Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT vs. HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5070_MT.jpg case front and back pannelHP_EliteDesk_800_G3_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ370Q270
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2400/2666DIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots44
RAM speed2666 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB portsUSB 3.1 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;USB-C 3.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) Display Port 1.2;(2x) DisplayPort;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Hdph; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsHDMI2.0b/DP1.2/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); Serial+PS2; Media Card Reader; WiFi antenna; DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C(DP); Serial; SD card reader;
SATA ports45
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16(wired x4); (2x) PCIe x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays3.5in/5.25in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 5.25in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU260 W250/500 W
Weight7.93 kg (17.49 lb)9.8 kg (21.7 lb)
Released20192017
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 5070 MT and HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT which was released in 2019. The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower is older and entered production in 2017.

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 5070 MT as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 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 5070 MT is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2400 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

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 10. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower 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.

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 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 5 SATA slot(s), while the Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT has 4 slot(s).

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 5070 MT comes with a decent 260 Watt PSU, but the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 500 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_5070_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_EliteDesk_800_G3_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout