Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower vs. Dell Vostro 3681

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3000_Tower.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3681.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9; PentiumIntel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetB660B460
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-3200DIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots22
RAM speed3200 MT/s2933 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;HDMI 1.4b; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Headset; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Card Reader;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA; SerialN.A.
SATA ports32
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) 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 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);3.5in; 9.5mm
PSU180/240/300 W200 W
Weight6.61 kg (14.59 lb)4.66 Kg (10.28 lbs)
Released20222020
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 OptiPlex 3000 Tower and Dell Vostro 3681

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower which was released in 2022. The Dell Vostro 3681 is older and entered production in 2020.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell Vostro 3681 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower 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 OptiPlex 3000 Tower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell Vostro 3681 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 Tower is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell Vostro 3681 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2933 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 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

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 8. 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 Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3681 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 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 3000 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell Vostro 3681 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 Vostro 3681 comes with a decent 200 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower 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_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3681_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout