Z by HP Updates Packed with Laptops, Workstations

HP on Tuesday announced its Fall 2020 hardware lineup. The vendor’s Z by HP workstations business showcased more than a half-dozen new products including laptops and workstations.

More specifically, the Z by HP portfolio includes the ZBook Fury 15 G7, ZBook Fury 17 G7, and the ZBook Power G7; the Z2 Mini G5, Z2 Small Form Factor G5, Z2 Tower G5, and the ZCentral and ZCentral 4R.

HP’s Jim Nottingham

“If it wasn’t clear before the pandemic, I think it’s very clear now that the PC is essential,” said Jim Nottingham, general manager and global head advanced compute and solutions, Z by HP. “As good as the technology is today, we recognize that there’s a big opportunity today where we can and need to improve to enable a more sustainable and healthier one life experience for our customers. We see this as a call to innovation.”

That call to innovation is to help customers accelerate technology and solutions that increase productivity and seamless collaboration.

Innovation Calls

According to HP, the work PC has a new role. More than two in five (41%) users prefer virtual meetings. One third (32%) of time spent on a work PC is on hobbies, and 80% of professional creators and power users want to continue working from home either part-time or full-time.

The three ZBook Fury products aim to transform mobility. For example, the ZBook Fury 15 G7 is 12% smaller than the last generation of product. For the first time, the “power of Z” offers simultaneous, unthrottled performance from the latest Intel CPUs and Nvidia Quadro RT 4000 or 5000 GPUs. This PC is designed for heavy, multi-app workflows. HP recommends Windows 10 Pro for business.

The new Z2 products are entry-level workstations that boost performance in a smaller footprint. For example, the HP Z2 Small Form Factor G5 workstation is designed to pack more graphics and processing into less space. The device includes Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000 graphics and 10-core processor in a small form factor. The device is re-engineered from the ground up for full, unthrottled performance for real-time rendering and faster visualizations.

ZCentral

HP ZCentral is a single-sourced remote workstation solution, while HP ZCentral 4R is a 1U rack workstation.

“We took our top selling Z4 G4 and engineered all of that capability into a 1U form factor utilizing Intel Xeon W processors with up to 18 CPU cores to aid in your CPU-intensive workflows,” said Nottingham.

The device also includes Nvidia Quadro RTX 8000 to address graphics or data science needs, or 2x mid/entry GPU. Also, an optional redundant or aggregated power supply ensures power.

HP also expanded the capabilities of its remote graphics software and introduced HP ZCentral. It allows users to leverage the full compute power of idle workstations from any remote location, including homes using ZCentral Remote Boost. With ZCentral Connect, ITDMs can manage all of the connections remotely. Continuing to enable remote work and collaboration, HP offers ZCentral Remote Boost.

“ZCentral Remote Boost enables customers to securely connect to their workstations in the office from virtually, anywhere,” said Nottingham.

Sustainability and Security

The vendor also notes that the Z by HP device portfolio is sustainable and secure. On the sustainability side, the most devices boast EPEAT Gold, a comprehensive measure of product sustainability, bulk packaging, reduced plastics entering the world’s oceans and sustainably sourced packaging.

Security for most of the devices announced today includes HP Sure Sense, AI-based threat detection; HP Sure Start Gen 6 for self-healing BIOS; HP Sure Click, HP BIOSphere Gen 6; Tamper Lock; HP Sure View Reflect, and other security features.

Expect the products to be available as follows: ZBook Fury G7, Sept. 14; ZBook Power G7, Oct. 5; Z2 Mini G5, Sept. 1; Z2 SFF G5, Sept. 28; Z2 Power G5, Sept. 28; ZCentral is now available; and ZCentral 4R, Oct. 19.