HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower

Comparison and Differences

HP_ProDesk_600_G1_Mini.jpg case front and back pannel

Lenovo_ThinkCentre_M800_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Micro	Mini Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;	Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
Chipset	Q85	Q150
Dedicated GPU *	N.A.	GeForce GTX 1650
RAM	SDIMM DDR3-1600	DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots	2	4
RAM speed	1600 MT/s	2133 MT/s
RAM max	16 GB	64 GB
USB ports	(4x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0;	(6x)USB-A 3.0; (2x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	(2x) DisplayPort: VGA	(2x) DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other ports	RJ45; Hdph; Mic; Line-Out;	RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial;
Optional ports	N.A.	2x USB-A 2.0; Media card reader (USB 2.0); (2x) PS2; eSATA;
SATA ports	1	3
PCI slots	N.A.	PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4); M2 to PCI adapter (optional);
M.2 slots	M.2 2280 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)	M.2 (WiFi/BT or PCI extension card)
Drive bays	2.5in;	(2x) 2.5/3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;
PSU	65 W	ATX 250
Weight	1.3 kg (2.9 lb)	12.5 kg (27.5 lb)
Released	2014	2015
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 HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini and Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower which was released in 2015. The HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini is older and entered production in 2014.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower is using the faster 2133 MT/s RAM. The HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. Additionally, if you will be needing a lot of RAM, better go for the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower as it has the ability to run 64 GB of RAM. The HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini can do a bit less at max 16 GB. Most of the times, this should be sufficient for the majority of users.

Ports

In total the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower has 8 USB ports. The HP ProDesk 600 G1 Mini is inferior in this regard and packs 6 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower is better equipped as it comes with 3 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 600 G1 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 ProDesk 600 G1 Mini. Sadly, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower 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 ProDesk 600 G1 Mini comes with a decent 65 Watt PSU, but the Lenovo ThinkCentre M800 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 250 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.