HP Compaq 8200 Elite Ultra-Slim: The Littlest Desktop
by Dustin Sklavos on September 29, 2011 10:40 AM EST- Posted in
- Systems
- IT Computing
- HP
- SFF
- Enterprise
Conclusion: Day to Day Workhorse
Not every build we get in house has to be glamorous, but there's a certain charm to a machine as small and inobtrusive as the HP Compaq 8200 Elite Ultra-Slim. Even on the enterprise side, not everyone is going to be doing CAD work and video editing or trying to power through Maya. There needs to be a client that fills the needs of any business, big or small--for people who just need a terminal to sit and work at.
If you're not space limited you can certainly save some dosh by going with one of the bigger, less specialized towers that HP (or Dell) offers, but it's hard not to like the 8200. This little computer is very good at what it does and well-designed for its intended purpose. It's something you can actually discreetly stash behind the monitor, where it will make virtually no noise, generate virtually no heat, and basically do its job without calling any attention to itself. For something like a library or school computer lab that just wants to get rows of computers in place, this is an excellent choice.
With that said, I do have a couple of quibbles. I would rather have seen DVI on the back instead of DisplayPort; HP sells DisplayPort adaptors to the major screen input standards, but DisplayPort itself is still rarefied, often showing up only on more expensive monitors while DVI is far more ubiquitous at every step of the ladder. And while enterprise machines tend to be about a step behind consumer machines in terms of connectivity, I still would've liked to have seen at least USB 3.0 connectivity on the 8200. Ten USB 2.0 ports are cute, but there's no high speed connectivity anywhere outside of the Gigabit ethernet.
Ultimately the HP Compaq 8200 Elite Ultra-Slim is a well-designed, even cute little machine that's well-suited to being a reasonably inexpensive client machine. If you don't need the quad-core processor you can always downgrade to an i3 and save a hundred bucks or so. You also get the standard 3-year onsite service, which can be helpful even for non-business users should anything go amiss. If something small and reasonably powerful is what you're looking for (ideally for a small business or a large number of terminals), the HP Compaq 8200 Elite Ultra-Slim should fit the bill nicely.
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Alurian - Thursday, September 29, 2011 - link
Think that processor only has 6M of L3:http://ark.intel.com/products/52211/Intel-Core-i5-...
JarredWalton - Thursday, September 29, 2011 - link
Fixed, thanks.JKolstad - Thursday, September 29, 2011 - link
While it's not strictly required by the DisplayPort standard, I'd bet you a nickel that HP's implementation of DisplayPort includes the "DVI compatibility" dual-mode that'll let you use a <$10 cable adapter to connect from DisplayPort to a DVI (or HDMI, for that matter) monitor.(Every HP I've seen with DisplayPort so far has supported this option. There's supposed to be a little "DP++" logo when dual-mode is supported, although I can't tell from the picture if it's present or not.)
JarredWalton - Thursday, September 29, 2011 - link
I think the point is that most people would just as soon avoid using the extra adapter -- I know I would. It makes for a clunky connection when you have to go DP -> DVI (or even worse, DP -> DVI -> HDMI). I also like being able to screw in DVI cables when I know the system isn't going anywhere -- I've done support for a company where I got more than a few calls that ended up being a cable that came loose when someone decided to rearrange their desk.MadAd - Friday, September 30, 2011 - link
but you know vga and dvi are end of life already, take the pain now, dp is the futurei just wish manufacturers would hurry the hell up with it, i mean was it too much to ask all these years for a simple digital connector that carried sound?
Sure its a pita having to restock the connector/patch cable box but thats the price of progress, infact i wish theyd go with miniDP all over, but ppl seem to like huge connectors, same with miniusb.
JasperJanssen - Wednesday, October 12, 2011 - link
DP cables aren't screwed, but they have tangs that lock the cable at least as securely in place (until you press the button on the connector). Certainly the DP->DVI adapters in use at my workplace have those, and the DVI cable can screw into the adapter.DP is a lot smaller than DVI on the backplate, and DP is cheaper to license. This way the DVI licensing cost gets passed off to the adapter, and people who don't use it (because they're still razzinfrassin using VGA monitors exclusively) don't pay it.
biostud - Thursday, September 29, 2011 - link
Not that detailed about the sound emission in the review.With a 5450 could it be a very good HTPC?
JarredWalton - Thursday, September 29, 2011 - link
Dustin's SPL meter can't accurately measure under 40 dB I believe, making it useless for many systems unfortunately. He also lives in an area with quite a bit of traffic, which can make it doubly hard to get meaningful noise measurements. (And no, he doesn't have an anechoic chamber -- neither do I nor most of the other reviewers here.) I'll see if I can get him to post a noise level for full load, or at least a bit more detail, but at least for the base design it's going to be very nearly silent at idle and probably not much louder under load.jdonnelly81 - Thursday, September 29, 2011 - link
I had a similar thought. Though the form factor is appropriate, I think the connectivity in audio and video limit it's practicality.Belard - Thursday, September 29, 2011 - link
So... its basically a notebook computer without the notebook... er screen and keyboard.