Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT vs. HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5070_MT.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_400_G6_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ370B360
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2400/2666DIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots42
RAM speed2666 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB portsUSB 3.1 Type C; (5x) 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;DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; RJ45; Headset Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsHDMI2.0b/DP1.2/VGA/USB Type-C (DP Alt Mode); Serial+PS2; Media Card Reader; WiFi antenna; SD card reader; Serial; Serial and (2x) PS2; DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C;
SATA ports43
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16(wired x4); (2x) PCIe x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in/5.25in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);2.5/3.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)
PSU260 W180/250/310 W
Weight7.93 kg (17.49 lb)5.47 kg (12.06 lb)
Released20192018
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 ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower

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 ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower is older and entered production in 2018.

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 ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 400 G6 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.

None of the desktops has an advantage when it comes to the speed of the RAM being used. Both models support RAM speeds of up to 2666. 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

In total the Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT has 10 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 400 G6 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 5070 MT, is that it has 1 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the HP ProDesk 400 G6 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 5070 MT comes with 2 ports, while the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT 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 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 Dell OptiPlex 5070 MT is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower has 3 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 ProDesk 400 G6 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_5070_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_400_G6_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout