Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF vs. Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7040_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel

Dell_OptiPlex_M_Plus_7020_2024.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Small	Micro
CPU options	Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7	Intel Gen 12&13&14 i3/i5/i7/i9;
Chipset	Q170	Q670
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile	N.A.
RAM	DIMM DDR4-2133	SODIMM DDR5-5600
RAM slots	4	2
RAM speed	2133 MT/s	5600 MT/s
RAM max	64 GB	64 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 ports	Serial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out;	RJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;
Optional ports	VGA; Media Card Reader;	HDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C;
SATA ports	3	0
PCI slots	PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;	N.A.
M.2 slots	M.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 bays	3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim);	N.A.
PSU	180 W	130/180 W
Weight	6.00 kg (13.22 lb)	1.36kg (3.00 lb)
Released	2015	2024
Manual	link	link
Price**	Check Price	Check 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 7020 2024

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 which was released in 2024. 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 7020 2024 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 7020 2024 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 7020 2024 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 7020 2024 is using the faster 5600 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 7020 2024 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 7020 2024, 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 7020 2024 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 7020 2024 is the better choice.

The Dell OptiPlex 7040 SFF comes with an HDMI port, while the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 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 7020 2024 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 7020 2024 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.