Dell OptiPlex 990 SFF vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 Tower

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_990_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel

Lenovo_ThinkCentre_E73_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Small	Mini Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen2 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;	Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Pentium;
Chipset	Q67	H81
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile	Radeon RX 550
RAM	DIMM DDR3-1333	DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots	4	2
RAM speed	1333 MT/s	1600 MT/s
RAM max	16 GB	16 GB
USB ports	(10x)USB-A 2.0;	(2x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;	DisplayPort; VGA;
Other ports	RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; PS2/COM; Serial; Parallel;	RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional ports	N.A.	Serial; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports	3	3
PCI slots	PCIe 2.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x4; PCIe 2.0 x1;	PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slots	N.A.	N.A.
Drive bays	3.5in; 2.5in; 5.25in(slim);	(2x) 2.5/3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU	240 W	ATX 180 W
Weight	5.70 kg (12.57 lb)	7.5 kg (16.53 Ib)
Released	2011	2013
Manual	link	link
Price**	Check Price	Check Price

** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
* 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 990 SFF and Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 Tower which was released in 2013. The Dell OptiPlex 990 SFF is older and entered production in 2011.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 990 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 Tower 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 Tower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 990 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 990 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 Tower is using the faster 1600 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 990 SFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1333 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 16 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 990 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 Tower 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.

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.

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 990 SFF, nor the Lenovo ThinkCentre E73 Tower 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 E73 Tower comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 990 SFF has a more powerful one rated at 240 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.