Dell OptiPlex 3040M vs. Fujitsu Esprimo Q556

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3040M.jpg case front and back pannelFujitsu_Esprimo_Q556.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5; Pentium; Celeron; Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Pentium
ChipsetH110H110
Dedicated GPU *N.A.N.A.
RAMSODIMM DDR3L-1600 SODIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots22
RAM speed1600 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max16 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 2.0; (2x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0
Video portsDisplay Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;DisplayPort 1.2; DVI
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headphones; Mic; Line out; (1x) PS/2
Optional portsSerial+PS2/Serial/VGA; WiFi antenna;VGA
SATA ports12
PCI slotsN.A.N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 2.0 x2, SSD); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in;2.5in; 5.25 inch slim
PSU65 W65 W
Weight1.28 kg (2.82 lb)1.60 kg (3.53 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 3040M and Fujitsu Esprimo Q556

Both computers, the Dell OptiPlex 3040M and the Fujitsu Esprimo Q556, 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 (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 Fujitsu Esprimo Q556 is using the faster 2133 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3040M 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 Fujitsu Esprimo Q556 as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3040M 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 6. 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.

The Dell OptiPlex 3040M comes with an HDMI port, while the Fujitsu Esprimo Q556 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 Q556 is better equipped as it comes with 2 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 3040M has 1 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 Fujitsu Esprimo Q556. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 3040M 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

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 65 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_3040M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutFujitsu_Esprimo_Q556_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout