Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_9020_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelLenovo_ThinkCentre_M73_Small.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ87H81
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3-1600 DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots42
RAM speed1600 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB16 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsN.A.Parallel; Serial; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe x16 (wired x4); PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays2.5/3.5in; 5.25in(slim)2.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU 255 WTFX 240 W
Weight6.00 kg (13.22 lb)6.6 kg (14.55 lb)
Released20132013
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 9020 SFF and Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small

Both computers, the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF and the Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small, were released during the same year - 2013.

Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 4 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 9020 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small 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.

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 1600. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small 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. 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF 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 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.

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF, nor the Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small has one. However, you can still use a SATA SSD drive which should give you satisfactory performance.

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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Small comes with a decent 240 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF has a more powerful one rated at 255 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_9020_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutLenovo_ThinkCentre_M73_Small_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout