HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny

Comparison and Differences

HP_ProDesk_400_G3_Mini.jpg case front and back pannelLenovo_ThinkCentre_M900_Tiny.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroMicro
CPU optionsIntel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetH270 Q170
Dedicated GPU *N.A.N.A.
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2400SODIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots22
RAM speed2400 MT/s2133 MT/s
RAM max32 GB32 GB
USB ports(4x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0;
Video portsDisplayPort; (2x) DisplayPort;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic/Headset; Serial;RJ45; Headset; Mic;
Optional portsDP/HDMI/VGA/Serial; WiFi antenna;VGA/HDMI/DP/Serial; WiFi antenna;
SATA ports11
PCI slotsN.A.N.A.
M.2 slotsM.2 2280 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT) M.2 2280/2242 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays2.5in2.5in;
PSU65/90 W65 W
Weight1.21 kg (2.67 lb)1.3 kg (2.9 lbs)
Released20162015
Manuallinklink
Price**Check PriceCheck 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 HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini and Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini which was released in 2016. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny is older and entered production in 2015.

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 HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny 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.

The HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny 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 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 6. 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 M900 Tiny comes with 2 ports, while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny 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 1 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tiny comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 400 G3 Mini has a more powerful one rated at 90 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_Mini_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutLenovo_ThinkCentre_M900_Tiny_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout