HP has announced the new Z2 Mini Workstation, a miniature beast of a PC with high-end hardware compatible to enable professionals to use CAD software and to support other compute-intensive industrial uses.

At 2.3-inches x 8.5-inches, HP suggests that the Z2 Mini is a full 90 percent smaller than a traditional business-class tower PC, but packs with processor twice as powerful as any other Mini PC on the market that includes a quad-core Intel Xeon processor, Nvidia Quadro mobile M620 graphics card, 32GB of RAM, and M.2 SSD tech, NDTV has learned.

According to Engadget, the Z2 Mini preferably targets CAD, design, graphics and 3D users, while also posing decent gaming configurations. The PC is 63 percent quieter than HP's business-class mini PCs through the power of its custom cooling system.

Inside HP Z2 Mini's small package measuring 5.8 cm in height, it packs up to 32GB of DDR4 RAM and an HP Z Turbo Drive, with M.2 SSD read speeds over 1GB/s and a capacity up to 1.5TB.

Most of Z2 Mini's staggering performance could be pointed through NVIDIA's mobile M620 Quadro GPU with 2GB of VRAM, which manages on workstations and officially approved for pro apps like Autocad and 3DS max. Its processors also offer a practical switch to Intel Core i7, i5, or i3 CPU, or Intel's Xeon E3-1200v5 family that are normally used in workstations and servers.

However, the powerful PC did not pass NVIDIA's "VR Ready" criteria, making it unsuited for Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, and would "probably allow middling gaming performance, at best."

In an official statement of HP, Jeff Wood, vice president and general manager, Workstations and Thin Clients of HP Inc. stressed the breakthrough power and versatility of HP's first mini workstation. He says: "HP redefined the workstation in 2009 with the introduction of the HP Z series, and now once again is disrupting the category with the new HP Z2 Mini Workstation - the ultimate combination of space efficiency, elegance and power for our customers and partners."

As for its availability, the HP Z2 Mini mini-computer is expected to be available in December worldwide and will start from $699 (roughly Rs. 47,400) as per the company.

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