Dell OptiPlex 7040M vs. Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 7040M and Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8 which was released in 2020. The Dell OptiPlex 7040M is older and entered production in 2015.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 7040M is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8 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 D7010 8 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
The Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8 has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 7040M 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 D7010 8 is using the faster 2933 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7040M is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8 as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7040M can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.
Ports
In total the Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8 has 8 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. 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 Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8 comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 7040M has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8 is the better choice.
The Dell OptiPlex 7040M comes with an HDMI port, while the Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8 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 D7010 8 is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 7040M has 1 slot(s).
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
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 Fujitsu Esprimo D7010 8 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
