Dell Inspiron 3268 vs. HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini

Comparison and Differences

Dell_Inspiron_3268.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_400_G3_Mini.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH110H270
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 Low ProfileN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR4-2133/2400 SODIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots22
RAM speed2400 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max16 GB32 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;(4x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.2; VGA;DisplayPort;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Card Reader;RJ45; Hdph; Mic/Headset; Serial;
Optional portsN.A.DP/HDMI/VGA/Serial; WiFi antenna;
SATA ports31
PCI slotsPCIe 2.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1;N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in; 3.25in;2.5in
PSU180 W65/90 W
Weight4.40 kg (9.70 lb)1.21 kg (2.67 lb)
Released20162016
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
* Dedicated GPU warning: Check if your particular power supply model has enough power. Additionally some PSUs don't come with an auxiliary PCIe power connector and you may need to buy a SATA to PCIe power adapter.

Differences between Dell Inspiron 3268 and HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini

Both computers, the Dell Inspiron 3268 and the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini, were released during the same year - 2016.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Inspiron 3268 and will fit more easily under your desk.

Processor

Usually the newer the generation of the CPU, the better the performance and efficiency is. If your budget allows it, you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell Inspiron 3268 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (2 RAM). Usually two RAM slots are more than enough for most cases. However, the count should be taken into account when planning how much and what combination of RAM you are going to need for your system.

None of the desktops has an advantage when it comes to the speed of the RAM being used. Both models support RAM speeds of up to 2400. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Dell Inspiron 3268 can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 6. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. None of the desktop models has a USB 3.1 port (10Gb/s), so if you need a fast connection to your peripherals, like external Solid State Drive, you will need to look elsewhere.

Unfortunately, only the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini has a DisplayPort. The Dell Inspiron 3268 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

The Dell Inspiron 3268 comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).

SATA ports are placed on the system board and it is where you connect your HDD, SSD and Optical Disk Drives. More SATA slots will allow you to have more drives running at the same time. In this regard the Dell Inspiron 3268 is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini has 1 slot(s).

If you want the fastest transfer speeds for your SSD, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, if the M.2 SSD slot is a mandatory requirement for you, go with the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini. Sadly, the Dell Inspiron 3268 has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.

Make sure that the available M.2 slot supports the PCIe (also called NVMe) interface. This is important as there are M.2 slots which support only the inferior SATA III interface. For comparison, the SATA III interface has max speeds of 6Gb/s, while the PCIe 3.0 x4 will support speeds up to 32Gb/s!

Power Supply

Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini comes with a decent 90 Watt PSU, but the Dell Inspiron 3268 has a more powerful one rated at 180 Watts. Choosing either one depends on your specific requirements and use case. Also don't forget that some models might have more than one PSU option - try to always get the most powerful one, especially if you plan to upgrade to a powerful GPU.

Motherboard

Dell_Inspiron_3268_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_400_G3_Mini_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout