Acer Veriton N4660g vs. Dell OptiPlex 7040M

Comparison and Differences

Acer_Veriton_N4660g.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_7040M.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen8 i3/i5/i7Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7
ChipsetB360Q170
Dedicated GPU *N.A.N.A.
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2666SODIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots22
RAM speed2666 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max32 GB32 GB
USB ports(3x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 2.0; USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.1(6x) USB-A 3.0
Video portsHDMI 1.4; DisplayPort 1.4 Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;
Other portsRJ45; (3x) Headset; Mic; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out;
Optional portsSerial; DisplayPort; Parallel; VESA; Card readerWiFi antenna; Display Port 1.2; VGA; Serial; Serial+PS2;
SATA ports11
PCI slotsN.A.N.A.
M.2 slots(2x) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in2.5in
PSU90/135 W65 W
Weight1.50 kg (3.31 lb)1.41 kg (3.12 lb)
Released20182015
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 N4660g and Dell OptiPlex 7040M

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Acer Veriton N4660g which was released in 2018. The Dell OptiPlex 7040M 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 N4660g as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7040M is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (2 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 N4660g is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7040M 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 32 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

In total the Acer Veriton N4660g has 7 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 7040M 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 Acer Veriton N4660g, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 7040M 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.

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

An M.2 SSD can be several times faster than a SATA one. Thus, we are happy to see that both models support the M.2 interface. However, the Acer Veriton N4660g has 1 M.2 slots while the Dell OptiPlex 7040M comes with just 1.

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 7040M comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Acer Veriton N4660g has a more powerful one rated at 135 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_N4660g_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_7040M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout