The HP Z2 Mini G9 is a small desktop computer that measures 8.3″ x 8.6″ x 2.7″, making it easy to store behind a display or under a desk. But inside the computer’s compact chassis lies the beating heart of an entry-level workstation-class computer.
HP says the little computer supports up to a 12th-gen Intel Core K-series processor, up to NVIDIA RTX A2000 graphics with 12GB of DDR5 memory, up to 64GB of DDR5-4800 RAM, and support for up to two PCIe 4 NVMe SSDs.
Much of that hardware is user upgradeable. The computer uses a standard low-profile PCIe 4 x8 graphics card, allowing you to swap out the GPU. There are two M.2 2280 slots for storage. The RAM is user replaceable. And there’s an M.2 2230 PCIe 3 slot for an optional WiFi & Bluetooth card.
The computer also features a slide-out design, allowing you to access the interior for upgrades without using any tools.
Between the side and rear of the device, you’ll find this set of standard ports:
- 2 x USB Type-C (10Gbps)
- 4 x USB Type-A (10 Gbps)
- 1 x DisplayPort 1.4
- 1 x Gigabit Ethernet
- 1 x 3.5mm mic/headphone combo jack
There’s also support for an optional USB-A (5 Gbps) or RS-232 Serial port on the right side, or one of the following ports on the left:
- Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps)
- HDMI 2.0b
- DisplayPort 1.4
- VGA
- USB Type-C (10Gbps)
- USB Type-A (5 Gbps)
- Gigabit Ethernet
- RS-232 Serial
HP says the Z2 Mini G9 will be available in March, 2022. Pricing will be revealed closer to release.
This is an improvement over the weird octagonal design of my Z2 Mini G4. I hope they make 10G Ethernet available as an option.