HP ProDesk 400 G2 SFF vs. HP ProDesk 400 G4 Microtower

Comparison and Differences

HP_ProDesk_400_G2_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_400_G4_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH81H270
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR3-1600 DIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots22
RAM speed1600 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max16 GB64 GB
USB ports(2x)USB-A 3.0; (6x)USB-A 2.0; (4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort; VGA;DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;RJ45; Headset Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsMedia card reader; Serial; Parallel; SD card reader; Serial and (2x) PS2;
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe x16; (3x) PCIe x1; PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slotsN.A.M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)2.5/3.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)
PSU240 W180/310 W
Weight5.9 kg (13.0 lb)5.47 kg (12.06 lb)
Released20142017
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 HP ProDesk 400 G2 SFF and HP ProDesk 400 G4 Microtower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G4 Microtower which was released in 2017. The HP ProDesk 400 G2 SFF is older and entered production in 2014.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 400 G2 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 400 G4 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 G4 Microtower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 400 G2 SFF 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 400 G4 Microtower is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G2 SFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP ProDesk 400 G4 Microtower as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G2 SFF can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 8. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. 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.

The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.

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.

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the HP ProDesk 400 G2 SFF, nor the HP ProDesk 400 G4 Microtower has one. However, you can still use a SATA SSD drive which should give you satisfactory performance.

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 G2 SFF comes with a decent 240 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 400 G4 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_ProDesk_400_G2_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_400_G4_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout