Dell XPS 8910 vs. HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell XPS 8910 and HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF
Both computers, the Dell XPS 8910 and the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF, were released during the same year - 2016.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell XPS 8910 and will fit more easily under your desk.
Processor
The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 6 generation of Intel Processors have enough power to execute all of the home and office tasks that most people will care to do.
Memory
The Dell XPS 8910 has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF has only 2 slot(s). This is not something to worry about. Just make sure you take it into consideration when planning how much RAM you are going to use.
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 2133. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell XPS 8910 as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF can do a bit less at max 32 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.
Ports
In total the Dell XPS 8910 has 11 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF is inferior in this regard and packs 8 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. What is nice about the Dell XPS 8910, is that it has 2 USB 3.1 port(s) which allows transfer of up to 10Gb/s. Unfortunately, the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF has no such port, thus restricting your transfer speeds significantly. For people who want to use external drives on regular basis, this might be an issue.
The DisplayPort is usually the more popular video port used with desktops and laptops, while the HDMI is used predominantly in consumer electronics. That's why, it is good to see that both of the models come with a DisplayPort.
The Dell XPS 8910 comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF does not support the interface. Of course missing HDMI port is something that can be easily fixed with a good adapter (e.g. DisplayPort to HDMI).
SATA ports are placed on the system board and it 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 Dell XPS 8910 is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF has 2 slot(s).
M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell XPS 8910, nor the HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF 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 HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Dell XPS 8910 has a more powerful one rated at 460 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
