HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF vs. HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower

Comparison and Differences

HP_ProDesk_400_G4_SFF.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_490_G3_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorSmallMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH270 H110
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GT 1030 Low ProfileGeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2400DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots24
RAM speed2400 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max64 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort; VGA;DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In;RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsSD card reader; Serial and (2x) PS2;SD card reader; Serial; Parallel;
SATA ports23
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slotsM.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)N.A.
Drive bays2.5in/3.5in; 5.25in (slim)(2x) 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)
PSU180 W180/300 W
Weight4.6 kg (10.14 lb)7.05 kg (15.5 lb)
Released20172015
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 G4 SFF and HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF which was released in 2017. The HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower is older and entered production in 2015.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 490 G3 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 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF 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 G4 SFF is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 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

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 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 HP ProDesk 490 G3 Microtower is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF has 2 slot(s).

M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF, nor the HP ProDesk 490 G3 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 G4 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 490 G3 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, especially if you plan to upgrade to a powerful GPU.

Motherboard

HP_ProDesk_400_G4_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_490_G3_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout