Dell OptiPlex 9020 Small Form Factor upgrade guide

Lifecycle and support

Standard support ended on 2016 (estimate).

Dates not listed haven't been published by the manufacturer or a reliable third party.

Memory (RAM)

The SFF has four 240-pin desktop DDR3 DIMM sockets — full-size desktop modules, not the laptop-size SO-DIMMs used in some other small PCs. Memory runs in dual channel at DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800); slower DDR3-1333 and 1066 modules also work, and mixed speeds all run at the slowest module's speed.

What fits: standard 1.5 V non-ECC unbuffered DDR3 UDIMMs in 2 GB, 4 GB and 8 GB sizes. Dell validates 8 GB as the largest module, so the practical ceiling is 32 GB (4 × 8 GB). 16 GB DDR3 UDIMMs exist on the used market but are not validated here, and they are often quad-rank — quad-rank modules must go in the sockets with the white release levers if you mix them with other ranks.

What to watch out for: server ECC or registered DIMMs will not POST, so skip the cheap second-hand ECC DDR3. Dual-voltage 1.35 V/1.5 V DDR3L is the safest buy — Dell warns that DDR3 and DDR3L are socket-compatible yet plain 1.5 V DDR3 can fail to POST on platforms that require 1.35 V operation. Also check your chassis: only the MT and SFF have four sockets and a 32 GB limit; the USFF and Micro have two sockets and 16 GB.

Buying tip: pick a matched kit (two or four modules of the same size and speed) and populate the sockets starting at socket 1. Mixed sizes are allowed but each populated channel must be identically configured.

How to install

Back up anything important first, then shut down, unplug the power cable and press the power button briefly to discharge leftover power. Ground yourself — touch the bare chassis or use an anti-static wrist strap — before handling the modules. Open the case following the owner's manual, fit the modules (matched pairs, starting at socket 1; quad-rank modules in the white-lever sockets), close the case, plug in and power up, then check in the BIOS/System Setup that the new total is recognised. The owner's manual and service manual show the exact opening and seating steps.

Buying tips

• Matched 2-stick or 4-stick kits of DDR3-1600 (PC3-12800)
• 8 GB modules are the validated maximum per socket
• Dual-voltage 1.35 V/1.5 V DDR3L rather than plain 1.5 V DDR3
• No ECC or registered server memory

Storage (SSD, HDD and add-in cards)

The owner's manual lists one 3.5-inch SATA bay and two 2.5-inch SATA bays. Dell's documents are confusing here: the marketing spec sheet is easy to read as just one 3.5-inch bay plus the slimline optical bay, so treat the number of 2.5-inch positions with some caution and check what is actually fitted in your chassis. The 2.5-inch positions likely need Dell's own caddies or brackets, and the second one may conflict with the slimline optical drive.

Interface and limits: SATA at 1.5, 3.0 and 6.0 Gbps (SATA III on the 6 Gbps ports), with RAID 0 and RAID 1 available on select configurations. 2 TB is Dell's validated ceiling for hard drives, not a controller limit. There is no documented thickness limit for the 2.5-inch bays; standard 7 mm and 9.5 mm laptop-style drives fit.

No M.2 and no NVMe boot: the SFF has no M.2 slot at all (that is a Micro-only feature) and its firmware has no native NVMe or NVMe boot support. An NVMe drive on a PCIe adapter card works only as secondary storage. For a fast boot drive, a 2.5-inch SATA SSD is the straightforward upgrade.

There are two low-profile PCIe slots — one x16 and one x16-size slot wired x4 — which take add-in SATA or NVMe cards (and graphics cards, though the 255 W PSU has no PCIe power connectors, which limits what GPUs you can fit).

Buying tip: for speed, a 2.5-inch SATA SSD; for space, a big SATA HDD. Factor in Dell caddies or brackets if the listing does not include them.

How to install

Back up, shut down, unplug, and ground yourself before opening the case. Fit the drive in its bay or caddy (this chassis uses Dell brackets for the 2.5-inch positions), connect SATA data and power, then close up and check in the BIOS/System Setup that the drive appears. Clone or reinstall your system onto the new drive before removing the old one. The owner's manual covers bay locations and the caddy procedure.

Buying tips

• 2.5-inch SATA SSD (SATA III) for a boot drive
• SATA HDD up to the validated 2 TB for bulk storage
• Check listings for Dell caddies/brackets
• No M.2 or NVMe boot — an NVMe card is secondary storage only

CPU

The processor is socketed and replaceable — a desktop LGA 1150 socket (Socket H3) on the Intel Q87 chipset. Dell's documents don't name the socket outright; it is the socket used by the 4th-generation Haswell desktop CPUs Dell lists for this machine. Note that some listings describe this board with 6th/7th-gen parts and LGA 1151 — those CPUs will not fit.

What fits: Dell lists 4th-gen Haswell Core i3, i5 and i7 and Pentium processors for the SFF, staying within the cooler's 84 W envelope (the USFF is limited to 65 W and the Micro to 35 W, so parts validated for those chassis are not a guide for yours). Xeon E3 v3 and Broadwell refresh chips are not validated for this machine and may need a BIOS or whitelist workaround.

What to watch out for: the SFF cooler and airflow are designed for that 84 W maximum, so don't try to squeeze in a hotter chip. Also remember the integrated graphics tier — Pentium parts have weaker integrated graphics than the Core models.

Buying tip: buy the fastest Haswell Core i5 or i7 that Dell lists for the 9020 SFF and check that the listing includes the cooler and thermal interface; some second-hand CPUs come without them.

How to install

Back up, shut down, unplug and ground yourself before opening the case. Release the socket lever, swap the processor, re-apply thermal interface material and refit the cooler, then close the case and check in the BIOS/System Setup that the new processor is recognised. The service manual describes the cooler and socket handling.

Upgrade steps (all upgrades)

Back up anything important. Power off the PC and unplug the power cable, then press the power button briefly to drain residual power. Ground yourself to the chassis or use an anti-static strap. Open the case following the owner's manual for exact disassembly. Install the part. Close the case, reconnect power and start up, then check in the BIOS/System Setup that the new hardware is recognised.

Buying tips

• 4th-gen Haswell Core i5/i7 (LGA 1150), within 84 W
• Avoid Xeon E3 v3 and Broadwell refresh unless you accept BIOS risk
• Check used listings for cooler and thermal paste
• Beware listings labelled LGA 1151 or 6th/7th-gen

FAQ

How much RAM can the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF take?

Up to 32 GB, as four 8 GB DDR3-1600 desktop (UDIMM) modules. The USFF and Micro versions stop at 16 GB.

Does it support ECC or registered memory?

No. It needs standard non-ECC unbuffered DDR3; server ECC or registered DIMMs will not POST.

How to upgrade

Before you start

• Confirm you have the SFF chassis — MT/SFF have 4 DIMM sockets and 32 GB; USFF/Micro have 2 sockets and 16 GB
• Note your current BIOS/System Setup version before changing the CPU
• Have Dell drive caddies/brackets handy for 2.5-inch drives

Steps

1. Back up
   Save anything important before touching the hardware.
2. Power off and unplug
   Shut down, unplug the power cable, and press the power button briefly to drain residual power.
3. Ground yourself
   Touch the bare chassis or use an anti-static wrist strap before handling parts.
4. Open the case
   Follow the owner's manual for exact disassembly — it shows the release points for this chassis.
5. Install
   Fit the new RAM, drive or processor (see the category sections for socket order, caddies and cooler limits).
6. Close and check
   Close the case, reconnect power, start up and confirm the BIOS/System Setup sees the new part.

Good to know

• Dell's documents don't name the socket outright — LGA 1150 (Socket H3) is inferred from the 4th-gen Haswell desktop CPUs Dell lists.
• Dell's documents disagree on the number of 2.5-inch bays; the owner's manual lists two, while the spec sheet reads as one 3.5-inch bay plus the slimline optical bay.
• 16 GB DDR3 UDIMMs are unvalidated for this machine.

Frequently asked questions

How much RAM can the Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF take?

32 GB (4 × 8 GB DDR3-1600). Dell validates 2/4/8 GB modules; 16 GB DDR3 UDIMMs are unvalidated and often quad-rank, which must go in the sockets with the white release levers.

Does it support DDR3L or ECC memory?

Dual-voltage 1.35 V/1.5 V DDR3L is the safest buy. ECC and registered server DIMMs will not POST.

Does the OptiPlex 9020 SFF have an M.2 slot or support NVMe boot?

No. The SFF has no M.2 (that is Micro-only) and no native NVMe or NVMe boot support; an NVMe drive on a PCIe card works as secondary storage only. A 2.5-inch SATA SSD is the easy boot-drive upgrade.

Which CPUs fit the OptiPlex 9020 SFF?

4th-gen Haswell Core i3/i5/i7 and Pentium on LGA 1150, up to 84 W. 6th/7th-gen (LGA 1151) CPUs do not fit; Xeon E3 v3 and Broadwell refresh chips are not validated and may need a BIOS or whitelist workaround.

Can I install an SSD?

Yes — 2.5-inch SATA III SSDs fit the 2.5-inch bays (Dell caddies/brackets likely needed, and the second position may conflict with the slimline optical drive). SATA HDDs up to the validated 2 TB also fit.

How do I check the new part is recognised?

Start the PC and open the BIOS/System Setup to confirm the new memory total or drive appears. Dell's System Setup options page for the 9020 SFF is the reference for what you should see.

Official documents and references

• Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF Owner's Manual — Specifications
  Slot counts, memory types and limits, drive bays and card slots for the SFF.
• Dell OptiPlex Memory Compatibility Guide
  DDR3 vs DDR3L guidance, module rules and matched-pair advice.
• PDF Dell OptiPlex 9020 Service Manual (PDF)
  Installation rules for memory modules and handling procedure for the CPU.
• Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF Owner's Manual — System Setup Options
  What to check in the BIOS after installing a new part.