Dell OptiPlex 5080M vs. Dell Vostro 3471

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5080M.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3471.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; PentiumIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron;
ChipsetQ470H365
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2666/2933DIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots22
RAM speed2933 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max64 GB32 GB
USB portsUSB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0;(4x)USB-A 2.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.4;HDMI 1.4b; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out/In; RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; SD card reader
Optional portsHDMI2.0b/DP1.4/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); Serial; Serial+PS2; (2x) WiFi antenna;N/A
SATA ports12
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280 (SATA only);
Drive bays2.5in3.5in; (2x) 2.5; 9.5 mm;
PSU90/130 W200 W
Weight1.38 kg (3.04 lb)4.80 kg (10.51 lbs)
Released20202016
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 5080M and Dell Vostro 3471

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5080M which was released in 2020. The Dell Vostro 3471 is older and entered production in 2016.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 5080M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Vostro 3471 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 OptiPlex 5080M as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell Vostro 3471 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 OptiPlex 5080M is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell Vostro 3471 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2666 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 5080M as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell Vostro 3471 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. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5080M, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell Vostro 3471 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.

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 5080M has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3471 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

The Dell Vostro 3471 comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 5080M 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 3471 is better equipped as it comes with 2 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 5080M has 1 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 5080M comes with a decent 130 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 3471 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_5080M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3471_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout