HP ProDesk 400 G5 Microtower vs. HP ProDesk 400 G6 SFF

Comparison and Differences

HP_ProDesk_400_G5_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_400_G6_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen8&9 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetB360B360
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1660 SuperGeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666DIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots22
RAM speed2666 MT/s2666 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB ports(4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; (4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort; VGA;DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset Line-Out; Line-In;RJ45; Headset; Line-In; Line-Out;
Optional portsSD card reader; Serial; Serial and (2x) PS2; DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C;SD card reader; Serial; Serial and (2x) PS2; DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C;
SATA ports32
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1 ;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5/3.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)(2x) 2.5/3.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU180/250/310 W180 W
Weight5.47 kg (12.06 lb)4.6 kg (10.14 lb)
Released20182019
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 G5 Microtower and HP ProDesk 400 G6 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G6 SFF which was released in 2019. The HP ProDesk 400 G5 Microtower is older and entered production in 2018.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 400 G6 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 400 G5 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 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 400 G5 Microtower 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.

None of the desktops has an advantage when it comes to the speed of the RAM being used. Both models support RAM speeds of up to 2666. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP ProDesk 400 G6 SFF as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G5 Microtower can do a bit less at max 32 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 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 400 G5 Microtower is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 400 G6 SFF has 2 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 G6 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 400 G5 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_G5_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_400_G6_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout