Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower vs. Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3000_Tower.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_Tower_7010_2023.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9; PentiumIntel Gen 12&13 i3/i5; Celeron; Pentium
ChipsetB660Q6701
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-3200DIMM DDR4-3200
RAM slots22
RAM speed3200 MT/s3200 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;Display Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45(2.5GHz); Audio; Line-Out/In;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA; SerialHDMI 2.1/Displayport/VGA; Serial
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU180/240/300 W180/300 W
Weight6.61 kg (14.59 lb)6.52 kg (14.32 lb)
Released20222023
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 3000 Tower and Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023 which was released in 2023. The Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower is older and entered production in 2022.

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 Tower 7010 2023 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower 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.

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 3200. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 GB of RAM will be enough for most people. However, if you will be needing more RAM, make sure to check other desktop models too.

Ports

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 8. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. 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.

The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.

The HDMI video interface is broadly used and the majority of the external displays support it. Thus, it is nice to see that both models have this video interface. If you are going to use multiple monitors go with the Dell OptiPlex Tower 7010 2023 which has 2 ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower has only 1 ports.

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.

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

Looking at the Power Supply Unit (PSU) of the two models we don't see any differences. For either of them you get a maximum power of 300 Watts. However be careful, many models have more than one power supply option. When buying your computer, it is a good idea to get a version with the most powerful PSU. This will potentially allow you to upgrade to a more powerful GPU for example.

Motherboard

Dell_OptiPlex_3000_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_Tower_7010_2023_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout