Dell OptiPlex 7090 M vs. Dell Vostro 3881

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7090_M.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3881.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen10&11 i3/i5/i7/i9;Intel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ570B460
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2666/2933/3200DIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots22
RAM speed3200 MT/s2933 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB portsUSB 3.2 Type C; (3x) USB-A 3.1; (x2) USB-A 3.0;(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.4; (2x) mini Display Port 1.4;HDMI 1.4b; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Headset; Mic; Line-Out; Card Reader;
Optional portsSerial; PS2 port; VGA port; DisplayPort 1.4/HDMI 2.0/USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-CN.A.
SATA ports02
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 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays2.5in3.5in; 9.5mm
PSU90/130/180 W260 W
Weight1.38 kg (3.05 lbs)6.02 kg (13.27 lbs)
Released20212020
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 7090 M and Dell Vostro 3881

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 7090 M which was released in 2021. The Dell Vostro 3881 is older and entered production in 2020.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 7090 M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Vostro 3881 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 7090 M as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell Vostro 3881 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 7090 M is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell Vostro 3881 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2933 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 GB of RAM will be enough for most people. However, if you will be needing more RAM, make sure to check other desktop models too.

Ports

In total the Dell Vostro 3881 has 8 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 7090 M 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. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 7090 M, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell Vostro 3881 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 7090 M has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3881 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 3881 comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 7090 M 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 3881 is better equipped as it comes with 2 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 7090 M has 0 slot(s).

An M.2 SSD can be several times faster than a SATA one. Thus, we are happy to see that both models support the M.2 interface. However, the Dell OptiPlex 7090 M has 1 M.2 slots while the Dell Vostro 3881 comes with just 1.

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 7090 M comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 3881 has a more powerful one rated at 260 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_7090_M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3881_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout