Dell Vostro 3690 vs. HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini

Comparison and Differences

Dell_Vostro_3690.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_400_G6_Mini.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen10&11 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; PentiumIntel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetB560Q470
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666/2933SODIMM DDR4-3200
RAM slots22
RAM speed2933 MT/s3200 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB 3.0 Type A; (4x) USB-A 2.0;USB-C 3.1; USB-A 3.1; (3x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.4b; VGA;DisplayPort; HDMI;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out;RJ45; Headset;
Optional portsN.A.DP1.4/HDMI2.0/VGA/Serial/USB-C; Serial/(2x)USB-A3.1; WiFi anntena;
SATA ports21
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x1;N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 9.5mm2.5in;
PSU260 W65 W
Weight6.40 kg (14.11 lbs)1.25 kg (2.74 lb)
Released20212020
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 Vostro 3690 and HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 3690 which was released in 2021. The HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini is older and entered production in 2020.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Vostro 3690 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 Vostro 3690 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini 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 HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell Vostro 3690 is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2933 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 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 Vostro 3690 has 8 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini is inferior in this regard and packs 7 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell Vostro 3690 has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds significantly. For people who want to use external drives on regular basis, this might be an issue.

Unfortunately, only the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini 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 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 3690 is better equipped as it comes with 2 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini has 1 slot(s).

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 HP ProDesk 400 G6 Mini comes with a decent 65 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_Vostro_3690_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_400_G6_Mini_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout