PC users in today’s digital environment need hardware that lets them multitask effectively and run demanding workloads such as AI without interruption. Teams that prefer powerful desktop PCs in a small form factor may be torn between Windows PCs such as the HP Z2 Mini G1a Workstation with AMD Ryzen^™ AI Max+ PRO 395 processor and Mac devices such as the Apple^® Mac mini and the Mac Studio, but lack good information on how they compare in terms of performance.

To help buyers make a more informed decision, we compared those three systems using a range of industry-standard benchmarks to assess their general as well as AI performance. Across the board, we found that the HP Z2 Mini G1a workstation powered by an AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO processor delivered superior benchmark scores, indicating that it could boost productivity for everyday tasks and help maximize the impact of AI compared to the Apple systems we tested.

To assess general productivity, graphics, on-device AI, and creative workload performance, we ran the following benchmarks:

• PassMark PerformanceTest 11.1
• Cinebench R23
• GeekBench AI CPU and GeekBench AI GPU
• Chaos V-Ray CPU

HP provided the systems. The results we report reflect the specific configurations we tested. Any difference in the configurations you test, as well as network traffic or software additions, can affect these results. For a deeper dive into our testing parameters, and more details about the systems we tested, see the science behind the report.

What we learned: Performance & productivity tests

To assess the general performance of the systems, we used two benchmarks: PassMark PerformanceTest 11.1 and Cinebench R23. Both of these tests use strenuous tasks related to graphics and rendering, which can indicate performance users with demanding workloads might see.

PassMark PerformanceTest 11.1 benchmark suite stresses CPU, 2D and 3D graphics, storage, and memory. The CPU test executes complex mathematical calculations involving compression, encryption, and physics simulations,⁴ and the score reflects raw processing power.

Cinebench R23 tests how fast a CPU can render a 3D scene.⁵ The Cinebench multi-core score indicates how a processor might handle demanding, multi-threaded tasks in everyday use in addition to rendering capability.

What we learned: AI tests

These days, desktop users aren’t only doing basic productivity or even strenuous creative work—they’re also exploring how to use AI to accelerate their work. That’s why it’s worthwhile to invest in systems that also leverage powerful GPUs and NPUs in addition to CPUs. Better AI capabilities could pay dividends in productivity boosts.

We used multiple tests from the Geekbench AI benchmark suite to test the systems. Geekbench AI evaluates CPU, GPU, and NPU performance using real-world ML tasks.⁶ We used both the Open Neural Network Exchange (ONNX) and the Intel OpenVINO^™ inference engines in our testing of the Windows-based HP Z2 Mini G1a, with the DirectML GPU backend for both engines. For the Apple systems, we used the Core ML inference engine with the GPU backend. We ran tests in many formats and present single-precision (FP32) and half-precision (FP16) formats and a quantized score. FP32 results are more relevant for workloads that demand accuracy—such as medical imaging or advanced deep learning—while FP16 results are useful for scenarios where speed and efficiency take priority, such as training smaller datasets or models.

The Chaos V-Ray Benchmark measures system rendering performance using CPUs, GPUs, or both together. It evaluates rendering speed with V-Ray 6 engines powered by RTX and CUDA technologies.⁷

Conclusion

When it comes to choosing a compact yet powerful desktop PC for demanding workloads, our benchmark results clearly show that the HP Z2 Mini G1a workstation with AMD Ryzen AI Max+ PRO 395 processor stands out against the Apple Mac mini and Apple Mac Studio. Its overall superior performance in both general applications and AI-focused tasks suggests it can help modern professionals be more productive while giving them the tools they need to leverage new AI workflows. For teams seeking high productivity and strong AI capabilities in a small form factor, the HP Z2 Mini G1a presents a compelling, performance-driven choice.