Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF vs. HP ProDesk 400 G2.5 SFF

Comparison and Differences

Dell_OptiPlex_5040_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel

HP_ProDesk_400_G2.5_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Small	Small
CPU options	Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Pentium;	Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
Chipset	Q170	H81
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile	GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAM	DIMM DDR3L-1600	DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots	4	2
RAM speed	1600 MT/s	1600 MT/s
RAM max	16 GB	16 GB
USB ports	(6x) USB-A 3.0; (4x) USB-A 2.0;	(2x)USB-A 3.0; (6x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	(2x) Display Port 1.2; HDMI 1.4;	DisplayPort; VGA;
Other ports	Serial; (2x) PS2; RJ45; Headset; Line-Out;	RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional ports	VGA; Media Card Reader;	Media card reader; Serial; Parallel;
SATA ports	3	3
PCI slots	PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x4;	PCIe x16; PCIe x1;
M.2 slots	M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe 3.0 x4, NVMe)	N.A.
Drive bays	3.5in/(2x)2.5in; 5.25in (slim);	3.5in; 5.25in (slim)
PSU	180 W	180 W
Weight	6.00 kg (13.22 lb)	4.5 kg (9.92 lb)
Released	2015	2014
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 5040 SFF and HP ProDesk 400 G2.5 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF which was released in 2015. The HP ProDesk 400 G2.5 SFF is older and entered production in 2014.

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 5040 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 400 G2.5 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 400 G2.5 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.

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. 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 5040 SFF has 10 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 400 G2.5 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the HP ProDesk 400 G2.5 SFF has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF is the better choice.

The Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF comes with an HDMI port, while the HP ProDesk 400 G2.5 SFF 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 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 3 SATA slot(s). Keep in mind that having too few SATA slots might limit your options for connecting additional memory drives.

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 Dell OptiPlex 5040 SFF. Sadly, the HP ProDesk 400 G2.5 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

Looking at the Power Supply Unit (PSU) of the two models we don't see any differences. For either of them you get a maximum power of 180 Watts. However be careful, many models have more than one power supply option. When buying your computer, it is a good idea to get a version with the most powerful PSU. This will potentially allow you to upgrade to a more powerful GPU for example.