Dell OptiPlex 3060 MT vs. Dell XPS 8500

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3060_MT.jpg case front and back pannelDell_XPS_8500.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron;Intel Gen2 & 3 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetH370H77
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2400/2666 DIMM DDR3-1333/1600
RAM slots24
RAM speed2666 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (8x) USB-A 2.0; USB 3.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;HDMI 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; S/PDIF; Mic; Headset;
Optional portsSerial+PS2; DP1.2/HDMI2.0b/VGA; Media Card Reader; WiFi antenna; N.A.
SATA ports34
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (3x) PCIe x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; (x3) PCIe x1; mPCIe;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 2.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) N.A.
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);(2x) 3.5in; (2x) 5.25in; mSATA;
PSU260 W460 W
Weight7.93 kg (17.49 lb)13.8 kg (30.42 lb)
Released20182012
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 3060 MT and Dell XPS 8500

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3060 MT which was released in 2018. The Dell XPS 8500 is older and entered production in 2012.

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 OptiPlex 3060 MT as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell XPS 8500 is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell XPS 8500 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3060 MT 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 OptiPlex 3060 MT is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Dell XPS 8500 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 32 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 XPS 8500 has 9 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3060 MT is inferior in this regard and packs 8 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 3060 MT has a DisplayPort. The Dell XPS 8500 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 XPS 8500 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3060 MT 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 3060 MT. Sadly, the Dell XPS 8500 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 3060 MT comes with a decent 260 Watt PSU, but the Dell XPS 8500 has a more powerful one rated at 460 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_3060_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_XPS_8500_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout