HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF vs. HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower

Comparison and Differences

HP_EliteDesk_800_G3_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_400_G6_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ270B360
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2400DIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots42
RAM speed2400 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB portsUSB-C 3.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; (4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports(2x) DisplayPort;DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In;RJ45; Headset Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsDP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C(DP); Serial; SD card reader;SD card reader; Serial; Serial and (2x) PS2; DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C;
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4);PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 5.25in (slim);2.5/3.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)
PSU180 W180/250/310 W
Weight5.3 kg (11.7 lb)5.47 kg (12.06 lb)
Released20172018
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 HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF and HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower which was released in 2018. The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF is older and entered production in 2017.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower 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 400 G6 Microtower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF 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.

The HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF 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

In total the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF 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. 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 EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 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 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 3 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

Having a Power Supply Unit with high power rating is important, if you are going to use components which require extra power. The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF comes with a decent 180 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

HP_EliteDesk_800_G3_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_400_G6_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout