Dell Vostro 3690 vs. Dell Vostro 3881

Comparison and Differences

Dell_Vostro_3690.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3881.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen10&11 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; PentiumIntel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetB560B460
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666/2933DIMM DDR4-2666/2933
RAM slots22
RAM speed2933 MT/s2933 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB 3.0 Type A; (4x) USB-A 2.0;(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.4b; VGA;HDMI 1.4b; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out;RJ45; Headset; Mic; Line-Out; Card Reader;
Optional portsN.A.N.A.
SATA ports22
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 9.5mm3.5in; 9.5mm
PSU260 W260 W
Weight6.40 kg (14.11 lbs)6.02 kg (13.27 lbs)
Released20212020
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 Vostro 3690 and Dell Vostro 3881

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 Vostro 3881 is older and entered production in 2020.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell Vostro 3690 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Vostro 3881 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 Dell Vostro 3881 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.

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 2933. 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

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.

Nowadays, almost every new computer comes equipped with a DisplayPort. However, none of the devices being compared here has one. Don't worry though, DisplayPort adapters are very cheap and you can get virtually 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

Looking at the Power Supply Unit (PSU) of the two models we don't see any differences. For either of them you get a maximum power of 260 Watts. However be careful, many models have more than one power supply option. When buying your computer, it is a good idea to get a version with the most powerful PSU. This will potentially allow you to upgrade to a more powerful GPU for example.

Motherboard

Dell_Vostro_3690_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3881_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout