HP has released a new AMD processor-based quad-core workstation that it says offers the performance of a workstation at the price of a conventional desktop PC.

The HP xw4550 workstation includes the quad-core AMD Opteron processor for workstation applications such as graphic design, and entry-level video post production and animation, and has a starting list price of £599 ($1,193)  plus VAT.

HP says that the xw4550 offers many of the same features as the company's higher-end workstations, plus new features from the AMD Opteron processor line, such as enhanced power management and virtualization capabilities. All models of the HP xw4550 include an integrated ATI RadeonTM X1250 graphics card with the new error correcting memory capability.

This workstation is also registered as an Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) Gold product, the highest rating available. HP says that all of its workstations are more than 90 per cent recyclable by weight and incorporate a tool-less chassis design for quick and easy upgrades by hand. Each workstation includes an 80 PLUS power supply, which HP says is substantially more efficient than a standard power supply, reducing both overall energy usage and the amount of waste and heat released into the environment.