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When it comes to running Large Language Models (LLMs) and other intense artificial intelligence workflows locally, colossal desktop PCs powered by hyper-expensive NVIDIA GeForce RTX GPUs tend to reign supreme.
Even the best discrete GPU quickly runs out of VRAM under these conditions, though, and that’s where AMD’s poorly named Ryzen AI MAX platform comes in. This all-in-one platform fulfils a very specific niche and does so in devices barely larger than just an NVIDIA GPU by itself, and it’s this platform that HP selected for its flagship Z2 Mini (G1a) PC.
I’ve been using this compact mini PC and putting its insane hardware to the test, and reaffirmed that 1) HP knows how to make stellar enterprise-ready devices and 2) AMD Ryzen AI MAX should be the go-to for anyone who wants to meet their AI demands without sacrificing all their desk space.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by HP. HP had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
A beautiful design that nails the fundamentals
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The HP Z2 Mini (G1a) is definitely a “mini” PC, although it’s still beefier than the most compact options from companies like Geekom. That makes sense — there’s a lot of power under this hood, and at 20cm x 16.8 x 8.55cm and around 2.3kg, it’s still around the same size as an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 by itself.
Many enterprise products clearly prioritize function over form, but the Z2 Mini manages to offer top-notch practicality in addition to elegant design. It’s all matte black, with an interesting front grille design that allows for maximum airflow through the unit.
It looks awesome, but it does attract a lot of fingerprint smudges, so be careful when handling it. The Z2 Mini (G1a) is designed to operate vertically, horizontally, or even mounted on a rack, to the wall, on the back of your monitor, or wherever else you want it. The HP logo on the front also rotates to match the orientation of the PC, which I always love to see.
The HP Z2 Mini (G1a) perfectly marries form and function with a sleek, versatile, and capable design.
You get lots of ports on the rear and a few on the side (or top, depending on your orientation), and the Z2 Mini also supports HP’s “Flex I/O” with two expansion slots for enterprises to customize their units. Even without expanding, though, you still get five USB Type-A ports, three USB Type-C ports (two of which are full USB4/Thunderbolt 4 ports), two Mini DisplayPorts, Ethernet, a Kensington Nano Security Slot, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Mini DisplayPort is a bit odd and will likely require an adapter, but you can’t deny the Z2 Mini is loaded with ports, and it’s on the cutting edge of wireless connectivity with Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4, too. There’s even a single, 2W internal mono speaker, since that’s apparently important to enterprise customers (yes, the audio quality is terrible, tinny, and muted, but it’s not meant for entertainment).
Like the other best mini PCs, the Z2 Mini allows for toolless access to its internals, including the two M.2 expansion slots. A simple switch lets you slide off half the main body, providing much more comfortable access than most mini PCs can manage… but that switch doesn’t feel secure at all; there’s a lot of give in the removable panel even when the switch is fully engaged. It’s the one place the Z2 Mini (G1a) doesn’t feel as high quality.
Ridiculous performance — exactly what you paid for
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Depending on your configuration, your HP Z2 Mini (G1a) could have anywhere from 6-16 CPU cores and 16-40 GPU cores, but it’s all under the AMD Ryzen AI MAX umbrella, and it’s all with an industry-leading Neural Processing Unit (NPU) that enables Copilot+ PC AI features.
The model I reviewed sits near the top with the 16-core Ryzen AI MAX+ PRO 395, 40-core Radeon 8060S, and 128GB of shared memory. Like other devices built on this platform, you can allocate up to 96GB of VRAM to the GPU. The Z2 Mini (G1a) supports many of HP’s enterprise-focused apps and features, too, including the Performance Advisor app that lets you tweak every element of your PC (such as VRAM allocation) without needing to dive into the BIOS.
All that VRAM means the Z2 Mini can run massive LLMs entirely locally and entirely on the GPU, leading to drastically improved performance that can genuinely best the flagship NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 GPU. It helps that the Radeon 8060S is actually quite impressive for an integrated GPU, competing with laptop-grade RTX 4070s in overall performance.
The HP Z2 Mini (G1a) has more than enough power to handle the most demanding PC games, but it really excels with creative and AI workflows.
This is my third experience with AMD Ryzen AI MAX, following my HP ZBook Ultra 14 (G1a) review and ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2025) review, and I’ve been impressed each time. While true desktop-grade hardware will absolutely outperform this mini PC in most tasks, you won’t find such a capable compact PC anywhere else.
As expected, the HP Z2 Mini (G1a) performs better on average than the two laptops I’ve reviewed using the same platform, thanks to a beefier thermal system. Speaking of, the Z2 Mini does an excellent job cooling itself under sustained loads, but the fans do get loud — certainly more than your average mini PC.
At the end of the day, this mini PC excels at creative and AI workflows, exactly as HP designed it to do. This is a heavy-duty enterprise workstation meant for the most demanding users, and it delivers on that front while being backed by HP’s impressive enterprise suite, like the HP Wolf Security Pro platform. Yes, you can also play games on it (I enjoyed some Forza Horizon 5), but those considering this mini PC will be doing so with a job in mind.
HP Z2 Mini (G1a) review: My final thoughts
✅You should buy this if …
- You want the most powerful mini PC you can get your hands on.
- You want a compact workstation for heavy-duty AI workloads.
- You highly value HP’s added enterprise features and programs.
❌You should not buy this if …
- You won’t take advantage of the shared system and GPU memory.
- You’re looking for a capable but affordable mini PC for the home.
The HP Z2 Mini (G1a) is an absurdly good bit of kit — I’ll just put that out there. AMD knocked it out of the park with its Ryzen AI MAX platform, and HP kept that momentum up with its practical design and bevy of useful features.
When it’s on sale, the Z2 Mini (G1a) also isn’t a terrible value considering all the capabilities packed into its compact chassis, but that’s if it’s on sale. Like all HP Z-series devices, this mini PC can be incredibly expensive, which makes it even more important that you’re certain this is the PC you actually want.
Yes, it’s far more powerful than your average mini PC, enough that it can play all the latest and greatest PC games in a form factor not much larger than your average desktop GPU, but it’s designed with very specific and very demanding workloads in mind. It’s a specialized tool targeting AI-focused enterprises, and you see that in every part of this mini PC — all the way to its mounting support.
In that niche, though, the HP Z2 Mini (G1a) simply can’t be beat, and you can configure your own from $2,480 at HP.com… or peruse HP Z2 Mini (G1a) configurations at HP.com for potential discounts.
The HP Z2 Mini (G1a) uses AMD’s most capable mobile platform to deliver stellar performance in a diminutive form factor — and it’s all done with AI in mind. This is a phenomenal mini PC, but most people shouldn’t consider it.
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