HP Z1 Workstation review

The Z1’s 27in widescreen IPS LED panel is stunning and has an amazing resolution of 2,560×1,440, matching the benchmark set by Apple’s current 27in iMacs. In fact, it’s the same LG panel as found on the Apple machines. It’s brilliant for detailed graphical work and looks nothing short of fantastic. The screen has a glossy panel, which might come as a disappointment to those who prefer to work on matte displays. The glossy panel adds punch to colours but can reflect overhead light sources.

Beyond that, however, there’s little to fault with the screen. Its colour and clarity are excellent, without any trace of the faint colour casts or oversaturation of any hue that are common on larger displays aimed at the consumer market. We wouldn’t expect anything less given the price of this system and the integrated monitor lives up to our expectations.

There are no graphics inputs so you can’t use the Z1’s screen as a standalone display, but if you want to connect a secondary monitor or a projector to the PC you can use the DisplayPort output on the back. It’s somewhat annoyingly positioned, though, as the stand obscures it – and most of the workstation’s other ports – when the PC is in the most comfortable working position. The manual recommends connecting everything you’ll need while the Z1 is folded into its flat transport and maintenance position, but given how hard it is to haul this heavy system upright on its stand, we don’t relish the idea of folding it back down every time we want to plug something in.

Also inconveniently located at the rear of the system are the power socket, four USB2 ports, three 3.5mm ports for analogue 5.1 surround sound, an optical S/PDIF output and a Gigabit Ethernet port. Further network connectivity is provided by dual-band 802.11n Wi-Fi. At the right-hand side of the screen are two USB3 ports, a memory card reader, a FireWire port and 3.5mm stereo microphone and headphone outputs.

The all-in-one’s integrated speakers are among the best of their kind. They’re positioned at the base of the display and their audio quality is probably helped by their relatively large size compared to the small speakers that have to be used on most such systems. There’s not much bass there, but the mid-range has far more clarity than most built-in speakers. There’s a slight hint of tinniness at the top end of cymbal strikes but most high notes are also reproduced evenly.

The PC comes with a rather generic wired keyboard and mouse set – they’re comfortable to use and we appreciated the very traditional style of the keyboard and the keys’ long travel when touch-typing. The mouse is ambidextrous, too. The PC’s integrated webcam supports up to 1,920×1,080 – great for HD videoconferencing, but video was a little grainy under office lighting. A helpful adjustment wheel makes the webcam easy to position, no matter what height you have your screen.

Unlike most all-in-ones, the Z1 is designed to be easy to open and upgrade. To do this, you have to go through the slightly fiddly process of lowering it on its stand until the screen lies flat. Sliding a couple of clips on what is now the front of the unit allows you to hinge the screen up like the bonnet of a car, revealing the PC’s innards beneath. Not everything’s replaceable, but there’s a standard 3 1/2in hard disk bay, occupied by a 1TB 7,200RPM HDD, a laptop DVD-RW drive, two occupied and two empty memory slots and a replaceable server-style PSU. There are also two free mini PCI-E slots – a third is occupied by the wireless adaptor. The graphics card is hooked up to a MXM (Mobile PCI Express Module) graphics connector. Everything that’s supposed to come out slides out neatly on black and green hinges – it’s a great bit of design.

This is undoubtedly a superb workstation – at £2,431 ex VAT there’s no excuse for it not to be. The all-in-one form factor has definite appeal for those kitting out an office, whether you’re purchasing for an entire department or setting up a private digital artist’s studio. The display is the same LG LM270WQ1 IPS panel you’ll find in Apple’s iMac – it’s a great model and given that most 27in 2,560×1,440 displays cost anywhere upwards of £400, you can see where some of your money has gone. It is possible to buy a desktop PC with a similar screen for around £2,000, but you’ll have to do without the Z1’s space-saving all-in-one design and the comfort of a three-year HP onsite warranty. If you’re after power in a stylish package, HP’s Z1 is an excellent buy.