Comparison Dell Vostro 3668 N403VD3668EMEA01UBU vs It-Blok Multimedia i7 7700 B

The form factor of a computer case characterizes, first of all, the internal volume. Main PC Form Factors:

— Midi Tower. A representative of the tower family (tower cases) of medium size — about 45 cm in height with a width of 15-20 cm, with the number of external bays from 2 to 4. Most popular for middle-class home PCs.

— Mini Tower. The most compact "vertical" case type, with a width of 15-20 cm, has a height of about 35 cm and (usually) less than 2 compartments with external access. Used mainly for office PCs that do not require high performance.

— Full Tower. The tower case is one of the largest form factors for PCs today: 15-20 cm wide, 50-60 cm high, with up to 10 externally accessible bays. Most often in this form factor running advanced high performance PCs

— Desktop. Enclosures designed for installation directly on the desktop. They often have the possibility of horizontal installation — in such a way that a monitor can be placed on top of the case — although there are also models that are installed strictly vertically. Anyway, "desktop" models are relatively small.

— Cube Case. Cases having a cubic or close to it shape. They can have different sizes and are intended for different types of motherboards, this point in each case should be clar...ified separately. Anyway, such cases have a rather original appearance, different from traditional "towers" and "desktops".

The type of graphics card used in the PC. Modern computers can be equipped with both integrated modules (among those you can find products of Apple and Intel – HD Graphics, UHD Graphics and Iris) and discrete video cards (including professional ones), which can be installed in several pieces using SLI or CrossFire technology. In addition, on the market you can find configurations that are not equipped with graphics adapters at all. Here is a more detailed description of each option:

— Integrated. Video cards that are built directly into the processor (less often, into the motherboard) and do not have their own dedicated memory: the memory for video processing is taken from the general “RAM”. The main advantages of such modules are low cost, low power consumption, minimal heat release (which does not require special cooling systems), and extremely compact dimensions. On the other hand, the performance of this type of graphics is low: it is enough for simple everyday tasks like web surfing, watching videos and undemanding games, but for more serious purposes it is still desirable to have a discrete video adapter in the system. And the fact that integrated systems take...up part of the system RAM during operation does not contribute to performance either.

— Discrete. Video cards in the form of separate modules with a specialized processor and their own memory. They are noticeably more expensive than integrated ones, take up more space and consume more energy, but all these shortcomings are offset by a key advantage — high performance. This allows you to work even with “heavy” graphic content like modern games, 3D rendering, high-resolution video editing, etc. (although the specific characteristics of discrete graphics, of course, may be different). In addition, graphics processing in such systems does not use the main RAM, which is also an important advantage. For additional performance enhancement, discrete video adapters can be combined into SLI / CrossFire systems, this option is indicated separately (see below). Also note that in most modern PCs, such graphics are combined with a processor with an integrated graphics core, and often work in hybrid mode: the integrated module is used for simple tasks, and when the load increases, the system switches to a discrete graphics card.

— SLI/CrossFire. Several discrete video cards (see above) bundled using SLI technology (NVIDIA is used) or Crossfire (AMD is used). From the point of view of an ordinary user, there are no fundamental differences between these technologies: both of them allow you to combine the computing power of several video cards, thus increasing graphics performance. However, such graphics are not cheap, and therefore they are used exclusively in high-performance PCs with an emphasis on graphic capabilities — in particular, gaming ones.

— Sold separately. The absence of any graphics card in the initial configuration of the PC. A rather rare option found in some high-end workstations: such configurations are equipped with professional processors without an integrated graphics core and do not have discrete graphics — it is assumed that such an adapter is more convenient for the user to buy separately.

The main manufacturers of video cards nowadays are AMD, NVIDIA and Intel, and each has its own specifics. NVIDIA produces primarily discrete solutions; Among the most common are the GeForce MX1xx, GeForce MX3xx, GeForce GTX 10xx series (in particular GTX 1050, GTX 1050 Ti and GTX 1060), GeForce GTX 16xx, GeForce RTX 20xx, GeForce RTX 30xx( GeForce RTX 3060, GeForce RTX 3060 Ti, GeForce RTX 3070, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, GeForce RTX 3080, GeForce RTX 3080 Ti, GeForce RTX 3090, GeForce RTX 3090 Ti), GeForce RTX 4060 , GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, GeForce RTX 4070, GeForce RTX 4070 SUPER, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, Ge Force RTX 4080, GeForce RTX 4080 SUPER, GeForce RTX 4090 and separate Quadro series. AMD offers both discrete and integrated graphics - including the popular Radeon RX 500, Radeon RX 5000, Radeon RX 6000, Radeon RX 7000 and AMD Radeon Pro series. And Intel deals exclusively with modules integrated into processors of its own production - these can be HD Graphics, UHD Graphics and Iris.

Note that many configurations with discrete graphics also have an integrated graphics module; in such cases, the name of the discrete video card is indicated as more advanced.

The amount of native memory provided by the discrete graphics card (see "Graphics card type").

The larger this volume, the more powerful and advanced the video adapter is, the better it handles with complex tasks and, accordingly, the more expensive it is. Nowadays, 2 GB and 3 GB are considered quite modest, 4 GB are not bad, 6 GB and 8 GB are very solid, and more than 8 GB means that we have a specialized PC built for maximum graphics performance.

The type of graphics memory used by the discrete graphics card (see "Video Card Type").

In most of these adapters, GDDR graphics memory is installed — a kind of regular DDR "RAM", optimized for use with graphics tasks. This memory is available on the market in several versions; in addition, there are other varieties. Here is a more detailed description of the different options:

— GDDR3. At one time — a fairly common type of graphic memory; today, however, it is considered obsolete and is not used in new PCs.

— GDDR5. The most popular (for 2020) type of GDDR graphic memory. At a reasonable cost, it provides good performance, due to which it is found in computers of different price categories.

— GDDR5X. Modification of the above-mentioned GDDR5, characterized by a 2-fold increased throughput. Accordingly, the performance of such memory (with the same volumes) is noticeably higher; on the other hand, such modules are expensive.

— GDDR6. The newest of the GDDR standards for 2020 — the first video cards based on this type of memory were introduced in 2018. It differs from its immediate predecessor — GDDR5X — in both increased bandwidth and lower operating voltage, which provides both increased efficiency and reduced power consumption. It is also worth noting that GDDR6 was developed with specific applications in mind, such as VR or work with resolutions above 4K UHD.

— HBM2. The original HBM is a type of RAM d...esigned to maximize the speed of data exchange; HBM2 is the second version of this technology, in which the bandwidth compared to the original HBM has been doubled. Such a memory is fundamentally different from DDR in terms of device — in particular, the memory cells in it are placed in layers and allow simultaneous access. Thanks to this, HBM is several times faster than the fastest versions of GDDR, which makes this technology perfect for high workloads such as processing UltraHD graphics and virtual reality. At the same time, the clock frequency of such modules is low and, accordingly, power consumption and heat dissipation are small. The disadvantage of this option is traditional — the high price.

— DDR3. Memory that does not have a specialization for graphics — in other words, the same DDR3 that is used in RAM sticks (see "Memory Type" above). In the case of video cards, such solutions are completely obsolete and are almost never used nowadays.

The volume of the main drive supplied with the PC. For models with combined storages (for example, HDD+SSD, see "Drive type"), in this case, the main one is considered to be a more capacious hard drive; and if there are two HDDs in the kit, then they usually have the same capacity.

From a purely practical point of view, the more data the drive holds, the better. So the choice for this indicator rests mainly on the price: a larger capacity inevitably means a higher cost. In addition, we recall that SSD-modules in terms of gigabytes of capacity are much more expensive than hard drives; so you can only compare carriers of the same type by the combination of volume and cost.

As for the specific capacity, a volume of 250 GB or less in modern PCs can be found mainly among SSDs. Hard drives of this size are almost never found, for them a capacity of 250 to 500 GB is still considered quite modest. 501 – 750 GB is a pretty good value for an SSD, and among them it is also mainly used. 751 GB — 1 TB is an impressive figure for an SSD and an average for hard drives, 1.5 – 2 TB is a very solid capacity even for an HDD. And a very high capacity — more than 2 TB — paradoxically, is found even among pure SSDs: such drives are installed in high-end workstations, where speed...is no less important than capacity.

The nominal rotation speed of the hard drive spindle (see "Drive type") installed in the PC.

The platters of hard drives in working condition rotate constantly. The standard rotation speeds found in modern PCs are 5400 and 7200 rpm (revolutions per minute — revolutions per minute). A higher rotation speed speeds up data access, but significantly affects the cost of the drive. In addition, "fast" drives are considered less reliable (which is often offset by various design tricks, but they also affect the price).

The number of internal 3.5" component bays in the computer. This form factor is standard for hard drives, and is also often used in other types of drives; accordingly, the more bays, the more drives you can install on your computer.

Paying attention to the number of internal 3.5" bays makes sense, first of all, if you purchase a configuration without drives or plan to upgrade your PC in the future. It is worth noting that it is recommended to install drives not in a row, but through one slot — for cooling efficiency ; so ideally the number of slots should be twice the number of devices to be installed.

In most desktop PCs, this assortment is determined both by connectors on the "motherboard" and on a discrete graphics card, among which VGA, DVI, HDMI output(there are models where HDMI 2 pcs), HDMI input, DisplayPort, miniDisplayPort. More details about them.

— VGA. He's D-Sub. Analogue video output with maximum resolution up to 1280x1024 and no audio support. It is rarely installed in modern devices, but it can be useful for connecting certain models of projectors and TVs, as well as outdated video equipment.

— DVI. Modern PCs can be equipped with both pure digital DVI-D and hybrid DVI-I; the latter also allows analogue connection, including work with VGA-devices through an adapter, and in analogue format has a resolution of 1280x1024. In digital DVI, this parameter can reach 1920x1200 in single-link mode (single link) and 2560x1600 in dual-link mode. The presence of a dual-channel mode must be specified separately.

— HDMI output. Digital output originally designed for HD content — high-definition video and multi-channel audio. The HDMI interface is almost mandatory for modern HD multimedia technology, and it is also extremely popular in computer monitors — so the presence of such an output on a PC provides ve...ry extensive features for connecting external screens and even high-end audio devices. Some devices may even have 2 HDMI outputs.

— HDMI input. Your PC has at least one HDMI input. See above for details on the interface itself; here we note that it is the inputs of this format that are found mainly in monoblocks (see "Type"). At a minimum, this allows you to use the monoblock's own display as a screen for another device (for example, as an external monitor for a laptop). However, there are other, more specific options for using the HDMI input — for example, recording an incoming video signal, or transferring (switching) it to one of the PC video outputs.
Both the HDMI inputs and outputs in modern PCs may correspond to different versions:

• v 1.4. The earliest standard widely used today. Supports resolutions up to 4096x2160 and frame rates up to 120 fps (however, only at a resolution of 1920x1080 or lower), and can also be used to transmit 3D video. In addition to the original version 1.4, you can find improved v 1.4a and v 1.4b — in both cases, the improvements affected mainly the work with 3D.
• v2.0. The standard, also known as HDMI UHD, was the first to introduce full support for UltraHD 4K, with frame rates up to 60 fps, as well as compatibility with a 21:9 aspect ratio. In addition, the number of simultaneously transmitted channels and audio streams has increased to 32 and 4, respectively. It is also worth noting that initially version 2.0 did not provide support for HDR, but it appeared in update v 2.0a; if this feature is important to you, it's ok to clarify which version 2.0 is provided in the PC, the original or the updated one.
• v2.0b. The second update of the above v 2.0. The main update was the expansion of HDR capabilities, in particular, support for two new formats.
• v2.1. It is also HDMI Ultra High Speed: the bandwidth has been increased to such an extent that it became possible to transfer 10K video at 120 fps (not to mention more modest resolutions) as well as work with extended colour schemes up to 16 bits. The latter may come in handy for some professional tasks. However, note that all the features of HDMI v 2.1 are available only when using cables designed for this standard.

— Display port. A digital media interface similar in many respects to HDMI, but mainly used in computer technology — in particular, it is widely used in Apple computers and monitors. One of the interesting features of this standard is the ability to work in the daisy chain format — connecting several screens to one port in series, transmitting its own signal to each of them (although this function is not technically available with all screens for this interface). DisplayPort is also on the market in several versions, the current ones are as follows:

• v 1.2. The earliest widely used version (2010). However, already in this version, 3D compatibility and the daisy chain mode appeared. The maximum fully supported resolution when connecting a single monitor is 5K (30 fps), transmission up to 8K is possible with certain restrictions; a frame rate of 60 Hz is supported up to a resolution of 3840x2160, and 120 Hz — up to 2560x1600. And when using daisy chain, you can connect up to 2 2560x1600 screens at 60 frames per second or up to 4 1920x1200 screens at the same time. In addition to the original version 1.2, there is an improved v 1.2a, the main innovation of which is support for AMD FreeSync, a technology for synchronizing the monitor's frame rate with the signal from an AMD graphics card.
• v 1.3. An update introduced in 2014. The increased bandwidth made it possible to provide full, without restrictions, support for 8K at 30 fps, as well as transmit 4K images at 120 fps, sufficient for 3D work. Resolutions in daisy chain mode have also increased — up to 4K (3840x2160) at 60 fps for two screens and 2560x1600 at the same frame rate for four. Of the specific innovations, it is worth mentioning the Dual Mode mode, which allows you to connect HDMI and DVI devices to such a connector through the simplest passive adapters.
• v 1.4. The newest version widely used in modern PCs. Formally, the maximum connection speed has not increased compared to the previous version, but thanks to signal optimization, it became possible to work with 4K and 5K resolutions at 240 fps and with 8K at 120 fps. However for this, the connected screen must support DSC encoding technology — otherwise, the available resolutions will not differ from version 1.3. In addition, v 1.4 added support for a number of special features, including HDR10, and the maximum number of simultaneously transmitted audio channels increased to 32.

— miniDisplayPort. A smaller version of the DisplayPort connector described above, may also correspond to different versions (see above). Note that the same hardware connector is used in the Thunderbolt interface versions 1 and 2, and the graphic part of this interface is based on DisplayPort. Therefore, even some Thunderbolt monitors can be directly connected to miniDisplayPort (although it is desirable to clarify this possibility separately).

— COM port (RS-232). Serial port, originally used to connect dial-up modems and some peripherals, in particular, mice. However, today this interface is used as a service interface in various devices — TVs, projectors, network equipment (routers and switches), etc. Connecting to a PC via RS-232 allows you to control the operation parameters of an external device from a computer.