HP - Compaq dc7800 Ultra-slim

Here's a neat trick. In addition to being “ultra-slim”, the latest member of the HP Compaq dc7800 family can be made to almost disappear. OK, maybe not, but it can be made to take up hardly any room and be positioned out of sight, simply by buying the custom monitor/stand designed to go with it.
The HP monitor isn't compulsory: any monitor can be used if you prefer. However, opt for the HP L1906i (£149 + VAT) and, in addition to a nice 19-inch flat panel display, you get a solid metal stand to which the monitor and main PC processing unit can be attached.
Of course a screwdriver is needed to attach the PC, positioning it behind the display and clear of the desk, but it's an easy enough job which took us about five minutes. You even get a pull-out tray to take the separate AC adapter, further minimising the footprint. The 1,280 x 1,024 resolution monitor then clips in place with a nicely counterbalanced mechanism to slide it up and down as well as tilt the screen for comfortable viewing, with the overall result a very stylish and usable desktop system

The processing unit itself doesn't quite live up to the “ultra-thin” billing, but it's pretty close, with several configurations available to suit different applications and budgets. Ours was fairly high-end, with a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 6750 processor and sockets for up to 4GB of memory.
Unfortunately, only 1GB is supplied as standard and, given the Windows Vista operating system that comes with this model, we would have liked a lot more. But that's easily accommodated, using notebook-style SODIMM modules with a similarly notebook-style, 2.5-inch, 160GB hard disk and DVD/CD writer on this model.
We were also a little disappointed by the integrated Intel graphics controller. It's fine for general office work, but best avoided if you intend to run any 3D modelling or other graphics-intensive applications. All the more so given that there are no expansion slots, so installing another graphics card isn't an option. However, connectivity shouldn't be an issue, with a Gigabit Ethernet port and an impressive eight USB 2.0 connectors as standard.
As well as the stylish design and small footprint, we found the dc7800 Ultra-slim to be a lot quieter than most desktops, thanks to the use of low energy components more commonly associated with mobile computing systems. These require minimal cooling and a lot less power than a standard PC's, the dc7800 consuming around 80 watts in use and 10 in hibernation mode.
The external AC adapter also helps keep the noise down, although we would have liked a louder speaker and were far from impressed by the somewhat flimsy mouse. The keyboard was better, but a set of good quality wireless peripherals would have been a nice finishing touch on an otherwise good looking and well designed device, clearly aimed at the business rather than home user market.
To this end it's worth noting that the Ultra-slim also supports Intel's VPro technology, enabling it to be managed remotely whether powered up or not, with the software agents required pre-installed along with other HP security and management tools.

source:itreviews.com