HP ProDesk 400 G5 SFF vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro

Comparison and Differences

HP_ProDesk_400_G5_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel

Lenovo_ThinkCentre_M83_Small_Pro.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Small	Small
CPU options	Intel Gen8 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;	Intel Gen4 i3/i5/i7; Pentium;
Chipset	B360	Q85
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile	GeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAM	DIMM DDR4-2666	DIMM DDR3-1600
RAM slots	2	4
RAM speed	2666 MT/s	1600 MT/s
RAM max	32 GB	32 GB
USB ports	(4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;	(4x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;
Video ports	DisplayPort; VGA;	(2x) DisplayPort; VGA;
Other ports	RJ45; Headset; Line-In; Line-Out;	RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial;
Optional ports	SD card reader; Serial; Serial and (2x) PS2; DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C(DP);	Parallel; Serial; (2x) PS2; Media card reader (USB 2.0);
SATA ports	3	4
PCI slots	PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 3.0 x1;	PCIe 3.0 x16; PCIe 2.0 x1; PCIe 2.0 x16 (wired x4);
M.2 slots	M.2 2280/2230 M-key (PCIe x4); M.2 2230 (WiFi/BT)	N.A.
Drive bays	(2x)2.5/3.5in; 5.25in (slim)	(2x) 2.5/3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;
PSU	180 W	ATX 280/450 W
Weight	4.6 kg (10.14 lb)	11.20 kg (24.69 lb)
Released	2018	2013
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 400 G5 SFF and Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP ProDesk 400 G5 SFF which was released in 2018. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro 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 HP ProDesk 400 G5 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

The Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro has 4 RAM slots while the HP ProDesk 400 G5 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 G5 SFF is using the faster 2666 MT/s RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro 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

Both models have the same amount of USB ports for total count of 8. If this is not enough, using a USB hub is always a viable option. 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro comes with 2 ports, while the HP ProDesk 400 G5 SFF has only 1. If you are planning to use multiple monitors, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro 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 Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro is better equipped as it comes with 4 SATA slot(s), while the HP ProDesk 400 G5 SFF has 3 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 400 G5 SFF. Sadly, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro 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 400 G5 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Lenovo ThinkCentre M83 Small Pro has a more powerful one rated at 450 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.