HP TouchSmart PC, Desktops Emphasize Green, Lightweight Computing

Hewlett-Packard, the PC market-share leader in the United States and worldwide, April 21 introduced two new energy-saving desktops: the enterprise-geared Compaq 6005 Pro Ultra Slim desktop, or USDT, and the made-for-families HP All-in-One.
 
Reflecting HP's efforts to become a "greener" manufacturer, the PCs "consume less energy and are proof of our commitment to reducing waste in the design, manufacturing, packaging and transportation of our product," Anneliese Olson, HP's director of worldwide product marketing, said in a statement.
 
The news also signals a continuation of the PC maker's long-term relationship with chip maker Advanced Micro Devices. The HP Compaq 6005 Pro represents the sixth generation of HP business desktops to feature AMD processors, and it offers a range of options, from the AMD Sempron to the Phenom II quad-core business-class processors, in addition to AMD Vision Pro technology.
 
The considerably slimmed-down USDT features an 87 percent-efficient power supply, meets Energy Star qualifications and includes software tools such as HP's Power Assistant, which enables an enterprise to track and manage the device's energy use. "The new integrated side port memory enhances energy savings by putting the CPU into deep sleep at idle," HP said in a news release.
 
The desktop can support dual monitors and features integrated ATI Radeon 4200 graphics with ATI Avivo and DirectX 10.1, for a strong visual experience. With two SODIMM slots, up to 8GB of DDR3 (double data rate 3) SDRAM (synchronous dynamic RAM) memory is offered; in a small form factor option, however, four DIMM (dual in-line memory module) slots offer up to 16GB of memory-likewise for a microtower version.
 
Other options include the choice of a 160GB to 250GB hard drive or a 64GB solid-state drive, and a long list of Genuine Windows 7 or Windows Vista operating systems. There are removable media drives, 10 USB ports and a Mini PCle expansion slot for adding a wireless card. The desktop weighs just 6.75 pounds (although the SSF and MT versions, which pack on additional features, weigh 16 and 20.5 pounds, respectively.)
 
Switching gears from the enterprise, the sleek, black All-in-One hopes to find a home on kitchen countertops or family room desks. Atop its slim, adjustable stand is a 21.5-inch (1,080 by 1,920) LED backlit display, which paired with a SuperMulti DVD player is intended to be ideal for running family-friendly movies.
 
The operating system is Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit and there's a 2.70GHz Intel Pentium Processor E5400, an Intel G45S chipset, 2MB of Level 2 cache and 4GB of DDR3 SDRAM, expandable up to 8GB. A wireless keyboard and wireless mouse are included, along with-for, one imagines, video chatting with grandparents-a Webcam with built-in microphone.
 
HP has also included a MediaSmart software suite, which features quick access to popular sites such as Hulu and Netflix, as well as Snapfish, for storing family photos.
 
HP also announced an update to its TouchSmart 300 and 600 PC series, the latter of which features a 23-inch, touch-enabled display, an emphasis on sound quality and a choice of Intel Core i3 and i5 processors.
 
Also on board are touch-emphasizing applications from Corel-including something called Paint It, which may find fans in small children-and Roxio CinemaNow, which offers quick access to thousands of movie for purchase or rental.

The HP Compaq 6005 Pro USDT will be available April 26 for a starting price of $599, while the HP All-in-One is available now, beginning at $699. HP TouchSmart 600 has an arrival date of April 28 and a starting price of $1,099, while the TouchSmart 300, now available, starts at $799.