Dell OptiPlex 3090 SFF vs. Dell OptiPlex 7060 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3090_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_7060_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen 10 i3/i5/i7/i9; PentiumIntel Gen8 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetQ470Q370
Dedicated GPU *AMD Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666DIMM DDR4-2400/2666
RAM slots24
RAM speed2666 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;USB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;(2x) Display Port 1.2;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA;HDMI2.0b/DP1.2/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); Media Card Reader; WiFi antenna;
SATA ports23
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4 (open ended);
M.2 slotsM.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in; 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU200 W200 W
Weight5.10 kg (11.25 lb)5.26 kg (11.57 lb)
Released20212018
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 3090 SFF and Dell OptiPlex 7060 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3090 SFF which was released in 2021. The Dell OptiPlex 7060 SFF is older and entered production in 2018.

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 3090 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7060 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 7060 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3090 SFF 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.

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. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 GB of RAM will be enough for most people. However, if you will be needing more RAM, make sure to check other desktop models too.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 7060 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3090 SFF is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 7060 SFF, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 3090 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.

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 7060 SFF is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3090 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

Looking at the Power Supply Unit (PSU) of the two models we don't see any differences. For either of them you get a maximum power of 200 Watts. However be careful, many models have more than one power supply option. When buying your computer, it is a good idea to get a version with the most powerful PSU. This will potentially allow you to upgrade to a more powerful GPU for example.

Motherboard

Dell_OptiPlex_3090_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_7060_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout