Dell OptiPlex 7020 Micro vs Minisforum MS-01 i9
Minisforum MS-01 i9 is both faster and cheaper here - the default pick unless you need something specific from the other.
The verdict
- CPU
- Minisforum MS-01 i9 has 1.2x the CPU throughput (26,658 vs 22,934 PassMark).
- Plex
- Minisforum MS-01 i9 transcodes more 4K HDR streams (~8 vs ~5).
- Idle power
- Dell OptiPlex 7020 Micro idles lower (9W vs 30W) - cheaper to run 24/7.
- Networking
- Minisforum MS-01 i9 has more NICs (4 vs 1) - better for a firewall or VLAN trunk.
- RAM ceiling
- Minisforum MS-01 i9 takes more RAM (96GB vs 64GB).
- Local AI
- Minisforum MS-01 i9 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 7020 Micro | Minisforum MS-01 i9 |
|---|---|---|
| Plex / Jellyfin | ~5 streams | ~8 streams win |
| Frigate NVR | ~4 cameras | ~6 cameras win |
| Proxmox / VMs | 22,934 PassMark | 26,658 PassMark win |
| Firewall / router | 1 NICs | 4 NICs win |
| 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 7020 Micro | Minisforum MS-01 i9 |
|---|---|---|
| Price (list) | $750 | $730 |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-14500T | Intel Core i9-12900H |
| Cores / threads | 14 | 14 |
| PassMark | 22,934 | 26,658 |
| iGPU | UHD 770 | Intel Iris Xe |
| NICs | 1 | 4 |
| NIC model | Intel 1GbE | Intel X710 + I226-V |
| RAM max (GB) | 64 | 96 |
| M.2 free | 0 | 2 |
| PCIe slot | none | x8-lp |
| Idle (W) | 9 | 30 |
| TDP (W) | 35 | 45 |