Dell OptiPlex 3040 SFF vs. HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3040_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_600_G2_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5; Pentium; Celeron; Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH110Q150
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3L-1600 DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots24
RAM speed1600 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max16 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;(2x) DisplayPort: VGA
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsSerial+PS2; VGA; Media Card Reader;Media card reader (USB 2.0); Serial;
SATA ports23
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16; (3x) PCIe x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays3.5in/2.5in; 5.25in (slim); 2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)
PSU180 W200 W
Weight6.1 kg (13.45 lb)6.9 kg (16.7 lb)
Released20152015
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

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* 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 3040 SFF and HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF

Both computers, the Dell OptiPlex 3040 SFF and the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF, were released during the same year - 2015.

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

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 6 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

Memory

The HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3040 SFF 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 HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF is using the faster 2133 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3040 SFF 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 HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3040 SFF can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3040 SFF is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 3040 SFF has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF is the better choice.

The Dell OptiPlex 3040 SFF comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF 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 HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3040 SFF has 2 slot(s).

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 3040 SFF, nor the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF has one. However, you can still use a SATA SSD drive which should give you satisfactory performance.

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 3040 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 600 G2 SFF 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_3040_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_600_G2_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout