HP lets loose $599 xw4550 Opteron-based workstation

It looks like those wanting to add a workstation to their computing arsenal now have a relatively inexpensive option to consider from HP, which has just rolled out some new additions to its xw4550 series that start at a mere $599. That'll get you a 2.0GHz AMD Opteron 1212 processor, along with 2GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, a DVD burner, and NVIDIA Quadro FX 290 graphics with 256 MB of RAM. If you've got a bit more cash to throw around, you can max that out to a 2.8GHz Opteron 1220, 4GB of RAM, a 250GB hard drive, and NVIDIA Quadro FX 570 graphics for $1,349, with a couple of options available in between, all of which come with Vista Business as standard with XP Professional pre-installed.

[Via Electronista]

[Fusion Fuzo @ Jul 1st 2008 3:01PM]

WOW, looks just like any other desktop PC

[arcsine @ Jul 1st 2008 3:04PM]

Bought one of these for work (with 1GB of RAM) as a public info display-driving machine, and it's been rock solid. OEMed by Foxconn, same guys who make Mac Pros. Good deal!

[DefPo3t @ Jul 1st 2008 3:08PM]

Before all you intel fanboys start blabering
reliaze that the opteron chips are a very good server/worksation chip and that's why companies like HP uses them and the reason that dell was pushed into usesing them

[DefPo3t @ Jul 1st 2008 3:54PM]

They're also the reason I can't spell. But due to a non-disclosure agreement with amd I can't specify why

[Forrest @ Jul 1st 2008 3:26PM]

It's nice to see lower-cost Quadro options becoming available. For a long time I was convinced that GeForce or Radeon cards were an acceptable substitute for CAD applications due to every Quadro (or FireGL) card being insanely priced.

Then I saw a PNY/nVidia display at an event with two machines side-by-side running AutoCAD. One had a pretty beefy GeForce card, the other a lower-cost Quadro. The Quadro was smooth as silk, and the GeForce was choppy. Night and day difference. I was careful to check out that all the other settings were the same - no smoke and mirrors :P

IIRC there was a time when the cheapest Quadro option was more expensive than this entire box.

[TareX @ Jul 1st 2008 3:52PM]

In all seriousness, I ask: How good will it play Crysis? FSX?.... and the coming E3 games....?

Is this new NVidia card and AMD processor any good? The price and form factor are VERY tempting, and I'm more inclined to getting this rather than a gaming laptop...

So, will it play Crysis on ULTRA HIGH with a smooth framerate?

[Ivand @ Jul 1st 2008 3:54PM]

lol.

[Reader @ Jul 1st 2008 4:08PM]

No, but it would most likely play Crysis at a steady 30fps on the lowest settings or maybe with some anti-aliasing. If this comes with a monitor and all I wouldn't mind recommending it to those that don't bother building there own, seems like a pretty good system for the price.

[DefPo3t @ Jul 1st 2008 5:58PM]

yes it will @640 by320

This is a workstation not a gaming machine. The CPU will be okay for gaming. But the graphics card. Is meant to render the building of crysis. Not the end product it can play crysis but it would rather build and debut it

[TareX @ Jul 1st 2008 4:33PM]

Thanks Reader...

Then it's far from a gaming desktop... too bad.

[Darth Abe @ Jul 1st 2008 4:47PM]

No.
For starters, neither Opteron processors nor Quadro graphics cards are new. Secondly, it is a workstation, meant for work, not gaming, so this is not going to be any good for you unless you're a regular user of CAD or Modeling software.

[jon @ Jul 1st 2008 5:55PM]

yea.... what is an opertron processor, spelled wrong, too lazy to look up the name on the top of the page

[StomperGames @ Jul 2nd 2008 1:35AM]

great for programming, designing, photoshop and games for sure

-www.stompergames.com

[noah @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:05AM]

ok.... whats new exactly? the line seems to start at $483 if you configure it yourself online. but the cpu's arent new or impressive and neither are any of the other components, nor is the price (maybe its new for HP). oh btw quadro fx 290 is a typo copied from the HP site which also has the typo. it doesnt exist, its a quadro NVS 290 which is correctly listed under the specifications tab. quadro FX is workstation level for CAD etc, NVS is business level just for displaying images and extra monitor outputs from what understand.