Dell OptiPlex 7000 M vs. Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7000_M.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_Tower_Plus_7010_2023.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9;Intel Gen 12&13 i3/i5/i7/i9; Celeron; Pentium
ChipsetQ670Q670
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce RTX 3070
RAMSODIMM DDR5-4800DIMM DDR5-3600/4000/4400
RAM slots24
RAM speed4800 MT/s4400 MT/s
RAM max64 GB128 GB
USB ports(3x) USB-A 3.0; (3x) USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.2;(4x) USB-A 2.0; (3x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.2
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.4a;(3x) Display Port 1.4a;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45(2.5GHz); Audio; Line-Out/In;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C;HDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C; Serial port; SD-card slot
SATA ports04
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x1; PCI-32;
M.2 slots(2x)M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive baysN/A(x2) 3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU90/130/180 W260/500 W
Weight1.25 kg (2.75 lb)6.52 kg (14.38 lb)
Released20222023
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck 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 7000 M and Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 which was released in 2023. The Dell OptiPlex 7000 M is older and entered production in 2022.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 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 Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7000 M is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M 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 7000 M is using the faster 4800 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 4400 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7000 M 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 Tower Plus 7010 2023 has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 7000 M 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. Both of the models have USB 3.1 ports which will allow you to exchange data with your peripherals at up to 10Gb/s. This is especially crucial if you are using external drives on a regular basis.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 comes with 3 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M has only 2. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 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 Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 7000 M has 0 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 Dell OptiPlex 7000 M has 1 M.2 slots while the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 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 7000 M comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7010 2023 has a more powerful one rated at 500 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_7000_M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_Tower_Plus_7010_2023_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout