New HP Workstation Line Tackles Price, Performance

In an era where corporate management is focused on cost, Hewlett-Packard Co. this week released a newline of desktop and mobile workstations designed to deliver desktopworkstation-class features and optimal performance for CAD and other 3-Dapplications at a price point starting at $769.

Joining the Z series of workstations is the HP Z200,an entry point to workstation-class performance, which offers, among otheroptions, dual-core processors based on the next-generation Intel^A(R) processorsas well as quad-core processor options based on the enterprise-class Intel Xeon^A(R)3400 series. Designed for ease-of-use and serviceability, the Z200 hasbeen architected as a tool-less chassis and convertible minitower featuringFireWire and USB ports right on the front of the system. The HP Z200 alsoincludes an 89 percent efficient power supply, which helps to reduce overallenergy usage and the amount of waste heat released into the environment.

The HP Z200 takes aim at the entry level of the engineeringspectrum - those companies and users whose main applications are AutoCAD,SolidWorks or even Inventor. "The HP Z200 workstation provides a low-entryprice point, while taking advantage of technologies engineers crave such asreliability of ECC memory and applications that have been tested andcertified," says Jeff Wood, HP's director of worldwide marketing, workstations."This gives designers and engineers who are trying to run their CAD/modelingapplications on a PC an opportunity to step up and enjoy benefit from trueworkstation performance, reliability and innovation while staying within theirtight budgets."

Accompanying the desktop-class unit is a pair of mobileworkstations: The 15-inch diagonaldisplay HP EliteBook 8540w and the 14-inch EliteBook 8440w. Both units includean LED-backlit, anti-glare high-definition display along with NVIDIA graphicsand choice of Intel Core i7 or future Intel Core processors with Turbo Boostand vPro technology. The HP EliteBook 8440w is designed for photographers,power users, developers and designers who need entry-level workstationgraphics, while the HP EliteBook 8540w, with its next-generation graphics, fasthard drives and support for up to 16GB of memory, is aimed at users who want toexperience faster rendering capabilities. "The HP EliteBook 8440w MobileWorkstation is HP's thinnest and lightest mobile workstation," Wood says. "It'sbeen tested, optimized and certified to run the most demanding professionalapplications for our highly mobile users."

Each HP Z200 unit comes with the HP Performance Advisor, asoftware tool that acts like a personal system engineer to update workstationsettings and drivers, helping to ensure optimal performance, maximize stabilityand increase overall productivity. Both the desktop and mobile workstationsalso come preloaded with HP SkyRoom, affordable HD videoconferencing software.

To run out its line, HP also released the HP ZR22w and HPZR24w, new workstation displays that incorporate super in-plane switching(S-IPS) panel technology and are available in 21.5- and 24-inch diagonal sizes.

New HP Workstation Line Tackles Price, Performance A