Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF vs. Dell Vostro 3660

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5040_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3660.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Pentium;Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron;
ChipsetQ170H110
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR3L-1600 DIMM DDR3-2133
RAM slots42
RAM speed1600 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max16 GB16 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;HDMI 1.4; VGA;
Other portsSerial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsVGA; Media Card Reader;N/A
SATA ports34
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 2.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1; PCI
M.2 slotsM.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe) M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim); 3.5in; 5.25in; (2x) 2.5in; 9.5 mm
PSU180 W240W
Weight6.00 kg (13.22 lb)5.90 kg (13.01 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 5040 SFF and Dell Vostro 3660

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 3660 which was released in 2016. The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF is older and entered production in 2015.

Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.

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

The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Dell Vostro 3660 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 Vostro 3660 is using the faster 2133 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. 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

In total the Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Dell Vostro 3660 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 5040 SFF has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3660 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 3660 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF has 3 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 5040 SFF. Sadly, the Dell Vostro 3660 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 5040 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 3660 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_5040_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3660_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout