HP Z2 Mini G1i 2024, Core Ultra 5 245K, 32GB, 1TB SSD, RTX A400, Black

The HP Z2 Mini G1i packs a 14-core Intel Core Ultra 5 245K and 32GB of fast DDR5 into a 2.40kg mini chassis. The CPU and RAM are genuinely impressive, but the RTX A400 with 4GB of VRAM holds it back for GPU-heavy work. Prices range from $1,788 to $3,754, so shop carefully. It's a great compact workstation for CPU-bound tasks, but skip it if you need real graphics performance.

Let's talk about that CPU first, because it's the star of the show. The Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is a 14-core chip running at 4.2GHz, and it lands at the 85th percentile for CPUs in our database. That puts it in the 'one of the best on the market' tier. For multi-threaded workloads like rendering, compiling, or running simulations, this thing is going to chew through tasks. The 32GB of 6400 MT/s DDR5 RAM helps too. At the 91st percentile for RAM, you're getting both capacity and speed. Fast RAM matters for professional workloads, and 6400 MT/s is no slouch.

The GPU is where things get more complicated. The RTX A400 is a professional card with 4GB of GDDR6, and it sits at the 60th percentile for GPUs. That's solid but unremarkable. For 2D CAD work, light 3D modeling, and general productivity, it'll do the job. But HP's marketing mentions real-time ray tracing, and that's a stretch. 4GB of VRAM is tight for modern ray tracing workloads, and the A400 is not a card built for heavy rendering. If your workflow leans on GPU acceleration, you'll feel that 4GB ceiling pretty quickly. The 280W PSU also tells you something about the power envelope here. This is a machine built for efficiency, not for pushing a high-end GPU.

The obvious comparison here is the Apple Mac Studio M5 Max. That machine is in a similar compact workstation category, and it absolutely dominates on GPU performance. The M5 Max's integrated graphics will run circles around the RTX A400, especially for creative workloads. But the Mac Studio is also more expensive, and if you need Windows or x86 compatibility, it's not an option. The Z2 Mini G1i's advantage is that Intel CPU and the flexibility of a Windows workstation.

On the PC side, you've got options like the Lenovo Legion Tower 5a Gen 10 and the Dell Aurora. Those are full towers, so you're trading the compact form factor for more expandability and typically better GPU options. The ASUS ROG GM700 is another competitor worth mentioning. These machines will generally give you more GPU horsepower for the money, but they take up a lot more space. If desk real estate matters, the Z2 Mini G1i's 2.40kg chassis is a genuine advantage. If raw performance per dollar is the priority, a tower is probably the better call.

Pricing on the Z2 Mini G1i is all over the place. Across five US listings, we're seeing prices from $1,788 to $3,754. That's a spread of nearly $2,000 for what appears to be the same machine. If you're shopping for this, you need to be careful. The lowest price we're seeing is $1,788, and at that price, the CPU and RAM combo starts to look pretty compelling. At $3,754, you're in Mac Studio territory, and that's a much harder sell.

The value question really comes down to what you need. If you're doing CPU-bound work like code compilation, data analysis, or 2D CAD, the Z2 Mini G1i at the low end of that price range is a solid deal. You're getting a top-tier CPU and plenty of fast RAM in a tiny footprint. But if you need GPU performance, the RTX A400 is going to leave you wanting more, and you'd be better off putting that money toward something with a stronger graphics card. The 280W PSU also means future GPU upgrades are basically off the table, so what you buy is what you're stuck with.

The HP Z2 Mini G1i is one of those machines that makes you do a double take. A 14-core Intel Core Ultra 5 245K, 32GB of DDR5, and a 1TB NVMe SSD packed into a 2.40kg mini chassis. HP is pitching this as a full-size tower experience without the tower, and on paper, the CPU and RAM combo backs that up. The Core Ultra 5 245K sits at the 85th percentile for CPUs in our database, and the 32GB of 6400 MT/s DDR5 lands at the 91st percentile for RAM. That's a serious amount of compute for a box you can tuck under a monitor.

Who is this for? HP's own Q&A says student and home office use, but that undersells it. The Z2 Mini G1i is a workstation, and the specs suggest it can handle 3D design, CAD work, and other CPU-heavy professional tasks. The compact form factor is the real hook here. Our compact score of 84.7 out of 100 is the strongest area for this machine, and that makes sense. You're getting workstation-class CPU performance without dedicating a corner of your desk to a full tower.

The interesting wrinkle is the GPU. The NVIDIA RTX A400 with 4GB of VRAM is a professional graphics card, but it's an entry-level one. It sits at the 60th percentile for GPUs in our database, which is fine but not exactly thrilling. For a machine marketed toward ray tracing and intensive workflows, that 4GB of VRAM is going to be the limiting factor for a lot of people. More on that in a bit.

If your work involves 3D rendering, video editing with heavy effects, AI model training, or anything that leans on GPU acceleration, the Z2 Mini G1i is not for you. The RTX A400 with 4GB of VRAM is the bottleneck, and the 45.3 AI and LLM score is the weakest area for this machine by a wide margin. You'd be better off with a full tower that has a stronger GPU, like the Lenovo Legion Tower 5a Gen 10 or the Dell Aurora. Those machines give you more graphics horsepower and room to upgrade.

You should also skip this if you're on a tight budget and don't need the compact form factor. The mini chassis is a premium feature, and you're paying for it. A traditional tower with similar CPU and RAM specs will often cost less and give you more expandability. The Z2 Mini G1i makes sense when space is at a premium and CPU performance is the priority. If neither of those applies, there are better value options out there.

For CPU-heavy professional work in a small space, the HP Z2 Mini G1i is a compelling option. The Core Ultra 5 245K and 32GB of fast DDR5 are the real deal, and the compact form factor is genuinely useful if you're working in a tight office or need something portable between workstations. At the low end of the price range, around $1,788, this is a solid buy for engineers, developers, and CAD users who don't need serious GPU acceleration.

But if your work involves 3D rendering, AI model training, or anything that leans on the GPU, look elsewhere. The RTX A400 with 4GB of VRAM is a bottleneck, and the 45.3 AI and LLM score confirms that this machine is not built for that kind of workload. The 280W PSU also limits your upgrade path. For GPU-bound work, you'd be better served by a tower with a stronger graphics card, even if it means giving up the mini form factor.