HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower
Specification and Upgrade Options
The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower is a scalable business desktop designed for heavy office workloads, content creation, and home flexibility. First released in 2017, it is built on the Q270 chipset and supports 7th gen Intel Core processors and up to 64GB of DIMM DDR4-2400 memory. Thanks to its larger chassis, it accommodates dedicated graphics cards, making it an excellent candidate for a gaming PC conversion or a high-performance workstation.
If you are looking for a system with maximum upgradability, HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower is a good option. Models in this category usually have 4x PCIe slots, several drive bays and better cooling.
Can you upgrade HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower to play games?
Yes, you can upgrade HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower for gaming with better processors, graphics card, memory, and storage devices. However, like many other business pre-built PCs, this model may have proprietary elements like the power supply, the chassis or the power connector, which can make it difficult for users to install aftermarket PSUs to support better GPUs. You can also find that there is space constrains inside the chassis, making it difficult to accommodete larger GPU to boost the gaming performance.
Does HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower support Windows 11?
No, HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower does not meet the Windows 11 hardware requirements. According to Windows 11 specification, all models with Intel 7th Gen CPU or older are not officially supported. Processor with TPM 2.0 and a UEFI Secure boot BIOS is also required in order to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 through Windows Update.
However, anyone with PC that does not pass the upgrade test can download the official Windows 11 ISO, make a bootable flash drive, and install the OS manually.
Processor
The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower supports Gen7 Intel Core technology on a Q270 chipset. 7th generation Intel Core CPUs (Kaby Lake) refine Skylake with higher clocks and better media support. Performance depends on the specific SKU, with high-end models well-suited for programming, virtualization, and homelab use. Emulation performance is strong for most platforms, while CPU-heavy gaming and advanced emulation may still be constrained by core counts.
Best CPUs for HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower upgrade:
| Model | Cores (Threads) | Base frequency | Turbo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core i5 7500 | 4(4) | 3.4 GHz | 3.8 GHz |
| Core i5 7600 | 4(4) | 3.5 GHz | 4.1 GHz |
| Core i7 7700 | 4(8) | 3.6 GHz | 4.2 GHz |
GPU upgrade
The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower can safely support GPUs with suggested PSU of 500W, but more powerful cards require a PSU upgrade. With the stock PSU model, it supports up to an GeForce GTX 1660 Super
GPU upgrade options for HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower with the stock 500W power supply:
| GPU | Power consumption | Memory | Req. |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMD RX 6600 | 160 W | 8 GB DDR6 | *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter |
| NVIDIA RTX 2060 | 170 W | 6 GB DDR6 | *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter |
| AMD RX 6600 XT | 165 W | 8 GB DDR6 | *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter |
| NVIDIA RTX 2070 | 175 W | 8 GB DDR6 | *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter |
| NVIDIA RTX 3060 | 170 W | 8 GB DDR6 | *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter |
| NVIDIA RTX 2070 Super | 215 W | 8 GB DDR6 | *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter |
| NVIDIA RTX 2080 | 220 W | 8 GB DDR6 | *Dual SATA to PCIe adapter |
GPU compatibility in the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower depends on several hardware constraints. The physical space available inside the chassis determines the maximum GPU length, height, and thickness that can be installed. In addition, the installed power supply unit (PSU) must provide sufficient wattage and the required PCIe power connectors for the selected graphics card.
Before you begin shopping for a new GPU, it is important to check the power supply unit (PSU) currently installed. This is because the HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower is often sold with different PSU wattages depending on the original configuration.
Memory
HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower supports up to 64 GB of DIMM DDR4-2400 RAM across four DIMM slots, with memory speeds up to 2400 MT/s and dual-channel support depending on the installed configuration.
Actual supported memory capacity and memory channels may vary depending on the installed CPU and chipset.
Typical HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower memory configurations include 8 GB for everyday productivity and 16 GB for gaming, heavier multitasking, or professional workloads.
Wi-Fi Support
HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower doesn't come with any on-board Wi-Fi support. In that case, you have two options to upgrade this model with Wi-Fi. You either use an external USB Wi-Fi adapter (wireless network dongle) or a PCIe-based wireless adapter.
The USB dongle is much more convenient and easy to install, but has less space for a decent antenna and can have thermal problems. On the other hand, the PCIe based adapter is much more powerful, more reliable, and has better antenna, but it is harder to install.
Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless adapter upgrades for HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower:
| Model | Speed | Frequency | Interface |
|---|---|---|---|
| WiFi 6E (Gig+) Kit | 3000 Mbit/s | 2.4GHz / 5GHz | NGFF M.2 A/E Key |
| Rekong AX210 | 3000 Mbit/s | 2.4GHz / 5GHz | NGFF M.2 A/E Key |
| Gigabyte GC-Wbax200 | 2400 Mbit/s | 2.4GHz / 5GHz | PCIe |
| TP-Link Archer TX50E | 2400 Mbit/s | 2.4GHz / 5GHz | PCIe |
| TP-Link Archer T9UH | 1300 Mbit/s | 2.4GHz / 5GHz | USB 3.0 |
Ports
HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower provides a fixed set of external I/O ports for connecting peripherals and displays. Port availability and versions determine supported data transfer speeds and display capabilities.
USB ports
HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower includes ten USB ports in total in the following configuration - USB-C 3.0; (6x)USB-A 3.0; (4x)USB-A 2.0; with no USB 3.1 ports available.
Video ports
HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower features two DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, suitable for modern digital displays.
No HDMI output is available on the motherboard.
Motherboard video outputs require a CPU with integrated graphics. Systems equipped with a dedicated GPU must use the video ports on the graphics card instead.
SSD storage - M.2 sockets and SATA ports
The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower comes with five SATA port(s) for connecting storage devices.
HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower has also one M.2 socket(s) that supports PCIe NVMe (PCIe 3.0 x4) or SATA M.2 drives with speed of up to 4 GB/s. This configuration works very well for both gaming and work related tasks.
The M.2 PCIe SSD connector in combination with an NVMe drive allows for higher transfer rates, compared to the old SATA interface. In some situations, NVMe device connected to the M.2 PCIe socket can be more than 5 times faster.
*Keep in mind that some M.2 connectors may not support SATA SSDs. Check the motherboard manual to confirm compatibility.
Best PCIe NVMe drives for HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower storage upgrade:
| Model | Form factor / Interface | NAND type | DRAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung 980 PRO SSD | M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe | TLC | Yes |
| CORSAIR MP600 PRO | M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe | TLC | Yes |
| SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus | M.2/x4 PCIe 3.0/NVMe | TLC | Yes |
| Western Digital Black SN770 | M.2/x4 PCIe 4.0/NVMe | TLC | Yes |
| Kingston A2000 | M.2/x4 PCIe 3.0/NVMe | TLC | Yes |
Power Supply
The HP EliteDesk 800 G3 Tower comes with a 500 Watt PSU. Having a power supply with high power rating is important, especially if you are doing upgrade with addtional components, like dedicated GPU and more HDDs. Will this 500 W be enough, it all depends on your specific use. Please keep in mind that some models might have more than one PSU option. Whenever possible get the most powerful one, as it might make future upgrades easier.
