Dell OptiPlex 5050 SFF vs. HP ProDesk 480 G5 Microtower

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5050_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_480_G5_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Intel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ270B360
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2133/2400 DIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots42
RAM speed2400 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max64 GB32 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; (4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsSerial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headset; Line-In; Line-Out;
Optional portsVGA; Media Card Reader;SD card reader; Serial; Serial and (2x) PS2; DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C;
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4); PCI;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2242 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim); 2.5/3.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)
PSU180 W180/250/310 W
Weight5.26 kg (11.57 lb)5.47 kg (12.0 lb)
Released20172018
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 5050 SFF and HP ProDesk 480 G5 Microtower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 480 G5 Microtower which was released in 2018. The Dell OptiPlex 5050 SFF is older and entered production in 2017.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Dell OptiPlex 5050 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 480 G5 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 HP ProDesk 480 G5 Microtower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 5050 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 5050 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 480 G5 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 HP ProDesk 480 G5 Microtower is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 5050 SFF 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 5050 SFF as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The HP ProDesk 480 G5 Microtower can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 5050 SFF has 10 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 480 G5 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. 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 5050 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the HP ProDesk 480 G5 Microtower has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5050 SFF is the better choice.

The Dell OptiPlex 5050 SFF comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 480 G5 Microtower 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 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.

When your goal is to have the fastest SSD transfer speeds, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, it is good that both models have M.2 SSD slots. Today M.2 SSDs are not much more expensive than the average SATA drives, so it really does not make sense to invest in SATA drives anymore.

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 5050 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 480 G5 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_5050_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_480_G5_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout