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Eclecticos
03-30-2009, 09:26 PM
HP Z800 Workstation.

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/9003/hpz800front.jpg
(PDF (http://government.hp.com/pdf/z800_datasheet_Feb09.pdf)) Data Sheet.


HP rolled out its flagship workstation today, the Z800, and it brings swank styling by BMW DesignWorksUSA inside and out, along with fire-breathing components throughout. Packing (2) of the latest Intel Xeon 5500 series quad-core processors, otherwise known as Nehalem, its innards are so pretty, it's a shame you have to keep its brushed-aluminum door closed.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/9947/hpz800sidecowlings.jpg

The Z800 is not for everybody. Aimed at high-end animators, rocket scientists, oil and gas explorers and nuclear weapons simulators, these workstations are the darlings of those who would like to stuff 196GB of RAM inside, along with two $3180 NVIDIA Quadro FX 5800 graphics cards and six solid-state drives.

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/2015/hpz80010.jpg

The case is as user-serviceable as you can get. The drives are in drawers and blind connect as you slide them in. The power supply also slides out and connects in the same way. Those BMW designed cowlings keep the ventilation going in the right places but snap off in an instant, and no, you don't need a single tool but your own two hands to take the whole thing apart, with no cut fingers along the way. And, we really like those integrated handles, making the Z800 stackable and easy to carry.

60 Second (http://video.scifi.com/player/?id=1075683&dst=scifi|widget|DVICE%20Video&__source=scifi|widget|DVICE%20Video) Dissembly Video.

http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/4697/hpz8009.jpg
Via: DVICE (http://dvice.com/archives/2009/03/day_0_hands-on.php)
BuzzKillington
03-30-2009, 10:00 PM
Beautiful.
simon275
03-31-2009, 12:54 AM
Good luck getting replacement parts for it 2 years from now.
Zephik
03-31-2009, 01:06 AM
Man, just looking at that thing gets modding ideas flowing!
Drum Thumper
03-31-2009, 01:19 AM
it's a shame you have to keep its brushed-aluminum door closed.


Says who? ;)
p0Pe
03-31-2009, 07:06 AM
i only see one quadro card:P
Luke122
03-31-2009, 12:55 PM
Pretty slick. The PSU is pretty neat, but yeah.. might be tough to find a replacement one in a couple years.. the upside is that the people who buy this likely wont keep it long enough for it to die; It'll just get replaced in a year with the next biggest/best thing.
BuzzKillington
03-31-2009, 07:07 PM
I wonder if any of those pieces will start causing vibration noises?
Luke122
03-31-2009, 07:13 PM
I wonder if any of those pieces will start causing vibration noises?

LOL.. that would suck! Spend all that money on the machine, and it vibrates and drives you nuts. :D
Eclecticos
04-03-2009, 11:14 AM
Well. . you can buy vinyl sound dampening sheet for $3.65 (http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=268-030) at Parts Express.
Though, I doubt they make any noise at all. The internal cowlings are made by BMW.
Luke122
04-03-2009, 11:19 AM
hehe.. have you ever driven a Z3? ;) Believe me, they dont make all their stuff well.. :D
FuzzyPlushroom
04-03-2009, 04:38 PM
If it's styled by BMW, why doesn't it have a bunch of horrible swoopy flame-surfacing?

Oh, and I'm curious as to why there's a pair of 80mm fans in the rear (or are those 92s?) rather than a single 120. Seems silly.
Luke122
04-03-2009, 06:21 PM
It's styled by BMW....

...that's why there's a pair of 80mm fans in the rear rather than a single 120.

There we go.. ;) I corrected that last post for you. :D:D:D
Eclecticos
04-04-2009, 01:46 AM
The thing that interested me the most about it is the modular air duct that runs across the top of the case. It looks like it is used to draw warm air from the front of the case, and exhaust out the back. I also like the idea of an internal dock, if you look closely in the video you can see the power receptacles behind the aluminum duct.

HP went a little overboard on the BMW style cowlings, there were supposedly designed to guide the hot air into the duct, though I doubt it's overall efficiency. I think the hinges should have been metal as well rather than plastic so the tabs wouldn't sheer off at a glance.

I also think the Z800 workstation could use some Z3 Fender vents,
on either side of the case, and a hood so you can peek in at all that plastic. :)

http://img12.imageshack.us/img12/9164/m3fins.jpg