Dell OptiPlex 3050 SFF vs. Dell Vostro 3690

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3050_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3690.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen6&7 i3/i5; Pentium; Celeron;Intel Gen10&11 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium
ChipsetB250B560
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-2133/2400 DIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots22
RAM speed2400 MT/s2933 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB 3.0 Type A; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;HDMI 1.4b; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out;
Optional portsSerial+PS2; VGA; Media Card Reader;N.A.
SATA ports22
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2242 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x2, NVMe) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim); 3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 9.5mm
PSU180 W260 W
Weight5.14 kg (11.42 lb)6.40 kg (14.11 lbs)
Released20172021
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 3050 SFF and Dell Vostro 3690

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 3690 which was released in 2021. The Dell OptiPlex 3050 SFF is older and entered production in 2017.

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 Dell Vostro 3690 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 3050 SFF 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 Vostro 3690 is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3050 SFF 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 Vostro 3690 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3050 SFF can do a bit less at max 32 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.

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 3050 SFF has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3690 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 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 2 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

When your goal is to have the fastest SSD transfer speeds, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, it is good that both models have M.2 SSD slots. Today M.2 SSDs are not much more expensive than the average SATA drives, so it really does not make sense to invest in SATA drives anymore.

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 3050 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 3690 has a more powerful one rated at 260 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_3050_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3690_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout