HP Unveils 'Elite' Business DesktopHP Unveils 'Elite' Business Desktop

Compaq 8000 Elite

Hewlett-Packard on Tuesday introduced a business desktop that includes manageability and security features meant to appeal to the enterprise.

The Compaq 8000 Elite falls under Intel's Stable Image Platform Program, which promises that technology adopted in a platform product has been fully validated and will remain available for at least 15 months. In addition, the program provides change notification for Intel products up to 60 days in advance.

The 8000 Elite is equipped with HP-provided security features that include hard-drive encryption, single sign-on and authentication, and restrictive read/write capabilities for selected files. Power efficiency is also a focus on the business system. The mini-tower model is configured with an 89% power efficiency, while the ultra-slim version reaches 87%, according to HP.

In addition, the system is pre-loaded with HP's Power Assistant v2.0 software, which controls PC energy usage by consolidating power settings into one tool.

The 8000 Elite is designed for use by companies, government, healthcare, and educational institutions. The system includes an Intel Q45 Express chipset with GMA 4500 integrated graphics, a choice of a Core 2 duo- or quad-core processor, and Microsoft Windows 7.

Other specifications include up to three 1-TB hard drives and the option of a 64-GB solid-state drive. The system also has dual PCI Express x16 slots for installation of multiple dual-head graphics cards.

The Compaq 8000 Elite has a starting price of $799.

HP unveiled its latest enterprise desktop almost a month after rolling out new servers, network switches, storage systems, disk drives, PCs, monitors, and printers for small and medium-sized businesses. The latest SMB-focused computers included the Pro 3000 series desktop and the ProLiant ML110 and DL120 G6 servers.