Dell launches new business desktops

Dell has released its first thin client

Dell today rolled out new desktops, its first thin client, new support services and expanded flexible computing services, as well as touting its green IT credentials and enhanced system security.

Dell's European head of desktop product commercial client marketing, Samuel Larsson, said, "This new series of business desktops within the OptiPlex family ranges from our first thin client, or as we like to call it ‘flexible computing node’, to new high-performance models."

Larsson said that as well as complying with the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Energy Star 4.0 standard for energy-efficient consumer devices, the new desktops unveiled today will also comply with the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool gold standard.

Dell also said 10 per cent of the plastic used in the new models is recycled, and the power supplies have an efficiency of 88 per cent converting mains AC power to low-voltage DC power required by computer systems.

The new models include the FX160 thin client, the entry-level OptiPlex 360 business desktop, a new high-performance OptiPlex 960, and Dell's successor to its mainstream OptiPlex 755 system – the OptiPlex 760.

Dell is also touting both capital and operating costs as a differentiator for its systems, with pre-configured systems having up to a 36-month product lifecycle and flexible support options.

The OptiPlex 960 has full hardware disk encryption and also has optional biometric and smartcard systems available. Aside from the actual hardware launched, Larsson said that Dell is also "bringing out better capabilities to make deployment of these desktops much easier”.

“With the FX160 thin client, we're going global with flexible computing," Larsson added. With the new hardware launch Dell said it is also launching a three-pronged strategy for flexible computing, using virtual remote desktops (VRDs), on-demand desktop streaming and dedicated remote workstations.

For the VRDs using the FX160, which can participate in client-server computing models over the wired LAN and also over a wireless connection, Dell is using VMware's virtual desktop infrastructure.

The dedicated remote workstation solution, dubbed by Dell “PC-over-IP”, connects systems to a datacentre-located Dell Precision R5400 rack-mount workstation, "for high-performance users in harsh or highly secure environments ".

All systems are available now, with pricing for the FX160 starting at £241 + VAT, the 360 at £279 + VAT, the 760 at £359 + VAT and the 960 at £479 + VAT.