HP Z8 G4 Series Tower Workstation

HP Z8 G4 Workstation Features

Mobility & Flexibility

With full grip front and rear aluminum carrying handles and slick feet, the system can be moved to a new location or to gain better access. The system can be used in desktop/deskside orientations or rack-mounted using HP's enterprise-class, fully extendable rails.

Interior Design & Cooling

The interior is organized with a consistent user access strategy. All user-serviceable components are identified with blue touchpoints. The service label located on the left access panel provides users with system board and memory loading information and quick access to diagnostic information. Cables are hidden or efficiently routed, providing better component access and airflow management.

The chassis is designed to maximize fresh air inlet to the system, and direct cool air where it's needed. The CPU and memory ducting has a design to help maximize fresh air inlet to both the memory and CPU, and keeps the memory airflow separated from the CPU airflow. The memory ducting has a patent-pending multi-channel design that directs cooler air from the inlet to both the front and rear DIMM banks, as well as to separate segments along the length of the DIMMs. The zone between the front and rear CPUs is divided by a baffle to direct fresh air to both CPUs and prevent preheated exhaust air from the front CPU cooler from entering the rear CPU cooler.

Designing the Experience

Due to the tool-free ease of use, HP understands system and component security may be a concern. Therefore, several security features have been incorporated. The left side access panel includes a key lock and the right side panel can be secured with the HP BPC Security Lock or Kensington security device. An optional system intrusion switch is also available. The rear access power supply is unlocked by default but can be secured by removing the PSU and enabling the locking mechanism on the side cover of the power supply.

DDR4 Memory Supported

The HP Z8 G4 supports up to 768GB using RDIMM modules (8, 16, and 32GB), and up to 3TB using LRDIMM modules (64, 128, and 256GB). While the system has 24 total RAM slots, all 24 slots are only supported in systems with dual processors. Systems with single processors only support 12 RAM slots. Additionally, the system will only work with DDR4 memory, you cannot mix LRDIMMs with RDIMMs, and dual processor configurations with memory modules installed for only one processor is not supported.

PCI Express Connectors

Seven PCIe Gen3 slots provide expandability supporting up to four PCIe storage devices with optional slots, including Thunderbolt 3 cards and RAID controllers.

Slot 1
PCIe Gen3 x4 (transforms to PCIe Gen3 x8 when a second CPU is installed)

Slot 2
PCIe Gen3 x16

Slot 3
PCIe Gen3 x16 (available only when a second CPU is installed)

Slot 4
PCIe Gen3 x16

Slot 5
PCIe Gen3 x4

Slot 6
PCIe Gen3 x16 (available only when a second CPU is installed)

Slot 7
PCIe Gen3 x4

Note: The PCIe x4 and PCIe x8 connectors are all open ended, allowing a PCIe x16 card to be seated in the slot

Front I/O

This HP Z8 G4 is configured with the Entry Front I/O option and is equipped with four 5 Gb/s USB 3.0 Type-A ports (the left-most supports battery charging), a combo headset/microphone jack,, and the option for an SD card reader.

Internal I/O

Internal Slot 1 (CPU 1)
PCIe Gen3 x8 (always available, for M.2 storage)
Internal Slot 2 (CPU 2)
PCIe Gen3 x8 (available only when a second CPU is installed, for M.2 storage)

2 USB 2.0 ports available with a single 2x5 header
1 USB 2.0 port available with a 1x6 header
1 USB 3.0 and 1 USB 2.0 port available with a 2x6 header

Note: The 2x5 header can be converted to a standard USB 2.0 Type-A port using HP's Internal USB Bus Port Kit, which uses half of the 2x5 header. The 1x6 header can be converted to USB 2.0 Type-A using the same kit and uses 5 pin positions on the header, and the 2x6 header can also be converted to USB 2.0 Type-A using the same kit, which takes up half of the 2x6 header. Additionally, the USB 3.0 header is available with a single 20-pin shrouded connector for a USB media card reader.

Rear I/O

In the rear I/O area, the HP Z8 G4 provides six 5 Gb/s USB 3.0 Type-A ports, dual Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, support for two additional Ethernet ports via a separately sold module, a 3.5mm audio line-in/mic-in jack, a 3.5mm audio line-out jack, two PS/2 ports, and a serial port. Additional rear I/O ports can be added via PCIe add-in cards.

Windows 10 Pro

Start Menu

After its hiatus in Windows 8, the Start Menu has returned. Utilizing a combination of the traditional menu system and Windows 8's Live Tiles, the improved Start Menu gives you more information at a glance, showing notification information alongside your applications and other pinned items.

Cortana

Microsoft's digital personal assistant, Cortana can answer your questions with information gleaned from both your device and the internet at large. You can type or even talk with her, if your system has a microphone. Using her Notebook, Cortana keeps track of your needs and wants, and she learns over time to improve her information gathering skills.

Microsoft Edge

After nearly 20 years, Microsoft has finally replaced its Internet Explorer web browser. With Microsoft Edge, users can write directly on web pages and share notes with friends and colleagues. It also improves the online reading experience by adding a distraction-free mode and read-it-later functionality. Edge also has built-in Cortana integration; you can have her help you find a restaurant, make a reservation, and pull up directions without leaving your browser.

Windows Store

For Windows 10, Microsoft has unified the Windows Store. Now, apps for PCs, tablets, and phones will all be accessible from one place. And with support for Universal Apps, one version of an app can work across all your compatible devices automatically.

Windows Continuum

Windows 10 was designed for a variety of screen sizes and input styles, and with its Continuum feature, it automatically adapts to fit your needs. A Windows 10 tablet on its own requires a touch-centric approach, but attaching a mouse and keyboard will shift everything to a more traditional interface. You can even attach an external monitor to your Windows 10 phone for a near-desktop experience. But it's not just the operating system; Windows Universal Apps take advantage of Continuum as well.

Xbox on Windows 10

Gaming is a big focus of Windows 10. Xbox integration allows for PC players to match up against Xbox One players on supported games, and if you have an Xbox One, you can even stream compatible titles to your PC. Native support for recording with the new Game DVR feature makes it easy to capture and share your gameplay. The new DirectX12 takes better advantage of multi-core processors, giving games a performance boost, even on older hardware. Windows 10 also features native support for virtual reality headsets, such as the Oculus Rift.

Windows 10 Pro

The Pro version of Windows 10 includes all of the features of Windows 10 Home plus many designed specifically for businesses users, including Hyper-V virtualization, BitLocker disk encryption, and remote desktop access. Devices will also be able to join domains and the Azure Active Directory, and they can even access a specialized version of the Windows Store featuring custom, company-specific applications.