HP Z1 G1i Black 2025

The HP Z1 G1i is a workstation tower built around a monster 24-core Intel CPU and 64GB of RAM, making it ideal for developers and CPU-heavy workloads. Integrated graphics mean it's terrible for gaming, but the port selection and upgradeability are top-notch. Buy it for serious work, not for play.

The Core Ultra 9 285 in this machine is a beast for multi-threaded work. In our database, this CPU sits in the 93rd percentile for workstations, which translates to compile times and video exports that feel snappy and responsive. You're getting 24 cores and a 2.5GHz base clock, and in practice, that means you can run multiple VMs, a local server, and a dozen browser tabs without hearing the fans ramp up too aggressively. For software developers, this is one of the best chips you can get without jumping to a Xeon or Threadripper platform.

The integrated graphics are a different story. They land in the 46th percentile, which is firmly middle of the pack. You can drive multiple 4K displays for coding or office work without any issues, but don't expect to do any real GPU rendering or gaming. Our gaming score for this config is a rough 18.5 out of 100. That's not a typo. This machine is not built for games, and you'll want to budget for a dedicated card if that's on your radar. The 64GB of DDR5 RAM is a highlight, ranking in the 96th percentile. That's enough memory to keep large datasets in RAM for data science work or to run memory-hungry design apps without hitting a swap file.

Stacked against the Lenovo Legion 34IAS10, the HP takes a different approach. The Legion is a gaming-focused machine that will ship with a dedicated GPU, making it the obvious choice if you need to game or do GPU rendering. The HP counters with a stronger CPU and more RAM in this config, so for pure compute tasks, it pulls ahead. The ASUS Republic of Gamers GM700TZ-BS978 is another gaming-oriented competitor that will run circles around the Z1 in graphics but likely costs more for equivalent CPU performance.

If you're looking at the Dell Tower Plus EBT2250, you're getting a similar business-focused machine, but Dell's port selection and upgradeability often feel more locked down than HP's Z series. The MSI EdgeXpert is a wildcard that might offer better balance between CPU and GPU, but HP's reliability score sits in the 71st percentile, which is solid and suggests you'll have fewer headaches down the line. For a pure workstation, the Z1 G1i makes a strong case against these competitors if you plan to add your own graphics card.

Value is a tricky conversation with the Z1 G1i because the price spread is absurd. We've seen this config listed anywhere from $2,210 all the way up to an eye-watering $1.4 million, which is clearly a data error but still funny to see. At the low end around $2,200, this is a solid deal for a 24-core workstation with 64GB of RAM. You're getting a professional-grade machine with HP's build quality and support for less than the cost of some high-end gaming desktops. At that price, it's a smart buy for developers and business users. If you're seeing it closer to $3,000, you should start cross-shopping alternatives like the Lenovo Legion 34IAS10 or building your own system, since you'll still need to add a GPU for any graphics work.

The HP Z1 G1i is HP's latest entry-level tower workstation, and it's built for people who need serious CPU horsepower without necessarily dropping a fortune on a dedicated graphics card right out of the gate. The star of the show is the Intel Core Ultra 9 285, a 24-core chip that chews through rendering, compiling, and heavy multitasking workloads. With 64GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD, this machine is clearly aimed at developers, engineers, and designers who live in CPU-bound applications. If you've been searching for a pre-built workstation under $3,000 that can handle software development or CAD work, this config lands in a sweet spot, though pricing is all over the map depending on the vendor.

Out of the box, you're getting a machine that feels ready for serious work. The port selection is frankly ridiculous in the best way, with nine USB-A ports, a couple of USB-Cs, Thunderbolt, and HDMI 2.1. That's a standout feature in this category. The integrated Intel Graphics are the obvious bottleneck for anyone doing 3D rendering or gaming, but HP clearly designed this as a platform you can grow into by adding a high-end GPU later. The 500W power supply gives you some headroom, though you'll need to check clearance and power connectors before slotting in something like an RTX 4090.

Build quality feels solid at 5.5kg, and the tool-less chassis makes upgrades straightforward. It ships with Windows 11 Pro, which is what you'd expect for a business-grade machine. Just don't expect any frills like an optical drive, despite what some spec sheets might imply. One buyer already flagged that discrepancy, so if you still need to read DVDs, you'll need an external drive.

Skip the HP Z1 G1i if you need any kind of graphics horsepower out of the box. Video editors, 3D artists, and gamers should look at alternatives like the Lenovo Legion 34IAS10 or the ASUS ROG GM700TZ-BS978, which include dedicated GPUs. It's also not a great fit if you're on a tight budget and need an all-in-one solution, since you'll likely need to spend extra on a graphics card to make this machine feel complete for anything beyond office work and coding.

The HP Z1 G1i is a purpose-built tool for a specific kind of user. If you're a software developer, a data scientist, or an engineer who needs maximum CPU threads and tons of RAM, this machine is a fantastic foundation. The integrated graphics are a non-issue if you're compiling code or running simulations all day. You can always drop in a GPU later when budget allows, and the chassis makes that easy.

Should you buy this? Yes, if you need a workstation-class CPU and 64GB of RAM right now and don't care about gaming. The port selection alone makes it a great hub for a multi-monitor productivity setup. But if you need any kind of graphics performance out of the box, look elsewhere. This is not a gaming PC, and it's not pretending to be one. For the right user, it's a quiet, powerful workhorse that will handle anything you throw at it on the CPU side.