HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF 2018, Core i5-8500, 32GB, 512GB SSD, Black

The port selection is the headline here, 91st percentile with 10 USB-A ports, USB-C, dual DisplayPort, and Ethernet. The 32GB of RAM is a nice bonus at the 65th percentile. But the Core i5-8500 CPU is aging fast at the 21st percentile, and gaming is a non-starter at 13.6 out of 100.

The Core i5-8500 is a 6-core, 3.0GHz processor that was respectable in its day, but our benchmarks put it at the 21st percentile among desktops we've tested. Translation: it'll handle Office, web browsing, and light multitasking without breaking a sweat, but anything CPU-heavy like video editing or large data crunching will feel sluggish. The 32GB of DDR4 RAM helps smooth things over, landing at the 65th percentile, which means you can keep a ridiculous number of browser tabs open without the system grinding to a halt.

The integrated Intel UHD 630 graphics are the weak link. At the 37th percentile, this thing was never meant for gaming or GPU-accelerated workloads. The 512GB NVMe SSD is a solid inclusion for a refurb, though it sits at the 42nd percentile, which is about average for this class. Boot times and app launches will feel snappy, but you won't be storing a massive media library on it.

Against the Apple Mac mini M4, this HP gets absolutely demolished on CPU and GPU performance, the M4 is in a different league entirely. But the Mac mini also costs significantly more and doesn't offer 10 USB-A ports. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M70q Gen 5 is a more direct competitor, similar business focus but newer silicon, though you'll likely pay more for it. The Minisforum UM760 Slim and GMKtec Nucbox K8 Plus are tiny mini PCs that beat the HP on CPU performance while costing less, but they sacrifice the port selection and business-grade build quality. If ports and RAM matter more than raw speed, the HP holds its own. If you want modern performance, look elsewhere.

At USD 340-365 for the US listings and CAD 490 for the Canadian one, this is a budget-friendly way to get 32GB of RAM and a Windows 11 Pro license in a business-grade chassis. The value proposition hinges on what you need it for. If you're running a small office or need a reliable machine for admin work, the port selection and RAM alone justify the price. But the aging CPU means you're not getting a performance bargain, just a functional one. For the money, it's a reasonable deal, not a steal.

The HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF scores 63.7 out of 100 in our database, which lands it firmly in "solid but not spectacular" territory. The port selection is the real star here, sitting at the 91st percentile with 10 USB-A ports, a USB-C, two DisplayPorts, and Ethernet. For a business desktop, that's the kind of connectivity that makes IT departments smile. The 32GB of DDR4 RAM is also a nice surprise for a refurb at this price point, putting it above average in our memory rankings.

But the CPU tells a different story. The Core i5-8500 is a 6-core chip from 2018, and it lands at the 21st percentile against current desktop processors. That's not a dealbreaker for spreadsheets and email, but it's worth knowing you're buying older silicon. The integrated UHD 630 graphics are even weaker, at the 37th percentile, which is why gaming scores a painful 13.6 out of 100. This is a workhorse, not a racehorse.

Skip this if you need any kind of graphics performance. The integrated UHD 630 sits at the 37th percentile, and the gaming score of 13.6 out of 100 is one of the lowest we've seen in this category. Content creators, gamers, and anyone doing video work should look at machines with dedicated GPUs or at least newer integrated graphics like the Mac mini M4. Also skip it if you need fast CPU performance for compiling code, rendering, or heavy data analysis, the 21st percentile CPU will frustrate you. And if you want something light and portable, the 6.71kg weight is a lot to lug around.

The HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF is a sensible buy for a specific person: someone who needs a cheap, reliable business desktop with tons of ports and enough RAM to multitask heavily. The 91st percentile port selection and 32GB of RAM are the highlights, and the USD 340-365 price is fair for what you get. But the 21st percentile CPU and weak integrated graphics mean this is a machine for spreadsheets, email, and web apps, not anything demanding. If that's your workload, it's a solid pick. If you need more horsepower, save up for something newer.