HP Pro 400 G9 2025, Core i5-14500, 16GB, 512GB SSD, Black

A compact office workhorse with a surprisingly punchy CPU. Just don't expect it to do anything fun.

The Core i5-14500 is the real story here. Eight cores boosting up to 5GHz in a box this small is genuinely impressive, and it sits well above average in our CPU rankings. The 16GB of DDR5 keeps things snappy for multitasking, though the 512GB SSD is just middle of the pack. The integrated Intel UHD graphics are fine for desktop work but that's about it. Gaming score of 11.8 out of 100 tells you everything you need to know there.

Against the Lenovo Legion Tower 5a and ASUS ROG G700TF, the HP Pro 400 G9 isn't even playing the same game. Those are gaming rigs with discrete GPUs and big power supplies. The HP is a quiet office worker. The Dell Tower Plus EBT2250 is the closest real competitor, and honestly they're neck and neck. The HP wins on CPU performance, but Dell offers more storage flexibility. The Apple Mac Studio M4 Max is in a completely different price bracket and performance tier, so don't cross-shop those.

At $790 USD, this is a fair deal for a business desktop with a current-gen i5 and Windows 11 Pro. You're not getting ripped off, but you're not stealing it either. If you need a fleet of reliable office machines, this fits the bill. If you want any kind of GPU upgrade path, look elsewhere.

The HP Pro 400 G9 is a boring little workhorse, and that's exactly the point. It's a compact SFF desktop built for spreadsheets, email, and the occasional video call, not for flexing RGB or chasing frame rates. The one thing to know: this is a solid, no-drama office PC with a surprisingly capable 14th-gen i5 under the hood.

If you're looking for any kind of gaming performance or a machine you can upgrade with a real GPU down the line, this isn't it. The 240W power supply and integrated graphics are a hard stop. Go grab a Lenovo Legion Tower 5a or an ASUS ROG G700TF instead. You'll pay more, but you'll actually be able to play games and upgrade later.

Buy this if you need a dependable, compact office desktop and you don't care about gaming or future GPU upgrades. The i5-14500 is a genuine performer for productivity work, and Windows 11 Pro is a nice touch for business users. Just know that the integrated graphics and 240W power supply mean this box will never be more than what it is today.