Dell OptiPlex 5060M vs. Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 5060M and Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 which was released in 2024. The Dell OptiPlex 5060M is older and entered production in 2018.
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 M Plus 7020 2024 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 5060M 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 7020 2024 is using the faster 5600 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5060M 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 M Plus 7020 2024 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5060M 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 OptiPlex 5060M has 6 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 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. It's great that both of the models have USB 3.1 ports which will allow you to exchange data with your peripherals at up to 10Gb/s. But if you need maximum connectivity, go with the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 as it has 3 USB3.1 ports (the Dell OptiPlex 5060M has 1).
DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 comes with 3 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 5060M has only 2. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 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 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 OptiPlex 5060M is better equipped as it comes with 1 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 has 0 slot(s).
An M.2 SSD can be several times faster than a SATA one. Thus, we are happy to see that both models support the M.2 interface. However, the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 has 1 M.2 slots while the Dell OptiPlex 5060M comes with just 1.
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 5060M comes with a decent 90 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 has a more powerful one rated at 180 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
