Dell OptiPlex 3000 SFF vs. Dell Vostro 3250

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3000_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3250.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9; PentiumIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7
ChipsetB660H110
Dedicated GPU *AMD Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-3200DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed3200 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max64 GB16 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;(4x)USB-A 2.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;HDMI 1.4; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Media Card Reader
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA;N/A
SATA ports22
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays3.5in; 2.5in;3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU180/300 W180 W
Weight5.03 kg (11.09 lb)3.17 kg (6.99 lbs)
Released20222016
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 OptiPlex 3000 SFF and Dell Vostro 3250

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3000 SFF which was released in 2022. The Dell Vostro 3250 is older and entered production in 2016.

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

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 OptiPlex 3000 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell Vostro 3250 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 OptiPlex 3000 SFF is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell Vostro 3250 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 3000 SFF as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell Vostro 3250 can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 3000 SFF has 8 USB ports. The Dell Vostro 3250 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 3000 SFF has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3250 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

In case your monitor supports HDMI only, you will be happy to hear that both models come with an HDMI port.

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 OptiPlex 3000 SFF. Sadly, the Dell Vostro 3250 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 Vostro 3250 comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 3000 SFF 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_OptiPlex_3000_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3250_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout