Dell Inspiron 3881 vs. Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF

Comparison and Differences

Dell_Inspiron_3881.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_990_USFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerUltra Small
CPU optionsIntel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen2 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH470Q67
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666/2933DIMM DDR3-1333
RAM slots22
RAM speed2933 MT/s1333 MT/s
RAM max64 GB8 GB
USB ports(3x) USB 3.0 Type A; USB 3.1 Type C; (4x) USB-A 2.0;(7x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.4; DisplayPort 1.4; VGA;DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Card Reader;RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; PS2/COM; Serial; Parallel;
Optional portsN.A.N.A.
SATA ports22
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); N.A.
Drive bays3.25in; 9.5mm2.5in; 5.25in(slim);
PSU260 W200 W
Weight6.40 kg (14.11 lb)3.27 kg (7.20 lb)
Released20202011
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

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* 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 3881 and Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Inspiron 3881 which was released in 2020. The Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF is older and entered production in 2011.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Inspiron 3881 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 Dell Inspiron 3881 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF 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.

The Dell Inspiron 3881 is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1333 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell Inspiron 3881 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF can do a bit less at max 8 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell Inspiron 3881 has 8 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF is inferior in this regard and packs 7 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell Inspiron 3881, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds significantly. For people who want to use external drives on regular basis, this might be an issue.

The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.

The Dell Inspiron 3881 comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF 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 slots are located on the motherboard and it is where SSD, HDD and Optical Disk Drives are connected. Each of the two models being compared have 2 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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 Inspiron 3881. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF 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 990 USFF comes with a decent 200 Watt PSU, but the Dell Inspiron 3881 has a more powerful one rated at 260 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_3881_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_990_USFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout