Dell OptiPlex 3040 MT vs. Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 3040 MT and Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3040 MT which was released in 2015. The Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF is older and entered production in 2012.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 3040 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 Dell OptiPlex 3040 MT as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
The Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex 3040 MT 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.
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 1600. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 3040 MT can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.
Ports
In total the Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 3040 MT is inferior in this regard and packs 8 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 Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 3040 MT has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF is the better choice.
The Dell OptiPlex 3040 MT comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex 7010 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 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 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.
M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 3040 MT, nor the Dell OptiPlex 7010 SFF has one. However, you can still use a SATA SSD drive which should give you satisfactory performance.
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 240 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
