HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 SFF

Comparison and Differences

HP_ProDesk_600_G1_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel

Lenovo_ThinkCentre_M700_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Small	Small
CPU options	Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;	Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
Chipset	Q85	H110
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GTX 1650 Low Profile	GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile
RAM	DIMM DDR3-1600	DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots	4	2
RAM speed	1600 MT/s	2133 MT/s
RAM max	32 GB	32 GB
USB ports	(4x)USB-A 3.0; (6x)USB-A 2.0;	(4x)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; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;	RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial; (2x) PS2;
Optional ports	Media card reader (USB 2.0); Serial; Parallel;	2x USB-A 2.0; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports	4	3
PCI slots	PCIe 3.0 x16; (3x) PCIe x1;	PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 2.0 x1;
M.2 slots	N.A.	N.A.
Drive bays	2.5in; 3.5in; 5.25in (slim)	2.5in; 2.5/3.5in; 5.25in (slim);
PSU	240 W	TFX 210 W
Weight	7.6 kg (16.7 lb)	9 kg (19.8 lb)
Released	2013	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 SFF and Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 SFF

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 SFF which was released in 2015. The HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF is older and entered production in 2013.

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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF has 4 RAM slots while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 SFF is using the faster 2133 MT/s RAM. The HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 1600 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 32 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 ProDesk 600 G1 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 SFF 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.

DisplayPort is crucial for any desktop machine. It is good to see that both models are featuring DisplayPorts. However, the HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF comes with 2 ports, while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 SFF has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF 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 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 HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 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 HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF, nor the Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M700 SFF comes with a decent 210 Watt PSU, but the HP ProDesk 600 G1 SFF has a more powerful one rated at 240 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.