Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT vs. Dell XPS 8300

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7040_MT.jpg case front and back pannelDell_XPS_8300.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7Intel Gen2 i3/i5/i7;
ChipsetQ170H67
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1650 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2133 DIMM DDR3-1333/1600
RAM slots44
RAM speed2133 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max64 GB32 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (8x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB 3.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;HDMI 1.2; VGA;
Other portsSerial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; eSATA; S/PDIF; Mic; Headset;
Optional portsVGA; Media Card Reader;N.A.
SATA ports44
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4); PCIe 3.0 x1; PCI; PCIe 2.0 x16; PCI; mPCIe;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe) N.A.
Drive bays3.5in/5.25in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);(2x) 3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;
PSU240 W460 W
Weight8.00 kg (17.64 lb)10.18 kg (22.44 lb)
Released20152011
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 7040 MT and Dell XPS 8300

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT which was released in 2015. The Dell XPS 8300 is older and entered production in 2011.

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 Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell XPS 8300 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 Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT is using the faster 2133 MT/s RAM. The Dell XPS 8300 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 MT as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Dell XPS 8300 can do a bit less at max 32 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.

Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT has a DisplayPort. The Dell XPS 8300 does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.

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 4 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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 Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT. Sadly, the Dell XPS 8300 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 7040 MT comes with a decent 240 Watt PSU, but the Dell XPS 8300 has a more powerful one rated at 460 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_7040_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_XPS_8300_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout