Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q Tiny

A 2018 ThinkCentre Tiny on the B360 chipset with 1 M.2 NVMe slot, 1 2.5" bay and up to 32 GB of RAM (official). It can take a PCIe card, which is rare in this size.

☆ Save modelGood for 4K HEVC; no AV1 decodeSpecs widely confirmed

Used price

Used M720q units on eBay US currently start at $70, and the typical asking price is about $180 across 38 fixed-price listings. The spread mostly reflects the CPU fitted (i3-8100T, i5-8500T, i5-9500T, i7-8700T), RAM and SSD included, and whether a power adapter is in the box.

Specifications

Checked against: Lenovo User Guide & Hardware Maintenance Manual. Official limits can be lower than what owners report working.

What owners should know

• The PCIe riser is the reason this model is popular for routers (OPNsense/pfSense) and 10GbE: it takes a low-profile PCIe card.
• Owners commonly run 64 GB (2×32 GB), but Lenovo's official maximum is 32 GB.
• Installing the riser card uses the space of the 2.5" drive bay.

Power consumption

Third-party readings we have not re-measured. Your drives, BIOS power settings and OS change idle draw; see how to measure it or send your own reading.

What to buy with it

• 32 GB RAM kit

  2 × 16 GB DDR4 SODIMM, 2666 MT/s or faster (runs at 2666)

  2 SODIMM slots, 32 GB official maximum. DDR4 laptop-size modules (not desktop DIMMs, not DDR5).
• NVMe SSD

  M.2 2280 NVMe SSD (PCIe), e.g. 1 TB with DRAM cache or HMB for VM storage

  1 M.2 2280 storage slot.
• 2.5" SATA SSD + caddy · optional

  2.5" SATA SSD (7 mm), plus the model's drive caddy/cable if the unit did not ship with one

  1 × 2.5" bay. Not usable at the same time as a PCIe riser card in this chassis.
• 10GbE network card + riser · optional

  Low-profile PCIe 10GbE NIC (Intel X520/X710 or Mellanox ConnectX-3/4 are common picks) and the model-specific riser + bracket

  Low-profile PCIe network card in the riser slot (riser and bracket bought separately). Owner-reported, not a vendor-listed option: check card height and cooling.
• Power adapter (if missing) · optional

  Lenovo 65 W or 90 W adapter with the correct connector

  Many ex-office units are sold without one. Use the wattage the manufacturer lists for the CPU fitted.

We list the spec to look for rather than a price, because part prices change daily and we only show prices from a live source.

Plex and Jellyfin transcoding

Handles 10-bit HEVC (typical 4K HDR) in hardware. No AV1 decode, so AV1 files fall back to the CPU. The table covers every CPU option sold in this chassis. Check which CPU a listing actually has.

Plex needs a Plex Pass for hardware transcoding; Jellyfin does not. More detail in our Quick Sync generations guide.

Before you buy one used

• Confirm the exact CPU model in the listing photos or System Information screenshot, not just "Core i5".
• Check that a power adapter of the right wattage is included (65 W or 90 W). Many ex-office units ship without one.
• Ask whether the BIOS is unlocked. Ex-corporate machines sometimes keep an admin password.
• A 2.5" drive needs the caddy and cable, which are often missing when a unit shipped with only an M.2 SSD.
• The PCIe riser is usually not included. Budget for it separately.

Full listing checklist →

Find one

Email me when one is listed under my price

Frequently asked questions

How much RAM does the M720q support?

Lenovo's official maximum is 32 GB across 2 DDR4 SODIMM slots at up to 2666 MT/s. Owners commonly run 64 GB (2×32 GB), but Lenovo's official maximum is 32 GB.

How many NVMe SSDs can the M720q hold?

1 M.2 NVMe slot for storage plus 1 2.5" SATA bay, so up to 2 internal drives.

Does the M720q have a PCIe slot?

Yes: PCIe x8 via riser. PCIe x8 card via Lenovo riser (replaces the 2.5" bay)

Can the M720q use 10GbE or 2.5GbE networking?

10GbE via Low-profile PCIe network card in the riser slot (riser and bracket bought separately) (reported by owners, not a vendor option).

Is the M720q good for Plex or Jellyfin?

Handles 10-bit HEVC (typical 4K HDR) in hardware. No AV1 decode, so AV1 files fall back to the CPU. That applies to the best CPU option (Core i5-9500T, UHD 630); check which CPU a listing has.

How much power does the M720q use at idle?

11–14 W at the wall at idle, as measured by ServeTheHome (Dual-core Pentium Gold G5400T (an i5-8500T config draws somewhat more), 120 V). Your drives, BIOS settings and OS will change this figure.

Good for

• PCIe slot
• 10GbE
• 2.5GbE+ networking
• Plex / Jellyfin 4K
• Proxmox node
• OPNsense / pfSense router
• Budget home server
• Low idle power (measured)

Related guides

• Which used mini PCs can transcode 4K for Plex and Jellyfin?
• How to check a used mini PC listing before you buy
• Do Lenovo Tiny, OptiPlex Micro and EliteDesk Mini PCs support 64 GB of RAM?
• Which used mini PCs can take a 10GbE network card?
• Mini PC power consumption for a 24/7 home server: how to measure and reduce it
• Choosing a used mini PC for Proxmox: RAM, drives, NICs and clusters
• Mini PC NVMe SSD upgrade guide: slots, sizes and the 2.5" bay
• Mini PC RAM upgrade guide: DDR4 vs DDR5, speeds and slots
• Using a used mini PC as an OPNsense or pfSense router
• Can a used mini PC be a NAS? Drive limits and better options
• Used business mini PC vs a new Intel N100 mini PC for a home server
• Lenovo Tiny, OptiPlex Micro and EliteDesk Mini names explained (TinyMiniMicro)

Head-to-head comparisons

• M720q vs M920q
• M720q vs OptiPlex 3080 Micro
• M710q vs M720q
• M720q vs M70q Gen 1
• M720q vs M920x
• OptiPlex 3070 Micro vs M720q

Similar models to consider

• Dell OptiPlex 3070 Micro1× NVMe · 32 GB max · no PCIe · Good for 4K HEVC; no AV1 decode
• Dell OptiPlex 7070 Micro1× NVMe · 32 GB max · no PCIe · Good for 4K HEVC; no AV1 decode
• HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Mini2× NVMe · 32 GB max · no PCIe · Good for 4K HEVC; no AV1 decode

Compare these side by side →