New Vectras raise corporate ante

Hewlett-Packard (HWP) today introduced three new models in its Vectra line of computers that are upping the ante for entry-level PCs in the corporate market.

The Pentium-based Vectra VEs will include a 1GB hard drive, 64-bit graphics, and a safety feature that prevents users from turning off the PC when unsaved data might be lost. HP says users will also be able to switch the size of video memory allocation to optimize for use with graphics-intensive applications.

A Vectra VE 5/100 with 100-MHz Pentium processor and 8MB RAM will have an estimated retail price of $1,109, with a 16MB model available for an estimated $1,253.

The VE 5/120 with 120-MHz Pentium and 8MB RAM will have an estimated retail price of $1,145 and the 16MB model will go for $1,289. The VE 5/133 with 133-MHz Pentium and 16MB tops out the offerings at an estimated price of $1,477, while the 8MB model will be offered at $$1,333. All 16MB models will come with 256K of L2 synchronous pipeline burst cache for improved performance.

In other news, HP announced the availability of the Ergo 1600 21-inch display. The monitor has 20-inch viewable area and a 1,280-by-1,024-pixel resolution at a 85-MHz refresh rate. The product is available in the United States and will be available worldwide on November 1 at an estimated price of $1,899.