Which is better for CAD and BIM work?

The HP Z2 G5. It carries ISV certifications, a faster six-core CPU and NVMe storage, which matter more for CAD and BIM than the P510's extra bays.

The Z2 G5 has a newer platform and current parts, so it should stay supported longer. The P510 is a mid-2010s design and its Xeon E5-1620 is already dated.

Is the P510 worth stepping up to for storage?

Only if you need four 3.5-inch bays or RAID. Otherwise the Z2 G5's NVMe drive is much faster for everyday work.

Do I need ECC memory?

For simulation or long rendering runs, ECC on the P510 reduces memory errors. For general CAD and visualization, the Z2 G5's non-ECC DDR5 is fine.

Can the P510 run a large Quadro GPU?

Yes. Its 700W PSU and PCIe slots support Quadro P5000 or P6000 cards, which the Z2 G5's smaller chassis may not accommodate.

The Z2 G5 is generally quieter under load thanks to its newer thermal design. The P510's 700W PSU and older fans run louder.

HP Z2 G5 Tower Workstation vs Lenovo ThinkStation P510 Workstation

Buy the HP Z2 G5 for a current, ISV-certified workstation with modern CPU, DDR5 memory and NVMe storage. The Lenovo ThinkStation P510 is an older Xeon E5 platform with more drive bays and ECC memory support, but its quad-core CPU and SATA-era storage are slower. Reviewers and owners of the P510 praise its expandability and reliability, while Z2 G5 owners value its quieter, tool-less chassis and certified CAD performance.

Choose the HP Z2 G5 if you run certified CAD, BIM or rendering software and want a current platform with fast NVMe storage and DDR5 memory.
Choose the Lenovo ThinkStation P510 if you need many 3.5-inch drive bays, ECC memory up to 256GB, or a high-wattage PSU for a large Quadro GPU.

Prices

HP Z2 G5 Tower Workstation: $539.99 at Amazon (last seen Nov 3)
Lenovo ThinkStation P510 Workstation: $738.27 at eBay (last seen Nov 9)
Difference: the HP Z2 G5 Tower Workstation is $198.28 cheaper than the Lenovo ThinkStation P510 Workstation at the latest prices (Nov 3 and Nov 9)

	HP Z2 G5 Tower Workstation	Lenovo ThinkStation P510 Workstation
CPU	Six-core Intel with up to 5.1 GHz boost	Quad-core Xeon E5-1620 at 3.5 GHz
Memory	DDR5-5600, 128 GB installed	DDR4 ECC, 8 GB installed, up to 256 GB across 8 slots
Storage	2 TB PCIe NVMe SSD, 2 internal 3.5-inch bays	256 GB SSD, 4 x 3.5-inch bays, optional RAID
Graphics	4x DisplayPort, 4K support, professional GPU options	NVIDIA Quadro P5000 or P6000 options
Power supply	Chassis-dependent PSU	700W PSU
Certification	ISV-certified for CAD and engineering apps	No current ISV certification listed
Age and platform	Current-generation W480 chipset, Windows 10 Pro	Mid-2010s Xeon E5 platform
Serviceability	Tool-less chassis access	Standard tooled chassis

Spec	HP Z2 G5 Tower Workstation	Lenovo ThinkStation P510 Workstation
Form Factor	Tower	Tower
Installed memory	128 GB (4x 32 GB) DDR5-5600 RAM	8 GB RAM
Operating system	Windows 11 Pro (pre-installed)	Windows
Gaming	No	—
Typical Users	Entry workstations	—
Supported OS	Windows	—
OS Version	Windows 10 Pro	—
Type	Workstation	—
Desktop Monitor Bundle	No	—
Dimensions	6.7" (width)	—
Weight	15.43 lb (approximate)	—
Style	Workstation	—

Spec	HP Z2 G5 Tower Workstation	Lenovo ThinkStation P510 Workstation
Internal Storage Type	Serial ATA/600 (controller type), Solid State D…	—
Number Of CPU Cores	6	—
CPU Clock Speed	up to 5.1GHZ	—
RAM Type	DDR4 SDRAM	—
CPU Cache	12MB (Smart Cache)	—
Motherboard Chipset	Intel W480	—
With 4K Graphics	Yes	—
Included Drives	512GB SSD	—
Number Of Drive Bays	2 (Internal 3.5")	—

HP Z2 G5 Tower Workstation vs Lenovo ThinkStation P510 Workstation

Prices

HP Z2 G5 Tower Workstation vs Lenovo ThinkStation P510 Workstation

Prices

Lenovo ThinkStation P510 Workstation

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