Dell OptiPlex 7000 SFF vs. HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_7000_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_400_G3_Mini.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen 12 i3/i5/i7/i9;Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ670H270
Dedicated GPU *AMD Radeon RX6400 Low ProfileN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR4-3200SODIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots42
RAM speed3200 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max128 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 2.0; (3x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.2;(4x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(3x) Display Port 1.4a;DisplayPort;
Other portsRJ45; Audio; Line-Out/In;RJ45; Hdph; Mic/Headset; Serial;
Optional portsHDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C; Serial port; SD-card slotDP/HDMI/VGA/Serial; WiFi antenna;
SATA ports31
PCI slotsPCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2280; M.2 2230; M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in;2.5in
PSU240/260/300 W65/90 W
Weight5.30 kg (11.69 lb)1.21 kg (2.67 lb)
Released20222016
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 7000 SFF and HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 7000 SFF which was released in 2022. The HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini is older and entered production in 2016.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 7000 SFF 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 7000 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 7000 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini 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 7000 SFF is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini 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 7000 SFF as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini 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 7000 SFF has 10 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini is inferior in this regard and packs 6 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell OptiPlex 7000 SFF, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini 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 7000 SFF comes with 3 ports, while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 7000 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 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 7000 SFF is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini has 1 slot(s).

An M.2 SSD can be several times faster than a SATA one. Thus, we are happy to see that both models support the M.2 interface. However, the Dell OptiPlex 7000 SFF has 1 M.2 slots while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini comes with just 1.

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 HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini comes with a decent 90 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 7000 SFF has a more powerful one rated at 300 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_7000_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_400_G3_Mini_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout