HP EliteDesk 800 G2 Mini vs. HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF

Comparison and Differences

HP_EliteDesk_800_G2_Mini.jpg case front and back pannelHP_ProDesk_400_G4_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel
Model
Form factorMicroSmall
CPU optionsIntel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
ChipsetQ170H270
Dedicated GPU *N.A.GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAMSODIMM DDR4-2133DIMM DDR4-2400
RAM slots22
RAM speed2133 MT/s2400 MT/s
RAM max32 GB64 GB
USB portsUSB-C 3.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0;(4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video portsDisplayPort; VGA;DisplayPort; VGA;
Other portsRJ45; Hdph; Mic;RJ45; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In;
Optional portsDP/HDMI/Serial; WiFi antenna;SD card reader; Serial and (2x) PS2;
SATA ports12
PCI slotsN.A.PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;
M.2 slotsM.2 2280 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)
Drive bays2.5in;2.5in/3.5in; 5.25in (slim)
PSU65/90 W180 W
Weight1.3 kg (2.9 lb)4.6 kg (10.14 lb)
Released20152017
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 EliteDesk 800 G2 Mini and HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF which was released in 2017. The HP EliteDesk 800 G2 Mini is older and entered production in 2015.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP EliteDesk 800 G2 Mini is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF and will fit more easily under your desk.

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 G4 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP EliteDesk 800 G2 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 HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The HP EliteDesk 800 G2 Mini is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The HP EliteDesk 800 G2 Mini 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 HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF has 8 USB ports. The HP EliteDesk 800 G2 Mini is inferior in this regard and packs 7 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.

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.

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 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 HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF is better equipped as it comes with 2 SATA slot(s), while the HP EliteDesk 800 G2 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 G2 Mini. Sadly, the HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF 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 G2 Mini comes with a decent 90 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 400 G4 SFF 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

HP_EliteDesk_800_G2_Mini_motherboard.jpg motherboard layoutHP_ProDesk_400_G4_SFF_motherboard.jpg motherboard layout