Dell Inspiron 3847 vs. Dell OptiPlex 9020M

Comparison and Differences

Dell_Inspiron_3847.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_9020M.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetH81 Q87
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR3-1333/1600 SODIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed1600 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max16 GB16 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0;(6x) USB-A 3.0
Video portsHDMI 1.2; VGA;DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; 5.1 audio; Card Reader;RJ45; Headset; Mic/Hdph;
Optional portsN.A.WiFi antenna; HDMI; DisplayPort; Serial; Serial+PS2;
SATA ports41
PCI slotsPCIe 2.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1;N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280 B-Key (SATA only);
Drive bays(2x) 3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;2.5in
PSU300 W65 W
Weight7.9 kg (17.41 lb)1.28 kg (2.82 lb)
Released20132013
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 3847 and Dell OptiPlex 9020M

Both computers, the Dell OptiPlex 9020M and the Dell Inspiron 3847, were released during the same year - 2013.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 9020M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Inspiron 3847 and will fit more easily under your desk.

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 4 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

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 1600. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 16 GB of RAM will be enough for most people. However, if you will be needing more RAM, make sure to check other desktop models too.

Ports

In total the Dell Inspiron 3847 has 8 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M is inferior in this regard and packs 6 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. 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 Dell OptiPlex 9020M has a DisplayPort. The Dell Inspiron 3847 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 3847 comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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 3847 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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 Dell OptiPlex 9020M. Sadly, the Dell Inspiron 3847 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 Dell OptiPlex 9020M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Dell Inspiron 3847 has a more powerful one rated at 300 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_3847_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_9020M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout