Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF vs. Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7040_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelDell_OptiPlex_M_Plus_7010_2023.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7Intel Gen 12&13 i3/i5/i7/i9;
ChipsetQ170Q670
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR4-2133 SODIMM DDR5-4800
RAM slots42
RAM speed2133 MT/s4800 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; USB-A 3.0; (3x) USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.2;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;(3x) Display Port 1.4a;
Other portsSerial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;
Optional portsVGA; Media Card Reader;HDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C;
SATA ports30
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe) (2x) M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim); N.A.
PSU180 W130/180 W
Weight6.00 kg (13.22 lb)1.31 kg (2.89 lb)
Released20152023
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
* 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 7040 SFF and Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 which was released in 2023. The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is older and entered production in 2015.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF 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 M Plus 7010 2023 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 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 Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 is using the faster 4800 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 GB of RAM will be enough for most people. However, if you will be needing more RAM, make sure to check other desktop models too.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 is inferior in this regard and packs 5 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023, is that it has 3 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds significantly. For people who want to use external drives on regular basis, this might be an issue.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 comes with 3 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF has only 2. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 is the better choice.

The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 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 Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 has 0 slot(s).

An M.2 SSD can be several times faster than a SATA one. Thus, we are happy to see that both models support the M.2 interface. However, the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7010 2023 has 1 M.2 slots while the Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF comes with just 1.

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 180 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_7040_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutDell_OptiPlex_M_Plus_7010_2023_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout