But are they sexy, or just plain ugly? The tech world seems to be in disagreement.
Recently we talked about the newly
updated line of Vostro notebooks from Dell that added security features and video conferencing features, but offered all the sex appeal of Margaret Thatcher.
If the Dell Vostro is the Thatcher of the computer world, the new HP Z series workstations announced this week may well be the Heidi Klum. Yes, you read that correctly.
HP has announced new workstations aimed at professional business users that don't look like they were designed in 1999.
The
HP Z series workstations have a brushed aluminum exterior designed by BMW Group DesignworksUSA that is very attractive and proves that a workstation doesn’t have to look like "The Woz" to be called a workstation.
Not everyone is impressed with the design, though. Gizmodo's Matt Buchanan, who admittedly has a much less sexier pic of the workstation than the one below writes: "
This is the sexiest computer BMW and HP could come up with?" Gizmodo readers piped up with comments such as: "OMG! Ponies! I think it's less BMW and more HP" and "Not one single person is going to buy that computer because of its "design".
There's no denying the fact that the workstations have astonishingly meaty specs though -- they can be loaded with up to 196GB of RAM, for example.
One of the most notable design features of the workstations (aside from
their good looks) is a completely modular design that means all
internal components of the systems slide into place in a cable free
environment for easy servicing. That is sure to make a few tech support
guys grin as much as the thought of Heidi Klum in a push-up bra.
Above: HP Z800 Workstation
The Z line includes three new models including the Z800, Z600, and the Z400 workstations -- all of which feature the new Intel Xeon 5500 series processors. The Xeon 5500's endow the Z workstations with new Intel tech like Turbo Boost Technology for automatic CPU overclocking and more.
The Z series workstations are expected to be available globally on April 6 with pricing starting at $US1,999 (Australian price $3,999) for the Z800, $US1,679 ($3,499) for the Z600, and $US969 ($2,499) for the Z400.