Dell OptiPlex 9020M vs. Dell Vostro 3471

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_9020M.jpg case front and back pannelDell_Vostro_3471.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Intel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron;
ChipsetQ87H365
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMSODIMM DDR3-1600 DIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots22
RAM speed1600 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max16 GB32 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0(4x)USB-A 2.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; VGA;HDMI 1.4b; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Mic/Hdph;RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; SD card reader
Optional portsWiFi antenna; HDMI; DisplayPort; Serial; Serial+PS2; N/A
SATA ports12
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280 B-Key (SATA only); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT); M.2 2280 (SATA only);
Drive bays2.5in3.5in; (2x) 2.5; 9.5 mm;
PSU65 W200 W
Weight1.28 kg (2.82 lb)4.80 kg (10.51 lbs)
Released20132016
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck 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 OptiPlex 9020M and Dell Vostro 3471

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell Vostro 3471 which was released in 2016. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M is older and entered production in 2013.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 9020M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell Vostro 3471 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 3471 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 9020M is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (2 RAM). Usually two RAM slots are more than enough for most cases. However, the count should be taken into account when planning how much and what combination of RAM you are going to need for your system.

The Dell Vostro 3471 is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell Vostro 3471 as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 9020M can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 6. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. 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 9020M has a DisplayPort. The Dell Vostro 3471 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 3471 comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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 Vostro 3471 is better equipped as it comes with 2 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 9020M 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 9020M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Dell Vostro 3471 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_OptiPlex_9020M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_Vostro_3471_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout