HP Z2 G1i

The HP Z2 G1i lands in the 94th percentile for ports and the 84th percentile for CPU performance, making it a beast for multi-threaded professional work. But the integrated graphics are a real letdown at the 46th percentile, so don't expect much beyond basic display output. If your software doesn't need a GPU and you can find it near $1,750, it's a connectivity-rich workhorse that leaves plenty of upgrade headroom.

The HP Z2 G1i lands in the 94th percentile for port selection, which is frankly absurd in the best way. That means this tower has more USB-A and DisplayPort connections than almost any workstation we've tested, making it a hub for legacy peripherals and multi-monitor setups. Under the hood, the Intel Core Ultra 5 245K 14-core CPU sits in the 84th percentile, which is plenty of horsepower for simulation, compiling, and heavy multi-threaded Excel work. But the integrated Intel Graphics drag the GPU score down to a mediocre 46th percentile. So it's a top-tier number cruncher that stumbles hard the moment you need any graphical muscle.

At 8.6 kg, this thing is a chunky boy. It's a no-nonsense tower built for a desk that doesn't move, with expansion slots and a 700W power supply that practically begs you to drop in a dedicated GPU later. Out of the box, though, you're getting a machine that excels at CPU-bound professional workflows and utterly fails at gaming or GPU rendering. If your day revolves around multi-threaded apps and you've got a drawer full of USB gadgets, keep reading. If you want to play Cyberpunk at lunch, look elsewhere.

We see some real daylight between the CPU and GPU scores here. The Core Ultra 5 245K is no joke, it's a 14-core chip clocked at up to 4.2 GHz and our database puts it ahead of 84% of workstations we've seen. That means snappy response in tools like MATLAB, fast compile cycles, and smooth sailing for Python data pipelines. The 32 GB of DDR5-5600 RAM (82nd percentile) is generous, and you can push it to 256 GB down the road, which is a genuine workstation perk. Storage is a 1 TB NVMe PCIe 4.0 drive, solid at the 73rd percentile. Nothing mind-blowing, but it won't bottleneck your code builds.

Then we hit the GPU wall. Integrated Intel Graphics ranks at the 46th percentile, which is about average for office PCs but genuinely underwhelming for a machine marketed as a workstation. Forget real-time 3D rendering, advanced CAD with live shading, or even light gaming. The CPU will finish your simulation, but you won't enjoy previewing the results in a viewport. If your workflow leans heavily on CPU computations and you plan to add a discrete GPU later, the foundation is excellent. Just don't expect any visual fireworks out of the box.

Pricing on the HP Z2 G1i is all over the map, we're seeing a low of $1,749 and a high of $2,885 across vendors. That $1,136 spread is enough to make you spit out your coffee. At the lower end, you're getting a solid workstation CPU and that glorious port array, which feels fair for a professional machine, especially if you snag it from the cheapest store_name. But at nearly $2,900, it's a hard sell for a system that doesn't even have a dedicated GPU. You're paying for ISV certifications, long-term reliability, and that mouthwatering connectivity, but you absolutely need to shop around. If you can land it near $1,750, the value for a CPU-heavy workflow is real. If you're stuck at the high end, walk away and consider alternatives.

Stacked against the competition, the HP Z2 G1i feels like a specialist. The ASUS Republic of Gamers GM700TZ and Lenovo Legion Tower 5i Gen 10 will run circles around it in any GPU task thanks to their discrete graphics, but they lack the port count and workstation reliability you get here. The MSI EdgeXpert-11SUS and Dell XPS EBT2250 are similarly gaming-oriented towers that sacrifice I/O for frame rates. Then there's the Apple Mac mini M4, a tiny powerhouse that demolishes the HP in integrated GPU performance and energy efficiency, but it has a fraction of the ports and zero internal upgradeability. So if you need a dependable, expandable rig with more USB ports than you can shake a stick at and your software leans hard on the CPU, the HP makes sense. For anyone who even occasionally needs GPU acceleration, the competition gives you a lot more for your dollar.

Anyone who needs even a modest amount of GPU power should steer clear of this specific configuration. The integrated graphics sit at the 46th percentile, meaning they're fine for spreadsheets and code editors but utterly hopeless for 3D rendering, CAD visualization, or gaming. If your workflow involves Blender, SolidWorks, video editing, or machine learning that leverages GPU acceleration, you'll be frustrated out of the gate. Also, if desk space is a premium and you can't accommodate an 8.6 kg tower, this thing is far from svelte. And unless you're patient enough to hunt for the lowest retail price, the $1,136 variance across vendors can feel like a game of chicken.

The HP Z2 G1i is a connectivity monster and a CPU workhorse that's hamstrung by its own integrated graphics. If your daily grind is compiling code, running CPU-bound simulations, or managing monstrous datasets, the Core Ultra 5 245K and 32 GB of RAM will serve you well, and the 94th percentile port selection means you'll never hunt for a dongle. But the minute your workflow touches the GPU, the 46th percentile score becomes a dealbreaker. Our advice: if you can snag it at the low end of its price range and you genuinely have no use for a discrete GPU, it's a solid buy. Just know that an NVIDIA RTX card is often a drop-in away from turning this machine into a proper all-rounder.