Our informal test of browsing with multiple browser tabs open was barely a blip on the radar; the Z2 Mini didn't even break a sweat while switching between 20 open tabs and streaming 4K video, and, honestly, that's what we expect from a workstation machine like this. You get the same stylish, space-saving design at a similar price point, but with potentially 50% more CPU cores at higher frequencies. The latest rev of HP's smallest workstation looks much like the last version we reviewed in 2018, the Z2 Mini G4. The first is weight, where the Z2 Mini G4 weighs 4.85 pounds, heavier than the 2017 model's 4.6 pounds. That’s more than three times as fast as the Intel Hades Canyon NUC (310.60 MBps), and exponentially faster than the 2017-model HP Z2 Mini G3 (101 MBps) or the Lenovo ThinkCentre M710q Tiny (169 MBps). In most of our tests, the Z2 Mini G4 posted not just impressive results, but category-leading performance. Desktop-class CPUs, graphics chips, and other components count on the support of large cooling fans and heat sinks that simply can't fit into a small square box like the HP Z2 Mini G4. © This independent software vendor (ISV) certification is a key benefit that distinguishes workstations from PCs that are merely very powerful. Around back, this review unit features no fewer than three DisplayPort 1.2 outputs for connecting the latest external displays, as well as a second USB Type-C port, two more USB 3.0 ports, the power connector, a Gigabit Ethernet jack, and a serial port to facilitate connections with legacy devices. The Z2 Mini G4 has a lot of ports, and the wide selection of connectors is enhanced by HP's customizable Flex I/O port add-ons. Those components qualify the Z2 Mini G4 as a bona fide workstation for architectural firms, hedge funds, research labs, and other potential customers who must have immense amounts of extremely stable computing power at their disposal. The HP Z2 Mini G5 has received some chassis improvements, with redesigned thermals that use copper rather than aluminium for ‘much better thermal conductivity’. (The Dell has a Xeon processor with four cores and eight threads.). The graphics performance of any workstation takes on added importance given that workstations are used for all sorts of visual- and rendering-heavy tasks that can have real world implications. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. If you're using the workstation to design products that need to be safe, or to run analyses for multimillion-dollar businesses, you need it to run properly every time, and that’s the peace of mind offered by ISV certifications. They don't have a lot of space to work with, though. As tested with an Intel Core i9 CPU and an Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 GPU, it … Thankfully, the Z2 Mini G4 kept things relatively cool, with external temperatures reaching 94 degrees Fahrenheit on the top panel of the chassis and 100 degrees on the underside. The HP Z2 Mini G4 machines sustained a very compact form-factor of the previous-gen Z2 Mini systems, but significantly improved performance over the models launched more than 1.5 years ago. HP bundled a cheap-looking and uncomfortable plastic keyboard and mouse with the Z2 Mini G4, but you can order one without any peripherals at all and bring your own (almost certainly far more comfortable) mechanical keyboard and a mouse of choice. For storage, you've got one M.2 slot and a 2.5-inch bay for a SATA drives. The result is a potent little machine that's geared up for programs like AutoCAD and Solidworks. Last refreshed in 2014 with a fourth generation Intel Core i5 processor, the Mac Mini is nowhere near as powerful as the Z2 Mini G4, of course. You can lay the Z2 Mini flat on your de… You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time. HP Z2 Small Form Factor G4 workstation . Gaming performance also gives us an idea of the graphics capability the Z2 Mini G4 offers. But don’t let its small size fool you. You can tell just how much of a difference these additional dollars and cores make on our POV-Ray workstation-specific performance test. Please refresh the page and try again. But that small, unassuming design still holds plenty of surprises. Pure processing power is also hard to top, thanks to the hex-core Xeon CPU inside. If you need sheer processing power without heavy rendering demands, you can opt for integrated Intel UHD Graphics 630. Two SO-DIMM slots can be filled with as little as 4GB RAM to up to 32GB of memory, with DDR4-2667 and ECC memory support. Tom's Guide is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. There was a problem. Visit our corporate site. If you're primarily running CPU-intensive apps and mainly relying on the Quadro GPU to provide steady video output for a half-dozen monitors, though, these lower frame rates shouldn't be a problem. HP sent over a packed version of the Z2 Mini for me to review. All together you can cram up to 3 terabytes (2TB 5400rpm HDD and a 1TB HP Z Turbo SSD) into the Z2 Mini's tiny chassis. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. That's a big step up from last year's model (3,019), but it does fall slightly behind the gaming-oriented Intel Hades Canyon NUC (8,451), which features Radeon RX Vega M graphics. Optimised for rack mounting, fit seven Z2 Mini’s across a 5U row and 56 in a standard 24U. Conspicuously absent from the port selection on this test unit is a Thunderbolt 3 port. Among the design attributes that remain constant is the less-than-ideal power-delivery situation. If you are an architect interested in the Z2 Mini G4 as a platform on which to run CAD software, you'll be pleased to note that it comes with certifications for more than 20 such apps, including AutoCAD, Solidworks, and Revit. We love almost everything about the Z2 Mini, but it does get loud. Security Slot 4. It's the best tiny workstation we've seen and one of the best mini PCS on the market. For processing, you've got everything from standard Intel Core i3 and Core i5 8000-series processors, along with 4- and 6-core Core i7 and Xeon E 2100-series processors. As tested with an Intel Core i9 CPU and an Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 GPU, it … We also ran the more intensive 3DMark Fire Strike, where the Z2 Mini G4 scored a decent 4,609 points. That's still the case even when you factor in the cost of a midrange monitor. To gauge its performance, we put the HP Z2 Mini G5 workstation through four resource-intensive tests, which will allow us to see what it is capable of when equipped with an Intel i7-10700K, 2x16GB of DDR4 RAM, an NVIDIA Quadro T2000, and two Z Turbo 2280 NVMe SSDs. The Z2 Mini G4 supports up to six displays—screens connected directly to the DisplayPort outputs, plus additional daisy-chained displays. Good Xeon multicore computing performance. On top of this, you can customize the port selection using the Flex I/O options mentioned above, adding video outputs, LAN ports and more. Relatively inexpensive for a desktop workstation. Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, This HP Z2 Tower G4 Workstation review unit was subjected to the new SPECviewperf 13.0 program for running benchmarks that measure performance in a variety of typical engineering and product design workflows. The HP Z2 Mini G4 is a mini desktop with the performance of a far larger workstation, complete with Xeon processor options and ISV certifications. https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/hp-z2-mini-g4-workstation. 7 Pair a fleet of racked Z2 Mini’s with HP ZCentral Remote Boost 14 software and ZCentral Connect 21 IT management software for a complete hardware and software solution to power a remote workforce. HP Z2 Mini G4 Review. Of more importance to the professional crowd are the Z2 Mini's independent software vendor (ISV) certifications, where HP has partnered with individual software companies to ensure that mission-critical programs and apps are completely compatible with the workstation hardware. Less vertical space means less room for air to circulate, and HP can't get around that law of physics, but it is able to help hot air escape more easily by including four vents, one at each corner of the chassis. But HP has managed to fit an Intel Xeon processor and a Nvidia Quadro GPU in this diminutive, snazzy-looking black slab. To put this in perspective, the Lenovo ThinkCentre M710q Tiny  scored only 69,398 with its integrated graphics, which is more than adequate for standard office work. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. But while the Z2 Mini G4's strong graphics capability is a boon to engineers and architects who want a smaller PC on their desk, it's not quite enough for those who want to create in virtual reality. HP's Z2 Tower G4 measures up to the workstation competition and then some. Before that, he worked for PCMag's sister site, Computer Shopper, where he occasionally dunked waterproof hard drives in glasses of water. HP covers the Z2 Mini G4 with a three-year warranty that includes three years of coverage on parts and labor and offers three years of on-site repair. PCMag Digital Group. In addition to a Thunderbolt 3 port, the new flexible I/O slot can accommodate your choice of a second Gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI output, or even legacy options such as a VGA port or the serial port on our unit. Save with Free Shipping when you shop online with HP. Price: $1,949 as tested ($749 base price) Size: 13.31x3.94x15 in. Indeed, compared with other similarly priced, non-workstation compact PCs like the Zotac ZBox Magnus EK71080 ( at Amazon) and the MSI Vortex G25VR ( at Amazon) , the Z2 Mini G4 offers a noticeable performance bump on specialized tasks like exporting video and rendering 3D images. The model I'm reviewing here, which started shipping in July, is part of the fourth generation. Your subscription has been confirmed. You also get decent connectivity options, a generous warranty, and a stylish metal design, which together make the Z2 Mini G4 even more attractive, both on paper and on your desk. HP Z2 Mini G4 – With a high frequency 6-core Xeon CPU and several GPU options, HP’s updated micro workstation is a great alternative to standard CAD desktops. The external design of the Z2 Mini G4 remains unchanged, with the same low-profile chassis as its predecessor. Compact design, powerful functionality Boosting the same low-profile chassis as its predecessor, the HP Z2 Mini G4 workstation maintains the compact design users lauded. Other features of the HP Z2 Mini G5 include nine different ‘flex modules’ to add more displays, mic or camera, and integrated Wi-Fi 6 for faster data transfer and extended range. As a mini desktop with a Xeon processor and all the other accoutrements of a workstation, the HP Z2 Mini G4 is a rare beast. More Info. While the mini PC form factor is often touted for its ability to be mounted on the back of a monitor or tucked out of sight on a desk – all of which the Z2 Mini G4 can do – the compact system also comes with the option of rack mounting for enterprise use. HP Z8 G4 Rack Mounted. If you want ISV-certified graphics for CAD and similar uses, you've got a selection of dedicated GPUs – Nvidia Quadro P600 or P1000 cards, or an AMD Radeon Pro WX 4150. Our review unit also came with a VGA connection, but because it's situated in one of the configurable Flex I/O slots, it isn't necessarily a standard port. These vents have been redesigned for the fourth generation, one of the few physical alterations to the family chassis. HP also offers a generous three-year standard warranty that includes onsite service. Putting serious computing power into a mini desktop PC isn't easy. In our updated version of the test, which uses Excel instead of OpenOffice to test multithread processing, the Z2 Mini G4 was even faster, ripping through the task in 34 seconds. QuickSpecs HP Z2 Mini G4 Workstation Overview c05987462 — DA – 16216 Worldwide — Version 17 — July 18, 2020 Page 2 HP Z2 Mini G4 Entry, back view 1. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis, LLC and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. The easily accessible design includes a hinge-mounted cooling fan that flips up out of the way to let users reach the two SO-DIMM slots, and easy-to-access screws let you remove the fan and hard drive to access the rest of the internals. Add in 32GB of memory and a combo storage setup consisting of a 256GB solid-state drive (SSD) and a 1TB hard drive, and you are looking at a seriously powerful machine. That means that HP's designers have already settled on a form factor and physical design, which remains mostly unchanged from the Z2 Mini G3. So much for the wired connectivity. Here is what these look like together: HP Z By HP Rack Mountable Workstations In Racks. Thermal management is always a concern on these pint-size PCs, since the small confines of the chassis don’t leave much room for cooling fans and air circulation, and you don’t want your little computer to be a fire hazard. In his spare time, he's written on topics as diverse as Borneo's rain forests, Middle Eastern airlines, and big data's role in presidential elections.