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The Dell Optiplex 3040 Small Form Factor (starts at $519; $767.50 as tested) is a utilitarian midrange business desktop. It might look like every other desktop in your organization, but this one has been updated with a sixth-generation Intel Core i5 processor, which makes a difference when you’re calculating a 10,000-cell spreadsheet or prepping files for prepress proofing. A small form factor (SFF) case means that it doesn’t take up as much space as a traditional desktop would. But it still has some internal expansion room, which makes it a bit larger than our current Editors’ Choice for midrange business systems, the Polywell B150L2-i7. That said, the Optiplex 3040 SFF would be a capable addition to your company’s arsenal.
Design and Features
Measuring 11.4 by 3.6 by 11.5 inches (HWD), the Optiplex 3040 SFF will fit on most cubicle and open-workspace desks. The Polywell B150L2-i7 is even more compact (1.75 by 8 by 8 inches (HWD) but has very little internal expansion space. The Optiplex 3040 SFF is also larger than the Dell Optiplex 9020 Micro( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) and Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tiny, speaking of systems with zero internal expansion.
The Optiplex 3040 SFF has room inside for an additional memory DIMM (two total, one filled), a half-height PCIe x1 card, and a half-height PCIe x16 graphics card. Since they are half-height, you won’t be able to install a full-height card such as the Nvidia GeForce GTX 960. Other SFF systems, including the Lenovo ThinkStation P300 SFF( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window), have the same restrictions for PCIe cards. Like other Dell Optiplex systems, the Optiplex 3040 SFF has a tool-less hard drive bracket and expansion slots: You won’t need a screwdriver for most component swaps, which will save time on repairs.
Business systems like the Optiplex 3040 SFF come with Microsoft Windows 10 and hardware drivers preinstalled, and thankfully, there’s not much preloaded software on the 1TB hard drive. The 8GB of memory is perfectly suited for general business tasks and multitasking in your Web browser and office apps such as Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. The system has a free DIMM slot in case you want to upgrade to accommodate huge 500,000-cell Excel spreadsheets or database work. (It costs an extra $91 to upgrade to 16GB when you order). The Optiplex 3040 SFF also comes with a basic USB-wired keyboard and mouse.
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The case is corporate dark gray, with diamond-shaped mesh on the front panel to let cooling air through the system. Above the Dell logo is a standard I/O panel with a headset jack, SD card reader, two USB 2.0 ports, and two USB 3.0 ports. The back panel is mostly unadorned steel mesh, with an audio line-out jack, a DisplayPort, an Ethernet port, an HDMI port, two more USB 2.0 ports, and another two USB 3.0 ports. This is a very good selection of wired connections, but the system doesn’t have built in Wi-Fi. If you need wireless connectivity, you’ll have to add an 802.11ac card with Bluetooth for $37.10. The Optiplex 3040 SFF has a basic three-year warranty.
Performance
The desktop is equipped with a sixth-generation Intel Core i5-6500 processor running at 3.2GHz, with Intel HD Graphics 530 and 8GB of system memory. The quad-core processor helped the system return a score of 3,087 points on the PCMark 8 Work Conventional test, which is on a par with other business desktops. It preformed significantly better than the Lenovo ThinCentre M83 Tiny (2,621) and virtually matched the performance of the Dell Optiplex 9020 Micro (3,062) but lagged behind the Polywell B150L2-i7 (3,511).
See How We Test DesktopsThe Handbrake video-encoding test didn’t give the Optiplex 3040 SFF much trouble either, taking 1 minute 22 seconds to complete. That’s firmly within the pack, which ranges from the speedy Polywell B150L2-i7 (1:06) to the slightly slower Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Tiny (1:45). Likewise, the system’s CineBench (542 points) and Photoshop (3:51) scores were within the same range as its competitors. As is, the Dell is ready for moderate graphics and multimedia tasks.
The system’s 3D test scores were nothing to write home about, though. It scored 6,085 points on the 3DMark Cloud Gate test and 320 points on the 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme test, far behind the Polywell B150L2-i7 (Cloud Gate, 8,623; Fire Strike Extreme, 483). 3D game tests were within expected parameters, with a 19 fps score on the Heaven test and 21 fps on the Valley test, both at Medium quality settings. Our conclusion: The Optiplex 3040 SFF is fine for business graphics and creating demonstration videos.
The Dell Optiplex 3040 Small Form Factor is a fine choice for the small- to medium-size business that’s poised for rapid growth in the near future. Expandability and serviceability are strong points for this desktop, as are its easily replaceable components. It’s a smidge more flexible than the Polywell B150L2-i7, but the latter remains our Editors’ Choice for midrange business desktops because of its more compact chassis, much faster performance, included wireless networking, and 16GB of system memory, for only about $32 more.
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The Dell Optiplex 3040 Small Form Factor business desktop has a sixth-generation Intel Core i5 processor and some room for external expansion. It’s a fine choice for a growing SMB or home office.
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Source link : https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/dell-optiplex-3040-small-form-factor