Acer Veriton S4610g vs. Dell OptiPlex 980 MT

Comparison and Differences

Acer_Veriton_S4610g.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_980_MT.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen2 i3/i5/i7; PentiumIntel Gen1 i3/i5/i7; Pentium Dual Core;
ChipsetQ67Q57
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650
RAMUDIMM DDR3-1333DIMM DDR3-1060/1333
RAM slots44
RAM speed1333 MT/s1333 MT/s
RAM max16 GB16 GB
USB ports(10x) USB-A 2.0(10x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; DVI; VGADisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; (2x) Mic, Headset; Line in; Line out; PS/2 ports; SerialRJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; PS2/COM; Serial; Parallel; eSATA
Optional portsParallel; SerialN.A.
SATA ports24
PCI slotsPCIe 2.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1; PCIPCIe 2.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x4;
M.2 slotsN.AN.A.
Drive bays(4x) 3.5in; (2x) 5.25 inch(2x)3.5in; (2x)5.25in;
PSU300 W255 W
Weight7.00 kg (15.40 lb)11.40 kg (25.13 lb)
Released20122010
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 Acer Veriton S4610g and Dell OptiPlex 980 MT

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Acer Veriton S4610g which was released in 2012. The Dell OptiPlex 980 MT is older and entered production in 2010.

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 Acer Veriton S4610g as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 980 MT is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 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.

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 1333. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 16 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

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 10. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. 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.

The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.

None of the models has an HDMI port. If your monitor supports only the HDMI interface, you will need to buy an adapter. Such adapters are cheap so nothing to worry about.

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 980 MT is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Acer Veriton S4610g 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 980 MT, nor the Acer Veriton S4610g 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 OptiPlex 980 MT comes with a decent 255 Watt PSU, but the Acer Veriton S4610g 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

Acer_Veriton_S4610g_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_980_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout