Acer Veriton X2680g vs. Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT

Differences between Acer Veriton X2680g and Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Acer Veriton X2680g which was released in 2021. The Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT is older and entered production in 2020.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Acer Veriton X2680g is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT 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 Acer Veriton X2680g as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT 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.

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 2933. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Acer Veriton X2680g can do a bit less at max 64 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. It's great that both of the models have USB 3.1 ports which will allow you to exchange data with your peripherals at up to 10Gb/s. But if you need maximum connectivity, go with the Acer Veriton X2680g as it has 2 USB3.1 ports (the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT has 1).

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT comes with 2 ports, while the Acer Veriton X2680g has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT is the better choice.

The Acer Veriton X2680g comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT 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 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.

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 Acer Veriton X2680g comes with a decent 300 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 5080 MT has a more powerful one rated at 360 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