Dell Vostro 3681 vs. HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Dell_Vostro_3681.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_600_G3_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetB460Q270
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666/2933DIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots24
RAM speed2933 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;USB-C 3.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsHDMI 1.4b; VGA;(2x) DisplayPort:
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Card Reader;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsN.A.DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C(DP); Serial; SD card reader;
SATA ports22
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe x4 (open ended);
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 x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays3.5in; 9.5mm2.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU200 W180 W
Weight4.66 Kg (10.28 lbs)4.53 kg (9.99 lb)
Released20202017
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 3681 and HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 3681 which was released in 2020. The HP ProDesk 600 G3 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 3681 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Dell Vostro 3681 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 Vostro 3681 is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2400 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF has 11 USB ports. The Dell Vostro 3681 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3681 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

The Dell Vostro 3681 comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF 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 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 HP ProDesk 600 G3 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 3681 has a more powerful one rated at 200 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_3681_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_600_G3_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout