Dell OptiPlex 3070 Micro vs Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny
Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny is the more capable pick; Dell OptiPlex 3070 Micro is the cheaper one - which wins comes down to the job below.
The verdict
- CPU
- Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny has 1.5x the CPU throughput (8,500 vs 5,628 PassMark).
- Idle power
- Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny idles lower (8W vs 11W) - cheaper to run 24/7.
- RAM ceiling
- Dell OptiPlex 3070 Micro takes more RAM (64GB vs 32GB).
- Local AI
- Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny has a PCIe slot for a low-profile GPU - the other needs a DIY build for local LLMs.
Which wins for each job
| Job | Dell OptiPlex 3070 Micro | Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny |
|---|---|---|
| Plex / Jellyfin | ~3 streams | ~3 streams |
| Frigate NVR | ~4 cameras | ~4 cameras |
| Proxmox / VMs | 5,628 PassMark | 8,500 PassMark win |
| Firewall / router | 1 NICs | 1 NICs |
| Local AI / LLM | no slot | PCIe GPU slot win |
Approximate - capacity estimates from curated specs, the same logic as the recommender. Verify against your exact setup. Prices move; check the retailer.
Full specs
| Spec | Dell OptiPlex 3070 Micro | Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny |
|---|---|---|
| Price (list) | $95 | $120 |
| CPU | Intel Core i3-9100T | Intel Core i5-8500T |
| Cores / threads | 4 | 6 |
| PassMark | 5,628 | 8,500 |
| iGPU | UHD 630 | UHD 630 |
| NICs | 1 | 1 |
| NIC model | Realtek RTL8111 | Intel I219 |
| RAM max (GB) | 64 | 32 |
| M.2 free | 1 | 1 |
| PCIe slot | none | x8-lp |
| Idle (W) | 11 | 8 |
| TDP (W) | 35 | 35 |