Dell OptiPlex 990 MT vs. HP ProDesk 400 G1 SFF
Comparison and Differences
Differences between Dell OptiPlex 990 MT and HP ProDesk 400 G1 SFF
If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G1 SFF which was released in 2013. The Dell OptiPlex 990 MT is older and entered production in 2011.
If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 400 G1 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Dell OptiPlex 990 MT 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 G1 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Dell OptiPlex 990 MT is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.
Memory
The Dell OptiPlex 990 MT has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 400 G1 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.
The HP ProDesk 400 G1 SFF is using the faster 1600 MT/s RAM. The Dell OptiPlex 990 MT is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1333 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 16 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 Dell OptiPlex 990 MT has 10 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 400 G1 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. 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.
Unfortunately, only the Dell OptiPlex 990 MT has a DisplayPort. The HP ProDesk 400 G1 SFF does not have one? Don't worry though, nowadays video adapters are cheap and you can get almost any combination of conversion types.
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 Dell OptiPlex 990 MT is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 400 G1 SFF has 3 slot(s).
M.2 SSD interface allows you to transfer data with higher speeds compared to the old SATA interface. Unfortunately, neither the Dell OptiPlex 990 MT, nor the HP ProDesk 400 G1 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 G1 SFF comes with a decent 240 Watt PSU, but the Dell OptiPlex 990 MT has a more powerful one rated at 265 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
