HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Tower vs. HP EliteDesk 800 G8 SFF
Comparison and Differences
Differences between HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Tower and HP EliteDesk 800 G8 SFF
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 SFF which was released in 2021. The HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Tower is older and entered production in 2019.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Tower 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 EliteDesk 800 G8 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Tower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 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 EliteDesk 800 G8 SFF is using the faster 3200 MT/s RAM. The HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Tower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2666 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 128 GB of RAM will be enough for most people. However, if you will be needing more RAM, make sure to check other desktop models too.
Ports
In total the HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Tower has 11 USB ports. The HP EliteDesk 800 G8 SFF is inferior in this regard and packs 10 USB ports. In any case, if you miss USB ports, you can always purchase a USB hub. It's great that both of the models have USB 3.1 ports which will allow you to exchange data with your peripherals at up to 10Gb/s. But if you need maximum connectivity, go with the HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Tower as it has 5 USB3.1 ports (the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 SFF has 3).
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 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 4 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 SFF comes with a decent 260 Watt PSU, but the HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 500 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
