Dell OptiPlex 5050M vs. HP ProDesk 400 G1 Mini

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5050M.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_400_G1_Mini.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ270H81
Dedicated GPU *N.A.N.A.
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2133/2400 SODIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed2400 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max32 GB16 GB
USB ports(6x) USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;DisplayPort v1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Hdph; Mic;
Optional portsSerial+PS2; Serial; VGA; DisplayPort 1.2; WiFi antenna; N.A.
SATA ports11
PCI slotsN.A.N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in;2.5in;
PSU65 W65 W
Weight1.18 kg (2.60 lb)1.3 kg (2.9 lb)
Released20172014
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck Price

** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
* 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 5050M and HP ProDesk 400 G1 Mini

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5050M which was released in 2017. The HP ProDesk 400 G1 Mini 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 5050M as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 400 G1 Mini is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (2 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.

The Dell OptiPlex 5050M is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G1 Mini is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 5050M as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G1 Mini can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 6. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. 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.

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 5050M comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 400 G1 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 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 1 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

Looking at the Power Supply Unit (PSU) of the two models we don't see any differences. For either of them you get a maximum power of 65 Watts. However be careful, many models have more than one power supply option. When buying your computer, it is a good idea to get a version with the most powerful PSU. This will potentially allow you to upgrade to a more powerful GPU for example.

Motherboard

Dell_OptiPlex_5050M_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_400_G1_Mini_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout