Dell's OptiPlex 7070 Ultra is a minimalist’s modular all-in-one PC dream

The days of non-upgradeable all-in-one PCs are numbered. Rising from the ashes of all the all-in-ones discarded due to one dated or dying component is the Dell OptiPlex 7070 Ultra, a mini PC that’s designed to transform a monitor into a modular all-in-one.

Dell’s OptiPlex mini PCs are already small and designed to be mounted out of sight. However, this new model takes that to another level by making it thin, narrow and slender enough (at 3.78 x 10.09 x 0.78 inches) to be slid into a monitor stand, essentially turning your monitor into an all-in-one desktop.

The covert nature of the OptiPlex 7070 Ultra makes it appealing for folks who crave a clean, more minimalist workspace.

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A modular and upgradeable all-in-one

But, that’s not all. In effect, the OptiPlex 7070 Ultra, according to a report by PCMag, is also the first all-in-one that’s modular.

That’s because not only can you simply pull it out of the monitor stand and replace it with a new model when it’s starting to show its age, but it’s also upgradeable to a degree. Simply, you can pop it open to upgrade the memory and storage.

This means that the OptiPlex 7070 Ultra, slated for release on September 24, might also find itself a sizeable market in the all-in-one community, especially with those users who are fed up with having to replace an entire all-in-one desktop all because one internal component needs upgrading.

OptiPlex 7070 Ultra specs

All-in-one desktop power users who need a dedicated graphics card for their demanding day-to-day workflow might unfortunately have to look elsewhere. The OptiPlex 7070 Ultra is designed for mainstream users who might do a little bit of photo editing and light video editing, but ultimately utilize this mini PC for typical productivity tasks, some gaming and entertainment.

The OptiPlex 7070 Ultra will come fitted with 8th-generation Intel i3 to i7 chips ­– set to run at 25 watts, up to 64GB in RAM and up to 1TB SSD, and a decent number of ports, including one that supports Power Delivery. 

As for the monitor stands its compatible with, a separate report says that it will fit a variety of monitors up to 27 inches, while PCMag adds that it will be compatible with both fixed-height and height-adjustable stands. A VESA mount will also be available so you can mount it in the back of any VESA-compatible display.

The OptiPlex 7070 Ultra will start at $749 for its base model.

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