The Dell OptiPlex 7070 Ultra answers a prayer. This long, slender mini-PC slides into the back of a monitor stand, creating the first all-in-one that’s modular and upgradable.

Officially, it’s designed for corporate desk jockeys needing to de-clutter their open-office workspaces. Anyone who’s had to junk an entire all-in-one PC because one component has died, however, understands why we’re so excited about this design.

Dell The OptiPlex 7070 Ultra measures a slender 10.09 x 3.78 x 0.78 inches, and weighs 1.43 pounds.

Announced Tuesday and due to ship September 24, the OptiPlex 7070 Ultra will have what Dell calls an “average price” of $749. Remember, it’s modular, so the cost will depend on what you buy with it.

The primary decision is which base to get with the mini-PC—it has to mount to something. The compatible choices are a fixed-height and height-adjustable stand, plus an offset VESA mount that lets you attach it to the back of any VESA-compatible display. Prices for these components were not available before the announcement.

I practiced taking the PC in and out of its bracket in the height-adjustable stand. The mechanics are slightly finicky, but once you get the hang of it, it’s easy—almost fun—to slide it in and out.

Dell The Dell OptiPlex 7070 Ultra is a mini-PC that fits into a display stand, creating an all-in-one that's modular and upgradable.

Of course you’ll need a monitor or three (that’s the max it can support), keyboard, and mouse—but you may already have these components ready to fill out the setup. Modularity is a great thing.

OptiPlex 7070 Ultra specs and features

The OptiPlex 7070 Ultra is a very small PC. Dell packed a lot into its slim design, with an emphasis on mainstream productivity and a lot of connectivity. However, you also have a bit of internal upgradability. Here are the details:

Dimensions: 3.78 x 10.09 x 0.78 inches

3.78 x 10.09 x 0.78 inches Weight: 1.43 pounds

1.43 pounds CPU options: All 8th-gen core, from the Core i3-8145U to the Core i7-8445U

All 8th-gen core, from the Core i3-8145U to the Core i7-8445U Graphics: Intel UHD 620

Intel UHD 620 Memory: Two memory slots take anything from 1 x 4GB DDR4 2,400MHz RAM, to 2 x 32GB (64GB total).

Dell The Dell OptiPlex 7070 Ultra just needs a monitor and peripherals to make a tidy all-in-one PC.

Storage: Your primary drive can be either a 2.5-inch SATA drive (500GB to 1TB capacity), including a 500GB self-encrypting drive; or an M.2 2230 SSD in capacities ranging from 128GB to 1TB, or a 256GB self-encrypting drive. You can add a second 2.5-inch hard drive through an accessible bay.

Your primary drive can be either a 2.5-inch SATA drive (500GB to 1TB capacity), including a 500GB self-encrypting drive; or an M.2 2230 SSD in capacities ranging from 128GB to 1TB, or a 256GB self-encrypting drive. You can add a second 2.5-inch hard drive through an accessible bay. Networking: 802.11ac with MU-MIMO, gigabit ethernet

802.11ac with MU-MIMO, gigabit ethernet Ports: The generous quintet of USB ports includes two USB-C that offer DisplayPort Alt Mode to connect directly to a monitor. One of those ports also supports Power Delivery, so it can power a display through the connection.

An all-in-one that gives you choices

Dell’s OptiPlex Ultra shows a new path for all-in-ones, where you aren’t stuck with your configuration until the bitter end. This is starting at the high end for a reason—it’s expensive to implement—but we hope someday that mainstream consumers may have access to these choices.