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HP launches ZBook mobile workstations with Ultrabook model, 3,200 x 1,800 screen option
HP's 2012 mobile workstation range was powerful, but would we have called it exciting? Not exactly. The company may just liven things up with its new ZBook line, however. The three-laptop series is based on a thinner and lighter design template that includes a 14-inch Ultrabook variant, the ZBook 14 (pictured above). Basically, Dell's Precision M3800 now has a big-name competitor. Those willing to trade some portability for power will also get a few welcome additions. The mid-size ZBook 15 (after the break) has a 3,200 x 1,800 display option, while both the ZBook 15 and the flagship ZBook 17 carry Thunderbolt ports. All three PCs ship with Haswell-based Intel processors as well as the latest pro graphics from either AMD or NVIDIA. Mobile workers can order the 15- and 17-inch ZBooks today, or wait for the 14-inch system's arrival in late October. You'll find more details of HP's workstation updates after the break, including a more conservative refresh to the Z desktop line that brings Ivy Bridge-based Xeon processors and Thunderbolt 2.
AMD's dual-GPU FirePro S10000 gobbles watts, spews out nearly 6 TFLOPs for server graphics
It can't be easy, running a modern IT department. Not only are people making ever more graphics-hungry demands on your servers, but NVIDIA and AMD are locked in an unending spec war that can make it hard to keep up with the market. The FirePro S10000 is merely the latest salvo: a dual-GPU, server-focused version of the W9000 that greatly increases overall compute power, delivering 5.91 TFLOPs of single precision calculations and 1.48 TFLOPS of dual precision performance in a single PCIe 3.0 card with 6GB of GDDR5 RAM. Even though the Graphics Core Next GPUs have been slightly underclocked to 825MHz, and even though they technically offer better performance per watt than a single-GPU configuration, their overall 375w power draw could still get you in trouble with your local power station. That level of consumption is around 50 percent higher than a regular server card like the S9000 or Tesla K10 and it may well require you to research new server cases and coolers in addition to weighing up the $3,600 cost for the component itself. See? This was never going to be straightforward.
AMD previews FirePro W9000 graphics, possibly throws in dual-chip Radeon HD 7990 for good measure
AMD's CTO Mark Papermaster may have just dropped a minor graphics bombshell at the end of the AMD Fusion Developer Summit. His presentation was officially to show off the FirePro W9000, a beast of a workstation graphics card with 6GB of GDDR5 memory, a 264.8-megapixel fill rate and four teraflops of single-precision math. While the screen behind him showed the one-fan FirePro card, however, he was clearly holding another, three-fan card in his hands -- and though it could be that the W9000's cooling system went through a major revision between presentation slide and production, it may be a clue to a gamer-friendly Radeon part instead. Attendees like Tweakers.net have reason to believe it might be the Radeon HD 7990, a long-rumored dual-chip version of the 7900 series for the very upper echelons of gamers. If so, the bets are on it keeping up the tradition of having two slightly underclocked versions of AMD's fastest chip (here the Radeon HD 7970) working in tandem to produce a big leap in speed despite occupying the same two card slots. AMD hasn't set the matter straight with either a yea or a nay, but with NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 690 largely cornering the high-end market unopposed, it's tough to picture AMD simply twiddling its thumbs.
HP takes EliteBook W-series on a trip to Ivy Bridge, throws in Z220 Xeon workstation for good measure
HP has been rolling out a steady stream of Ivy Bridge-based upgrades over the past few weeks, and now it's the turn of the pro-oriented EliteBook W-series to get the long-awaited upgrade. The 8470W, 8570W and 8770W draw on Intel's faster dual Core i5 and quad Core i7 chips with respective choices of 14-, 15.6- and 17.3-inch screens. All of them pack AMD's FirePro for video duties, although big spenders at the larger two sizes can opt for one of NVIDIA's Quadro K-series graphics chips as well as an IPS-based display for color-sensitive work. Options will get you niceties such as a 24GB SSD cache, 3G and up to 16GB of RAM, although the EliteBooks' signature military-spec resistances to dust, shock and temperature are thankfully par for the course. The range costs $1,329, $1,449 and $1,699 as you move up the screen size ladder, and all three will be available before June is over. If you prefer your workstations to be more powerful but slightly more stationary, you're still welcome in HP's world: the equally fresh Z220 desktop carries Intel's new quad-core Xeon E3 processor or, if that's a bit too rich for your blood, a Pentium or quad Core i7. AMD FirePro and NVIDIA Quadro video cards are both made-to-order upgrades, and the modern underpinnings add both USB 3.0 as well as headroom for up to 32GB of RAM, if the fear of paging to disk keeps you awake at night. HP has both tower and small form factor versions of the Z220 starting off at $699, and they too will be ready to stretch IT budgets later this month. %Gallery-156730%
HP EliteBook 8460w, 8560w, and 8760w mobile workstations all go on sale
If Dell's latest 17-inch powerhouse is too beastly for your next business trip, HP has begun selling its trio of new EliteBook mobile workstations, with screen sizes as small as 14 inches. In the case of both the 14-inch 8460w and the 15.6-inch 8560w, you get discrete graphics standard and can choose a $1,000 Core i7-2820QM processor, among less pricey options. (With the 15-inch iteration, you can also opt for a 1 billion-color DreamColor display.) Admittedly, you will have to step up to the 17-inch 8760w if you want a Core i7-2920XM CPU, AMD FirePro or NVIDIA Quadro graphics with up to 4GB of memory, and up to three hard drives with RAID 5 support. As promised, they're going for $1,299, $1,239, and $1,899, respectively -- in case your corporate card's just begging for its next hit. [Thanks, Fuzzball]
ATI FirePro V9800 runs out of ideas, shoots up with 4GB of GDDR5 and six mini DisplayPorts
If somehow you were able to choke up the FirePro V8800 and its 2GB of graphics buffer -- traveling across an autobahn-wide 147.2GBps interface -- here's the card for you. ATI has just announced the V9800, which doubles its predecessor's memory allowance to a mighty 4GB of GDDR5, but otherwise looks an almost identical beast. It maintains the 1,600 stream processor count of the V8800 and makes some small advances in performance and power efficiency, but on the whole it's the same card, just strapped up with more buffer muscle. We shouldn't neglect the new array of six mini DisplayPorts -- the retail package will include six DVI adapters, worry not -- which will let you have your full six-screen Eyefinity cake driven by just this one card. So, is this future collector's item worth your time? Well, at $3,499, the V9800 is a whole two thousand dollars pricier than the V8800, but then if you have the highly specialized needs it's looking to cater for, we're guessing that won't be too much of a hurdle for you. Update: Oh, about the price, AMD just got in touch to say it'll suggest a $3,499 tithe, not the $2.5K indicated on the slide below. Sorry is we misled you into selling up your entire 3D rendering farm with the lower price we had before.
AMD kills ATI brand, you can look forward to blood-stained Radeons
This, dear friends, is a sad, sad day. ATI, the name of hope for all PC gamers who were sick and tired of NVIDIA rebadging the same GPU over the past couple of years, is to be no more. The callous souls over at AMD have decided that our little consumer brains aren't sophisticated enough to handle two awesome brands, so they're just axing the use of the ATI moniker from here on out. Product line names will be retained, with the Radeon and FirePro branding still intact, but ATI Eyefinity will now be known as AMD Eyefinity. The first graphics cards to, erm, benefit from the new nomenclature will ship "later this year," and the whole thing is said to have been motivated by AMD's move to Fusion APUs -- hybrid CPU and GPU chips -- where it's considered beneficial to have a unified branding strategy. Great, but did anyone consider the fact that the graphics wars will now be fought between two teams wearing green jerseys?
Shuttle opens US pre-orders for pricey Core i7-based J3 SFF PC
Shuttle teased us just under a month ago with its Core i7-powered J3 desktop, and now that little bugger is finally up for pre-order in the States. The J3 5800P workstation is easily one of the most powerful small form factor PCs this planet has ever seen, boasting a six-core Core i7 980X Extreme Edition CPU, your choice of NVIDIA Quadro or ATI FirePro professional graphics, up to 16GB of DDR3 memory, room for two SATA hard drives, an optional Blu-ray drive, plenty of ports and a 500-watt power supply. Somehow or another, all of that fits into a chassis that measures just 8.5- x 7.5- x 13.1-inches, and if you've been looking to downsize without taking a hit in the performance department, you can finally do so starting at $1,899. The journey begins right there in the source link -- good luck keeping it below three large, Yes Man.
AMD FirePro 2460 Multi-View: four Mini DisplayPort sockets, 13W, no frills
It's no Radeon, but AMD's new range of FirePro GPUs might just strike a chord with a few of you multi-monitor maniacs. Just a few short weeks after the debut of the FirePro V8800, AMD as launched the ATI FirePro V7800, ATI FirePro V5800, ATI FirePro V4800, and ATI FirePro V3800, all of which are aimed at assisting digital content creators, well, create content. Frankly, those pro-oriented cards don't do a lot for us, but the FirePro 2460 Multi-View most certainly does. Boasting a low profile (half height) form factor, this relatively simple (read: not for hardcore gaming) card packs 512MB of video memory, hardware acceleration of DirectX 11, an average power drain of just 13 watts and not two, not three, but four video outputs. AMD tells us that this was designed for day traders who need four displays to accurately watch their stock prices fluctuate, but we can think of quite a few others who'd benefit from having access to four Mini DisplayPort sockets on a single, low-power card. All of the devices mentioned here should begin shipping today, with the 2460 in particular demanding a reasonable $299.
ATI FirePro V8800 takes Cypress core into workstation woods, emerges victorious
ATI has just let loose the first professional tier card based on its Cypress XT core, which in itself is part of the company's highly successful Evergreen series of 40nm chips. Boasting 2GB of GDDR5 memory running at 1.15GHz, 1,600 stream processors and an 825MHz core clock speed, the FirePro V8800 is very much an HD 5870 adapted to the demands of the digital creation world, and as such it's no surprise that it also requires the same pair of 6-pin auxiliary power connectors. It also supports DirectX 11 and the fresh new OpenGL 4.0 standard, something those business crazies seem to appreciate, but its killer feature is most probably the price, which -- although steep by common standards -- is $300 less than the $1,800 FirePro V8750 predecessor. Oh, and this card can drive 4 simultaneous displays, but we're kinda used to that by now with ATI -- the real question is how this pup ranks relative to its forebears and NVIDIA competition. The answer, according to the commonly used Maya, SolidWorks and 3ds Max applications, is that the FirePro V8800 simply destroys the V8750 while also generally outpacing the aging Quadro FX 4800. Feels pretty nice to have a straightforward conclusion, doesn't it? Check out the links below for the full disclosure.
HP EliteBook 8740w specs begin to take shape, ATI FirePro M7820 revealed
You've been wondering, we know, why the newly unveiled 2540p and 2740p EliteBooks from HP weren't accompanied by their heavyweight compadre, the 8740w, but as it turns out the latter might be taking a bit longer to launch due to its inclusion of ATI's as yet unannounced FirePro M7820 GPU. Joining up with the earlier leaked M5800, this is likely to form the backbone of ATI's pro graphics refresh, with its innards based on the successful HD 5870, meaning it offers DirectX 11 functionality, 1GB of GDDR5 memory, and probably the most graphical horsepower your lap has ever seen. This is aided by the low-voltage, but highly potent Core i7-720QM CPU and four DDR3 slots for up to 16GB of RAM on the 8740w. You have until the end of the month to figure out what to do with all that power, which is when the rumormongers expect this machine to be announced. [Thanks, Reznov]
ATI FirePro M5800 mobile graphics chipset listed, world awaits details with bated breath
ATI's FirePro series of graphics accelerators has been showing us that CAD rendering is serious business on laptops and desktops for awhile now, and now HP fans will seemingly be getting first taste of a new entry in the line, the FirePro M5800. All we know is a name at this point, and that it'll be an option in HP's (formerly NVIDIA exclusive) EliteBook 8540w, but HP Fansite goes on to speculate that it'll be based on the ATI Mobility Radeon 5800 series (the numbers certainly jive) and that it will have 1GB of memory. Think you can solve the puzzle and unearth more information? The whole sordid PDF is waiting for you at the source link below, with the wild and thrilling ATI support narrative beginning on page nine.
Dell adds high-powered ATI FirePro M7740 graphics to the Precision M6400
We've always lusted after Dell's high-zoot Precision M6400 mobile workstation, and now we've got yet another reason to save all these nickels and dimes in the sock drawer: the company's adding AMD's new ATI FirePro M7740 graphics processor to the mix. The new chip is due to be announced tomorrow at SIGGRAPH 2009, and like the rest of the FirePro line, it'll offer 1GB of DDR5 frame buffer memory, 30-bit DisplayPort and dual-link DVI output, and tons of CAD application certifications. We're looking for hard specs and prices now, we'll let you know as soon as we get 'em.
ATI's $1,800 2GB FirePro V8750 GPU introduced and reviewed
Need a quick way to blow 1,800 bones? Looking to single-handedly jump-start this so-called "economy" we keep hearing about? Look no further, friends, as ATI just did you a solid. Just four months after the outfit dished out its 1GB FirePro V7750, the company is now looking to strike it rich once more with the 2GB FirePro V8750. Obviously designed for the workstation crowd, this CAD destroying GPU is equipped with more GDDR5 memory than our own four-year old Quake III server, but as HotHardware points out, the clock speed remains exactly the same as the entirely more affordable V8700. When pushed, this newfangled card did manage to best every other rival on the test bench, but not by a wide margin. What you're left with is a cutting-edge device that's priced way out of consideration for most, and frankly, way outside the realm of sensibility. If you just can't shake the urge to hear more, give that read link a tap for the full review.Read - ATI FirePro V8750 reviewRead - ATI press release
ATI's 1GB FirePro V7750 GPU pushes serious pixels for pros
Earlier this month, AMD popped out a 512MB ATI FirePro 2450 quad-display card, but if that's just not pro enough for your professional needs, have a gander at the company's FirePro V7750. Sporting 1GB of GDDR3 frame-buffer memory, a 30-bit display pipeline and twin DisplayPort connectors + one dual-link DVI socket, this workstation powerhouse also features High Dynamic Range (HDR) rendering with 8-bit, 10-bit and 16-bit-per-RGB color component support. You'll also get 320 stream processing units, full Shader Model 4.1 support for vertex and pixel shaders and a unified video decoder for H.264, AVC, VC-1 and MPEG-2 video formats. Show your CAD who's boss for just $899.
Lenovo ThinkStation S20 / D20 sport new Xeon CPUs, Tesla C1060 GPU
We have to say, we didn't exactly expect Lenovo to have any hard-hitting news emanating from the floor at Game Developer's Conference, but this is pretty swank. The company has just unveiled two new ThinkStation desktops, the S20 and D20, both of which are designed exclusively for specialized professionals in fields such as computer-aided design and digital content creation. Within, you'll find your choice of Intel's latest Nehalem-based Xeon chips (yep, the same 5500 and 3500 series as in Apple's newest Mac Pro), NVIDIA's Tesla C1060 GPU platform (or an ATI FirePro, if you prefer) and Windows Vista or RedHat Enterprise Linux 5.2 running the show. Hit up the gallery below for the specifications breakdown, and as for pricing, you'll find 'em in Q1 for $1,070 and $1,550, respectively. Full release is after the break.
