Dell OptiPlex 3050M vs. HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3050M.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_600_G3_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6&7 i3/i5; Pentium; Celeron;Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetB250Q270
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce GTX 1650
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2133/2400 DIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots24
RAM speed2400 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 2.0; USB-C 3.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;(2x) DisplayPort:
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsDP1.2/VGA/Serial+PS2/Serial; WiFi antenna;DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C(DP); Serial; SD card reader;
SATA ports15
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2242 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x2, NVMe) ; M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays2.5in;2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 5.25in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU65 W180/250 W
Weight1.18 kg (2.6 lb)7.35 kg (16.2 lb)
Released20172017
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 3050M and HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower

Both computers, the Dell OptiPlex 3050M and the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower, were released during the same year - 2017.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 3050M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower and will fit more easily under your desk.

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 7 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3050M 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.

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 2400. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3050M can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower has 11 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3050M 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 3050M has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower is the better choice.

The Dell OptiPlex 3050M comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).

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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower is better equipped as it comes with 5 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3050M 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 Dell OptiPlex 3050M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 600 G3 Microtower has a more powerful one rated at 250 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_3050M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_600_G3_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout