HP EliteDesk 8 Mini G1i AI Review

The HP EliteDesk 8 Mini G1i is a tiny multitasking monster built for business, not play. Its 64GB of RAM and killer port selection are best-in-class, but the integrated graphics rule out gaming. At over $2000, it's a premium pick for space-constrained power users.

The HP EliteDesk 8 Mini G1i is a tiny desktop that packs a serious punch for office work, but it's not here to play games. It's built around Intel's new Core Ultra 5 235T, which has 14 cores for multitasking, and it comes with a massive 64GB of DDR5 RAM right out of the box. That's a lot of memory for a machine this size.

This is a business PC through and through. It runs Windows 11 Pro, has a 1TB NVMe SSD, and includes a wired keyboard and mouse. The real story is its connectivity: Thunderbolt 4, Wi-Fi 7, and enough video outputs to run three monitors. It's a productivity hub in a box that fits just about anywhere.

For office tasks, this thing flies. The 14-core CPU and 64GB of RAM put it in the 65th and 96th percentiles in our database, respectively, which means it'll handle dozens of browser tabs, spreadsheets, and video calls without breaking a sweat. The 1TB NVMe SSD is fast for booting and loading apps. The lowlight is the graphics. It uses integrated Intel Graphics, which scores in the 37th percentile. That's fine for displaying spreadsheets and YouTube, but it's not for gaming or video editing. It scored an 18.9/100 for gaming, so don't even think about it.

At around $2000, this is a pricey little box. You're definitely paying for the form factor, the business-grade build, and that huge helping of RAM. If you need a super compact, reliable, and massively multitasking-capable machine for a professional home office or business setting, the value is there. If you just need a fast computer and don't care about size, you can get more raw CPU and GPU power for the same money in a traditional tower.

This isn't a gaming PC, so comparing it to the HP Omen or Alienware Aurora is apples to oranges. Those have powerful dedicated GPUs for gaming. A fairer comparison is to other mini PCs or business desktocks. Against something like an Intel NUC, the EliteDesk wins on included RAM and professional I/O like Thunderbolt 4. Compared to a similarly priced business tower from Dell or Lenovo, you might get a slightly faster CPU, but you'll lose the ultra-compact size and the top-tier port selection this HP offers. It's a trade-off between footprint and absolute peak performance.

If you need a computer for gaming, video editing, or 3D rendering, look elsewhere. The integrated graphics in this EliteDesk are a hard stop for those tasks. Also, if you're on a tight budget and don't need the tiny size or 64GB of RAM, a standard desktop tower will give you more power for less money.

Buy this if you need a supremely capable, dead-quiet, and incredibly connected desktop for a serious home office, development work, or business use where space is at a premium. The 64GB of RAM and wealth of ports make it a fantastic long-term investment for multitaskers. Just know you're buying a productivity specialist, not an all-rounder.