Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF vs. Dell Vostro 3902

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7040_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3902.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron;
ChipsetQ170H81
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2133 DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots42
RAM speed2133 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max64 GB16 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (6x)USB-A 2.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;HDMI 1.2; VGA;
Other portsSerial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; PS2
Optional portsVGA; Media Card Reader;N/A
SATA ports34
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 2.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1; PCI
M.2 slotsM.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe) N.A.
Drive bays3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim); 3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU180 W300 W
Weight6.00 kg (13.22 lb)8.50 kg (18.73 lbs)
Released20152014
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

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* 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 7040 SFF and Dell Vostro 3902

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF which was released in 2015. The Dell Vostro 3902 is older and entered production in 2014.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Vostro 3902 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 7040 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell Vostro 3902 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Dell Vostro 3902 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 OptiPlex 7040 SFF is using the faster 2133 MT/s RAM. The Dell Vostro 3902 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 OptiPlex 7040 SFF as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell Vostro 3902 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 7040 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Dell Vostro 3902 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 7040 SFF has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3902 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 Vostro 3902 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF has 3 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 Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF. Sadly, the Dell Vostro 3902 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 7040 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 3902 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

Dell_OptiPlex_7040_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3902_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout