Dell Extends Workstation Line
Dell has expanded its workstation portfolio with new mobile and tower releases. The Dell Precision M4800, M6800, T3610, T5610, and T7610 deliver high performance with up to 16gb of 1866mhz memory, fourth-generation Intel Core i5 and i7 processor options up to the Core i7 Extreme Edition, and either AMD FirePro or Nvidia Quadro professional graphics cards.
The new tower portfolio includes the Dell Precision T1700 Small-Form Factor (SFF) and Mini-Tower; the T3610 with advanced single-CPU performance; the T5610, a high-power dual-processor workstation in a small footprint; and the T7610, which the company touts as “the world’s most powerful tower workstation.” The T7610 will offer up to 512gb of system memory and power up to three high-end graphics cards, including up to two Nvidia Quadro K6000s cards.
The new Dell Precision tower and mobile workstations are available now with US prices starting at $1,099 for the T3610, $2,729 for the T5610, $3,059 for the T7610, $1,249 for the M4800, and $1,599 for the M6800.
HP Grows Z Workstation Portfolio
HP has expanded its Z portfolio of professional workstation and display products. The new portfolio includes three new HP ZBook Mobile Workstations, processor and graphics enhancements to the award-winning line of HP Z Desktop Workstations, and two new HP Z Displays.
The HP ZBook family includes the first workstation Ultrabook – the HP ZBook 14 (which will be available soon) – as well as the HP ZBook Mobile Workstations 15 and 17 (available now).
The HP Z420, Z620, and Z820 Workstations have been updated to include the latest Intel Xeon E5-1600v2 and E5-2600v2 families of processors (also called Ivy Bridge) as well as new memory running 16 percent faster and second-generation Thunderbolt ports for creative workflows. The enhanced HP Z420, Z620, and Z820 Workstations are expected to be available in October starting $1,399, $1,689, and $2,439, respectively.
Adding to the company’s line of professional displays are the new HP Z27i and Z30i IPS Displays. The former will be available in October at a starting price of $729, and the latter is available today with pricing starting at $1,329.
Maxon Updates Cinema 4D to R15
Maxon is now offering its Cinema 4D Release 15 (R15), a milestone release of its flagship 3D motion graphics, visual effects, painting, and rendering software application. R15 is marked by new features and 3D workflow enhancements to modeling, text creation, digital sculpting, and advanced rendering optimization, including all-new network rendering.
Customers with an active Maxon Service Agreement (MSA) that was valid through September 3, 2013 will receive an automatic upgrade. Release 15 is available for both Mac OS X and Windows.
Eizo Rolls Out New Monitors
Eizo has released two 19-inch square monitors, the FlexScan S1923 and FlexScan S1903, ideal for large and small offices that require a traditional square design. Both monitors have LED backlights for low power consumption of 16 watts or less during typical operation and 0.5 watts in power-save mode. An ambient brightness sensor and a preset mode lower the brightness and color temperature to reduce blue-light output that can cause eye fatigue. The FlexScan S1923 and S1903 include a 19-inch screen with 1280x1024 native resolution (5:4 aspect ratio). They boast compatibility with older graphics boards that output a sync-on-green signal. The S1923 is priced at $499, and the S1903 costs $299.
Wacom Offers Devices
During the past several weeks, Wacom has unveiled new offerings and capabilities to its product line. The Bamboo Pad is Wacom’s latest solution for adding navigation gestures as well as drawing and handwriting capabilities to a typical, everyday PC or Mac. Once plugged into any Windows 8 (or Windows 7) operated laptop or desktop computer, Bamboo Pad delivers a more natural navigation experience to the user. Bamboo Pad wireless ($79) and wired ($49) models will ship soon.
Also, Wacom extended the creative experience from the desktop to a mobile environment with the new Cintiq Companion line of tablets. The Cintiq Companion runs Windows 8 and full versions of creative software, while the Cintiq Companion Hybrid is a traditional Cintiq when plugged into a Mac or PC, but when used as a mobile device, works as a stand-alone Android tablet for light sketching and creative processes with suitable apps.
The Cintiq Companion Hybrid models are priced at $1,499 for the 16gb and $1,599 for the 32gb. The Cintiq Companion models are offered at $1,999 for the Windows 8 with 256gb SSD and $2,499 for the Windows 8 Pro with 512gb SSD. The Cintiq Companion models are scheduled to appear at the Wacom eStore in October.