Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 vs. HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Tower

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_Tower_Plus_7020_2024.jpg case front and back pannel

HP_EliteDesk_800_G8_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Mini Tower	Mini Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen 12&13&14 i3/i5/i7/i9	Intel Gen11 i5/i7/i9;
Chipset	Q670	Q570
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce RTX 4060	GeForce RTX 3070
RAM	DIMM DDR5-4400	DIMM DDR4-3200
RAM slots	4	4
RAM speed	4400 MT/s	3200 MT/s
RAM max	128 GB	128 GB
USB ports	(4x) USB-A 2.0; (3x) USB-A 3.0; (2x) USB-A 3.1; USB-C 3.2	USB-C 3.2; (4x)USB-A 3.1; (3x)USB-A 3.0; (3x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	(3x) Display Port 1.4a;	(2x) DisplayPort;
Other ports	RJ45(2.5GHz); Audio; Line-Out/In;	RJ45; Hdph; Headset; Line-Out; SD card reader
Optional ports	HDMI 2.0b/Displayport/VGA/PS2/serial/USB Type-C 3.1; Serial port; SD-card slot	DP1.4/ HDMI2.0b/ VGA/ USB-C(DP1.4)/ (2x)USB-A 3.0/ LAN/ Thunderbolt3; Serial; PS2
SATA ports	4	4
PCI slots	PCIe 4.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;PCIe 3.0 x1; PCI-32;	PCIe 4.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slots	M.2 2230/2280 (PCIe 4.0 x4, NVMe); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)	M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4); M.2 2280M-key (PCIe 4.0 x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT);
Drive bays	(x2) 3.5in	2.5in; (2x) 3.5in; 5.25in; 9.5mm (slim);
PSU	260/500 W	260/550 W
Weight	9.63 kg (21.24 lb)	9.86 kg (21.74 lb)
Released	2024	2021
Manual	link	link
Price**	Check Price	Check 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 Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 and HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 which was released in 2024. The HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Tower 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 Tower Plus 7020 2024 as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP EliteDesk 800 G8 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 Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 is using the faster 4400 MT/s RAM. The HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Tower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 3200 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 G8 Tower has 11 USB ports. The Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 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 G8 Tower as it has 4 USB3.1 ports (the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 has 2).

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 comes with 3 ports, while the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Tower has only 2. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex Tower 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 4 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

An M.2 SSD can be several times faster than a SATA one. Thus, we are happy to see that both models support the M.2 interface. However, the Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 has 2 M.2 slots while the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Tower comes with just 2.

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 Dell OptiPlex Tower Plus 7020 2024 comes with a decent 500 Watt PSU, but the HP EliteDesk 800 G8 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 550 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.