Dell Inspiron 3881

PC with drive but no gameplay

These days desktop PCS can come in all shapes and sizes, but this Inspiron model from Dell manages to hit something of a sweet spot – large enough to get things done, small enough not to take up too much room.

Interestingly, the 324x154x293mm (HXWXD) case also includes something you don’t see much any more – a DVD drive. This may seem unnecessary to some, but if you like to back up to writable DVDS or have an old collection of discs that you’d still like to access, it’s a useful little bonus.

The front of the 3881’s attractive black case also houses an SD card slot, a USB-C port, a USB 3.2 port, two USB 2.0 ports and a 3.5mm headphone jack. Around the back (pictured below) there are two more USB 3.2 ports, two more USB 2.0 ports, another audio-out jack, a Gigabit Ethernet port and three monitor ports, including HDMI, Displayport and VGA.

A hard-working Windows PC with DVD drive, but limited room for expansion

It is powered by a 10th-generation Intel Core i5-10400, which is complimented by 8GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a 1TB traditional hard drive. With no graphics card, the 3881 relies on the integrated graphics of the i5 processor. This means it isn’t as powerful as a PC with a standalone graphics card, but there is room to add one later should you feel it’s necessary.

This definitely had an impact on our benchmark tests, particularly when it came to graphically intensive games. Even in the least demanding 3D titles, we saw frame rates of below 20fps. This makes gameplay feel jerky and unresponsive, so this PC should be avoided by serious gamers.

In general Windows use, however, the six- core i5-10400 chip is more than fast enough to keep things running smoothly, while the 8GB of memory ensures there are no freezes or glitches even if you have multiple browser tabs open and a number of programs running.

Except for the space set aside for a graphics card, the room inside for any future expansion is limited. There are only two slots for memory. One is already occupied by the existing 8GB module, so while it would be simple to boost it to 16GB with a second module, you’d need to replace the whole lot to

SPECIFICATIONS

Six-core Intel i5-10400 processor • Intel UHD Graphics 630 • 8GB memory • 256GB M.2 SSD • 1TB hard drive • 1x USB-C port • 3x USB 3.2 ports • 4x USB 2.0 ports • 1x HDMI port • 1x VGA port • Wi-fi 5 • Bluetooth 4.2 • Windows 10 Home • 324x154x293mm (HXWXD) • Three-year warranty www.snipca.com/38855 take it higher than that.

There’s probably sufficient storage already for most people’s needs, but if you wanted to add another SSD you’d have to use a SATA connection, because the existing drive uses the only available M.2 port. This would require purchasing a 2.5in drive mount kit (such as the £4 Trixes model from www.snipca. com/38873) and screwing it into an existing 3.5in slot.

VERDICT A decent, affordable Windows PC, but limited room for expansion ★★★★ ★

ALTERNATIVE

PC Specialist Aurora R £499 A desktop PC with a larger case and more potential for upgrading in the future