HP ZBook 8 G1i 14” review

HP ZBook 8 G1i 14 (2025) Review: The Compute-First Compact Workstation

The ZBook 8 G1i 14 is HP's 2025 Intel compact workstation: a Core Ultra 5 225U with an RTX 500 Laptop (Ada) GPU and 64 GB of memory at $1,760. Like its 16-inch sibling it posts the joint-best processor and performance numbers of the batch — and like that machine, its creative axes never quite spend the professional GPU.

Where it holds up

Overall performance reads 94.41 — 55.7 percent above the workstation-class median, in the top band and the joint-highest reading in this batch — and the processor score of 94.51 is likewise joint-best here. Mobility holds 84 against a class median of 36, portability 70.4 in the high band: this is one of the best-carrying Intel ZBook chassis in this batch. Reliability reads 88, more than double the class median, and office work lands at 91.91 in the top band.

Where it falls short

The gaming index reads zero because no matched scoring entry exists for the professional RTX 500 yet — a coverage gap rather than a verdict on the hardware. Among the measured axes, modeling sits at 22 in the low band, the lowest reading on the sheet, photo design at 21 also low, and engineering CAD at 46 only mid — thin results for a workstation with dedicated professional graphics. Value at 48.9 is mid-band.

Price and depreciation

At $1,760 this prices level with the entire 2025 ZBook tier. The modeled depreciation curve runs at 20 percent per year, the steepest pace in this batch; no listing anchor is available for dollar projections.

Alternatives to consider

The ZBook 8 G1ak 14 (2025) is the AMD alternative at the same $1,760: processor 93.61 against 94.51 here, but engineering CAD 75 against 46 and photo design 72 against 21 — the stronger balanced sheet. The ZBook 8 G1i 16 (2025) is this machine in a 16-inch frame at the same price, portability dropping from 70.4 to 45.1. The ZBook X G2i 16 (2026) at $2,200 fixes the creative axis entirely — photo design 88 — for the price of the badge year and half the portability.

Bottom line

Fairly priced for the class. The ZBook 8 G1i 14 is joint-best-in-batch compute in the best-carrying Intel workstation frame — bought knowing the unscored gaming axis and modeling at 22 mark where the professional GPU still owes the sheet.