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HP 290 G9 Pro Tower i3 Desktop 16GB RAM 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD — main product image
HP 290 G9 Pro Tower i3 Desktop 16GB RAM 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
HP 290 G9 Pro Tower i3 Desktop 16GB RAM 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
HP 290 G9 Pro Tower i3 Desktop 16GB RAM 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
HP 290 G9 Pro Tower i3 Desktop 16GB RAM 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
HP 290 G9 Pro Tower i3 Desktop 16GB RAM 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD
HP

HP 290 G9 Pro Tower i3 Desktop 16GB RAM 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD

★★★★★4.1 (242 reviews)
UHDi3-1310016GB RAM256GB SSD1TB HDD

A 13th Gen Core i3 business tower with dual-storage configuration that handles day-to-day productivity workloads without the thermal throttling baggage of compact form factors.

$699.99*
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jun 06, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

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Overview

The HP Pro Tower 290 G9 is a business desktop built around the 13th Gen Intel Core i3-13100 — a 4-core, 8-thread processor that boosts to 4.5GHz and carries 12MB of L3 cache. What those numbers mean practically: this is a chip that handles the parallelism of modern browser-heavy office work (20 tabs, a video call, a running spreadsheet) without the thread starvation that older dual-core i3 systems showed under concurrent load. The 16GB of DDR4-3200 RAM feeds that processor adequately for multitasking, and the 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD ensures the OS and primary applications are loading from flash — boot times and application responsiveness are noticeably faster than HDD-only configurations. The 1TB mechanical drive rounds out the storage config with bulk capacity, running at 5400 RPM for archival and document storage.

The tower form factor is a deliberate engineering choice for a business machine — airflow is predictable, thermals stay controlled under sustained load, and the chassis leaves physical room for memory expansion up to 32GB. Connectivity is well-suited to a corporate desk: HDMI and VGA outputs for dual-monitor setups, 8 USB ports across two generations, Wi-Fi 5 and Bluetooth 5, and a wired RJ-45 for IT-managed network environments. Windows 11 Pro ships pre-installed, giving IT departments BitLocker encryption and domain management out of the box. The 180W power supply and integrated-only graphics make this a productivity machine, not a workstation — but for SMB deployments, remote worker setups, and general office tasks, the 290 G9 is correctly specified and reliably built.

Key Features

【Premium RAM and Storage】 Enhance multitasking capabilities with 16GB RAM, while enjoying significantly faster performance compared to traditional hard drives with a 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD and an extra 1TB HDD.

【Processor】 12th Gen Intel Core i3-12100 (up to 4.3 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology, 12 MB L3 cache, 4 cores, 8 threads)

【Graphics and DVD】 The system includes an integrated Intel UHD 730 Graphics card and a slim drive with an emergency eject pinhole for reading from and writing to CDs and DVDs.

【Connectivity and Ports】 The system offers Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth combo for connectivity, along with a comprehensive range of ports including HDMI, VGA, RJ-45, and 8 USB ports (4 USB 2.0 and 4 USB 3.2 Gen 1).

【Operating System】 Optimize your computing experience with the Windows 11 Pro, 64-bit operating system, delivering a seamless user interface and language support in US English. The package also includes a , HP 125 wired USB Keyboard in Black, designed with an English (UK) layout, as well as a matching HP 125 wired USB Mouse in Black. Elevate your computing experience with this comprehensive set of accessories.

Specifications

Processor
Intel Core i3-13100, up to 4.5GHz, 4 cores / 8 threads, 12MB L3 cache
RAM
16GB DDR4-3200MHz SDRAM (expandable to 32GB)
Primary Storage
256GB PCIe M.2 SSD
Secondary Storage
1TB HDD, 5400 RPM
Graphics
Intel UHD 730 (integrated)
Operating System
Windows 11 Pro, 64-bit
Optical Drive
HP 9.5mm Slim DVD-Writer
Front Ports
4x USB Type-A 5Gbps, 1x Headphone/Microphone combo
Rear Ports
1x HDMI, 1x VGA, 1x RJ-45, 4x USB 2.0, 1x Line In/Out
Wireless
Realtek RTL8822CE 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi + Bluetooth 5
Power Supply
180W external power adapter
Dimensions
11.92 x 6.10 x 13.27 inches
Weight
Starting at 10.5 lbs
Max Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160 (via HDMI)
Included Accessories
HP 125 Wired Keyboard, HP 125 Wired Mouse

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • The i3-13100's 4-core/8-thread configuration at up to 4.5GHz handles parallel office workloads — spreadsheets, browser-heavy research, video calls — without the core-count bottleneck of older entry-level chips.
  • Dual-storage layout ships with the OS pre-configured on fast PCIe M.2 SSD, delivering responsive boot and application performance out of the box.
  • 8 USB ports (4x USB 2.0, 4x USB 3.2 Gen 1) plus HDMI, VGA, and RJ-45 rear I/O provide practical peripheral density for a fully equipped office desk.
  • Tower form factor allows passive thermal headroom that compact desktops can't match — sustained performance under moderate CPU load without aggressive fan spin-up.
  • Windows 11 Pro ships pre-installed with full business feature set including BitLocker, Remote Desktop, and domain join capability.

👎 Cons

  • Intel UHD 730 integrated graphics shares system memory bandwidth with the CPU — any GPU-accelerated task (video export, CAD, multi-display color work) is a hard ceiling this system cannot clear.
  • 180W external power adapter provides no upgrade headroom for discrete graphics; adding even a low-profile GPU card would require a complete power supply swap.
  • 5400 RPM mechanical HDD for bulk storage is a noticeable performance drop when accessing large files or running applications stored on that drive — users will need to actively manage what lives on the SSD.
  • No USB-C ports on the front or rear panel limits connectivity for modern peripherals and docking stations that rely on USB-C data or power delivery.
  • Optical DVD-Writer is legacy inclusion that occupies a drive bay but most business workflows no longer require, and it cannot be repurposed for additional storage.

Frequently Asked Questions

The 256GB PCIe M.2 SSD is your OS and application drive — boot times and application launch speeds are fast because the system is reading from flash storage. The 1TB mechanical HDD (5400 RPM) is bulk storage for documents, archived files, and data that doesn't need low-latency access. The practical limitation is that the HDD is noticeably slower for anything requiring random read/write; move active project files to the SSD partition.
Yes. The 290 G9 supports DDR4 SDRAM at 3200MHz and is configurable up to 32GB. If your workload involves running multiple browser sessions, a VM, or light database work simultaneously, upgrading to 32GB is a meaningful performance lever with the i3-13100's 8-thread architecture.
Yes. The rear panel provides both HDMI and VGA outputs, enabling dual-display configurations. Maximum supported resolution is 3840x2160 (4K) via HDMI. Note that the UHD 730 is integrated graphics — it shares system RAM and is not suitable for GPU-accelerated tasks like video rendering or 3D modeling.
The unit ships with the 13th Gen Intel Core i3-13100, which boosts to 4.5GHz with Turbo Boost and carries a 12MB L3 cache across 4 cores and 8 threads. Some listing descriptions reference the 12th Gen i3-12100 — the 13100 is the current shipping configuration and represents a minor IPC and frequency improvement over its predecessor.
The 180W PSU is sized for the integrated graphics configuration. Adding a discrete GPU — even a low-profile card — will likely push the system past its power budget. If you plan to add a dedicated GPU later, this power supply becomes a hard limitation that would require a full PSU replacement.

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