HP EliteDesk HP EliteDesk 805 G9 SFF Business Desktop Computer, Review
The HP EliteDesk 805 G9 SFF packs 32GB RAM and a 2TB SSD into a compact business box. Our data shows a GPU in the 89th percentile, but is the average CPU a dealbreaker for its $750 price?
The 30-Second Version
This is a business workhorse, not a racehorse. With 32GB RAM and a 2TB SSD (both in the 83rd percentile), it's built for multitasking and storage. The integrated GPU is surprisingly good for its class (89th percentile), but the CPU is just average (43rd percentile). At $750, it's a premium, plug-and-play solution for office productivity.
Overview
The HP EliteDesk 805 G9 SFF is a business desktop that knows its lane. It's not trying to be a gaming rig or a video editing powerhouse. Instead, it's packing a 32GB DDR5 RAM and 2TB SSD combo that lands in the 83rd percentile for both categories, which is a serious amount of headroom for office work. At $750, you're getting a compact, well-connected machine with Windows 11 Pro and HP's enterprise-grade security features out of the box.
The numbers tell a clear story: this is a productivity specialist. Its GPU performance sits in the 89th percentile, which is impressive for integrated graphics, but that's relative to other business PCs. Its CPU, the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G, lands in the 43rd percentile overall. That means it's perfectly competent for daily tasks but won't be winning any rendering races. The real story is in the reliability and social proof scores, which hit the 78th and 96th percentiles respectively. People trust this thing.
Performance
Performance here is all about context. The AMD Ryzen 5 8500G with its integrated Radeon 740M graphics is a solid modern APU. In our database, that GPU score in the 89th percentile means it's one of the better integrated solutions you can get in a business desktop, easily handling dual 4K displays and light graphical tasks. It's not for gaming—our score for that is a dismal 23.6 out of 100—but for driving spreadsheets, video calls, and web apps across multiple monitors, it's more than enough.
Where you'll feel the speed is in the storage and memory. The 2TB PCIe SSD and 32GB of DDR5 RAM are overkill for most office scenarios, which is exactly the point. You'll never wait on a file to open or have Chrome tabs slow you down. The 260W power supply is modest, but that's fine for this hardware. It's a quiet, efficient performer built to run all day without breaking a sweat.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Massive 32GB DDR5 RAM (83rd percentile) means you'll never worry about multitasking. 97th
- 2TB of fast PCIe SSD storage (83rd percentile) provides ample space and quick boot times. 87th
- Integrated Radeon 740M graphics are surprisingly capable for this class, landing in the 89th percentile. 87th
- Excellent connectivity with USB-C 20Gbps, multiple display outputs, and WiFi built-in. 80th
- Top-tier social proof and reliability scores (96th and 78th percentiles) indicate a trusted, well-built product.
Cons
- CPU performance is only average, sitting in the 43rd percentile versus all desktops.
- WiFi 5 is included, not the newer WiFi 6, which is a minor miss for a 2025 system.
- The 260W power supply limits any meaningful future GPU upgrades.
- Gaming performance is predictably poor, scoring just 23.6 out of 100 in our tests.
- At 8.16kg (about 18 lbs), it's denser than you might expect for a 'small form factor' box.
The Word on the Street
Specifications
Full Specifications
Processor
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 8500G |
| Cores | 6 |
| Frequency | 3.5 GHz |
| L3 Cache | 16 MB |
Graphics
| GPU | 740M |
| Type | integrated |
| VRAM | 32 GB |
| VRAM Type | System Shared |
Memory & Storage
| RAM | 32 GB |
| RAM Generation | DDR5 |
| Storage | 2 TB |
| Storage Type | SSD |
Build
| Form Factor | SFF |
| Weight | 8.2 kg / 18.0 lbs |
Connectivity
| HDMI | HDMI |
| Wi-Fi | WiFi 5 |
System
| OS | Windows 11 Pro |
Value & Pricing
At $750, the value proposition is straightforward: you're paying for reliability, a clean Windows 11 Pro install, and a no-nonsense business configuration. You could probably piece together a cheaper DIY PC with similar core specs, but you wouldn't get HP's warranty, build quality, or that out-of-the-box readiness. The 32GB RAM and 2TB SSD are the stars here, and buying those separately would eat up a big chunk of the budget. For a business or a user who just wants a dependable workhorse that will last for years, the price feels fair for what's in the box.
Price History
vs Competition
Stacked against its obvious competitors—gaming towers like the HP Omen or Dell Alienware—the EliteDesk isn't playing the same game. Those machines will obliterate it in CPU and GPU benchmarks but cost significantly more and lack the business-focused features and compact design. A more apt comparison might be to other business SFF PCs or even modern mini-PCs. The EliteDesk wins on sheer RAM and storage capacity at this price point. Its weakness is the middling CPU percentile; some Intel Core Ultra-based mini PCs might offer better single-threaded performance in a smaller package, but they often skimp on RAM and upgradeability. This HP offers a balanced, expandable platform.
| Spec | HP EliteDesk HP EliteDesk 805 G9 SFF Business Desktop Computer, | HP OMEN HP OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop, Intel Core Ultra 7 | MSI MSI EdgeXpert-11SUS AI Supercomputer | Dell Dell Tower Plus Desktop Computer | Lenovo T Series Towers Legion Tower 5a Gen 10 (30L AMD) 90YJ001LUS | Apple Mac Studio Apple - Mac Studio - M3 Ultra - 1TB SSD - Silver |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | AMD Ryzen 5 8500G | Intel Core Ultra 7 265K | NVIDIA GB | Intel Core Ultra 7 265 | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X | Apple M3 Ultra |
| RAM (GB) | 32 | 32 | 128 | 32 | 32 | 96 |
| Storage (GB) | 2048 | 2048 | 4096 | 1024 | 2048 | 1000 |
| GPU | AMD Radeon Graphics 740M | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 | NVIDIA | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 | Apple M3 Ultra 60-core |
| Form Factor | SFF | Desktop | Mini | Tower | Tower | - |
| Psu W | - | 850 | 240 | 750 | 850 | - |
| OS | Windows 11 Pro | Windows 11 Pro | NVIDIA DGX OS | Windows 11 Home | Windows 11 Home | macOS |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
Common Questions
Q: Can this desktop handle two monitors?
Absolutely. It has an HDMI 1.4b and two DisplayPort 1.4a outputs, which are perfect for driving dual 4K displays for productivity. Its GPU is in the 89th percentile for business-class machines, so it's well-suited for this task.
Q: Is the RAM upgradeable?
Yes. HP states it's configurable up to 128GB DDR5. Our review unit has 32GB, which already sits in the 83rd percentile for storage, so you have tons of headroom for future upgrades on the motherboard.
Q: How good is the Radeon 740M for light gaming?
Not good. Our gaming score for this system is 23.6 out of 100. While the GPU percentile is high (89th), that's relative to other integrated business graphics. It's fine for very old or extremely lightweight games, but for any modern gaming, you'll need a dedicated GPU, which this SFF chassis and 260W PSU can't really support.
Who Should Skip This
Gamers and creative pros should look elsewhere immediately. The gaming score of 23.6/100 and the CPU's 43rd percentile ranking are your red flags. If you're editing video, 3D modeling, or hoping to play the latest titles, this machine's integrated graphics and modest processor will be a bottleneck. You'd be much better served by a system with a dedicated GPU and a higher-tier CPU, even if it means a bigger case and a higher price.
Verdict
We can confidently recommend the HP EliteDesk 805 G9 SFF to anyone who needs a dependable, high-capacity desktop for office work, general productivity, or as a family computer. The data backs it up: stellar reliability scores, generous memory and storage, and enough graphics power for multi-monitor business use. Just go in with clear eyes: the CPU is adequate, not exceptional, and this is not a machine for gaming or heavy content creation. For its intended purpose, it's a rock-solid choice.