Acer Veriton X2665g vs. Dell OptiPlex 980 DT
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Acer Veriton X2665g and Dell OptiPlex 980 DT
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Acer Veriton X2665g which was released in 2019. The Dell OptiPlex 980 DT is older and entered production in 2010.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Acer Veriton X2665g is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 980 DT 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 Acer Veriton X2665g as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 980 DT is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
The Dell OptiPlex 980 DT has 4 RAM slots while the Acer Veriton X2665g 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 Acer Veriton X2665g is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 980 DT is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1333 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Acer Veriton X2665g as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 980 DT 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 8. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. What is nice about the Acer Veriton X2665g, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 980 DT 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.
The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.
The Acer Veriton X2665g comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 980 DT 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 980 DT is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Acer Veriton X2665g has 3 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 Acer Veriton X2665g. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 980 DT 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 Acer Veriton X2665g comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 980 DT has a more powerful one rated at 255 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
