Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF vs. Dell Vostro 3681

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5040_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3681.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Pentium;Intel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ170B460
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3L-1600 DIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots42
RAM speed1600 MT/s2933 MT/s
RAM max16 GB64 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;HDMI 1.4b; VGA;
Other portsSerial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headset; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Card Reader;
Optional portsVGA; Media Card Reader;N.A.
SATA ports32
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe) 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 W200 W
Weight6.00 kg (13.22 lb)4.66 Kg (10.28 lbs)
Released20152020
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 5040 SFF and Dell Vostro 3681

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 3681 which was released in 2020. The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF is older and entered production in 2015.

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 3681 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Dell Vostro 3681 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 Dell Vostro 3681 is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5040 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 Dell Vostro 3681 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5040 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 Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Dell Vostro 3681 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.

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF 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 5040 SFF 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 OptiPlex 5040 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 3681 has a more powerful one rated at 200 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_5040_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3681_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout