Dell OptiPlex 5090 M vs. Dell Vostro 5090

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5090_M.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_5090.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen10&11 i3/i5/i7;Intel Gen9 i3/i5/i7/i9; Pentium; Celeron;
ChipsetQ570B360
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce RTX 2070 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666/2933/3200DIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots22
RAM speed3200 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max64 GB32 GB
USB portsUSB 3.1 Type C; (x5) USB-A 3.0; (x4) USB-A 2.0;(4x)USB-A 2.0; (3x)USB-A 3.0; USB 3.0 Type C;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.4;HDMI 1.4; DisplayPort 1.4;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out/In; RJ45; Hdph; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsVGA /DisplayPort 1.4/HDMI 2.0b/USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Port Alt-mode; SD Card;SD card reader
SATA ports34
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1; PCI
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays2.5in3.5in;
PSU90/130 W260/460W
Weight1.17 kg (2.58 lb)7.90 kg (17.42 lbs)
Released20212019
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 5090 M and Dell Vostro 5090

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5090 M which was released in 2021. The Dell Vostro 5090 is older and entered production in 2019.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 5090 M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Vostro 5090 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 5090 M as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell Vostro 5090 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 5090 M is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell Vostro 5090 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 5090 M as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell Vostro 5090 can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell Vostro 5090 has 9 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 5090 M 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. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5090 M, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell Vostro 5090 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 5090 M comes with 2 ports, while the Dell Vostro 5090 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5090 M is the better choice.

The Dell Vostro 5090 comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 5090 M does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).

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 Vostro 5090 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 5090 M has 3 slot(s).

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 5090 M comes with a decent 130 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 5090 has a more powerful one rated at 460 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_5090_M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_5090_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout