Dell Inspiron 3891 vs. Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT

Comparison and Differences

Dell_Inspiron_3891.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_5090_MT.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen10&11 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; PentiumIntel Gen10&11 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetB560Q570
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666/2933DIMM DDR4-2666/2933/3200
RAM slots24
RAM speed2933 MT/s3200 MT/s
RAM max64 GB128 GB
USB ports(3x) USB 3.0 Type A; USB 3.0 Type C; (4x) USB-A 2.0;USB 3.1 Type C; (x5) USB-A 3.0; (x4) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.4; DisplayPort 1.4; VGA;(4x) Display Port 1.4; (x3) HDMI 2.0b; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Card Reader;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out/In;
Optional portsN.A.VGA /DisplayPort 1.4/HDMI 2.0b/USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C Port Alt-mode; SD Card;
SATA ports24
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 4.0 x4; (x2) PCIe x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.25in; 9.5mm(x2) 3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU260 W260/300/360 W
Weight6.40 kg (14.11 lb)7.24 kg (15.95 lb)
Released20212021
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 3891 and Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT

Both computers, the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT and the Dell Inspiron 3891, were released during the same year - 2021.

Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 11 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT has 4 RAM slots while the Dell Inspiron 3891 has only 2 slot(s). This is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM you are going to use.

The Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell Inspiron 3891 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2933 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell Inspiron 3891 can do a bit less at max 64 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT has 10 USB ports. The Dell Inspiron 3891 is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT, is that it has 3 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell Inspiron 3891 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT comes with 4 ports, while the Dell Inspiron 3891 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT is the better choice.

The HDMI video interface is broadly used and the majority of the external displays support it. Thus, it is nice to see that both models have this video interface. If you are going to use multiple monitors go with the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT which has 2 ports. The Dell Inspiron 3891 has only 1 ports.

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 OptiPlex 5090 MT is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell Inspiron 3891 has 2 slot(s).

When your goal is to have the fastest SSD transfer speeds, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, it is good that both models have M.2 SSD slots. Today M.2 SSDs are not much more expensive than the average SATA drives, so it really does not make sense to invest in SATA drives anymore.

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 Inspiron 3891 comes with a decent 260 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 5090 MT has a more powerful one rated at 360 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_3891_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_5090_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout