New Z2 Mini G4 compatibility

[pancu]

Hi guys,
I would like to buy this mini PC. Has anyone tried it?

Hewlett Packard Inc. launched “Z2,” a new family of entry-level workstations, along with a new supercharged business desktop with workstation ISC certifications.
Here is the Z2 Mini G4.

Hardware :
CPU : i7-8700 Up to 4.6 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology (3.2 GHz base frequency) 12 MB cache and 6 cores
Graphic : Intel® UHD Graphics 630. (same GPU as the new mac mini)
RAM : DDR4 memory up to 2666 MT/s data rate
Integrated Audio: Conexant CX20632 5.1 HD Audio

Lan : Intel I219LM PCIe GbE Controller (Intel vPro with Intel AMT 12.0)

Wireless : Intel 9560 Wireless LAN (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 5 Module
(1) Headphone/microphone combo jack
(1) USB 3.0 Type-A charging data port
(1) USB 3.0 Type-A data port
(1) USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C charging data port
(2) DisplayPort (DP 1.2) outputs from Intel UHD graphics
(2) USB 3.0 ports
(1) Serial port (optional)
(1) RJ-45 (LoM)
(1) Flexible module port output (optional flexible module required)


Source : https://support.hp.com/us-en/produc...on/19968625/model/19968626/document/c06095844

 

[Feartech]

Hi guys,
I would like to buy this mini PC. Has anyone tried it?

Hewlett Packard Inc. launched “Z2,” a new family of entry-level workstations, along with a new supercharged business desktop with workstation ISC certifications.
Here is the Z2 Mini G4.

Hardware :
CPU : i7-8700 Up to 4.6 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology (3.2 GHz base frequency) 12 MB cache and 6 cores
Graphic : Intel® UHD Graphics 630. (same GPU as the new mac mini)
RAM : DDR4 memory up to 2666 MT/s data rate
Integrated Audio: Conexant CX20632 5.1 HD Audio

Lan : Intel I219LM PCIe GbE Controller (Intel vPro with Intel AMT 12.0)

Wireless : Intel 9560 Wireless LAN (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 5 Module
(1) Headphone/microphone combo jack
(1) USB 3.0 Type-A charging data port
(1) USB 3.0 Type-A data port
(1) USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C charging data port
(2) DisplayPort (DP 1.2) outputs from Intel UHD graphics
(2) USB 3.0 ports
(1) Serial port (optional)
(1) RJ-45 (LoM)
(1) Flexible module port output (optional flexible module required)


Source : https://support.hp.com/us-en/produc...on/19968625/model/19968626/document/c06095844

looks nice

you will have to see if the wifi can be replaced though

 

[pancu]

looks nice

you will have to see if the wifi can be replaced though

Ok, everything else should be supported? I'm newbie in hackintosh.

 

[Feartech]

Ok, everything else should be supported? I'm newbie in hackintosh.

should be ok to go, you will find out when you make your attempt

 

[pastrychef]

Hi guys,
I would like to buy this mini PC. Has anyone tried it?

Hewlett Packard Inc. launched “Z2,” a new family of entry-level workstations, along with a new supercharged business desktop with workstation ISC certifications.
Here is the Z2 Mini G4.

Hardware :
CPU : i7-8700 Up to 4.6 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology (3.2 GHz base frequency) 12 MB cache and 6 cores
Graphic : Intel® UHD Graphics 630. (same GPU as the new mac mini)
RAM : DDR4 memory up to 2666 MT/s data rate
Integrated Audio: Conexant CX20632 5.1 HD Audio

Lan : Intel I219LM PCIe GbE Controller (Intel vPro with Intel AMT 12.0)

Wireless : Intel 9560 Wireless LAN (802.11ac) and Bluetooth 5 Module
(1) Headphone/microphone combo jack
(1) USB 3.0 Type-A charging data port
(1) USB 3.0 Type-A data port
(1) USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C charging data port
(2) DisplayPort (DP 1.2) outputs from Intel UHD graphics
(2) USB 3.0 ports
(1) Serial port (optional)
(1) RJ-45 (LoM)
(1) Flexible module port output (optional flexible module required)


Source : https://support.hp.com/us-en/produc...on/19968625/model/19968626/document/c06095844

Getting audio to work might be challenging. You can try VoodooHDA or use a USB audio dongle.

 

[trs96]

At the prices HP is asking for those you'd be better off getting a new 2018 Mini.

Here's their base model, with an i3-8100 and 500 GB old school, mechanical, platter hard drive.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-4YN57UT...h=item2f2524aa3e:g:D8IAAOSwqRlb2Go~:rk:4:pf:0
Asking over $830 so why not get a Mini and have TH3 and HDMI 2.0 + the faster NVME drive that works ?

HP even calls the color Space Gray LOL

 

[flux-capacitor]

Two very interesting facts not mentioned above are 1) the HP Z2 mini G4 workstation can have an optional but free Thunderbolt 3 port in its "additional module" and 2) you can choose for the "Performance" version among three different discrete pro GPUs!

As the previous comments missed some points I would like to make a more complete summary below. So here is a quick comparison with the Mac mini Late 2018. Both have the exact same configurations: same CPU, same integrated Intel GPU, same amount of RAM, same amount of SSD (except a compatible Wi-Fi card you need to add for the HP if you want Wi-Fi):

• Mac mini: i7-8700 / Intel UHD 630 / RAM 8GB / SSD 256GB = $1299
Overview | Tech specs

• HP Z2 mini: i7-8700 / Intel UHD 630 / RAM 8GB / SSD 256GB = $1015
Overview | Datasheet | Tech specs

For almost $300 less, I do not see this setup as particularly interesting (your mileage may vary). However, the HP Z2 mini G4 "Performance" is also fully customizable as a powerful barebone with discrete pro GPUs, e.g.:

• HP Z2 mini: i7-8700 / NVIDIA Quadro P1000 (4GB GDDR5) / no RAM / no SSD = $1211.04

Which, IMHO, is a whole another story, if this graphic card can have HW acceleration with macOS!

Side notes about the HP Z2 mini G4:
- Can be customized with many Intel CPUs and three different discrete GPUs.
- Two DDR4-2666 SO-DIMM slots.
- Optional "extension module" that can be chosen to be a Thunderbolt 3 port (and this is a free option!)
- One M.2 80mm PCie slot and one standard SATA3 2.5" slot for internal storage.
- The Intel Wi-Fi card is on another M.2 slot but it can be ordered without it (to put a compatible Broadcom card).
- The power supply is not integrated (external brick).
- One internal 1.5W mono speaker for basic audio (audio chipset is Conexant CX20632-31Z, is it compatible with available kexts?).

Does this little beast work with High Sierra or Mojave?

 

[trs96]

Which, IMHO, is a whole another story, if this graphic card can have HW acceleration with macOS!

I've seen people get the P1000 working with Sierra and High Sierra using the Nvidia Web drivers. There are none for Mojave.

Does this little beast work with High Sierra or Mojave?

It would take some work but it Should work with High Sierra. Mojave of course you're stuck with UHD 630 graphics.

The only PSU option is a 135W external. Doesn't give much headroom for a powerful dedicated graphics card. Vega 56 or 64 are completely out of the question. Those are what Pros need to use with macOS. Thunderbolt on any hackintosh always has specific compromises and is not reliable. So that alone makes it a tough decision to invest a lot of money into one of these if it's for Pro use.

 

[flux-capacitor]

I've seen people get the P1000 working with Sierra and High Sierra using the Nvidia Web drivers. There are none for Mojave.

Yes, we are dependent on NVIDIA for their Mojave web drivers.
But the HP Z2 mini G4 can also be customized with a cheaper compatible Polaris 11 chip, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 4150 (4GB GDDR5). This is a discrete GPU that is about 168% faster than the Intel UHD 630 of the Mac mini. It is present in the AMD9500Controller.kext of Mojave.

Matching the i7 Mac mini with the same configuration, i.e. 8GB of RAM and a (removable) 256GB NVMe PCie SSD in its M.2 slot, the Z2 costs $1176 vs $1299 for the Mac mini, which has an integrated Intel UHD 630.

The only PSU option is a 135W external. Doesn't give much headroom for a powerful dedicated graphics card

No, it is a 230W power supply when you choose the appropriate "Performance" option that allows you to pick up discrete graphic cards.
But I should add there are workstation mobile GPUs.
I also forgot to tell this machine has also a HDMI 2.0 port besides DisplayPort, gigabit-ethernet, USB-A, USB-C and TB3.

 

[trs96]

Matching the i7 Mac mini with the same configuration, i.e. 8GB of RAM and a (removable) 256GB NVMe PCie SSD in its M.2 slot, the Z2 costs $1176 vs $1299 for the Mac mini, which has an integrated Intel UHD 630.

Are you going to buy a Z2 and try it ? What specific use scenario ? If you can hackintosh it successfully it might be worth the investment. Maybe you'll be the Z2 hackintosh pioneer. Make sure to do a write up.