HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF vs. Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tower

Comparison and Differences

HP_EliteDesk_800_G3_SFF.jpg case front and back pannel

Lenovo_ThinkCentre_M900_Tower.jpg case front and back pannel

Model
Form factor	Small	Mini Tower
CPU options	Intel Gen6&7 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;	Intel Gen6 i3/i5/i7; Celeron; Pentium;
Chipset	Q270	Q170
Dedicated GPU *	GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile	GeForce GTX 1660 Super
RAM	DIMM DDR4-2400	DIMM DDR4-2133
RAM slots	4	4
RAM speed	2400 MT/s	2133 MT/s
RAM max	64 GB	64 GB
USB ports	USB-C 3.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0;	(8x)USB-A 3.0;
Video ports	(2x) DisplayPort;	(2x) DisplayPort 1.2; VGA;
Other ports	RJ45; Hdph; Headset; Line-Out; Line-In;	RJ45; Hdph; (2x) Mic; Line-Out; Line-In; Serial;
Optional ports	DP/HDMI/VGA/USB-C(DP); Serial; SD card reader;	2x USB-A 2.0; Media card reader (USB 2.0); (2x) PS2; eSATA;
SATA ports	3	3
PCI slots	PCIe 3.0 x16; (2x) PCIe 3.0 x1; PCIe 3.0 x16 (wired x4);	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) 3.5in; 5.25in (slim);	(2x) 2.5/3.5in; (2x) 5.25in;
PSU	180 W	ATX 250/400 W
Weight	5.3 kg (11.7 lb)	12.5 kg (27.5 lb)
Released	2017	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 EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF and Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tower

If you are looking for a more modern desktop, then you should go with the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF which was released in 2017. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tower is older and entered production in 2015.

If you are looking for the smaller form factor the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF is the right one for you. It is smaller than the Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF as it is running a newer generation CPU. This is not to say that Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tower is bad - it can still run some powerful CPUs, albeit being an older generation.

Memory

Both models have have equal amount of ram slots (4 RAM). Usually two RAM slots are more than enough for most cases. However, the count should be taken into account when planning how much and what combination of RAM you are going to need for your system.

The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF is using the faster 2400 MT/s RAM. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tower is slower by supporting RAM speeds of up to 2133 MT/s. In addition, you will be able to install the same amount of RAM in both models, and most probably 64 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 EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF has 10 USB ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tower 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.

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 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 HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF. Sadly, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 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 EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF comes with a decent 180 Watt PSU, but the Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 Tower has a more powerful one rated at 400 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.