Dell OptiPlex 3080 MT vs. HP ProDesk 400 G4 Mini

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_3080_MT.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_400_G4_Mini.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen10 i3/i5/i7; Pentium; Celeron;Intel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetB460B360
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1650 SuperN.A.
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666SODIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots22
RAM speed2666 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max64 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;(4x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplay Port 1.4; HDMI 1.4b;(2x) DisplayPort;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out;RJ45; Headset; Hdph;
Optional portsSerial/PS2; DP1.4/HDMI2.0b/VGA; (2x)WiFi antenna; DP/HDMI/VGA/Serial/USB-C; WiFi anntena;
SATA ports31
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe x1;N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays3.5in; (2x) 2.5in; 5.25in (slim);2.5in
PSU260 W65/90/150 W
Weight5.35 kg (11.79 lb)1.77 kg (2.9 lb)
Released20202018
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 3080 MT and HP ProDesk 400 G4 Mini

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 3080 MT which was released in 2020. The HP ProDesk 400 G4 Mini is older and entered production in 2018.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 400 G4 Mini is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 3080 MT 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 3080 MT as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 400 G4 Mini 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 Dell OptiPlex 3080 MT is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G4 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 3080 MT as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G4 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 3080 MT has 8 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 400 G4 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 400 G4 Mini comes with 2 ports, while the Dell OptiPlex 3080 MT has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP ProDesk 400 G4 Mini is the better choice.

The Dell OptiPlex 3080 MT comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 400 G4 Mini 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 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 3080 MT is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 400 G4 Mini has 1 slot(s).

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 ProDesk 400 G4 Mini comes with a decent 150 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 3080 MT has a more powerful one rated at 260 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_3080_MT_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_400_G4_Mini_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout