My Z2 G9 SFF with 13700 have a 65 watt cooler......

Screen-R4bbit · ‎05-23-2025

Hi.

I'm new here, so please bear with me, but....

How on earth can it be that HP sells EXPENSIVE workstations, in this case mine, where the CPU can output a maximum of 220 watts, then they put a 65 watt cooler on it?
I´m using some space programs from steam (universe sandbox and more) and the CPU are from 85-97 degrees.
If im testing with their own program (HP PC hardware diagnostics windows) it goes to 100 degrees and clock down faster than you can say, what the ... is going on

NonSequitur777 · ‎05-23-2025

@Screen-R4bbit,

Welcome to our HP Community forum!

Yes, the Intel Core i7-13700 (16-Cores, 24-Threads, 4.10 GHz up to 5.20 GHz, Processor Base Power 65-watt, Maximum Turbo Power 219-watt) is indeed a powerful hybrid CPU with 16 cores (8P+8E) and a maximum turbo power of 219-watt.

That’s a serious amount of potential heat -especially when running AVX-heavy or multithreaded workloads like physics simulations (e.g., Universe Sandbox).

Now combine that with the Z2 G9 SFF chassis, which is:

A compact, space-saving design (SFF = Small Form Factor)
Limited to low-profile cooling solutions
Designed more for CAD, office, or light workstation tasks than heavy-duty simulation

HP includes a low-profile blower-style cooler (p/n: N04516-001 "SPS-Cooler CPU 65W Premium Z2 G9 SFF" rated at 65–watt, not anywhere near enough to handle the i7-13700 at medium let alone full tilt.

My Point of View:

1. HP Designed This for Quiet Corporate Use — Not Science Simulations:

The Z2 G9 SFF is primarily targeted at corporate/enterprise environments: think AutoCAD, Excel, email, and light rendering -not thermal-pounding workloads like Universe Sandbox or long-duration simulations. HP assumed this use case and thus tuned thermals conservatively.

Look, it's not a bad machine — it’s just not optimized for what you want it to do.

2. The Thermals Are Working "As Designed":

The CPU running into 100°C and throttling immediately under stress testing isn't a bug. It’s the thermal governor doing its job:

Preventing damage
Managing fan acoustics
Staying within the design envelope of the SFF chassis

But that doesn’t help a power user like you who’s seeing your system choke during real-world use.

What's the Real Issue?

Mismatch between hardware capability and thermal envelope:

CPU can pull up to 219-watt
Chassis/cooling is designed for ~65 perhaps up to 80-watt sustained use

Realistic User Options:

1. Undervolt / Power Limit:

Use ThrottleStop or QuickCPU* (my favorite) to:

Set PL1/PL2 to ~95-watt / 125-watt max
Disable turbo boost entirely (as a last resort)
This keeps temps in check and avoids abrupt throttling.

2. Improve Internal Airflow (if possible):

Sometimes the SFF chassis has an optional side intake fan bracket. I am not familiar with your particular SFF, but if it’s available, improving overall airflow can help -though limited due to space.

3. Move to a Z2 G9 Tower (if upgradable):

If you're not married to the SFF form factor, the Z2 G9 Tower has much better airflow and can support tower coolers. It's the same platform but allows real cooling for your i7-13700 to stretch its spindly legs.

4. Re-purpose the SFF:

If you can’t upgrade cooling, consider downgrading the CPU to a 65-watt TDP chip such as an i7-13700T or i5-13500T. Granted, you’re gonna lose some performance, but the machine will run cooler and quieter -and still do pretty well in many pro apps.

Final Thought:

You are 110% right to be frustrated. HP is putting an F1 turbo race engine in a compact commuter tricycle and hoping the user never hits the highway. That said, HP didn’t do anything wrong per spec -it’s just that SFF machines are thermally constrained by nature, and users such as yourself are pushing them beyond what they were built/designed for.

If you want workstation-grade sustained performance, a move to the Z2 Tower or Z4/Z6 workstation is the only path forward sans thermal compromise.

* I successfully utilized the freeware utility program QuickCPU for something similar, by throttling/limiting the CPU power input to 150-watt in my upgrade project: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/Upgrading-an-HP-Pavilion-TP01-3....

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

Screen-R4bbit · ‎05-23-2025

Waow, thank you for that great answer and good elaboration.
I must say though, they should have put a 125 watt cooler in this case. They do exist.

And, this is still a very expensive WORKSTATION they brand very well.

A small part here below.

((The Z2 SFF delivers high performance for your intensive workflow—from 3D design to real time raytracing—now and in the future.
Design, simulate and—for the first time—real time ray trace on a Z2 SFF. Now fitting full height, full length pro graphics and Intel®Core™ processors, including K-Series, this PC delivers tower-sized performance that defies space constraints.
Configurable for today. Expandable for tomorrow.

Accelerate your current workflow with a multitude of options across processor, graphics, memory, storage, and I/O ports. And with plenty of room to upgrade and expand, this PC is ready to grow with you as your workflow evolves.
Industry leading security. Reliability you can trust.

Get peace of mind with a PC that's built to endure. The Z2 SFF undergoes 360K hours of rigorous testing, military-standard testing and is certified for pro apps))

(((Undergoes 360K hours of rigorous testing)) I guess they forgot to test the cooler 😉

I'm just very disappointed and had to say it, sorry.

And again, thank you so much

NonSequitur777 · ‎05-23-2025