HP releases more 'green' machines
HP is continuing to position products as being designed with the environment and efficiency in mind.
Announced on Wednesday, the HP Compaq dc5800 Business PC is available in a small form factor or microtower and comes with an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, as well as remote power-management software.
HP has claimed users can reduce processor heat and energy costs using the system's 80 Plus power supply, and manage power and sleep settings more efficiently to increase the useful life of the device.
The dc5800 is expected to be available in Europe from 18 February, 2008 with configurations starting at €549 (£410).
HP has claimed that it currently "tops the industry" in the number of gold-listed products in the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) registry.
HP also announced what it claims is its first solid-state PC. The Compaq dc7800 Ultra-slim Desktop allegedly comes with a solid-state drive (SSD), but ZDNet.co.uk could find no evidence or information about an SSD on the dc7800 spec page or options to add one as an extra from the purchase page.
A recent study by industry analysts IDC, entitled Go Green PC Power Play Study, claimed that the US federal government could save more than $82m (£41m) in energy costs if its more than 10 million Energy Star 3.0 PCs were updated to the new 4.0 standard.
Energy Star is a computer-efficiency rating system developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Version 4.0 of the standard went into effect in July 2007.
The dc5800 is not the first machine HP has labelled as energy-efficient. In March 2007 it introduced the HP Compaq dx2250 and dx2300 desktops. The dx2250, which retails for around £229, comes with a 64-bit AMD Athlon X2 dual-core processor and features HP's Cool 'n' Quiet technology, which the vendor claims reduces processor heat and makes for a quieter work environment.
Speaking to ZDNet.co.uk at the time, Todd Kruse, HP business desktop product manager, said it was important that IT managers should be given incentives for buying energy-saving products.
"Looking at the idea of power increasingly becoming a cost centre for businesses, then chief information officers need to make sure that they are being compensated for any investments they make in energy-efficient PCs or they will have no incentive to buy this kind of kit," said Kruse.
