HP Pro Mini 400 G9 Mini-PC review: Compact workstation impresses with good efficiency thanks to Intel Core i5-14500T

With the same advantages as HP's Elite Mini 800 G9 series in terms of modular design, HP offers its Pro Mini 400 G9 models at a more attractive price. In this test, we will focus on the HP Pro Mini 400 G9, which is powered by an Intel Core i5-14500T. The manufacturer charges 870 euros for the test configuration, which is equipped with 16 GB DDR4 RAM and a 512 GB SSD. In terms of price, nothing changes compared to the HP Pro Mini 400 G9 with 13500T CPU.

As a compact office device for everyday use, the HP Pro Mini 400 G9 has to compete against other mini-PCs that we recently put through our test course. We take a detailed look at the duel with the HP Elite Mini 800 G9 with Intel Core i5-14500. We have compiled a list of all comparison devices in the following table.

Note: We have updated our rating system and the results of version 8 are not comparable with the results of version 7 available here.

Visually, the HP Pro Mini 400 G9 is very similar to the HP Elite Mini 800 G9 models. Only the name on the front indicates the respective model and a different housing cover is installed. The perforated lid, which is used on the HP Elite Mini 800 G9, is now completely closed. As a result, less dust gets inside, although the ventilation is also slightly worse - more on the effects this has on the noise level in everyday use later. The modular design is great and scores points in terms of sustainability. After all, various components can be replaced and minor repairs are possible. The workmanship is impeccable, which means that the HP Pro Mini 400 G9 earns nothing but praise from us, at this point.

The HP Pro Mini 400 G9 is only available in combination with RAM and SSD. The device can be opened very easily and even without tools. The housing cover is only fixed at the back with a knurled screw. If this is loosened, the cover can be slid backwards and removed. The RAM can be found directly under the CPU fan, which can also be removed without tools. To access the SSD or the WLAN module, a screwdriver is required. However, thanks to the modular design, these components are easily accessible. Cleaning the device is also done quickly. As with the HP Elite Mini 800 G9, the CPU of the HP Pro Mini 400 G9 can also be removed and replaced if necessary.

The HP Pro Mini 400 G9 PCs are delivered in a simple cardboard box. Due to the accessories, the outer packaging is slightly larger. The individual accessories are packed in separate plastic sleeves, which could be improved in terms of sustainability. The modular design, which allows for minor repairs, should also be emphasized. Various spare parts can be purchased directly from HP. As the manufacturer informed us on request, so-called ocean-bound plastic is used for the production of the devices, which would otherwise have ended up in the oceans. The manufacturer also relies on innovative recycled raw materials such as used cooking oil, fishing nets, and coffee grounds. This is underpinned by various certifications from external partners such as "Blue Angel", "EPEAT" and "TCO".

We use the "HP Optimized" energy profile for all performance tests with the HP Pro Mini 400 G9. HP itself does not offer any further options for customizing the system's performance. The processor's power limits can be adjusted via the XTU (Intel Extreme Tuning Utility) tool. However, we do not recommend increasing the values since the power consumption rises too high and the power supply unit is not designed for this.

As we have already mentioned several times, the installed Intel Core i5-14500T is a conventional desktop processor from the Raptor Lake series. With 6 P and 8 E cores, the processor offers just as many computing units as the Intel Core i5-13500T, which HP also installs in its mini-PCs. We have already tested this model in detail and can now compare exactly what performance increase the Intel Core i5-14500T offers. In short, both models deliver an almost identical performance, which only leads to a small performance advantage of four percentage points in favor of the newer processor in the performance rating.

The name suffix "T" reveals that the processors are particularly economical models. Intel defines 35 watts as the performance limit for the processor installed here, although up to 92 watts are possible in Turbo if the conditions are right. However, HP limits the maximum power consumption of the processor to 74 watts due to the small cooling unit. However, even this value is not reached in the test. We can already reveal that at this point. With the exception of the HP Pro Mini 400 G9 based on the Intel Core i5-13500T, all other competitors deliver more performance than our test sample. The gap to the Minisforum MS-01 is only eight percentage points.

For further comparisons and benchmarks, please refer to our CPU comparison table.

The HP Pro Mini 400 G9 also performs slightly worse than its rivals from the Far East in the system performance benchmarks. Only the internal duel is won by our test sample. The use of DDR4 certainly contributes to the fact that the HP Pro Mini 400 G9 with the Intel Core i5-14500T does not deliver a better result. In addition, only one RAM module is installed, which also limits the bandwidth, as a second module would allow the use of dual channels.