Dell OptiPlex 3040M vs. Fujitsu Esprimo P9012

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3040M.jpg case front and back pannelFujitsu_Esprimo_P9012.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5; Pentium; Celeron; Intel Gen12 i5/i7/i9
ChipsetH110Q670
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAMSODIMM DDR3L-1600 UDIMM DDR4-3200
RAM slots24
RAM speed1600 MT/s3200 MT/s
RAM max16 GB128 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x) USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.1; USB-C 3.2
Video portsDisplay Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;(2x) DisplayPort 1.4
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headset, Line in; Line out
Optional portsSerial+PS2/Serial/VGA; WiFi antenna;HDMI 2.1; DP 1.4a; DVI; VGA; Parallel; Serial; Thunderbolt 4; (2x) USB-C 3.1 (DP support 60W/15W)
SATA ports15
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 4.0 x16 (wired x4)
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)(2x) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in;(3x) 3.5in; 2.5in; (3x) 5.25 inch
PSU65 W280/300 W
Weight1.28 kg (2.82 lb)7.40 kg (16.31 lb)
Released20152022
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 Dell OptiPlex 3040M and Fujitsu Esprimo P9012

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 which was released in 2022. The Dell OptiPlex 3040M is older and entered production in 2015.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 3040M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 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 Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 3040M is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3040M 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 Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3040M 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 Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3040M 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 Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 has 12 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3040M is inferior in this regard and packs 6 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Fujitsu Esprimo P9012, is that it has 5 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 3040M 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 Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 3040M has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 is the better choice.

The Dell OptiPlex 3040M comes with an HDMI port, while the Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 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 Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 is better equipped as it comes with 5 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3040M has 1 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 Fujitsu Esprimo P9012. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 3040M 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 Dell OptiPlex 3040M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Fujitsu Esprimo P9012 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

Dell_OptiPlex_3040M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutFujitsu_Esprimo_P9012_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout