HP Launches DreamColor Display on Mobile Workstation

10 Aug, 2008 By: Nancy Spurling Johnson

At SIGGRAPH 2008 in Los Angeles, company also introduces two professional desktop displays for CAD/CAM/CAE users.

HP today expanded its DreamColor display technology portfolio with the introduction of a powerful mobile workstation, the HP EliteBook 8730w. The launch was one of several new product announcements the company made to kick off SIGGRAPH 2008 in Los Angeles, the popular conference and exhibition for computer graphics and interactive technologies professionals.

In addition, the company introduced two affordable high-performance displays "aimed squarely at the CAD/CAM/CAE user," Brian Allen, North America product manager for HP mobile workstations, told Cadalyst. Also new are a custom calibration kit for the now-shipping DreamColor LP2480zx professional display as well as the HP EliteBook 8530w mobile workstation and the HP EliteBook 8530p notebook PC.

Designed for graphics-intensive applications, the new EliteBook 8730w ($1,699+) is the only mobile workstation on the market to include an optional 17" diagonal HP DreamColor display, the company reports. It offers more than 16 million colors -- a significant improvement to the 260,000 available colors on traditional notebook PCs. The notebook also is fully ISV certified and offers an Intel quad-core processor, 8 GB of memory, and NVIDIA's next generation of Quadro FX cards with as much as 1 GB dedicated video memory. It is scheduled to ship beginning August 27.

The new HP LP2475w 24" widescreen LCD monitor ($649) and the HP LP2275w 22" widescreen LCD monitor ($459) are designed for workstation users who require expansive presentation for graphics, video, and data projects. Both offer high-resolution on-screen presentation, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio, and extra-bright screens.

The new HP LP2475w 24" LCD monitor is designed for demanding professional graphics applications, including CAD/CAM/CAE.

The LP2475w, which should begin shipping in North America next month, holds a 1,920 x 1,200 resolution and has a 102% color gamut. The LP2275w, available now, has a resolution of 1,680 x 1,050 with a 92% color range. Both displays have wide viewing angles and feature height adjustment, tilt, swivel, and 90-degree pivot rotation - including a built-in HP Quick Release stand that enables wall and arm mounting for panoramic presentation. Both displays also meet ENERGY STAR guidelines and are EPEAT Silver registered.

The HP DreamColor LP2480zx ($3295) is a color-critical professional display that was developed through a technology collaboration between HP and DreamWorks Animation. The 24" diagonal HP DreamColor liquid crystal display (LCD) provides more than 1 billion colors in a 30-bit, LED-backlit widescreen display.

The new HP DreamColor Advanced Profiling Solution ($349), now shipping as an option for Microsoft Windows platforms, allows users of the HP DreamColor LP2480zx display to customize color settings beyond the factory-preset calibrations. The solution includes a customized DreamColor colorimeter and calibration software. It is expected to be available for Macintosh platforms next month.

The DreamColor display can be combined with the new generation of 30-bit graphics accelerator cards, such as the ATI FireGL V7700, for advanced application performance and visualization beyond 3D. The ATI FireGL V7700 delivers true 30-bit color, enabling what HP calls "never-before-achieved color palette ranges." When the display is combined with a 30-bit card, HP reports, the user can generate and display content using the full palette of more than 1 billion colors for color accuracy and smooth color transitions.

The HP EliteBook 8530w and HP EliteBook 8530p notebooks add professional graphics capabilities in a mobile format for extreme power users in fields such as design and engineering, animation, video production, broadcasting, and photography, HP reports. Both systems include a 15.4" diagonal display, Intel Core 2 Duo processor, and 8 GB of memory. The EliteBook 8530w also supports Intel quad-core mobile processors.

Incorporating the latest mobile technologies and engineered to meet multiple durability tests, the EliteBook series features the HP DuraCase, an "aircraft-inspired design" that incorporates a brushed anodized aluminum exterior and a magnesium alloy chassis to keep the unit looking good while offering maximum protection in a variety of mobile environments. The EliteBook 8530 series is expected to be available in September starting at $1,499.