Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF vs. Fujitsu Esprimo E720
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF and Fujitsu Esprimo E720
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF which was released in 2015. The Fujitsu Esprimo E720 is older and entered production in 2014.
Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.
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 5040 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Fujitsu Esprimo E720 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 1600. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Fujitsu Esprimo E720 as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF 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 Fujitsu Esprimo E720 has 12 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF is inferior in this regard and packs 10 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 5040 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the Fujitsu Esprimo E720 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF is the better choice.
The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF comes with an HDMI port, while the Fujitsu Esprimo E720 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 E720 is better equipped as it comes with 5 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF has 3 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 Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF. Sadly, the Fujitsu Esprimo E720 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
Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Fujitsu Esprimo E720 has a more powerful one rated at 280 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
