Dell OptiPlex 3060M vs. Dell OptiPlex 3080M

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3060M.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_3080M.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron;Intel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron;
ChipsetH370B460
Dedicated GPU *N.A.N.A.
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2400/2666SODIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots22
RAM speed2666 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;Display Port 1.4; HDMI 1.4b;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out;
Optional portsDP1.2/HDMI2.0/VGA/Serial+PS2/Serial; WiFi antenna;Serial/PS2/DP 1.4/HDMI 2.0b/VGA; (2x)WiFi antenna;
SATA ports11
PCI slotsN.A.N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 2.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in;2.5in;
PSU65 W65 W
Weight1.18 kg (2.60 lb)1.28 kg (2.82 lb)
Released20182020
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 3060M and Dell OptiPlex 3080M

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3080M which was released in 2020. The Dell OptiPlex 3060M is older and entered production in 2018.

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 3080M as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 3060M 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.

None of the desktops has an advantage when it comes to the speed of the RAM being used. Both models support RAM speeds of up to 2666. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 3080M as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3060M can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 6. 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.

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.

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 1 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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

Looking at the Power Supply Unit (PSU) of the two models we don't see any differences. For either of them you get a maximum power of 65 Watts. However be careful, many models have more than one power supply option. When buying your computer, it is a good idea to get a version with the most powerful PSU. This will potentially allow you to upgrade to a more powerful GPU for example.

Motherboard

Dell_OptiPlex_3060M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_3080M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout