Acer Veriton X2680g vs. Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Acer_Veriton_X2680g.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_7040_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen11 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; CeleronIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7
ChipsetB560Q170
Dedicated GPU *Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMUDIMM DDR4-2933DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots44
RAM speed2933 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB-A 3.1(6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.4; HDMI 2.0; VGA(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;
Other portsRJ45; (2x) Mic, Speaker; Line in; Line out; PS/2 ports; SerialSerial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out;
Optional portsSerial; Parallel; Card readerVGA; Media Card Reader;
SATA ports43
PCI slotsPCIe 4.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe)
Drive bays3.5in; 5.25 inch slim3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU180/300 W180 W
Weight5.00 kg (11.02 lb)6.00 kg (13.22 lb)
Released20212015
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 Acer Veriton X2680g and Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Acer Veriton X2680g which was released in 2021. The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is older and entered production in 2015.

Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.

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 X2680g as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 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 Acer Veriton X2680g is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 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

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 10. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. What is nice about the Acer Veriton X2680g, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the Acer Veriton X2680g has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is the better choice.

In case your monitor supports HDMI only, you will be happy to hear that both models come with an HDMI port.

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 Acer Veriton X2680g is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF has 3 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 7040 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Acer Veriton X2680g has a more powerful one rated at 300 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

Acer_Veriton_X2680g_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_7040_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout