HP EliteDesk 805 G9 SFF review

Looking for a compact business desktop that balances performance, security, and real-world practicality?

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My First Impressions

I unboxed the HP EliteDesk 805 G9 SFF Business Desktop Computer, AMD Ryzen 5 8500G, 32GB DDR5, 1TB PCIe SSD, Radeon 740M Graphics, Dual 4K Display Support, USB-C, HDMI, RJ-45, Wi-Fi, Wired KB & Mouse, Win11 Pro with curiosity about how much power HP could pack into a small form factor. Right away I noticed the sturdy feel, the compact footprint, and how this unit looks at home on a crowded desk or in a meeting room. It feels like a serious business tool, not a consumer toy.

Design and Build Quality

I appreciate that HP focused on a professional aesthetic with the EliteDesk 805 G9. It’s modest, matte-finished, and unobtrusive, which is exactly what I expect in an office environment. The build quality reassures me: components sit solidly, panel seams are tight, and the chassis gives confidence that it will stand up to daily use.

Size and Portability

At 6.1 x 11.7 x 12.8 inches and roughly 11 pounds, the SFF (Small Form Factor) design strikes a great balance between compactness and internal space. I can easily move it between desks or tuck it under a monitor stand without taking up much room. For someone who occasionally relocates their workstation, I found the weight manageable.

Materials and Durability

HP uses premium materials that resist scuffs and fingerprints better than cheaper plastics. The front and side panels feel rigid, and the chassis doesn’t flex under moderate pressure. I’d trust this unit in a shared workplace, where durability and resilience to daily handling matter.

Performance

I was excited to test how the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G and Radeon 740M handle business loads. In practice, the system delivers responsive performance for productivity, moderate content tasks, and light multimedia work. The Ryzen 5 8500G’s six cores and twelve threads provide solid multitasking headroom for typical business applications.

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 8500G

The Ryzen 5 8500G (6 cores / 12 threads, up to 5.0GHz) impressed me with its ability to keep multiple applications snappy. I run heavy browser workloads, large spreadsheets, virtual meetings, and local apps at the same time; this CPU handled them smoothly. HP’s claim that it can outperform an Intel Core i7-11700 in multi-core tasks matches my experience in multi-threaded office workloads—especially when background processes are active.

Integrated Graphics: Radeon 740M

The Radeon 740M is a capable integrated GPU for office-level graphics tasks. I tested dual 4K displays, light photo editing, and some casual 3D visualization. Everything stayed fluid for productivity use, although I’d avoid pushing it into serious gaming or heavy GPU-accelerated content creation. For presentations, video playback, and multiple high-resolution monitors, the Radeon 740M is more than adequate.

Real-World Performance and Benchmarks

I like to combine anecdotal experience with quantitative benchmarks. In day-to-day use, applications launch quickly, multitasking is smooth, and file transfers are fast (especially with the PCIe SSD). In synthetic tests, the Ryzen 5 8500G shows strong multi-core performance, which is beneficial for parallelizable tasks like builds, data analysis, or virtual machine hosting (within reasonable limits).

• Single-thread responsiveness felt excellent during web browsing and Office tasks.
• Multi-threaded workloads—such as batch file conversions and multi-tab compiling—benefited significantly from the extra cores/threads.
• For office productivity, this CPU offers a notable leap over older dual- or quad-core office PCs.

Memory and Storage

I’m particularly pleased with the memory and storage configuration: 32GB of DDR5 and a 1TB PCIe SSD in the base setup provide excellent responsiveness and future-proofing. HP also makes it clear that the system is configurable up to 128GB DDR5 and up to 4TB PCIe SSD, which matters for heavy multitaskers and data-centric workflows.

RAM: DDR5 Upgradability

DDR5 RAM gives a meaningful performance uplift over DDR4 in bandwidth-sensitive tasks. With 32GB installed, I could keep dozens of browser tabs, several virtual machines, and memory-hungry applications open without swapping. If you plan to run heavy virtualization or large datasets, upgrading to 64GB or 128GB is straightforward and supported.

Storage: PCIe SSD Options and Performance

The 1TB PCIe M.2 SSD provides fast boot times, quick application loads, and snappy file access. I timed cold boots and restarts; Windows 11 Pro loaded quickly, and applications were ready to use with minimal delay. If you need larger capacity, HP’s support for up to 4TB NVMe drives is a welcome option.

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Connectivity and I/O

I value a business desktop with rich connectivity, and this EliteDesk delivers a comprehensive array of ports. It covers modern high-speed USB, multiple display outputs, legacy USB ports, wired networking, and audio connectors. I found it easy to hook up external storage, docks, and multiple monitors without hunting for adapters.

Front and Rear Ports

I like having a mix of front and rear ports for convenience and permanent connections. The front provides quick access for flash drives and headsets; the rear hosts monitors, LAN, and permanent peripherals. The inclusion of USB-C at 20Gbps is especially useful for modern docks and high-speed peripherals.

Here’s a concise breakdown of the key ports for quick reference:

Port Type	Quantity/Details
USB Type-C	1 x USB-C (20Gbps)
USB Type-A (10Gbps)	4 x
USB Type-A (5Gbps)	3 x
USB 2.0 Type-A	3 x
HDMI	1 x HDMI 1.4b
DisplayPort	2 x DisplayPort 1.4a
Ethernet	1 x RJ-45
Audio	Headphone/mic combo + line-in/line-out
Other	Power connector, wired USB keyboard & mouse included

Networking: Wi-Fi and Ethernet

I tested both Wi-Fi and wired Ethernet. The gigabit RJ-45 port is reliable for office infrastructure and large file transfers, and the included Wi-Fi module delivers stable wireless connections for flexible desk placement. If you require low-latency connectivity for video conferencing or remote desktop work, the wired connection is my preference.

Security and Software

Security is a major selling point for business desktops, and HP includes several strong measures that I appreciate. The unit comes with Windows 11 Pro and business-grade protections built into the hardware and firmware.

Windows 11 Pro and TPM 2.0

Windows 11 Pro gives me improved window management, better security features, and the business-focused controls I need. TPM 2.0 is present for hardware-based encryption and secure boot support, making BitLocker and other enterprise tools work seamlessly.

HP Wolf Security and Business Features

HP Wolf Security adds an extra layer of protection through firmware and endpoint defenses. I like that HP pre-configures some security options, but I also customize settings to fit my organization’s policies. For IT admins, integrated management features make it easier to standardize deployments and enforce security baselines.

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Noise, Thermals, and Power

I paid attention to fan noise and thermal behavior under load. The SFF design is compact, so thermal efficiency matters. In my tests, the system remained noticeably quiet during normal office use and only ramped up fans under sustained heavy load. Thermal throttling wasn’t an issue in my scenarios.

• Normal office tasks: fans stay near idle, and noise is unobtrusive.
• Media playback and light content work: quiet with occasional fan activity.
• Sustained CPU/GPU load: fans become audible but not disruptive.

Power consumption is reasonable given the performance level. For businesses that care about power efficiency, the Ryzen 5 8500G’s balance of performance and efficiency is a plus.

Expandability and Upgrade Options

One of the strengths of the EliteDesk SFF is how easy HP makes upgrades. I appreciate that the system is designed to allow memory, storage, and certain add-in components to be replaced or expanded without excessive disassembly. For a business IT admin or a power user, this flexibility reduces long-term costs.

• RAM: Supports up to 128GB DDR5 across available slots.
• Storage: M.2 NVMe slots for fast SSD upgrades; additional bays may be present for larger configurations.
• PCIe expansion: SFF limitations apply, but there is enough room for modest add-in cards if required.

If you plan to expand significantly (e.g., multiple high-end GPUs), the SFF form factor will probably be limiting. For standard business upgrades—more RAM, larger/faster SSDs, or NIC upgrades—the EliteDesk is very accommodating.

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Setup, Usability, and Accessories

I found setup straightforward: plug in power, connect displays and network, and power on. The included wired keyboard and mouse are basic but functional—good enough for out-of-box use. I like that HP includes these so users can get started immediately.

Windows 11 Pro comes preinstalled with drivers and HP utilities. I usually remove or reconfigure some OEM tools, but I appreciate having software that helps with warranty and driver updates. For IT departments, HP’s management utilities can be integrated into deployment images.

Ports and Expansion — Visual Breakdown

I create a quick visual reference for ports to save you time when deciding how you’ll connect peripherals. This helps me determine if I’ll need adapters or docks for dual 4K displays, external storage, or audio devices.

Area	Ports Available	Notes
Front	1 x USB-C (20Gbps), several USB-A, headphone/mic combo	Best for temporary connections
Rear	2 x DisplayPort 1.4a, 1 x HDMI 1.4b, 1 x RJ-45, multiple USBs, audio line-in/out	Primary location for monitors and network
Internal	M.2 PCIe slots for SSD, DDR5 DIMM slots, potential PCIe slot	For upgrades and storage expansion

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Dual 4K Display Support

I tested dual 4K output across the DisplayPort and HDMI outputs. The system handled dual 4K at comfortable frame rates for office tasks and video playback. If you use large workspaces with multiple high-resolution monitors, I found this capability highly productive: more screen real estate without the need for an external GPU.

Real-World Use Cases

I like to think about who benefits most from a machine like this. Here are scenarios where the EliteDesk 805 G9 performs exceptionally well based on my experience:

• Knowledge workers who juggle many browser tabs, Office apps, video conferencing, and local data processing.
• Small- to medium-sized business workstations that need manageability, security, and a small footprint.
• IT departments that want an upgradable, easy-to-service desktop with enterprise software support.
• Content creators doing lighter tasks—photo editing, video conferencing, and 2D design—who don’t need a discrete high-end GPU.
• Reception or meeting room machines that require reliability, dual 4K support, and secured boot options.

Comparison Notes: Ryzen 5 8500G vs Intel Core i7-11700

HP claims that the Ryzen 5 8500G outperforms the Intel Core i7-11700 in multi-core tasks and efficiency. From my testing and general performance data, that aligns with user experiences: AMD’s newer architecture often delivers better multi-thread efficiency and competitive single-thread performance at similar power envelopes.

I’d recommend Ryzen for multi-threaded productivity workflows and efficiency. If your workflows depend on single-threaded legacy apps with very specific optimization for Intel, you may want to review benchmarks for those applications. In most modern office scenarios, Ryzen gives a better balance.

Pros and Cons

I always like to summarize what stood out to me in pros and cons so that decision-making is easier.

Pros:

• Strong multi-core CPU performance for business workloads.
• Fast DDR5 memory and PCIe SSD support for responsive performance.
• Compact small form factor that still allows upgrades.
• Rich connectivity including USB-C 20Gbps and dual 4K display support.
• Enterprise-grade security features: Windows 11 Pro, TPM 2.0, HP Wolf Security.
• Quiet operation under normal use and manageable cooling under load.

Cons:

• SFF limits large add-in cards or full-size discrete GPUs.
• HDMI 1.4b limits some high-refresh/high-bandwidth single-cable scenarios compared to newer HDMI versions.
• Included keyboard and mouse are functional but basic—many will want an upgrade.
• Under sustained heavy loads, fans can become more audible although not disruptively loud.

Deployment and IT Considerations

As someone who thinks about deployment, I like that HP provides tools and image support for business rollouts. Windows 11 Pro and TPM 2.0 support means these units are ready for enterprise management and security policies. If you manage multiple machines, standardized imaging and firmware management via HP tools will save time.

• Consider standardizing RAM/SSD configurations across the fleet.
• Use HP’s management utilities for BIOS and driver updates.
• Leverage TPM and HP Wolf for baseline security policies.

Price-to-Value

Evaluating price against features, I find the EliteDesk 805 G9 SFF offers solid value for businesses. The combination of Ryzen 5 8500G, DDR5 memory, fast NVMe storage, and enterprise security features makes it a long-term investment for office environments. If budget allows, opting for larger RAM or storage capacities is worthwhile for future-proofing.

Tips and Recommendations Based on My Experience

I always like to leave practical tips that I use when setting up new systems:

• Upgrade to 64GB of RAM if you run multiple VMs or large datasets—DDR5 scaling makes a difference.
• Consider a larger NVMe for local project storage; 1TB is fine for general use, but media-heavy workflows benefit from 2TB+.
• Replace the bundled keyboard and mouse with ergonomic options if you’ll be spending long hours at the desk.
• If you need multiple displays at high refresh, confirm display port versions and cabling for the exact resolution/refresh you expect.
• Keep firmware and drivers updated via HP tools to maintain enterprise security posture.

Final Thoughts and Recommendation

After using the HP EliteDesk 805 G9 SFF with the AMD Ryzen 5 8500G, 32GB DDR5, and 1TB PCIe SSD, I feel confident recommending it to business users who need a compact, secure, and powerful workstation. It strikes an excellent balance of performance, security, and practicality for modern office needs. I especially like the combination of up-to-date connectivity, DDR5 memory, enterprise security features, and upgrade paths that extend the useful life of the machine.

If you want a reliable small form factor desktop for office productivity, dual 4K displays, light content creation, and secure deployment, this EliteDesk model is a strong choice. For specialized tasks that need heavy discrete GPU power or full tower expandability, consider a different chassis, but for most business workflows, this EliteDesk will meet and often exceed expectations.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.