HP EliteDesk HP 800 G1, Core i5-4590, 16GB, 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD

The HP EliteDesk 800 G1 is a $200 refurbished office PC with a snappy SSD and plenty of RAM for basic tasks. The CPU is old and the graphics are useless for gaming, but for spreadsheets and email it gets the job done. Worth it if you need cheap and functional, skip it if you need anything more.

The i5-4590 sits near the bottom of our CPU rankings, and you'll feel it when you push this thing. Basic office work, web browsing, and light multitasking are fine, especially with 16GB of RAM backing it up. But throw video editing, heavy Excel models, or a dozen Chrome tabs at it and the fans will spin up while things chug along. The Intel HD 4600 graphics are somehow ranked high in our database, but that's because most desktops in this category ship with even weaker integrated chips. Don't let that fool you into thinking this can game. It can't. The 256GB SSD is the real hero here, making Windows 11 feel usable on hardware that technically shouldn't be running it.

Against something like the Lenovo ThinkCentre M710Q, the EliteDesk gives you more RAM and storage for the money, but the ThinkCentre is smaller and newer. The Dell Precision 3630 is a proper workstation with far more CPU muscle, though it costs significantly more. The ACEMAGIC Retro X3 and Minisforum DeskMini are tiny modern boxes with better efficiency and newer ports, but they skimp on storage and RAM at this price. The EliteDesk wins on raw specs per dollar, loses on age and connectivity.

At around $200 USD, this is a cheap way to get a functional Windows 11 desktop. The SSD and 16GB of RAM are the main selling points, since most new budget PCs at this price ship with 8GB and a spinning drive. But you're buying old silicon with no upgrade path that makes sense. For basic office work, it's a reasonable deal. For anything more demanding, you'll outgrow it fast.

The HP EliteDesk 800 G1 is a refurbished office workhorse from a decade ago, and it knows it. You get a quad-core i5-4590, 16GB of DDR3, and a dual-drive setup with a 256GB SSD for Windows 11 and a 1TB spinner for files. It's not trying to impress anyone, it's trying to get through a workday without drama.

And for basic business tasks, it mostly does. The SSD keeps boot times snappy and app launches feel responsive enough. But the CPU is old, the integrated graphics are ancient, and the port selection is a mixed bag. This is a budget box for spreadsheets and email, not a machine you'll be excited about.

Skip this if you need to do any video editing, 3D work, or gaming. The CPU and integrated graphics will frustrate you daily. Also skip it if you need modern ports like USB-C or HDMI, since you'll be stuck with DisplayPort and USB-A. And if you want something that'll still feel decent in three years, save up for a newer machine instead.

This is a fine machine for someone who needs a cheap, reliable desktop for email, documents, and light web work. Small business owners, students on a tight budget, or anyone replacing an ancient tower will be happy. Just don't expect it to do anything creative or demanding, and don't expect it to feel fast in two years.