Dell Inspiron 3881 vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower

Comparison and Differences

Dell_Inspiron_3881.jpg case front and back pannel

Lenovo_ThinkCentre_M800_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Mini Tower	Mini Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;	Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
Chipset	H470	Q150
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GTX 1650 Super	GeForce GTX 1650
RAM	DIMM DDR4-2666/2933	DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots	2	4
RAM speed	2933 MT/s	2133 MT/s
RAM max	64 GB	64 GB
USB ports	(3x) USB 3.0 Type A; USB 3.1 Type C; (4x) USB-A 2.0;	(6x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	HDMI 1.4; DisplayPort 1.4; VGA;	(2x) DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Card Reader;	RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial;
Optional ports	N.A.	2x USB-A 2.0; Media card reader (USB 2.0); (2x) PS2; eSATA;
SATA ports	2	3
PCI slots	PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;	PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4); M2 to PCI adapter (optional);
M.2 slots	M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);	M.2 (WiFi/BT or PCI extension card)
Drive bays	3.25in; 9.5mm	(2x) 2.5/3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;
PSU	260 W	ATX 250
Weight	6.40 kg (14.11 lb)	12.5 kg (27.5 lb)
Released	2020	2015
Manual	link	link
Price**	Check Price	Check 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 Inspiron 3881 and Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Inspiron 3881 which was released in 2020. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower is older and entered production in 2015.

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 Inspiron 3881 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower has 4 RAM slots while the Dell Inspiron 3881 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 Inspiron 3881 is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 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

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. What is nice about the Dell Inspiron 3881, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower comes with 2 ports, while the Dell Inspiron 3881 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower is the better choice.

The Dell Inspiron 3881 comes with an HDMI port, while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell Inspiron 3881 has 2 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 Inspiron 3881. Sadly, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower comes with a decent 250 Watt PSU, but the Dell Inspiron 3881 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.