Dell OptiPlex 7090 MT vs. Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 7090 MT and Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 which was released in 2024. The Dell OptiPlex 7090 MT is older and entered production in 2021.
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 Plus 7020 2024 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7090 MT is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 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 Tower Plus 7020 2024 is using the faster 4400 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7090 MT is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 3200 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 128 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
In total the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 7090 MT is inferior in this regard and packs 9 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 7090 MT as it has 3 USB3.1 ports (the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 has 2).
DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 7090 MT comes with 4 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 has only 3. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 7090 MT is the better choice.
The Dell OptiPlex 7090 MT comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 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 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 4 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 Tower Plus 7020 2024 has 2 M.2 slots while the Dell OptiPlex 7090 MT comes with just 2.
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 500 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
