Dell Inspiron 3668 vs. Dell OptiPlex 3010 DT

Comparison and Differences

Dell_Inspiron_3668.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_3010_DT.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerDesktop
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen2&3 i3/i5; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH110H61
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-2133/2400DIMM DDR3-1333/1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed2400 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max16 GB8 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;(8x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.2; VGA;HDMI 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Card Reader;RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsN.A.N.A.
SATA ports54
PCI slotsPCIe 2.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1;PCIe 2.0 x16; (3x) PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)N.A.
Drive bays(2x) 2.5in; 3.25in; 9.5mm3.5in/2.5in; 2.5in; 5.25in;
PSU240 W250 W
Weight5.90 kg (13.01 lb)7.56 kg (16.67 lb)
Released20162012
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 3668 and Dell OptiPlex 3010 DT

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Inspiron 3668 which was released in 2016. The Dell OptiPlex 3010 DT is older and entered production in 2012.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 3010 DT is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Inspiron 3668 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 3668 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 3010 DT 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 3668 is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3010 DT 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 Inspiron 3668 as it has the ability to run 16 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3010 DT 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 OptiPlex 3010 DT has 8 USB ports. The Dell Inspiron 3668 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.

Nowadays, almost every new computer comes equipped with a DisplayPort. However, none of the devices being compared here has one. Don't worry though, DisplayPort adapters are very cheap and you can get virtually 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 Inspiron 3668 is better equipped as it comes with 5 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3010 DT has 4 slot(s).

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 3010 DT, nor the Dell Inspiron 3668 has one. However, you can still use a SATA SSD drive which should give you satisfactory performance.

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 3668 comes with a decent 240 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 3010 DT has a more powerful one rated at 250 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_3668_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_3010_DT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout