HP Z2 G1i BN5M5UT#ABA 2025, Core Ultra 9 285K, 32GB, 1TB SSD, RTX 2000 Ada, Schwarz

The HP Z2 G1i SFF packs a 97th percentile CPU into a tiny box, making it a killer compact workstation for CAD and 3D work. The RTX 2000 Ada is fine but not exceptional, and AI workloads are the weak spot. Worth it if you need the size and the CPU, skip it if you want GPU muscle.

The Core Ultra 9 285K is the headline act. 24 cores at 3.7GHz base clock, and it's one of the best CPUs we've seen in this form factor. 32GB of 5600 MHz DDR5 RAM is well above average, and the 1TB PCIe 4.0 SSD is solid, if not spectacular. The RTX 2000 Ada handles professional workloads well, but it's a mid-pack performer compared to the gaming cards and bigger pro GPUs out there. For 3D design and real-time ray tracing, you'll be happy. For heavy AI model training, you'll be waiting.

Against the Apple Mac Studio M5 Max, the HP wins on CPU core count but loses on GPU efficiency and AI performance. The Lenovo Legion Tower 5a Gen 10 and Dell Aurora Gaming machines will outpace the HP in graphics-heavy tasks, but they're full towers. The ASUS ROG GM700 and Horizon Pcs Autherium Dragon are gaming-focused, so they'll beat the HP in frame rates but not in professional app stability. The HP's real competition is other SFF workstations, and there aren't many that pack this much CPU into a box this small.

Pricing is murky here. US listings show $4,173 to $4,318, and a Canadian listing sits at CAD 3,965. That's a lot of money for a machine with a mid-tier pro GPU. You're paying for the small form factor and that monster CPU. If you need the compact size and the CPU horsepower, the price makes sense. If you just want raw GPU performance, you can do better for less.

HP stuffed a 24-core Core Ultra 9 285K and an RTX 2000 Ada into a small form factor box, and honestly, it mostly works. This is a serious workstation for people who need real compute but don't have room for a tower. The CPU is the star here, sitting in the 97th percentile for this category, which means it crushes most other workstations we track.

The RTX 2000 Ada with 16GB of VRAM is a solid pro GPU, though it's not the top of the charts. It lands in the 69th percentile, which is fine for CAD, 3D design, and light ray tracing, but it won't make AI folks jump for joy. That's the weakest area at 72.8 out of 100.

Skip this if you're into AI model training, heavy GPU rendering, or gaming. The RTX 2000 Ada is a pro card, not a gaming card, and the 500W PSU means you can't just drop in a bigger GPU later. If you need raw graphics power, get a tower with a beefier card and power supply.

Buy this if you're a CAD designer, 3D artist, or engineer who needs a compact workstation with a top-tier CPU and a reliable pro GPU. The Core Ultra 9 285K is the main reason to pick this over a gaming rig. It's not for AI researchers or anyone who needs maximum GPU throughput.