Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF vs. Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5040_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_7040_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Pentium;Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7
ChipsetQ170Q170
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR3L-1600 DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots44
RAM speed1600 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max16 GB64 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;
Other portsSerial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Serial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out;
Optional portsVGA; Media Card Reader;VGA; Media Card Reader;
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe) M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe)
Drive bays3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim); 3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU180 W180 W
Weight6.00 kg (13.22 lb)6.00 kg (13.22 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 5040 SFF and Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF

Both computers, the Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF and the Dell OptiPlex 7040 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

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 Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is using the faster 2133 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5040 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 Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF 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 10. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. 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.

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.

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

SATA slots are located on the motherboard and it is where SSD, HDD and Optical Disk Drives are connected. Each of the two models being compared have 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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

Looking at the Power Supply Unit (PSU) of the two models we don't see any differences. For either of them you get a maximum power of 180 Watts. However be careful, many models have more than one power supply option. When buying your computer, it is a good idea to get a version with the most powerful PSU. This will potentially allow you to upgrade to a more powerful GPU for example.

Motherboard

Dell_OptiPlex_5040_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_7040_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout