Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tiny Gen 2 2025, Core Ultra 7 265, 16GB, 512GB SSD, RTX A400, Black

The Core Ultra 7 265 CPU ranks in the 89th percentile, making this one of the fastest mini workstations we've seen for CPU-bound tasks. But the 512GB SSD sits at the 30th percentile and the RTX A400's 4GB VRAM drags AI and LLM performance down to a 34.4/100 score. It's a great compact workstation for multi-monitor office work, just don't expect it to be a GPU powerhouse.

Let's talk about that Core Ultra 7 265. Twenty cores, 2.4GHz base, 4.60GHz turbo, and an 89th percentile ranking in our CPU database. That's one of the best processors you can get in a mini workstation right now, and it'll chew through content creation, data analysis, and heavy multitasking without breaking a sweat. The 16GB of DDR5 at 5600 MT/s is fine for most office and creative work, but it's only at the 54th percentile, so memory-hungry tasks like large video projects or multiple virtual machines will hit the ceiling sooner than you'd like. The 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD is quick, but at the 30th percentile for storage, it's the most obvious corner cut. You'll be managing disk space if you work with large files.

The RTX A400 with 4GB of GDDR6 is a professional GPU aimed at CAD, light rendering, and multi-display setups, not gaming or AI. Its 64th percentile ranking puts it in solid but unspectacular territory. The four Mini DisplayPort 1.4a outputs are a nice touch for traders, analysts, or anyone running a wall of monitors. Just don't expect this thing to handle local LLM inference. Our AI and LLM use-case score of 34.4/100 is the weakest area by a wide margin, and that's almost entirely down to the 4GB VRAM ceiling.

Against the Apple Mac Studio M3 Ultra, the P3 Tiny Gen 2 is not in the same performance league. The Mac Studio's M3 Ultra will absolutely destroy it in GPU-heavy tasks and AI workloads, but it also costs significantly more and runs macOS. The P3 Tiny is a Windows machine with vPro, which matters for corporate fleets. Against the Dell Aurora ACT1250 and HP OMEN GT16-0364, those are gaming desktops with much stronger GPUs, so they'll beat the Lenovo in anything graphics-intensive. But they're also bigger, louder, and not built for the same desk-space-constrained office use case. The CLX SET and MSI Aegis ZS2 are similarly gaming-focused. Where the P3 Tiny Gen 2 wins is the combination of an 89th percentile CPU, a 1.40kg chassis, and four Mini DisplayPort outputs. Nobody else in this competitive set offers that mix. If you need a compact Windows workstation for CPU-bound work and multi-monitor setups, this is the one. If you need GPU muscle, look elsewhere.

Pricing is all over the map depending on where you shop. In the US, you're looking at USD 1,500 to 1,600 across three listings, which is reasonable for a workstation with this CPU. But Canadian buyers should shop carefully. The CAD spread is wild, from CAD 2,044 to CAD 3,477 across three listings. That's a CAD 1,433 difference for what appears to be the same machine. If you're in Canada, the CAD 2,044 listing is the obvious move, and the CAD 3,477 one is frankly a rip-off. The single GBP listing at 2,279 and the JPY listing at 340,538 are harder to judge without local competition, but the US price range feels about right for what you get. The CPU is the star here, and you're paying for it. Just know that the 512GB SSD and 16GB of RAM mean you might spend more on upgrades down the line.

The headline here is the CPU. Intel's Core Ultra 7 265 lands in the 89th percentile for processors in our database, which puts it ahead of most desktops we've tested, not just tiny ones. That's a 20-core chip running at 2.4GHz base with a 4.60GHz turbo, and it's the main reason this little box punches above its weight class. The rest of the spec sheet is more modest. 16GB of DDR5 at 5600 MT/s sits right around the middle of the pack, and the 512GB NVMe SSD is actually a weak spot at the 30th percentile. The RTX A400 with 4GB of VRAM is a workstation card, not a gaming card, and it lands at the 64th percentile. So you're getting a genuinely strong CPU wrapped in a compact chassis with some compromises around it.

At 1.40kg and roughly the footprint of a paperback, the P3 Tiny Gen 2 is built for desks where space is tight. It's got Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and a surprising amount of connectivity for its size: four Mini DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, one USB-C, six USB-A ports, and Gigabit Ethernet. The 300W PSU is enough for this hardware, though it's not leaving much headroom for upgrades. Windows 11 Pro with vPro is included, which makes sense for IT-managed fleets. The compact form factor scores 79/100 in our use-case ratings, while business and home office both land in the low 70s. The weakest area by far is AI and LLM workloads at 34.4/100, which tells you the 4GB GPU is not built for local model inference.

Skip this if you work with large media files, run local AI models, or need serious GPU performance. The 512GB SSD at the 30th percentile will fill up fast if you're editing video or managing big datasets, and the RTX A400's 4GB VRAM makes AI and LLM workloads a non-starter at 34.4/100. Gamers should also look elsewhere. The A400 is a professional card, not a gaming GPU, and its 64th percentile ranking means it'll struggle with modern titles. If you're in Canada, avoid the CAD 3,477 listing entirely. That's CAD 1,433 more than the cheapest Canadian option for the same hardware, and there's no spec difference to justify it.

The Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Tiny Gen 2 is a CPU-first machine, and that's exactly what a lot of office and creative work needs. The Core Ultra 7 265 at the 89th percentile is the reason to buy this. It's fast, efficient, and fits in a chassis that disappears on your desk. The trade-offs are real though. The 512GB SSD at the 30th percentile is going to annoy you if you work with large files, and the RTX A400's 4GB VRAM makes this a poor choice for AI workloads. If your work is CPU-bound, multi-monitor, and space-constrained, this is a strong buy, especially at the lower end of the US price range. If you need GPU power or lots of storage, you'll be shopping for upgrades or a different machine within a year.