HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower case front and back pannel

HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower

Specification and Upgrade Options

The HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower is a scalable entry-level business desktop designed for heavy office workloads, content creation, and home flexibility. First released in 2018, it is built on the B360 chipset and supports 8th gen Intel Core processors and up to 64GB of DIMM DDR4-2666 memory. Thanks to its larger chassis, it accommodates dedicated graphics cards, making it an excellent candidate for a gaming PC conversion or a high-performance workstation.

If you are looking for a system with maximum upgradability, HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower is a good option. Models in this category usually have 4x PCIe slots, several drive bays and better cooling.

Specification

Model
Form factorMini Tower
CPU optionsIntel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetB360
Dedicated GPU *GeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAMDIMM DDR4-2666
RAM slots2
RAM speed2666 MT/s
RAM max64 GB
USB ports(4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Headset; Line-In; Line-Out;
Optional portsSD card reader; Serial; Serial and (2x) PS2; DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C;
SATA ports3
PCI slotsPCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4); PCI;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5/3.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU180/250/310 W
Weight5.47 kg (12.0 lb)
Released2018
Manuallink
Price**Check Price

* 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.
** As an Amazon associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

Can you upgrade HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower to play games?

Yes, you can upgrade HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower for gaming with better processors, graphics card, memory, and storage devices. However, like many other business pre-built PCs, this model may have proprietary elements like the power supply, the chassis or the power connector, which can make it difficult for users to install aftermarket PSUs to support better GPUs. You can also find that there is space constrains inside the chassis, making it difficult to accommodete larger GPU to boost the gaming performance.

Does HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower support Windows 11?

Yes, HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower is compatible with Windows 11. According to Windows 11 specification, all models that have Intel 8th Gen processors (or newer) with TPM 2.0 support and a UEFI BIOS with Secure boot, are eligible to upgrade form Windows 10 to Windows 11 through Windows Update.

Processor

The HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower supports Gen8 Intel Core technology on a B360 chipset. 8th generation Intel Core CPUs (Coffee Lake) significantly increased core counts, improving multitasking and parallel workloads. Higher-end models perform well in software development, virtualization, and gaming scenarios.

Best CPUs for HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower upgrade:

Model Cores (Threads) Base frequency Turbo
Core i5 8500 6(6) 3.0 GHz 4.1 GHz
Core i5 8600 6(6) 3.1 GHz 4.3 GHz
Core i7 8700 6(12) 3.2 GHz 4.6 GHz

GPU upgrade

The HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower can safely support GPUs with suggested PSU of 310W, but more powerful cards require a PSU upgrade. With the stock PSU model, it supports up to an GeForce GTX 1660 Super

GPU upgrade options for HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower with the stock 310W power supply:

GPU Power consumption Memory Req.
NVIDIA GTX 1660 Super 130 W 6 GB DDR6 *SATA to PCIe adapter
NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti 125 W 6 GB DDR6 *SATA to PCIe adapter
NVIDIA GTX 1070 145 W 8 GB DDR5 *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter
NVIDIA RTX 3050 130 W 8 GB DDR6 *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter
* Typically, the stock power supply in a business PC does not have the necessary 6 or 8 pin connectors to power the GPU. In such cases, you may need to use a low-power GPU or a SATA to PCIe power adapter. Alternatively, you can change the entire PSU.

GPU compatibility in the HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower depends on several hardware constraints. The physical space available inside the chassis determines the maximum GPU length, height, and thickness that can be installed. In addition, the installed power supply unit (PSU) must provide sufficient wattage and the required PCIe power connectors for the selected graphics card.

Before you begin shopping for a new GPU, it is important to check the power supply unit (PSU) currently installed. This is because the HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower is often sold with different PSU wattages depending on the original configuration.

Memory

HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower supports up to 64 GB of DIMM DDR4-2666 RAM across two DIMM slots, with memory speeds up to 2666 MT/s and dual-channel support depending on the installed configuration.

Actual supported memory capacity and memory channels may vary depending on the installed CPU and chipset.

Typical HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower memory configurations include 8 GB for everyday productivity and 16 GB for gaming, heavier multitasking, or professional workloads.

Wi-Fi Support

HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower doesn't come with any on-board Wi-Fi support. In that case, you have two options to upgrade this model with Wi-Fi. You either use an external USB Wi-Fi adapter (wireless network dongle) or a PCIe-based wireless adapter.

The USB dongle is much more convenient and easy to install, but has less space for a decent antenna and can have thermal problems. On the other hand, the PCIe based adapter is much more powerful, more reliable, and has better antenna, but it is harder to install.

Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless adapter upgrades for HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower:

Model Speed Frequency Interface
WiFi 6E (Gig+) Kit 3000 Mbit/s 2.4GHz / 5GHz NGFF M.2 A/E Key
Rekong AX210 3000 Mbit/s 2.4GHz / 5GHz NGFF M.2 A/E Key
Gigabyte GC-Wbax200 2400 Mbit/s 2.4GHz / 5GHz PCIe
TP-Link Archer TX50E 2400 Mbit/s 2.4GHz / 5GHz PCIe
TP-Link Archer T9UH 1300 Mbit/s 2.4GHz / 5GHz USB 3.0

Ports

HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower provides a fixed set of external I/O ports for connecting peripherals and displays. Port availability and versions determine supported data transfer speeds and display capabilities.

USB ports

HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower includes eight USB ports in total in the following configuration - (4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; with no USB 3.1 ports available.

Video ports

HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower features one DisplayPort 1.2 output, suitable for modern digital displays.

No HDMI output is available on the motherboard.

Motherboard video outputs require a CPU with integrated graphics. Systems equipped with a dedicated GPU must use the video ports on the graphics card instead.

SSD storage - M.2 sockets and SATA ports

The HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower comes with three SATA port(s) for connecting storage devices.

HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower has also one M.2 socket(s) that supports PCIe NVMe (PCIe 3.0 x4) or SATA M.2 drives with speed of up to 4 GB/s. This configuration works very well for both gaming and work related tasks.

The M.2 PCIe SSD connector in combination with an NVMe drive allows for higher transfer rates, compared to the old SATA interface. In some situations, NVMe device connected to the M.2 PCIe socket can be more than 5 times faster.

*Keep in mind that some M.2 connectors may not support SATA SSDs. Check the motherboard manual to confirm compatibility.

Best PCIe NVMe drives for HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower storage upgrade:

Model Form factor / Interface NAND type DRAM
Samsung 980 PRO SSD M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe TLC Yes
CORSAIR MP600 PRO M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe TLC Yes
SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus M.2/x4 PCIe 3.0/NVMe TLC Yes
Western Digital Black SN770 M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe TLC Yes
Kingston A2000 M.2/x4 PCIe 3.0/NVMe TLC Yes

Power Supply

The HP ProDesk 480 G6 Microtower comes with a 310 Watt PSU. Having a power supply with high power rating is important, especially if you are doing upgrade with addtional components, like dedicated GPU and more HDDs. Will this 310 W be enough, it all depends on your specific use. Please keep in mind that some models might have more than one PSU option. Whenever possible get the most powerful one, as it might make future upgrades easier.

Motherboard

HP_ProDesk_480_G6_Microtower_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout