIMM-2133/2400 |
| RAM slots | 4 | 2 |
| RAM speed | 2933 MT/s | 2400 MT/s |
| RAM max | 128 GB | 32 GB |
| USB ports | USB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; | USB 3.0 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0; |
| Video ports | (2x) Display Port 1.4; | Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4; |
| Other ports | RJ45; Headset; Line-Out/In; | RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; |
| Optional ports | HDMI2.0b/DP1.4/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); Serial+PS2; SD4.0; 2xWiFi antenna; | Serial+PS2; Serial; VGA; DisplayPort 1.2; WiFi antenna; |
| SATA ports | 4 | 1 |
| PCI slots | PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4; (2x) PCIe x1; | N.A. |
| M.2 slots | M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, SATA); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) | M.2 2280/2242 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, SATA); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) |
| Drive bays | 3.5-inch; (2x) 2.5-inch; 5.25-inch (slim); | 2.5-inch |
| PSU | 260/360 W | 65 W |
| Weight | 7.2kg (15.89lb) | 1.18 kg (2.60 lb) |
| Released | 2020 | 2017 |
| Manual | link | link |
| Price** | Check Price | Check Price |
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT and Dell OptiPlex 7050M
If a more modern desktop is what you are looking for, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT which was released in 2020. The Dell OptiPlex 7050M is older and entered production in 2017.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 7050M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT 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 5080 MT as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7050M is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
The Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 7050M has only 2 slot(s). Of course this is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM will your system be using.
The Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7050M is slower by supporting RAM speeds of only up to 2400 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7050M can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for most users.Ports
In total the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 7050M is inferior in this regard and packs 6 USB ports. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 7050M has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds a bit.
DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 7050M has only 1.
The Dell OptiPlex 7050M comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT 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 port 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 5080 MT is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA 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 buy SATA drives anymore.
Remark: Make sure that the M.2 slot supports the PCIe (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 6 Gb/s, while the PCIe 3.0 x4 will support speeds up to 32 Gb/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 7050M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT has a more powerful one rated at 360 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.
Motherboard
