Dell OptiPlex 5000 Tower vs. Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5000_Tower.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_9020_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9; PentiumIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetQ670Q87
Dedicated GPU *AMD Radeon RX 6600GeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-3200DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots44
RAM speed3200 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max128 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (5x) USB-A 3.0; USB-C 3.1;(4x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.4a;(2x) DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C; Serial port; SD-card slotN.A.
SATA ports43
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slots(2x) M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) N.A.
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);2.5/3.5in; 5.25in(slim)
PSU240/260/400 W 255 W
Weight7.34 kg (16.18 lb)6.00 kg (13.22 lb)
Released20222013
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 5000 Tower and Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5000 Tower which was released in 2022. The Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF is older and entered production in 2013.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 5000 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 5000 Tower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 9020 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 5000 Tower is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF 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 5000 Tower as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF 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 10. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5000 Tower, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 9020 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 5000 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF has 3 slot(s).

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 5000 Tower. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF 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 9020 SFF comes with a decent 255 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 5000 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 400 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_5000_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_9020_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout