Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 vs. HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 and HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 which was released in 2024. The HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini is older and entered production in 2021.
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 Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini 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 Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 is using the faster 5600 MT/s RAM. The HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 3200 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini as it has the ability to run 128 GB of RAM. The Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 can do a bit less at max 64 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.
Ports
In total the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini has 10 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 is inferior in this regard and packs 5 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. Both of the models have USB 3.1 ports which will allow you to exchange data with your peripherals at up to 10Gb/s. This is especially crucial if you are using external drives on a regular basis.
DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 comes with 3 ports, while the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini has only 2. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 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 0 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Mini comes with a decent 90 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex M Plus 7020 2024 has a more powerful one rated at 180 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
