Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF vs. HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF
Comparison and Differences
| Model | Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF | HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Small | Small |
| CPU options | Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7 | Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium; |
| Chipset | Q170 | H110 |
| Dedicated GPU * | GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile | GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile |
| RAM | DIMM DDR4-2133 | DIMM DDR4-2133 |
| RAM slots | 4 | 2 |
| RAM speed | 2133 MT/s | 2133 MT/s |
| RAM max | 64 GB | 32 GB |
| USB ports | (6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; | (4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; |
| Video ports | (2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4; | DisplayPort; VGA; |
| Other ports | Serial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; | RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2; |
| Optional ports | VGA; Media Card Reader; | SD card reader; Serial; Parallel; |
| SATA ports | 3 | 2 |
| PCI slots | PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4; | PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1; |
| M.2 slots | M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, SATA 3.0) | N.A. |
| Drive bays | 3.5-inch/(2x)2.5-inch; 5.25-inch (slim); | 3.5-inch; 5.25-inch (slim) |
| PSU | 180 W | 180 W |
| Weight | 6.00 kg (13.22 lb) | 4.43 kg (9.8 lb) |
| Released | 2015 | 2016 |
| Manual | link | link |
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF and HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF
If a more modern desktop is what you are looking for, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF which was released in 2016. The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is older and entered production in 2015.
Form factor wise the models are the same - both desktops are of similar size and form.
Processor
The two models support the same generation of Intel Core processors. We think that the 6 generation of Intel Core has enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.
Memory
The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF has only 2 slot(s). Of course this is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM will your system be using.
None of the desktops has an advantage when it comes to the speed of the RAM being used. Both models support RAM speeds of up to 2133. 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 HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for most users.Ports
In total the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF has 10 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. None of the desktop models has a USB 3.1 port (10Gb/s), so if you need a fast connection to your peripherals you will need to look at other models.
DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF has only 1.
The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF 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 port 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 Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA 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 Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF. Sadly, the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.
Remark: Make sure that the M.2 slot supports the PCIe (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 6 Gb/s, while the PCIe 3.0 x4 will support speeds up to 32 Gb/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. Howver 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 option.
Motherboard
