Review HP EliteDesk 800 G4 Desktop Mini PC 35W

[Andy]

Today we got the chance to review HP EliteDesk 800 G4 Desktop Mini PC

Price: $1,992.97 (excl GST)

It only consumes 35W of electricity.

Specifications:

• Series: EliteDesk 800 G4 Mini
• Subcategory: Tiny
• Operating system: Win 10 Pro 64-bit
• CPU manufacturer: Intel
• CPU family: Core i5 (Coffee Lake)
• CPU cores: 6 (total: 12 cores with logical)
• CPU: Core i7-8700T 2.4 GHz
• Chipset: Intel Q370
• Graphics manufacturer: Intel
• Graphics chipset: Intel UHD Graphics 630
• Discrete graphics: No
• RAM: 16,384 MB
• Storage: 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe TLC Solid State Drive
• Total USB ports (all types): 7 (see in detailed on the pictures below)
• Graphics port type: HDMI, DisplayPort (x2)
• Connectivity: Wireless AC, Wired LAN, Bluetooth

Don't be tricked by its size, it may be mini, but it's a beast!

The front face of the unit, we have:

• 1 headphone
• 1 headset connector
• 1 USB 3.1 Gen 1 (for charging)
• 1 USB 3.1 Gen 2
• 1 USB 3.1 Type-C™ Gen 2

Rear ports, we have:

• 1 external antenna connector
• 1 power connector
• 1 RJ-45
• 2 DisplayPort™ 1.2
• 1 HDMI
• 2 USB 3.1 Gen 1
• 2 USB 3.1 Gen 2

The bottom side of the unit

With the case open, here's inside the mini beast with the case open

Looking at the memory module, we have a single 16 GB DDR4-2666 SDRAM (1 X 16 GB), that means we can have an additional 16 GB on the second slot and have a total 32 GB of memory.

The fan is very easy to maintain, we can lift and clean it.

 

[erdinc69]

I want to install a 250GB SATA SSD for the OS and use the Nvme just for storage.
I bought an SSD tray with fan but the motherboard of my HP Elitedesk 800 G4 65w has only one fan connection and I need to connect 2 fans.
So I need a splitter cable but I can't find one. What would you recommend?

 

[Andy]

@erdinc69: If you're looking to connect two fans to the single fan header on your HP EliteDesk 800 G4 Desktop Mini PC 65W motherboard, one option you can consider is using a 4-pin PWM splitter cable. This is a modification, as the cable allows you to divide one 4-pin PWM fan header into two, enabling the connection of two fans to a single header. From memory, it is possible to separate one 4-pin PWM fan header into two using a 4-pin PWM splitter cable. These cables connect multiple fans to a single fan header on your motherboard. In addition, the cable splits the signal, allowing you to control the speed of the two fans connected to it.

Please keep in mind that this is a DIY solution, and you should be comfortable with soldering the cable connections to ensure a robust connection. Soldering refers to connecting the cables, and the original connectors will be used instead of soldering onto the mainboard. Also, it is important to note that this solution will only work if the fans you are using are 4-pin PWM fans, and the cables are yellow, red, black, and blue (as per the images on this thread).

Another option is to use a fan controller, but given the compact size of the mini SFF case, you may not have enough space to accommodate it. A fan controller would allow you to connect multiple fans and then connect it to a single fan header on your motherboard. This would give you more control over the fan speed, but it would add an extra component to your setup.

Regarding the power supply, it should be able to handle the additional power draw of the two fans and the SSD, but you may need to connect the splitter to a Molex to 3-pin or 4-pin adapter to get the power.

In any case, I would recommend consulting the motherboard manual or consulting with HP technical support to ensure compatibility and safe use before proceeding with any modifications.

 

[erdinc69]

@erdinc69: If you're looking to connect two fans to the single fan header on your HP EliteDesk 800 G4 Desktop Mini PC 65W motherboard, one option you can consider is using a 4-pin PWM splitter cable. This is a modification, as the cable allows you to divide one 4-pin PWM fan header into two, enabling the connection of two fans to a single header. From memory, it is possible to separate one 4-pin PWM fan header into two using a 4-pin PWM splitter cable. These cables connect multiple fans to a single fan header on your motherboard. In addition, the cable splits the signal, allowing you to control the speed of the two fans connected to it.

Please keep in mind that this is a DIY solution, and you should be comfortable with soldering the cable connections to ensure a robust connection. Soldering refers to connecting the cables, and the original connectors will be used instead of soldering onto the mainboard. Also, it is important to note that this solution will only work if the fans you are using are 4-pin PWM fans, and the cables are yellow, red, black, and blue (as per the images on this thread).

Another option is to use a fan controller, but given the compact size of the mini SFF case, you may not have enough space to accommodate it. A fan controller would allow you to connect multiple fans and then connect it to a single fan header on your motherboard. This would give you more control over the fan speed, but it would add an extra component to your setup.

Regarding the power supply, it should be able to handle the additional power draw of the two fans and the SSD, but you may need to connect the splitter to a Molex to 3-pin or 4-pin adapter to get the power.

In any case, I would recommend consulting the motherboard manual or consulting with HP technical support to ensure compatibility and safe use before proceeding with any modifications.

Hi Andy,

Thanks a lot for replying to my question, actually after a closer look I've found a second fan header on the motherboard, so there is no need for drastic measures
Unfortunately, I can't upload a picture otherwise I would be thrilled to share this with you.

Kind regards,
Erdinç

 

[erdinc69]

I've found it

 

[Andy]

Awesome to hear, @erdinc69! I'm glad you were able to spot that extra fan header on the motherboard, avoiding any unnecessary modifications. Thanks for letting me know, it's always great to have visual aids, so thanks for sharing the picture for all of us here, the picture looks clear and great with your mark on the fan headers as well.

 

[erdinc69]

The pleasure is mine, Andy. That's the least I could do, I've asked my question on different platforms even on the HP support forum and you where the only one who answered me! Big thanks and kudos man! Keep up the good work.

 

[Andy]

Thanks for the kind words, @erdinc69. I'm glad I could help. Keep up the good work too!

 

[etgfvgcc]

Hello. It seems that there are 2 SSD slots available and using Sata drive might be not needed in that case for speed (right?).
The fans are not noisy even during stress test, is that normal?
Also could you please inform me how can i check the available slots and compatibility in updated bios version?

Thank you

 

[etgfvgcc]

@Andy do you by any chance have and official documentation file for this model which has a processor t8500?
I bought second hand and it works with Sata hdd and very slow, especially when installing softwares. It took night to reinstall operating system and another night to upgrade to Windows 11

 

[Andy]

Hi @etgfvgcc, thanks for reaching out with your questions. You're correct about the unit having two 2280 NVMe SSD slots. If you're after speed, I'd recommend adding an NVMe SSD for optimal performance rather than sticking with a SATA drive. As for the fan noise, it's interesting that yours is quiet during stress tests. I've found that the fan can get reasonably loud, especially during the summer months. To check for available slots and compatibility in the updated BIOS, you can hit F2 or DEL during boot-up to enter the BIOS settings and then navigate to the hardware information tab.

Regarding your other question regarding the t8500 processor and your experience with a slow SATA HDD, I believe your model is different with the model I reviewed here. However, switching to an NVMe SSD should significantly improve performance. As for the SATA port, my unit didn't come with one, so yours may be a different variant or equipped with an NVMe to SATA card.

Have a look here for the official documentation from HP:

HP EliteDesk 800 G4 Desktop Mini Business PC (35 W/65 W/95 W) Specifications | HP® Customer Support

Specifications page for HP EliteDesk 800 G4 Desktop Mini Business PC (35 W/65 W/95 W).

support.hp.com

And here too: https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/setup-user-guides/hp-elitedesk-800-35w-g4-desktop-mini-pc

Hope this helps, and feel free to ask any more questions.