Dell XPS 8700 vs. HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell XPS 8700 and HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini which was released in 2014. The Dell XPS 8700 is older and entered production in 2013.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell XPS 8700 and will fit more easily under your desk.
Processor
The two models have the same generation of Intel processors. We think that the 4 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 8700 has 4 RAM slots while the HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini 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 1600. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Dell XPS 8700 as it has the ability to run 32 GB of RAM. The HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.
Ports
In total the Dell XPS 8700 has 9 USB ports. The HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini is inferior in this regard and packs 4 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini comes with 2 ports, while the Dell XPS 8700 has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini is the better choice.
The Dell XPS 8700 comes with an HDMI port, while the HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini 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 8700 is better equipped as it comes with 5 SATA slot(s), while the HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini has 1 slot(s).
If you want the fastest transfer speeds for your SSD, an M.2 interface is crucial. Thus, if the M.2 SSD slot is a mandatory requirement for you, go with the HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Mini. Sadly, the Dell XPS 8700 has no such slot, and you will be forced to use the SATA interface instead.
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 G1 Mini comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Dell XPS 8700 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
