Dell OptiPlex 3020 MT vs. Dell Vostro 5880

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3020_MT.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_5880.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH81 H470
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1660 SuperGeForce RTX 2070 Super
RAMDIMM DDR3-1600 DIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots22
RAM speed1600 MT/s2933 MT/s
RAM max16 GB64 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; USB 3.0 Type C;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; VGA;HDMI 1.4b; DisplayPort 1.4;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; RJ45; Headset; Mic; Line-Out;
Optional portsSerial+PS2;SD card reader
SATA ports34
PCI slotsPCIe 2.0 x16; (3x) PCIe 2.0 x1 PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays(2x) 2.5/3.5in; (2x)5.25in;3.5in; 9.5mm
PSUATX 290 W260/460W
Weight7.6 kg (16.75 lb)6.03 kg (13.28 lbs)
Released20132020
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 3020 MT and Dell Vostro 5880

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 5880 which was released in 2020. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 MT is older and entered production in 2013.

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 Vostro 5880 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 3020 MT 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 Vostro 5880 is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 MT 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 Vostro 5880 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 MT 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 Vostro 5880 has 9 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 MT 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. 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.

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 Vostro 5880 comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 3020 MT 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 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 Vostro 5880 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3020 MT has 3 slot(s).

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 Vostro 5880. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 3020 MT 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 3020 MT comes with a decent 290 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 5880 has a more powerful one rated at 460 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_3020_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_5880_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout