Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT vs. HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower
Comparison and Differences
| Model | Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT | HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Mini Tower | Mini Tower |
| CPU options | Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; | Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium; |
| Chipset | Q270 | H81 |
| Dedicated GPU * | GeForce GTX 1650 Super | GeForce GTX 1660 Super |
| RAM | DIMM DDR4-2133/2400 | DIMM DDR3-1600 |
| RAM slots | 4 | 2 |
| RAM speed | 2400 MT/s | 1600 MT/s |
| RAM max | 64 GB | 16 GB |
| USB ports | USB 3.0 Type C; (5x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0; | (2x)USB-A 3.0; (6x)USB-A 2.0; |
| Video ports | (2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4; | DVI-D; VGA; |
| Other ports | Serial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; | RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2; |
| Optional ports | VGA; Media Card Reader; | Media card reader (USB 2.0); Serial; Parallel; |
| SATA ports | 4 | 4 |
| PCI slots | PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4); PCIe 3.0 x1; PCI; | PCIe x16; (3x) PCIe x1; |
| M.2 slots | M.2 2280/2242 M-key (PCIe 3 .0 x4, SATA) | N.A. |
| Drive bays | 3.5-inch/5.25-inch; (2x) 2.5-inch; 5.25-inch (slim); | (3x) 3.5-inch; (2x) 5.25-inch |
| PSU | 240 W | 300 W |
| Weight | 7.93 kg (17.49 lb) | 7.1 kg (15.75 lb) |
| Released | 2017 | 2013 |
| Manual | link | link |
| Price** | Check Price | Check Price |
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT and HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower
If a more modern desktop is what you are looking for, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT which was released in 2017. The HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower is older and entered production in 2013.
Form factor wise the models are the same - both desktops are of similar 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 7050 MT as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
The Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower has only 2 slot(s). Of course this is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM will your system be using.
The Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of only up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for most users.Ports
In total the Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT has 10 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. None of the desktop models has a USB 3.1 port (10Gb/s), so if you need a fast connection to your peripherals you will need to look at other models.
Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT has a DisplayPort. The HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of mode conversion.
The Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).
SATA slot is where SSD, HDD and Optical Disk Drives are connected. Each of the two models being compared have 4 SATA slots.
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 Dell OptiPlex 7050 MT. Sadly, the HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.
Remark: Make sure that the M.2 slot supports the PCIe (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 6 Gb/s, while the PCIe 3.0 x4 will support speeds up to 32 Gb/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 7050 MT comes with a decent 240 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 400 G1 Microtower 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.
Motherboard
