Lenovo ThinkCentre M82 Small vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro

Comparison and Differences

Lenovo_ThinkCentre_M82_Small.jpg case front and back pannel

Lenovo_ThinkCentre_M83_Small_Pro.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Small	Small
CPU options	Intel Gen2&3 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;	Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Pentium;
Chipset	Q75	Q85
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile	GeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAM	DIMM DDR3-1600	DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots	4	4
RAM speed	1600 MT/s	1600 MT/s
RAM max	32 GB	32 GB
USB ports	(4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;	(4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	DisplayPort; VGA;	(2x) DisplayPort; VGA;
Other ports	RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial;	RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial;
Optional ports	DisplayPort; PS2; Serial; Media card reader (USB 2.0);	Parallel; Serial; (2x) PS2; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports	4	4
PCI slots	PCIe 2.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1; (2x) PCI;	PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slots	N.A.	N.A.
Drive bays	2.5/3.5in; 5.25in;	(2x) 2.5/3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;
PSU	TFX 240 W	ATX 280/450 W
Weight	7.5 kg (16.53 Ib)	11.20 kg (24.69 lb)
Released	2012	2013
Manual	link	link
Price**	Check Price	Check Price

** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
* 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M82 Small and Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro which was released in 2013. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M82 Small is older and entered production in 2012.

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

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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M82 Small is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 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 1600. 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

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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro comes with 2 ports, while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M82 Small has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro is the better choice.

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 4 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M82 Small, nor the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro 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 M82 Small comes with a decent 240 Watt PSU, but the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro has a more powerful one rated at 450 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.