Traditionally, workstation PCs are hulking great towers, but that’s becoming increasingly not the case these days, and indeed HP’s latest effort in this arena is a very compact box – the smallest workstation ever, in fact.
Looking more like a home theatre PC you might slip in your living room, the third-generation HP Z2 Mini Workstation offers plenty of power inside an enclosure which measures 215mm squared, and 58mm tall, which as the company notes makes it 90% smaller than a traditional business tower PC.
Designed for CAD users who want a more elegant looking solution to sit on their desk – or indeed, the device can be hidden away and mounted under the desk, or behind a monitor – the Z2 Mini G3 offers Intel Xeon processors and Nvidia Quadro M620 graphics.
It can be configured with Windows 10 Pro or Linux, and HP’s Z Turbo Drive to enable nippy handling of bulky files. HP claims that it’s twice as powerful as any mini PC currently on the market, and further notes it can drive six displays out of the box.
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A cool (and secure) customer
In terms of security, you get HP SureStart providing advanced BIOS security, and a dual-purpose Kensington lock which secures the device and chassis (so it can’t be opened).
HP has also worked hard on the workstation's cooling system, using custom-made fans to ensure this is a quiet PC; indeed it’s apparently 63% quieter than a typical HP business-class mini PC. So not only is this unit compact, it won’t disturb you when working, either.
Jeff Wood, vice president and general manager, Workstations and Thin Clients, at HP Inc commented: “HP redefined the workstation in 2009 with the introduction of the HP Z series, and now once again is disrupting the category with the new HP Z2 Mini Workstation – the ultimate combination of space efficiency, elegance and power for our customers and partners.”
The new Z2 Mini Workstation will go on sale next month with prices starting at $699 (around £560, AU$925).
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