Dell modular PC: Optiplex 7070 Ultra

[NumLock21]

Dell has revealed a their modular desktop computer called the Optiplex 7070 Ultra, where unlike traditional AIO desktops, their components are installed behind the screen panel. Dell on the other hand has made it to fit into a monitor stand.The modular PC can also be swapped out when the customer see they need something more powerful.

Quote

The first compute module that Dell intends to offer is the OptiPlex 7070 Ultra, a 0.5-liter brick that looks like an external battery pack for a laptop. The laptop-sized module is based on Intel’s Whiskey Lake-U processor with up to four cores, UHD Graphics 620, and up to 25 W TDP that is cooled down using its own cooling system. The CPU is accompanied by up to 64 GB of DDR4 RAM (using two SO-DIMMs), an M.2-2230 SSD, and an optional 2.5-inch hard drive. The module has a GbE port, an optional Wi-Fi 6 adapter, and a side-accessible USB Type-C with DisplayPort, USB Type-A, and a 3.5-mm audio connector.

Price starts at $749.

Do note that display is not included, $749 is just the computer.

 

 

 

https://www.anandtech.com/show/14764/dells-optiplex-7070-ultra-a-compute-module-for-aio-pcs

https://www.dellemc.com/en-us/optiplex/optiplex-7070-ultra-coming-soon.htm#

[leadeater]

Cheaper than an Apple stand and comes with a computer inside of it........ 

[Trik'Stari]

I don't think that picture is the correct one to display what the product is.

 

Reasoning: In the last 3 weeks I have deployed a few hundred SFF Dell desktops with monitor stands that integrate the SFF desktop into the monitor stand. It's literally just a monitor stand with a pass through for power and accessories.

 

Literally. It's just a pass through for 2 USB ports and a single power cable to the monitor, that also powers the PC.

 

Addendum: They seem quite well made and quite nice for what they are intended to do. My comment is merely concerning the picture used in the OP.

 

Unless it's just a slimmed down version of what they already had, this isn't very new.

[mr moose]

I understand the desire to have interchangeable and upgradable parts without needing to open cases, but isn't it just as easy to swap over a thin client?

[givingtnt]

A good stand-in computer for office towers !  

[yolosnail]

21 minutes ago, NumLock21 said:

The modular PC can also be swapped out when the customer see they need something more powerful

Considering it's only running Whiskey Lake-U chips and is available with up to 4 cores, to get anything more powerful you'd need to buy a proper PC

 

Other than that, this actually seems like a half decent idea, now all we need is an AMD variant so it can process more than the Windows Desktop

[thorhammerz]

56 minutes ago, mr moose said:

I understand the desire to have interchangeable and upgradable parts without needing to open cases, but isn't it just as easy to swap over a thin client?

The thinness (or thiccness) of the client has to be... just right .

[toobladink]

1 hour ago, mr moose said:

I understand the desire to have interchangeable and upgradable parts without needing to open cases, but isn't it just as easy to swap over a thin client?

Very good point.

 

I only see these being useful for basic office work, which is surprisingly a huge part of the market

[LeSheen]

As a support engineer, I see endless new ways for end-users to make my life more difficult. They will see the computer as a screen and vice versa.

[paddy-stone]

29 minutes ago, LeSheen said:

As a support engineer, I see endless new ways for end-users to make my life more difficult. They will see the computer as a screen and vice versa.

 

[williamcll]

Can't I just get a regular AIO with an openable case?

[Dujith]

11 minutes ago, Tedny said:

People, explain to me one thing, why someone will buy it? 

Offices, its the biggest PC market. Most only need a machine that can run office and other spreadsheet/accounting software.

With no case you have extra space and in large numbers that can add up. Including the fact that it only needs 1 powercable

 

[Dujith]

6 minutes ago, Tedny said:

why do you need to pay 800$ for that? 

Well, i dont need to pay that.

It is in line with their thin client desktops price wise (and others like HP) so why not? Remember this is mainly aimed at offices and such.

They do not only buy it for the looks/convenience but also for the support. 

[dalekphalm]

4 hours ago, Tedny said:

why do you need to pay 800$ for that? 

Part of the reason you're paying $800 for that is two fold:

1. Form factor - you pay more for slimmer, or "aesthetically pleasing" components. This is sometimes (but not always) a high priority for some businesses.

2. Support - this is where most of the money actually goes. Dell business machines typically have 3 year warranties - and their business warranty is hard to beat. One place to call for any issues (rather than calling 7 different vendors for the various bits inside the PC). And on top of that, if you pay a bit more, you get on-site next day service.

 

Downtime is one of the most expensive things to a business.

[spartaman64]

4 hours ago, Tedny said:

why do you need to pay 800$ for that? 

https://officedesigns.com/aeron-chair-custom the place i work at has 16 of these chairs. why? i have no idea I dont really feel like they are more comfortable than my 80 dollar chair i have at home. the only thing is the tilt and back adjustment feels really solid unlike my chair where i feel like im falling over but is that worth the extra 1195 dollars? hell no. so business purchasing decisions are a bit of a mystery to me

[dalekphalm]

9 minutes ago, spartaman64 said:

https://officedesigns.com/aeron-chair-custom the place i work at has 16 of these chairs. why? i have no idea I dont really feel like they are more comfortable than my 80 dollar chair i have at home. the only thing is the tilt and back adjustment feels really solid unlike my chair where i feel like im falling over but is that worth the extra 1195 dollars? hell no. so business purchasing decisions are a bit of a mystery to me

Part of the reason it's $1200 is because it has a 12 year warranty.

 

Furthermore a lot of furniture companies will actually work with the business to design the actual office space - though who knows if they did that with yours.

 

I'd say that even though those chairs are $1200, not all businesses are buying $1200 chairs. Most entry level good quality office chairs start in the $200+ range - with good higher end ones being in the $500-$800 range.

 

Considering an office might use that same chair for 20+ years, spending $800 on it isn't necessarily a bad deal.

[Mira Yurizaki]

20 hours ago, mr moose said:

I understand the desire to have interchangeable and upgradable parts without needing to open cases, but isn't it just as easy to swap over a thin client?

Because we have to perpetuate the illusion that monitor = computer.

 

1 hour ago, dalekphalm said:

Part of the reason it's $1200 is because it has a 12 year warranty.

I'd also wager they're designed/built to take a hefty amount of abuse, because the chairs will regularly rotate between places and people.

[schwellmo92]

2 hours ago, spartaman64 said:

https://officedesigns.com/aeron-chair-custom the place i work at has 16 of these chairs. why? i have no idea I dont really feel like they are more comfortable than my 80 dollar chair i have at home. the only thing is the tilt and back adjustment feels really solid unlike my chair where i feel like im falling over but is that worth the extra 1195 dollars? hell no. so business purchasing decisions are a bit of a mystery to me

Holy shit that looks very similar to the chairs we have, and we have like 500 of them T.T

[mr moose]

1 hour ago, Mira Yurizaki said:

Because we have to perpetuate the illusion that monitor = computer.

 

Ahhhh, yes,   wait a minute, the keyboard wire fell out of the back of my hard drive. 

[rcmaehl]

Didn't dell or hp have a shittier version of this during socket 775 where the monitors had a stand on the back for a BTX-ITX PC?

 

EDIT: Yes

 

[dalekphalm]

22 minutes ago, rcmaehl said:

Didn't dell or hp have a shittier version of this during socket 775 where the monitors had a stand on the back for a BTX-ITX PC?

 

EDIT: Yes

 

They actually make a version like that for nearly every business chassis they sell (outside of full Tower PC's).

 

Example: Dell OSS17

https://www.dell.com/en-ca/work/shop/dell-optiplex-small-form-factor-all-in-one-stand-oss17/apd/452-bcmx/pc-accessories

 

Dell MFS18

https://www.dell.com/en-ca/work/shop/dell-micro-form-factor-all-in-one-stand-mfs18/apd/452-bcqc/pc-accessories

[LeSheen]

18 hours ago, Tedny said:

why do you need to pay 800$ for that? 

It goes towards the support and service of dell. I have to deal with them regularly. And its a pretty good experience. They ask you to do some troubleshooting before you call with their tools. Their replacement program is also pretty good. If its a part then an engineer comes along to replace it and take the old one with him. (or ship it to you if they know you're competent) If its a complete system you just ship the system and they fix or replace it.

 

Only complaint is their support callcenter. At least the dutch one. I had to wait 20 minutes after i gave some information to the automated system. When the guy picked up he asked all that basic information again (facepalm).

[Tribalinius]

Actually, I find the concept pretty interesting. The tiny form factor PC behind a monitor concept is nothing new but it's certainly the most efficient way of doing it I've seen so far. Need to swap the computer in the stand for something a tad more powerful? You just need to pop in the new replacement. You need a bigger screen? You plug in a new monitor and off you go.

If Dell is committed to support this for a long time, I can see it being successful. It combines the advantages of both a tiny form factor PC and an AIO without too much of their disadvantages. You can change the computer/parts easily, you can change the monitor, it has a small desk footprint, it's aesthetically pleasing. To be honest, It checks a lot of boxes for businesses.

[jdubya421]

On 8/22/2019 at 1:32 PM, spartaman64 said:

https://officedesigns.com/aeron-chair-custom the place i work at has 16 of these chairs. why? i have no idea I dont really feel like they are more comfortable than my 80 dollar chair i have at home. the only thing is the tilt and back adjustment feels really solid unlike my chair where i feel like im falling over but is that worth the extra 1195 dollars? hell no. so business purchasing decisions are a bit of a mystery to me

Yep. I worked for my university IT department and got to see some of the POs and see the company order site. All the chairs in my build, which was probably well over 300 chairs, were $850 each. I'm sure they didn't pay $850, but that is still way more than I would pay for a chair. Same thing with enterprise level hardware (like the new Mac pro) it ain't meant for us.