Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower vs. Dell OptiPlex 7080 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3090_Tower.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_7080_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen 10 i3/i5/i7/i9; PentiumIntel Gen10 i3/i5/i7/i9;
ChipsetQ470Q470
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650GeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666DIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots24
RAM speed2666 MT/s2933 MT/s
RAM max64 GB128 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;USB 3.1 Type C; (2x) USB-A 3.1; (3x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;(2x) Display Port 1.4;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out/In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA;HDMI2.0b/DP1.4/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); SD4.0; 2xWiFi antenna;
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4 (open ended);
M.2 slotsM.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in; 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU260 W200 W
Weight6.50 kg (14.33 lb)5.28 Kg (11.63 lb)
Released20212020
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 3090 Tower and Dell OptiPlex 7080 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower which was released in 2021. The Dell OptiPlex 7080 SFF is older and entered production in 2020.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 7080 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower and will fit more easily under your desk.

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 10 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 7080 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower has only 2 slot(s). This is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM you are going to use.

The Dell OptiPlex 7080 SFF is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower 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 7080 SFF as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower can do a bit less at max 64 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 7080 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 7080 SFF, is that it has 3 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower 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.

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.

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 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.

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 7080 SFF has 1 M.2 slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower 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 7080 SFF comes with a decent 200 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 3090 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 260 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_3090_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_7080_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout