Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_M_Plus_7010_2023.jpg case front and back pannelLenovo_ThinkCentre_M72e_Small.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12&13 i3/i5/i7/i9;Intel Gen2&3 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ670H61
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMSODIMM DDR5-4800DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed4800 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max64 GB16 GB
USB portsUSB-A 3.0; (3x) USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.2;(6x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(3x) Display Port 1.4a;DVI-D; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C;Parallel; Serial; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports03
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 2.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slots(2x) M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) N.A.
Drive baysN.A.2.5/3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU130/180 WTFX 240 W
Weight1.31 kg (2.89 lb)6.6 kg (14.55 lb)
Released20232012
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 M Plus 7010 2023 and Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 which was released in 2023. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small is older and entered production in 2012.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small 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 M Plus 7010 2023 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small 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 M Plus 7010 2023 is using the faster 4800 MT/s RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small 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 M Plus 7010 2023 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small has 6 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 is inferior in this regard and packs 5 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023, is that it has 3 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small 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.

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 has a DisplayPort. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small 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 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 has 0 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 M Plus 7010 2023. Sadly, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small 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 M Plus 7010 2023 comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Lenovo ThinkCentre M72e Small has a more powerful one rated at 240 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_M_Plus_7010_2023_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutLenovo_ThinkCentre_M72e_Small_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout