Performance of HP Z440

[Shoaib440]

I have a HP Z440 Workstation with Intel Xeon E5-1650v4,  128 DDR RAM @Nvidia RTX 4070 GPU. Is my Workstation still relevant in 2024?

[NonSequitur777 · Accepted solution]

@Shoaib440,

Welcome to our HP Community forum!

Long story short: yes, your HP Z440 Workstation with your configuration is still relevant in 2024.

I am quite familiar with your system, as it was one of my HP legacy Workstation upgrade projects: https://h30434.www3.hp.com/t5/Desktop-Hardware-and-Upgrade-Questions/Upgrading-an-HP-Z440-Workstatio....

The Intel Xeon E5-1650 v4 is one of the best processors for an HP Z440 Workstation, though if you really want to top it off with the best of the best, the i7-6950X would be the most powerful CPU for your platform: UserBenchmark: Intel Core i7-6950X vs Xeon E5-1650 v4 -but I digress.

The answer to your question depends on what you are using your HP Z440 Workstation for.  If it is gaming, it will still hold its own.  Is it Workstation use, this 8-year old processor is showing its age -for example: doesn't have AVX2+, has a 2400 MHz RAM speed limit, has a lower single-thread speed compared with newer Xeon processors, etc.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur77

[Shoaib440]

Thank you so much for your guidance.  Is there any gaming laptop that can compete with my Workstation?

[NonSequitur777]

@Shoaib440,

You are welcome!

When comparing HP gaming laptops to the HP Z440 Workstation, there are a few factors to consider, such as processing power, graphics performance, expandability, and durability.

The HP Z440 was and still is a powerful desktop workstation designed for high-end computing tasks such as 3D rendering, video editing, CAD, and scientific simulations. It is built to be highly expandable with support for multiple GPUs, plenty of RAM, and storage options. Here’s how HP gaming laptops compare in terms of performance:

HP Omen and Victus Series (gaming laptops):

• CPU: The latest HP gaming laptops, like the HP Omen or HP Victus series, come with high-performance Intel Core i7/i9 or AMD Ryzen 7/9 processors. These CPUs can match or even surpass some of the Xeon processors found in the Z440 in terms of general-purpose computing.

• GPU: HP Omen laptops often come with powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40-series GPUs, which are excellent for gaming and can handle GPU-intensive tasks like 3D rendering, but they aren't optimized for professional workloads as well as the Quadro or Radeon Pro cards found in workstations. However, if you don’t need workstation-level GPU performance (such as the specific advantages of Quadro cards in CAD and simulation software), Omen laptops can be highly competitive.

• RAM and Storage: Gaming laptops often come with 16GB to 64GB of RAM and fast NVMe SSDs. While they can't compete with the raw expandability of a workstation like the Z440 (which can support up to 128GB of ECC RAM), the gaming laptops' RAM should be sufficient for most gaming and creative work. Storage is typically fast, though limited in expandability compared to a desktop.

• Cooling and Durability: Workstations like the Z440 are designed for heavy sustained loads, with superior cooling and durability. Gaming laptops are optimized for short bursts of heavy workloads, and may throttle performance under extended high usage unless they are well-cooled models like some in the Omen series.

Key Comparison Points:

• Expandability: Workstations like the Z440 allow for much more customization and upgrading in terms of GPU, RAM, and storage compared to a laptop.
• Portability: Gaming laptops are, of course, portable, while the Z440 is a desktop machine.
• GPU Optimization: The Z440 can be equipped with Quadro GPUs, which are optimized for professional software like AutoCAD and SolidWorks, whereas gaming laptops with GeForce cards may not perform as well in those specific tasks but excel in gaming and general 3D rendering.
• Price: A high-end HP Omen laptop may be similarly priced or slightly more expensive than an HP Z440, but it won’t match the raw power and stability of the workstation for tasks like CAD and heavy computation.

Conclusion:

An HP Omen gaming laptop can compete in terms of raw CPU/GPU performance for general tasks and some creative workloads, but it won’t match the expandability, cooling, or professional-grade reliability of a workstation like the HP Z440. If your workloads include high-end professional computing tasks (e.g., CAD, video editing, simulations), the Z440 or another modern workstation would still be preferable. However, if you want a balance between gaming and creative work in a portable form factor, the HP Omen laptops would be a strong alternative.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[Shoaib440]

Thank you so much for your guidance.  It means that my Workstation is still a Powerful Workstation and I can stick with it.

[NonSequitur777]

@Shoaib440,

You're welcome!

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[Shoaib440]

Hi...

Hope you are doing well. I have another question.  Can I install RTX 4500 ADA Generation GPU in my Workstation?

[NonSequitur777]

@Shoaib440,

I don't see why not, since you mentioned that you had an RTX 4070 installed, both cards were released in 2023. Make sure that the RTX 4500 length dimension (245 mm / 9.6 inches) is a fit in your Workstation.

An RTX 4500 would make a graphics card upgrade:

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777

[Shoaib440]

Thanks...

Yes, I think it will fit easily. Because it is designed for Workstations.  Any suggestions?

[NonSequitur777]

@Shoaib440,

Any GPU suggestions?  I would have thought that an RTX 4070 would provide plenty of graphics performance for you.

I can't be sure, but if you go beyond an RTX 4070 Ti Super, your Workstation -or rather your processor, would be your system's bottleneck.

Kind Regards,

NonSequitur777