Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | HP - Z2 Mini G1a | Apple - Mac mini M4 |
|---|---|---|
| RAM | 64 GB | 16 GB |
| Storage | 1024 GB | 256 GB |
| TDP | 120 W | 65 W |
| Volume | 2.7 L | 0.34 L |
Between the Z2 Mini G1a and Mac mini M4, the Z2 Mini G1a comes out ahead in ram / storage, while the Mac mini M4 wins on tdp / volume. Overall, the Z2 Mini G1a scores 60.1 and the Mac mini M4 scores 64.1 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The Mac mini M4 edges ahead on the Mars Score (60.1 vs 64.1), but the 4.0-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the Z2 Mini G1a if you push the hardware — gaming, on-device AI, heavy multitasking — and the extra compute headroom is worth the trade-offs. The biggest gaps in its favor are ram, storage. The single most decisive one: RAM — 300.00% more. 64 GB vs 16 GB.
Pick the Mac mini M4 if you care most about tdp / volume. Its strongest claims are tdp, volume. The single most decisive one: TDP — 55.00 W less. 65 vs 120.
Both ship with comparable thunderbolt, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: HP - Z2 Mini G1a or Apple - Mac mini M4?
Apple - Mac mini M4 leads the current Mars Score by 4.0 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare ram, storage, volume, tdp against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose HP - Z2 Mini G1a if…
HP - Z2 Mini G1a has the measurable edge on ram gb, storage gb.
Choose Apple - Mac mini M4 if…
Apple - Mac mini M4 has the measurable edge on tdp w, volume l.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why HP - Z2 Mini G1a wins
- ▲RAM — 300.00% more. 64 GB vs 16 GB.
- ▲Storage — 300.00% more. 1024 GB vs 256 GB.
Why Apple - Mac mini M4 wins
- ▲TDP — 55.00 W less. 65 vs 120.
- ▲Volume — 2.36 L less. 0.34 vs 2.7.
Spec comparison
Core
Form & I/O
| Spec | HP - Z2 Mini G1a | Apple - Mac mini M4 |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 2.7 L | 0.34 Llead |
| Weight | 1.99 kg | 0.67 kglead |
| TDPⓘ | 120 W | 65 Wlead |
| USB ports | 6lead | 5 |
| Thunderboltⓘ | true | true |