Dell OptiPlex 7070M vs. Dell Vostro 5880

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7070M.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_5880.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ370H470
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce RTX 2070 Super
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2400/2666DIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots22
RAM speed2666 MT/s2933 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB portsUSB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0;(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; USB 3.0 Type C;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2;HDMI 1.4b; DisplayPort 1.4;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headset; Mic; Line-Out;
Optional portsHDMI2.0b/DP1.2/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); WiFi antenna; Serial; Serial+PS2; SD card reader
SATA ports14
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays2.5in3.5in; 9.5mm
PSU90/130 W260/460W
Weight1.18 kg (2.60 lb)6.03 kg (13.28 lbs)
Released20192020
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 Vostro 5880

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 5880 which was released in 2020. The Dell OptiPlex 7070M is older and entered production in 2019.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 7070M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Vostro 5880 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 Vostro 5880 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7070M 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 Vostro 5880 is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7070M 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 Vostro 5880 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7070M 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 5880 has 9 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 7070M 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 7070M, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell Vostro 5880 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 Vostro 5880 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 7070M is the better choice.

The Dell Vostro 5880 comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 7070M 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 5880 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 7070M has 1 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 7070M comes with a decent 130 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 5880 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_7070M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_5880_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout