HP ProDesk 400 G3 Microtower vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 Tower

Comparison and Differences

HP_ProDesk_400_G3_Microtower.jpg case front and back pannelLenovo_ThinkCentre_M700_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMini TowerMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH110 H110
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1660 SuperGeForce GTX 1650
RAMDIMM DDR4-2133DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots22
RAM speed2133 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max32 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 portsDisplayPort; VGA;(2x) DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional portsSD card reader; Serial; Parallel;2x USB-A 2.0; Serial; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports33
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; (3x) PCIe x1;PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slotsN.A.N.A.
Drive bays(2x) 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)(2x) 2.5/3.5in; 5.25in;
PSU180/300 WATX 250 W
Weight7.05 kg (15.5 lb)12.5 kg (27.5 lb)
Released20152015
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 G3 Microtower and Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 Tower

Both computers, the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Microtower and the Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 Tower, were released during the same year - 2015.

Both models have the same form factor, meaning reoughtly they have the same phiysical size and form.

Processor

The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 6 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.

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 2133. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 32 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

In total the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Microtower has 8 USB ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 Tower 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.

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 G3 Microtower, nor the Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 Tower 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 Tower comes with a decent 250 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 400 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_G3_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutLenovo_ThinkCentre_M700_Tower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout