Dell OptiPlex 7000 Tower vs. Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7000_Tower.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_7070_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9;Intel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetQ670Q370
Dedicated GPU *GeForce RTX 3070 (OEM)GeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR5-3600/4000/4400DIMM DDR4-2400/2666
RAM slots44
RAM speed4400 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max128 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (3x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.2;USB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(3x) Display Port 1.4a;(2x) Display Port 1.2;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C; Serial port; SD-card slotHDMI2.0b/DP1.2/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); Media Card Reader; WiFi antenna;
SATA ports43
PCI slotsPCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x1; PCI-32;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4 (open ended);
M.2 slots(3x) M.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 bays(x2) 3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU240/260/400/500 W200 W
Weight9.68 kg (21.35 lb)5.26 kg (11.57 lb)
Released20222019
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 7000 Tower and Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 7000 Tower which was released in 2022. The Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF is older and entered production in 2019.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 7000 Tower 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 7000 Tower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF 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 7000 Tower is using the faster 4400 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2666 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 7000 Tower as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF can do a bit less at max 64 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 10. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. It's great that both of the models have USB 3.1 ports which will allow you to exchange data with your peripherals at up to 10Gb/s. But if you need maximum connectivity, go with the Dell OptiPlex 7000 Tower as it has 2 USB3.1 ports (the Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF has 1).

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 7000 Tower comes with 3 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF has only 2. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 7000 Tower is the better choice.

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 7000 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF has 3 slot(s).

An M.2 SSD can be several times faster than a SATA one. Thus, we are happy to see that both models support the M.2 interface. However, the Dell OptiPlex 7000 Tower has 1 M.2 slots while the Dell OptiPlex 7070 SFF comes with just 1.

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 SFF comes with a decent 200 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 7000 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 500 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_7000_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_7070_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout