HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada) vs MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

HP Z2 Mini G1i workstation viewed from the front
MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG mini PC in black, viewed from the front-left
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HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)

BM6N6UT#ABA: Core Ultra 9 285K, 32GB DDR5-6400, 1TB PCIe 5.0 SSD, RTX 2000 Ada 16GB, Windows 11 Pro High End

Check price Amazon affiliate link

MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US, Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB LPDDR5X, 1TB SSD, US

Check price Amazon affiliate link

Amazon results may include other models. Verify the processor, memory, storage, and seller before buying.

iThese are manufacturer-sourced specifications, not MiniPCBench test results. Confirm the exact processor, memory, storage, price, and availability before buying.
Memory
Storage

1Is it fast for normal work?

HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)

  • Exact workstation configuration 24 cores / 32GB / 1TB
  • Commercially aligned hands-on Same CPU/GPU; partial identity
  • PCMark 10 Not available
  • Business workload fit Not available

MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

  • Exact workstation configuration Not available
  • Commercially aligned hands-on Not available
  • PCMark 10 6864 points
  • Business workload fit Responsive office use

2Can it handle sustained work?

HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)

  • Cinebench 2024 multi-core 1789 points
  • Blender Classroom 91.7 samples/min
  • Cinebench R15 multi-core loop Not available

MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

  • Cinebench 2024 multi-core 419 points
  • Blender Classroom Not available
  • Cinebench R15 multi-core loop 1475 points

3Can it game?

HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)

  • Professional discrete graphics RTX 2000 Ada 16GB
  • No proxy gaming result Exact gaming data unavailable
  • Cyberpunk 2077 Not available
  • Cyberpunk 2077 with XeSS Not available

MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

  • Professional discrete graphics Not available
  • No proxy gaming result Not available
  • Cyberpunk 2077 33.9 fps
  • Cyberpunk 2077 with XeSS 63 fps

4Is it loud or hot?

HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)

  • Manufacturer-declared idle noise 18 dBA
  • Exact thermals unavailable Not independently measured
  • Maximum load sound level Not available
  • Prime95 CPU temperature Not available
  • Independent thermal cross-check Not available

MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

  • Manufacturer-declared idle noise Not available
  • Exact thermals unavailable Not available
  • Maximum load sound level 49.2 dBA
  • Prime95 CPU temperature 66 C
  • Independent thermal cross-check 70 C sustained

5How much electricity does it use?

HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)

  • External power adapter 280W external
  • No exact wall-power test Exact result unavailable
  • Average idle wall power Not available
  • Prime95 wall power Not available
  • Power-save idle cross-check Not available

MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

  • External power adapter Not available
  • No exact wall-power test Not available
  • Average idle wall power 5.7 W
  • Prime95 wall power 49.7 W
  • Power-save idle cross-check About 5.6 W

6Can I upgrade and connect everything?

HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)

  • Memory is upgradeable Yes
  • Storage is upgradeable Yes
  • Thunderbolt is present No
  • Internal expansion 2 SO-DIMM / 2 M.2 / low-profile PCIe
  • Optional Flex I/O One unpopulated optional-module position
  • Thunderbolt 4 is present Not available
  • Single storage slot Not available
  • Business-oriented I/O Not available

MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

  • Memory is upgradeable No
  • Storage is upgradeable Yes
  • Thunderbolt is present Not available
  • Internal expansion Not available
  • Optional Flex I/O Not available
  • Thunderbolt 4 is present Yes
  • Single storage slot 1x replaceable M.2 2280
  • Business-oriented I/O 2x TB4 plus dual 2.5GbE

7Is it good value?

HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)

  • Current exact-part offer $4,073.76 at B&H
  • Amazon identity unresolved No verified exact Amazon listing
  • Current US retail price Not available
  • Amazon availability Not available

MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

  • Current exact-part offer Not available
  • Amazon identity unresolved Not available
  • Current US retail price $1,249.99
  • Amazon availability No verified exact ASIN

8Will it be dependable?

HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)

  • Included limited warranty 1-year limited warranty
  • Workstation validation ISV-certified family; HP validation program
  • Serviceable core components Tool-free internal access
  • Advanced-replacement warranty Not available
  • 24/7 qualification Not available
  • Repairability tradeoff Not available

MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

  • Included limited warranty Not available
  • Workstation validation Not available
  • Serviceable core components Not available
  • Advanced-replacement warranty 3 years
  • 24/7 qualification Manufacturer-qualified for 24/7 use
  • Repairability tradeoff SSD serviceable; RAM fixed

References

  1. HP. HP Z2 Mini G1i Workstation Desktop PC. Product page. Accessed .

    Configuration: Z2 Mini G1i family with up to Core Ultra 9 K-series processors, RTX 4000 SFF Ada, 128GB DDR5, two M.2 slots, optional Flex I/O, and 280W adapter

    Disclosure: Manufacturer family overview, port map, expansion claims, official image, and workstation-program claims. Family maxima and optional features are not treated as installed on the exact part.

  2. HP. HP Z2 Mini G1i Workstation QuickSpecs c09133727. Product page. . Accessed .

    Configuration: Worldwide Z2 Mini G1i family specifications, component matrix, service expansion, networking, dimensions, and manufacturer-declared reference acoustics

    Disclosure: Manufacturer technical document. Reference acoustic configurations differ from BM6N6UT#ABA and are excluded from scoring.

  3. B&H Photo Video. HP Z2 Mini G1i Workstation BM6N6UT#ABA. Product page. Accessed .

    Configuration: HP MPN BM6N6UT#ABA: Core Ultra 9 285K, 32GB 2x16 DDR5-6400, 1TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD, RTX 2000 Ada 16GB, Windows 11 Pro High End, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, 280W adapter

    Disclosure: HP-authorized retailer record used for exact fixed-part identity, included hardware, warranty, availability, and current price. No customer benchmark data are imported.

  4. Shukun E-commerce / T客邦. HP Z2 Mini G1i workstation unboxing and hands-on testing. Product page. Accessed .

    Configuration: Physical G1i with Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada, and 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD; regional part and installed memory not clearly stated in accessible text

    Disclosure: Retailer-hosted article labeled Brand Message. It includes original physical and benchmark screenshots but does not disclose unit custody in accessible text; no numeric result is imported.

  5. Principled Technologies. Jumpstart graphics-intensive workloads with the HP Z2 Mini G1i. Product page. . Accessed .

    Configuration: Core Ultra 7 265, 64GB DDR5-6400, 1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe storage, NVIDIA RTX 4000 SFF Ada, Windows 11 Pro

    Disclosure: HP commissioned the comparison and supplied both systems. Processor, memory, and GPU differ from BM6N6UT#ABA; every result is excluded from scoring.

  6. MSI. Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US Specifications. Product page. . Accessed .

    Configuration: Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US, part CubNUCAI2MG019: Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB LPDDR5X-8533, 1TB SSD, Windows 11 Pro, Black, US

    Disclosure: Manufacturer specification, gallery, warranty, and family reliability claims. Exact US SKU details were cross-checked against MSI's downloadable 019US specification sheet.

  7. Best Buy. MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US. Product page. Accessed .

    Configuration: 2MG-019US: Core Ultra 7 258V, 32GB memory, 1TB SSD, Black

    Disclosure: Retail price and seller check; listing was sold and shipped by MSI Computer Corp.

  8. Notebookcheck. MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG review: Straightforward mini PC for business. Product page. . Accessed .

    Configuration: Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 32GB LPDDR5X, 1TB Phison ESR01TBTCCZ-27J SSD; regional retail suffix not stated

    Disclosure: The test unit was loaned by the manufacturer or retailer. Notebookcheck says the lender had no influence, received no advance copy, and imposed no publication obligation.

  9. MW Technology. MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG - Best Mini Windows PC?. Video review. . Accessed .

    Configuration: Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 32GB LPDDR5X, 1TB SSD; Canadian review unit

    Disclosure: The reviewer states that the channel partnered with MSI and explicitly calls the coverage sponsored while saying the partnership did not change its opinions.

  10. ETA PRIME. MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG Review - Compact Copilot+ PC w/ Intel Core Ultra & AI Boost. Video review. . Accessed .

    Configuration: Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 32GB LPDDR5X-8533; storage and retail suffix not stated in the cited segment

    Disclosure: The description discloses affiliate links. The source of the review unit and any manufacturer preview relationship were not stated.

  11. Level1Techs. Showcasing the New MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG on the Server Crash Cart!. Video review. . Accessed .

    Configuration: Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 32GB LPDDR5X; storage and retail suffix not stated

    Disclosure: The description contains a tagged Amazon product link. The unit source and manufacturer relationship were not stated.

  12. Tom's Guide. I tried my first Copilot+ mini PC and it made using AI for work feel natural and not just a gimmick. Product page. . Accessed .

    Configuration: Core Ultra 7 258V, Arc 140V, 32GB LPDDR5X; exact storage capacity and US retail suffix not stated in the accessible article text

    Disclosure: Tom's Guide describes a review unit that had to be wiped and returned. The article contains retailer deal links; no sponsored-content label was found.

Value for money

No value comparison is available. It requires eligible test scores and at least four current price observations in seven days.

Specification differences

Differences supported by the listed manufacturer specifications

Higher listed specifications for HP Z2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)

  • Supports 96 GB more memory
  • Provides 2 storage slots versus 1

Higher listed specifications for MSI Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US

  • Uses a smaller 0.826 liter enclosure

Verified specifications

Manufacturer-sourced specifications and current testing status

Processor

SpecificationZ2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US
CPUIntel Core Ultra 9 285KIntel Core Ultra 7 258V
Cores / threads24 / 248 / 8
Processor default TDP125 W17 W
Integrated graphicsNVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation discrete graphics with 16GB GDDR6 and four Mini DisplayPort outputsIntel Arc 140V integrated graphics

Memory and storage

SpecificationZ2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US
Memory type2x 16GB DDR5-6400 SO-DIMM, non-ECC32GB LPDDR5X-8533 memory on package
Maximum memory128 GB32 GB
Upgradeable memoryYesNo
Storage slots21

Connectivity

SpecificationZ2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US
EthernetIntegrated Intel I219-LM Gigabit Ethernet2x Intel I226-V 2.5GbE RJ45
WirelessWi-Fi 7 2x2 and Bluetooth 5.4Intel Wi-Fi 6E AX211 + Bluetooth 5.3
USB4NoYes
ThunderboltNoYes

Size and price

SpecificationZ2 Mini G1i (Core Ultra 9 285K, RTX 2000 Ada)Cubi NUC AI+ 2MG-019US
Enclosure volume3.17 liters0.826 liters
List priceNot published$1,400
Product classCompact ISV-certified CAD, rendering, and professional visualization workstationLow-power business desktops and dual-network deployments