Hewlett-Packard has six new desktop PCs built around Intel's new 22-nanometer Ivy Bridge processors unveiled earlier this week, HP said on Tuesday. Among the new desktop rigs are several all-in-one PCs that won't arrive until June 24 and just one, the HP Pavilion HPE h9t Phoenix (pictured), which will arrive on Ivy Bridge's official availability date of April 29 with a sticker price of $1,149.
Intel's latest, greatest chips include 13 quad-core desktop and laptop processors manufactured using the company's new 22nm fabrication process, which translates to tinier circuitry than is used on last year's Sandy Bridge chips, the predecessors to Ivy Bridge.
By squeezing more transistors onto its Ivy Bridge chips, Intel gets more processing power while reducing the power draw on its CPUs—a standard benefit of a die shrink, or "tick" as Intel refers to new process technologies driven by Moore's Law in its "tick-tock" product roadmap cadence.
Intel, though, is referring to Ivy Bridge as a "tick+", which is a reference to the effort the chip giant put into improving onboard graphics performance with the third-generation Core architecture, above and beyond the standard process technology upgrade in a typical "tick" improvement.
The improved graphics and media performance built right into Ivy Bridge chips impressed official HP blogger "GizmoGladstone," who on Tuesday introduced the new Ivy Bridge desktops on the company's NextBench blog.
"Something that really matters to me ... is the upgraded graphics on-board the motherboard," the blogger gushed. "We're talking DirectX 11 support with Intel integrated graphics. That is a big deal. It means that while discrete GPUs will remain king, you'll be able to find svelte systems (even small laptops) that could potentially keep better pace. Translation: GAMES ON SMALL PCs! Okay, personal biases aside, that extra horsepower will mean more machines [that] can edit video—or stream 1080p content (and did I mention, "play games?") with ease."
Here's the skinny on the six new HP desktops featuring quad-core processors using Intel's third-generation Core architecture:
HP Omni 220qd: An all-in-one, non-touch PC with a "streamlined cantilever design" with an option to bundle in HP's Beats Audio software to make it a music machine. Available June 24, priced at $999.
HP Omni 27qd: A 27-inch, non-touch all-in-one that's got HP's exclusive Magic Canvas software "for a truly engaging experience." Available June 24, priced at $1,199.
HP TouchSmart 520xt: An 23-inch Ivy Bridge update to HP's popular touch-enabled TouchSmart all-in-one product line. Available June 24, priced at $999.
HP Pavilion HPE h8t: A traditional desktop rig with support for up to three displays. Available June 24, priced at $699.
HP Pavilion HPE h8xt: A jacked-up version of the HPE h8t. Available June 24, priced at $699.
HP Pavilion HPE h9t Phoenix: HP's "most powerful Pavilion platform to date," built for gaming, video editing, and other power-user tasks. Available April 29, priced at $1,149.
For more see Intel Releases Ivy Bridge: First Processor with 'Tri-Gate' Transistor, Intel's Ivy Bridge: 10 Things You Need to Know, and Acer Goes Ivy Bridge.
For more from Damon, follow him on Twitter @dpoeter.
