HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny
Comparison and Differences
| Model | HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower | Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Mini Tower | Micro |
| CPU options | Intel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium; | Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium; |
| Chipset | B360 | H81 |
| Dedicated GPU * | GeForce GTX 1660 Super | N.A. |
| RAM | DIMM DDR4-2666 | SODIMM DDR3-1600 |
| RAM slots | 2 | 2 |
| RAM speed | 2666 MT/s | 1600 MT/s |
| RAM max | 64 GB | 16 GB |
| USB ports | (4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; | (2x)USB-A 3.0; (3x) USB-A 2.0; |
| Video ports | DisplayPort; VGA; | DisplayPort; VGA; |
| Other ports | RJ45; Headset Line-Out; Line-In; | RJ45; Hdph; Mic; |
| Optional ports | SD card reader; Serial; Serial and (2x) PS2; DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C; | USB-A 2.0; Serial; WiFi antenna; |
| SATA ports | 3 | 1 |
| PCI slots | PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1; | N.A. |
| M.2 slots | M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) | M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) |
| Drive bays | 2.5/3.5-inch; 3.5-inch; 5.25-inch (slim) | 2.5-inch |
| PSU | 180/250/310 W | 65 W |
| Weight | 5.47 kg (12.06 lb) | 1.3 kg (2.9 lb) |
| Released | 2018 | 2013 |
| Manual | link | link |
| Price** | Check Price | Check Price |
Differences between HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower and Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny
If a more modern desktop is what you are looking for, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower which was released in 2018. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny is older and entered production in 2013.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 400 G6 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 Microtower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
RAM slots is where your insert your RAM sticks. Each of those two models has 2 RAM slot(s) which should be taken into account when planning how much and what combination of RAM you are going to need.
The HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny is slower by supporting RAM speeds of only up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for most users.Ports
In total the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower has 8 USB ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny is inferior in this regard and packs 5 USB ports. None of the desktop models has a USB 3.1 port (10Gb/s), so if you need a fast connection to your peripherals you will need to look at other models.
The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. 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.
SATA port 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 G6 Microtower is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s).
If you want the fastest transfer speeds for your SSD, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, if the M.2 SSD slot is a mandatory requirement for you, go with the HP ProDesk 400 G6 Microtower. Sadly, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M73 Tiny has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.
Remark: Make sure that the M.2 slot supports the PCIe (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 6 Gb/s, while the PCIe 3.0 x4 will support speeds up to 32 Gb/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 M73 Tiny comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 400 G6 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.
Motherboard
