Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT vs. Dell Vostro 3681
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT and Dell Vostro 3681
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 3681 which was released in 2020. The Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT is older and entered production in 2019.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell Vostro 3681 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT 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 3681 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
The Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT 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 Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2666 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 Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT has 10 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. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell Vostro 3681 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.
Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT 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 Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT 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 Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell Vostro 3681 has 2 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 Vostro 3681 comes with a decent 200 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT 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.
Motherboard
