Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF vs. Dell Vostro 3250

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7010_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3250.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen2&3 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7
ChipsetQ77H110
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 Low ProfileGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3-1333/1600 DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots42
RAM speed1600 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB16 GB
USB ports(4x)USB-A 3.0; (6x)USB-A 2.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0;
Video ports(2x) DisplayPort 1.1; VGA;HDMI 1.4; VGA;
Other portsSerial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Media Card Reader
Optional portsN.A.N/A
SATA ports32
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4);PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in(slim);3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU240 W180 W
Weight6.0 kg (13.2 lb)3.17 kg (6.99 lbs)
Released20122016
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 7010 SFF and Dell Vostro 3250

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 3250 which was released in 2016. The Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF is older and entered production in 2012.

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 3250 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Dell Vostro 3250 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.

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 1600. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Dell Vostro 3250 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 7010 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Dell Vostro 3250 is inferior in this regard and packs 6 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 7010 SFF has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3250 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 3250 comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 7010 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 Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell Vostro 3250 has 2 slot(s).

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF, nor the Dell Vostro 3250 has one. However, you can still use a SATA SSD drive which should give you satisfactory performance.

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 Vostro 3250 comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF has a more powerful one rated at 240 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_7010_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3250_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout