Acer Veriton X2680g vs. Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Acer_Veriton_X2680g.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_3020_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen11 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; CeleronIntel Gen4 i3/i5; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetB560H81
Dedicated GPU *Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMUDIMM DDR4-2933DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots42
RAM speed2933 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max64 GB16 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB-A 3.1(2x) USB-A 3.0; (6x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.4; HDMI 2.0; VGADisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; (2x) Mic, Speaker; Line in; Line out; PS/2 ports; SerialRJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsSerial; Parallel; Card readerSerial+PS2;
SATA ports42
PCI slotsPCIe 4.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1PCIe 2.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)N.A.
Drive bays3.5in; 5.25 inch slim2.5/3.5in; 5.25in(slim);
PSU180/300 W255 W
Weight5.00 kg (11.02 lb)5 kg (11.02 lb)
Released20212013
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 Acer Veriton X2680g and Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Acer Veriton X2680g which was released in 2021. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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 Acer Veriton X2680g as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Acer Veriton X2680g has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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 Acer Veriton X2680g is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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 Acer Veriton X2680g as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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 Acer Veriton X2680g has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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 Acer Veriton X2680g, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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.

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 Acer Veriton X2680g comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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 Acer Veriton X2680g is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF has 2 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 Acer Veriton X2680g. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 3020 SFF 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 SFF comes with a decent 255 Watt PSU, but the Acer Veriton X2680g 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

Acer_Veriton_X2680g_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_3020_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout