Dell OptiPlex 3000 Tower vs. Dell Vostro 3268

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3000_Tower.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3268.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9; PentiumIntel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron;
ChipsetB660H110
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-3200DIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots22
RAM speed3200 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max64 GB16 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.0;(4x)USB-A 2.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.4a; HDMI 1.4b;HDMI 1.4; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA; SerialN/A
SATA ports32
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU180/240/300 W180 W
Weight6.61 kg (14.59 lb)4.40 kg (9.71 lbs)
Released20222017
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 Vostro 3268

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 Vostro 3268 is older and entered production in 2017.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell Vostro 3268 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 Vostro 3268 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 3000 Tower is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell Vostro 3268 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2400 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 Vostro 3268 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 3000 Tower has 8 USB ports. The Dell Vostro 3268 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 3000 Tower has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3268 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 OptiPlex 3000 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell Vostro 3268 has 2 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 3000 Tower. Sadly, the Dell Vostro 3268 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 Vostro 3268 comes with a decent 180 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_Vostro_3268_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout