Upgrading HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF

[NonSequitur777]

Dear Forum,

Decided to start a new Legacy HP Desktop Upgrade project: the HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF.  -Actually, I am going to swap out the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF motherboard for an HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF motherboard, whilst using the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF desktop's case since both motherboard's dimensions are exactly the same.

To that end, I purchased an HP EliteDesk 800 G4 motherboard (bid accepted for just $23!):

Purchased an Intel i7-8700K -an 8th Generation Intel Core i7 Processor, running at 3.70 GHz base speed up to 4.70 GHz, and has 6-Cores and 12 Threads (for just $170!):

The Intel i7-8700K is to this day still considered an excellent gaming processor. See this link, for example: Is Intel Core I7 8700 Still Good For Gaming? CPU Test (2022) (playonbudget.com).

Moving on, placed a bid on 4 x 8GB Samsung M378A1K43EB2-CWE (DDR4 PC4-25600, 3200 MHz, Non-ECC, Unbuffered, 288-pin) RAM sticks (yes, I know: RAM speed will be throttled down to 2666 MHz on the EliteDesk 800 G4, see: Intel Core i78700K Processor 12M Cache up to 4.70 GHz Product Specifications), but I may use these RAM sticks in another rig eventually:

And purchased a 1TB Acer Predator GM3500 M.2 PCIe Gen3 x4 SSD which is on sale ($79!) right now:

The HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF User performance benchmarks submitted to UserBenchMark [dot] com at the moment are pretty stale, as Gaming on my upgraded HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SSF would run circles around these G4 scores:

Link: UserBenchmark: HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF Compatible Components.

Yes, you guessed it: the plan is that I am going to fix that real soon.

Stay tuned.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

Dear Forum,

The HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF manual (Maintenance and Service Guide HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF Business PC), also provides lots of helpful info.

Among other things, the manual points out that -as I expected, 95-watt processors require an additional cooling fan, and this cooling fan's cable must be plugged into the motherboard's "CHFAN2" connector -just like I had to do when I installed a Xeon E3-1280 v6 in my HP Z240 SFF, btw.

In addition, HP fitted a different, nicer 4-copper heat pipe heatsink (HP p/n: L30413-001 "SPS-HEATSINK NTEL95W ELITEDESK800 G4 SFF") in their 95-watt processor models.

I don't think this will be necessary for my upgrade since I'm using a top-mounted pusher cooling fan right above the standard heatsink/cooling fan assembly, which cooled the i7-7700K in my HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF just fine, even when I stepped hard on its proverbial tail.

However, if it is the case that cooling the i7-8700K becomes an issue, I may consider purchasing this particular heatsink:

The HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF is fitted with two M.2 PCIe SFF Gen3 SSD slots:

You could also add a THIRD M.2 NVMe SSD card, by using a PCIe to M.2 NVMe SSD adapter onto the white PCIe x4 slot, such as this one: Amazon.com: M.2 NVME to PCIe 3.0 x4 Adapter with Aluminum Heatsink Solution : Electronics.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

Dear Forum,

And lest I forgot, purchased the stock 250-watt power supply (HP p/n: L08417-004 "ENT18 92pct. HV 12V 1OUT1 250W Power Supply") for the HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF.

As I have done with all my other legacy HP USDT/SFF desktop upgrades, I will sync a secondary power supply unit to power an externally parked graphics card.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

Dear Forum,

My 4 x 8GB Samsung DDR4 PC4-25600 3200 MHz RAM offer was accepted, and I consequently purchased it:

Looks like all the initial key parts I needed to get this new HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF Upgrade project off the ground have now been ordered and will trickle in within the next week or so.

Stay tuned.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

Dear Forum,

I am very much interested to see if I could make either the i7-9700K or the i9-9900K (both with 95 watt TDPs) work on the HP EliteDesk 800 G4.

According to: https://support.hp.com/us-en/product/hp-elitedesk-800-g4-small-form-factor-pc/21353718/document/c060..., the HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF motherboard has the Intel Q370 PCH-H—vPro chipset.

Interestingly, according to: https://www.cpu-upgrade.com/CPUs/Intel/Core_i7/i7-8700K.html:

And: https://www.cpu-upgrade.com/mb-Intel_(chipsets)/Q370.html, the aforementioned processors are not listed as being compatible.

Other sources, however, such as here: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/133282/intel-q370-chipset/compatible.html and here: https://www.techreviewer.com/tech-specs/chipsets-for-intel-9700k/#:~:text=For%20compatiblity%20with%....

DO specify that the i7-9700K and the i9-9900K are, in fact, compatible with the Intel Q370 chipset. I assume it therefore depends/depended on HP to create any software (BIOS) upgrade patch(es) to facilitate this processor compatibility.

Once I got the i7-8700K installed and running, I will look into this further.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

Dear Forum,

Found and purchased a much less expensive CPU heatsink-cooling fan option I reckon will probably do just as well compared with the pricey & rather scarce HP p/n: L30413-001 to cool a 95-watt processor on an HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF.

Please meet the copper 3-heat pipe heatsink/cooling fan kit with HP p/n: 810281-001, intended for the HP Z240 SFF:

This heatsink/cooling fan purchase is just a backup in case the standard aluminum top-down cooling fan/heatsink assembly does not suffice cooling the i7-8700K. If needed, I will purchase a high-performance cooling fan for this heatsink.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

Esteemed Forum,

Interestingly, just found out that the next generation of the HP EliteDesk 800 PC series to the G4, obviously the G5, has the same Intel chipset as the G4: Q370 PCH-H– vPro as per: HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Small Form Factor Business PC Specifications | HP® Customer Support.

This is very exciting news -at least it is to yours truly, because the EliteDesk 800 G5 SFF specifically marked the i7-9700K and the i9-9900K as being compatible!

In my opinion, this little factoid increases the likelihood that the aforementioned processors are indeed compatible with the HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF.

In fact, going through the G5's manual, pretty much the only difference I can ascertain between this manual and the G4's manual, is the addition of the 9th gen Intel processors: Maintenance and Service Guide HP EliteDesk 800 G5 SFF!

This link also confirms how similar the 800 G4 and 800 G5 are: HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF vs. HP EliteDesk 800 G5 SFF Comparison (hardware-corner.net).

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

Forum,

Received all the key hardware parts I need to transform an upgraded Intel 7th Gen HP EliteDesk 800 G3 SFF into an upgraded Intel 8th Gen HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF:

1.) HP L01482-001 EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF LGA 1151 DDR4 Desktop motherboard

2.) Intel i7-8700K (3.70 GHz up to 4.70GHz, 6 Cores, 12 Threads) processor

3.) Samsung 4 x 8GB DDR4 PC4-25600 3200 MHz M378A1K43EB2-CWE RAM sticks

4.) Acer Predator GM3500 1TB PCIe Gen3 x4 M.2 SSD

5.) HP L08417-004 EliteDesk 800 G4 250-watt power supply

6.) HP 810281-001 Heatsink/Fan Assembly [yet to be determined if needed.]

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

Welcome Forum,

HP EliteDesk 800 G4 SFF motherboard, i7-8700K, 4 x 8GB Samsung DDR4 PC4-25600 3200 MHz, etc. installation successful !!!

Decided to make a Samsung 980 Pro 2TB NVMe Gen4 Gaming M.2 SSD my primary (boot) drive (with added copper heatsink), and the Asus Predator GM3500 1TB NVMe Gen3 x4 M.2 SSD (with black anodized aluminum heatsink) a secondary NVMe M.2 SSD drive.

Using Windows, Intel Driver & Support Assistant and HP Software & Drivers to update this newly created rig.

Standby.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[NonSequitur777]

Dear Forum,

The G3 to G4 switch was relatively smooth, and this PC is working A-OK. So far, I observed that the standard top-down aluminum CPU heatsink/fan assembly plus the additional externally installed boosting cooling fan is cooling the i7-8700K sufficiently.

Here are some soft-/hardware snapshots of this system:

Upgrading process continues.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777