Dell OptiPlex 7070 MT vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7070_MT.jpg case front and back pannelLenovo_ThinkCentre_M83_Small_Pro.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Pentium;
ChipsetQ370Q85
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2400/2666DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots44
RAM speed2666 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max64 GB32 GB
USB portsUSB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2;(2x) DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Serial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial;
Optional portsHDMI2.0b/DP1.2/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); Media Card Reader; WiFi antenna; Parallel; Serial; (2x) PS2; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports44
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4); PCIe 3.0 x1; PCI; PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) N.A.
Drive bays3.5in/5.25in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);(2x) 2.5/3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;
PSU260/360 WATX 280/450 W
Weight7.93 kg (17.49 lb)11.20 kg (24.69 lb)
Released20192013
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 7070 MT and Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 7070 MT which was released in 2019. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro is older and entered production in 2013.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 7070 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 7070 MT as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 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 7070 MT is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 7070 MT as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro 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 7070 MT has 10 USB ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro 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 7070 MT, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro 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 slots are located on the motherboard and it is where SSD, HDD and Optical Disk Drives are connected. Each of the two models being compared have 4 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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 7070 MT. Sadly, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro 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 OptiPlex 7070 MT comes with a decent 360 Watt PSU, but the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro has a more powerful one rated at 450 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_7070_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutLenovo_ThinkCentre_M83_Small_Pro_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout