HP debuts its Z1 G2, a 27-inch touch-screen workstation
The Intel-powered machine, announced at CES, can pivot for easier touch control and optionally includes Thunderbolt 2 ports.
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Hewlett-Packard announced its the Z1 G2 workstation, a model with a 27-inch display that brings touch-screen technology to this corner of the high-end computing market.
The Z1 G2 is somewhat similar to the 2012-era Z1, an all-in-one design with the processor, memory, and other computing components housed behind the screen. Both can be pivoted so the screen is flat, something particularly useful with the G2 so people get better touch control.
The starting price of the Intel-powered machine is $2000, HP said Monday at CES 2014. It'll ship in late January.
Like other new HP workstations, the Z1 G2 also includes Intel's high-speed Thunderbolt connections, which are useful for external storage, monitors, and other data-intensive tasks. Unlike those previous models, though, the new machine uses Thunderbolt 2.0 -- and makes it an optional upgrade.
Workstations are higher-end, higher-priced machines typically used for tasks such as video editing, computer-aided design and engineering, and scientific simulations.
Processor options range from a dual-core 3.4GHz Intel i3-4130 with 3MB cache to a quad-core 3.6GHz Xeon E3-1280v3 with 8MB of cache. It can accommodate up to 32GB of error-correcting memory. Those who opt for the Thunderbolt option get two ports. HP didn't release pricing details.
The workstation can be used with Intel's integrated graphics for processors that support the option. Other choices include Nvidia's Quadro N610M with 1GB of memory, the Quadro K2100M with 2GB memory, the Quadro K3100M with 4GB memory, or the Quadro K4100M with 4GB memory.
The workstation will run Windows 7, Windows 8, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, or Suse Linux Enterprise Desktop.
Updated at 3:12 p.m. PT with specification details.