HP Inc's tiny workstation is as tall as a cup of coffee but still packs a punch
Not only is the HP Z tiny, but HP says it's 63 percent quieter than an HP business-class mini PC.
HP Inc had unveiled a mini workstation designed for users in CAD and other compute-intensive workloads.
The HP Z Workstation measures a mere 2.3 inches (5.8cm) high, which is 90 percent smaller than a traditional business-class tower, but twice as powerful as any commercial mini PC available today, with the ability to support six displays, according to HP.
It also says the workstation is "63 percent quieter than an HP business-class mini PC", thanks to custom-designed fans and a cooling system.
While there are five million designers in the world, HP estimates only 42 percent are using workstations. HP quotes figures suggesting desk space has shrunk by 60 percent in the US in the past 10 years, and as desks get smaller, space is at a premium.
As workplaces become more space constrained, there's a greater business need for the smaller workstations like this, the company said: the unit can be mounted on or under the desk, behind a display, or on a wall.
"The HP Z2 Mini was designed for the millions of CAD users demanding smaller hardware without compromising acoustics and performance and mission-critical reliability," HP said.
The workstation's processor options include Intel Xeon E3-1200v5 and Intel CoreTM i3/i5/i7 and NVIDIA Quadro M620 2GB GFX for graphics. Storage options include HP Z Turbo or SATA HDD/SSD
HP Z2 Mini Workstation is expected to be available worldwide in December starting at $699, £750 in the UK.