HP 290 G9, Core i5-12500, 32GB, 1TB SSD

A boring but capable office tower with great RAM and storage, held back by a dated design and a price that's too high. Buy it on sale, not at full price.

The i5-12500 is a solid mid-pack performer in our database, but the real surprise is how well the 32GB of RAM smooths over the rough edges. You can have a video call going, thirty browser tabs open, and a few spreadsheets running without the system breaking a sweat. The integrated Intel UHD 770 graphics are a weak spot, landing in the bottom half of our rankings, so don't expect to do any real gaming or heavy video editing here. Storage speeds are above average, which means boot times and app launches feel quick.

Stacked against the Apple Mac mini M4 Pro, the HP 290 G9 looks ancient. The Mac mini is smaller, faster, and more efficient, though it costs more and runs macOS. The Dell Tower Plus EBT2250 is a more direct competitor in the business tower space, often with better port selection and a more modern chipset. If you want any gaming capability at all, the Lenovo Legion Tower 5a Gen 10 or ASUS ROG GM700 will run circles around this HP, but they're in a completely different category and price bracket.

At $1,400 USD, this is a tough sell. You're paying a premium for the 32GB of RAM and 1TB SSD, but the rest of the package feels dated. For that money, you could get a more modern system with better connectivity and a real upgrade path. The value proposition only works if you absolutely need that specific RAM and storage combo in a simple, reliable box right now.

The HP 290 G9 is a no-nonsense workhorse for people who need to get stuff done without any fuss. The headline here is the 32GB of DDR4 RAM paired with a 1TB NVMe SSD, a combo that makes everyday multitasking feel genuinely snappy. HP stuffed a capable 6-core i5-12500 in a plain mini-tower and called it a day, and for the right buyer, that's exactly the point.

If you're looking for any kind of gaming performance or a machine you can upgrade over time, this isn't it. Go get a Lenovo Legion Tower or an ASUS ROG desktop instead. If you want a modern, compact desktop with USB-C and better efficiency, the Apple Mac mini M4 Pro is the obvious alternative, assuming macOS works for you.

The HP 290 G9 is a reliable, boring desktop that handles office work well thanks to its generous RAM and fast storage. But the dated port selection, weak integrated graphics, and high price make it hard to recommend unless you find it on a significant sale. It's a fine machine, just not a great deal.