Dell OptiPlex 5090 M vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5090_M.jpg case front and back pannelLenovo_ThinkCentre_M900_Tiny.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen10&11 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ570Q170
Dedicated GPU *N.A.N.A.
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666/2933/3200SODIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots22
RAM speed3200 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max64 GB32 GB
USB portsUSB 3.1 Type C; (x5) USB-A 3.0; (x4) USB-A 2.0;(6x)USB-A 3.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.4;(2x) DisplayPort;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out/In; RJ45; Headset; Mic;
Optional portsVGA /DisplayPort 1.4/HDMI 2.0b/USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Port Alt-mode; SD Card;VGA/HDMI/DP/Serial; WiFi antenna;
SATA ports31
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2242 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays2.5in2.5in;
PSU90/130 W65 W
Weight1.17 kg (2.58 lb)1.3 kg (2.9 lbs)
Released20212015
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 5090 M and Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5090 M which was released in 2021. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny is older and entered production in 2015.

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 OptiPlex 5090 M as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny 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 5090 M is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 5090 M as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny 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 6. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5090 M, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny 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.

The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.

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 5090 M is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny has 1 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 5090 M has a more powerful one rated at 130 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_5090_M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutLenovo_ThinkCentre_M900_Tiny_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout