Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF vs. HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_990_USFF.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_600_G1_Mini.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorUltra SmallMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen2 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ67Q85
Dedicated GPU *N.A.N.A.
RAMDIMM DDR3-1333SDIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots22
RAM speed1333 MT/s1600 MT/s
RAM max8 GB16 GB
USB ports(7x)USB-A 2.0; (4x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort 1.2; VGA;(2x) DisplayPort: VGA
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; PS2/COM; Serial; Parallel;RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out;
Optional portsN.A.N.A.
SATA ports21
PCI slotsN.A.N.A.
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in; 5.25in(slim);2.5in;
PSU200 W65 W
Weight3.27 kg (7.20 lb)1.3 kg (2.9 lb)
Released20112014
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 990 USFF and HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini which was released in 2014. The Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF is older and entered production in 2011.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF 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 600 G1 Mini as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF 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 HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini is using the faster 1600 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1333 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini as it has the ability to run 16 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF can do a bit less at max 8 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF has 7 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 600 G1 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. 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 HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini 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 990 USFF is better equipped as it comes with 2 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini has 1 slot(s).

If you want the fastest transfer speeds for your SSD, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, if the M.2 SSD slot is a mandatory requirement for you, go with the HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini. Sadly, the Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.

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 600 G1 Mini comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 990 USFF has a more powerful one rated at 200 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_990_USFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_600_G1_Mini_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout