Dell OptiPlex 9020M vs. Fujitsu Esprimo D7012

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_9020M.jpg case front and back pannelFujitsu_Esprimo_D7012.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Intel Gen12 i3/i5/i7/i9; Pentium
ChipsetQ87Q670
Dedicated GPU *N.A.Radeon RX 6400 Low Profile
RAMSODIMM DDR3-1600 UDIMM DDR4-3200
RAM slots24
RAM speed1600 MT/s3200 MT/s
RAM max16 GB128 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0(2x) USB-A 3.0; (7x) USB-A 2.0; USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.2
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; VGA;(2x) DisplayPort 1.4
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Mic/Hdph;RJ45; Headset, Line in; Line out
Optional portsWiFi antenna; HDMI; DisplayPort; Serial; Serial+PS2; HDMI 2.1; DP 1.4a; DVI; VGA; Parallel; Serial; Thunderbolt 4; (2x) USB-C 3.1 (DP support 60W/15W)
SATA ports14
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4)
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280 B-Key (SATA only); (2x) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in3.5in; 2.5in; (2x) 5.25 inch
PSU65 W280/300 W
Weight1.28 kg (2.82 lb)6.00 kg (13.20 lb)
Released20132022
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 9020M and Fujitsu Esprimo D7012

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 which was released in 2022. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M is older and entered production in 2013.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 9020M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 and will fit more easily under your desk.

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 Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 9020M is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 has 11 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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. What is nice about the Fujitsu Esprimo D7012, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M has 1 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 has 1 M.2 slots while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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 9020M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Fujitsu Esprimo D7012 has a more powerful one rated at 300 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_9020M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutFujitsu_Esprimo_D7012_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout