Dell OptiPlex 3040M vs. Dell Vostro 3650

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3040M.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3650.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5; Pentium; Celeron; Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron;
ChipsetH110H110
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMSODIMM DDR3L-1600 DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed1600 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max16 GB16 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;HDMI 1.4b; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsSerial+PS2/Serial/VGA; WiFi antenna;N/A
SATA ports14
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 2.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1; PCI
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays2.5in;3.5in; 5.25in; (2x) 2.5in
PSU65 W240W
Weight1.28 kg (2.82 lb)8.50 kg (18.73 lbs)
Released20152016
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 3040M and Dell Vostro 3650

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 3650 which was released in 2016. The Dell OptiPlex 3040M is older and entered production in 2015.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 3040M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Vostro 3650 and will fit more easily under your desk.

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 6 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

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.

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 1600. 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 6. 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.

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 3040M has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3650 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 3650 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3040M has 1 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 3040M, nor the Dell Vostro 3650 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 3040M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 3650 has a more powerful one rated at 240 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_3040M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3650_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout