Dell OptiPlex 7070M vs. Dell OptiPlex 9020M

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7070M.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_9020M.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetQ370Q87
Dedicated GPU *N.A.N.A.
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2400/2666SODIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed2666 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB16 GB
USB portsUSB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0;(6x) USB-A 3.0
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2;DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headset; Mic/Hdph;
Optional portsHDMI2.0b/DP1.2/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); WiFi antenna; Serial; Serial+PS2; WiFi antenna; HDMI; DisplayPort; Serial; Serial+PS2;
SATA ports11
PCI slotsN.A.N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280 B-Key (SATA only);
Drive bays2.5in2.5in
PSU90/130 W65 W
Weight1.18 kg (2.60 lb)1.28 kg (2.82 lb)
Released20192013
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 7070M and Dell OptiPlex 9020M

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 7070M which was released in 2019. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M is older and entered production in 2013.

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 7070M as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 9020M is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (2 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 7070M is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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 7070M as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M can do a bit less at max 16 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 6. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 7070M, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 7070M comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 7070M 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 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 1 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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

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 9020M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 7070M has a more powerful one rated at 130 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_7070M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_9020M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout