Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower vs. Dell OptiPlex 990 DT

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3000_Tower.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_990_DT.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerDesktop
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9; PentiumIntel Gen2 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetB660Q67
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-3200DIMM DDR3-1333
RAM slots24
RAM speed3200 MT/s1333 MT/s
RAM max64 GB16 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;(10x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; PS2/COM; Serial; Parallel;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA; SerialN.A.
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 2.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x4; PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) N.A.
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);3.5in; 2.5in; 5.25in;
PSU180/240/300 W250 W
Weight6.61 kg (14.59 lb)7.56 kg (16.67 lb)
Released20222011
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 3000 Tower and Dell OptiPlex 990 DT

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower which was released in 2022. The Dell OptiPlex 990 DT is older and entered production in 2011.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 990 DT is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower 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 3000 Tower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 990 DT is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 990 DT has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower 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 3000 Tower is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 990 DT is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1333 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 990 DT can do a bit less at max 16 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 8. 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.

The Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 990 DT 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 slots are located on the motherboard and it is where SSD, HDD and Optical Disk Drives are connected. Each of the two models being compared have 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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 3000 Tower. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 990 DT 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 990 DT comes with a decent 250 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower 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_3000_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_990_DT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout