Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF vs. HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5000_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_480_G4_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7; PentiumIntel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ670H270
Dedicated GPU *AMD Radeon RX 6400 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-3200DIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots42
RAM speed3200 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max128 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (5x) USB-A 3.0; USB-C 3.1;(4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.4a;DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Headset; Line-In; Line-Out;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C; SD-card slotSD card reader; Serial and (2x) PS2;
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4); PCI;
M.2 slotsM.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in; 2.5in;2.5/3.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)
PSU240/260/300 W180/310 W
Weight5.16 kg (11.39 lb)5.47 kg (12.06 lb)
Released20222017
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

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* 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 5000 SFF and HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF which was released in 2022. The HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower is older and entered production in 2017.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower 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 5000 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower 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 5000 SFF is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2400 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower can do a bit less at max 64 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF has 10 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower 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 5000 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5000 SFF is the better choice.

None of the models has an HDMI port. If your monitor supports only the HDMI interface, you will need to buy an adapter. Such adapters are cheap so nothing to worry about.

SATA slots are located on the motherboard and it is where SSD, HDD and Optical Disk Drives are connected. Each of the two models being compared have 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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 5000 SFF. Sadly, the HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower 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 5000 SFF comes with a decent 300 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 480 G4 Microtower has a more powerful one rated at 310 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

Dell_OptiPlex_5000_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_480_G4_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout