Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT vs. HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT and HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini which was released in 2020. The Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT is older and entered production in 2015.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 7040 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 HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
The Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini 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 HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT 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 MT has 10 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini is inferior in this regard and packs 7 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini, is that it has 4 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT 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.
The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.
The Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini 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 MT is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini has 1 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 HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini has 1 M.2 slots while the Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT 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
Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The HP ProDesk 600 G6 Mini comes with a decent 95 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 7040 MT has a more powerful one rated at 240 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
