Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Tower

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_9020_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelLenovo_ThinkCentre_M72e_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Intel Gen2&3 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ87H61
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR3-1600 DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots42
RAM speed1600 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB16 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0; (6x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;DVI-D; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsN.A.Parallel; Serial; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe x16 (wired x4); PCIe 2.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays2.5/3.5in; 5.25in(slim)(2x) 2.5/3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU 255 WATX 280/320 W
Weight6.00 kg (13.22 lb)9.4 kg (20.72 lb)
Released20132012
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 9020 SFF and Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF which was released in 2013. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Tower is older and entered production in 2012.

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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e 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 9020 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Tower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Tower 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 1600. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Tower can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Tower is inferior in this regard and packs 6 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. None of the desktop models has a USB 3.1 port (10Gb/s), so if you need a fast connection to your peripherals, like external Solid State Drive, you will need to look elsewhere.

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF has a DisplayPort. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Tower does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

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 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF, nor the Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Tower has one. However, you can still use a SATA SSD drive which should give you satisfactory performance.

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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Tower has a more powerful one rated at 320 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_9020_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutLenovo_ThinkCentre_M72e_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout