HP Z420 Workstation Review: Competition Heats Up

Conclusion: The Times Change for HP

When I attended the Dell press event for their revised Precision line, one of the other journalists there essentially called Dell to the mat for playing second fiddle to HP, and asked what Dell was going to do to make up the difference. Given the comparison between the Z420 and Precision T3600 we were able to make today, it looks like we might just have our answers.

While strictly comparable machines can't be configured between the two vendors and Dell really needs to just get the new Precision line out the door, it's pretty evident to me that a hungry and revitalized Dell is going to put the screws to HP. Dell's price-to-performance ratio is better (even after you discount the ridiculous $30 plastic handle), and I honestly think that depending on your usage scenario Dell may actually be even more compelling on the software side. HP's Performance Advisor is a cute idea that continued to underwhelm here, while Dell's Reliable Memory Technology seems to be the real deal.

At the same time, Dell's new chassis design is just plain easier to service than HP's, and between that and the aforementioned memory technology, the new Precision systems seem geared for longevity and superior overall uptime. Those are two metrics that IT is liable to be looking closely at.

If you need to buy a workstation (or several) right now, HP is pretty much your only option, end of list. Every day Dell's revised Precisions stay off the market is an opportunity for HP to make a buck at their expense. If you can wait a month or so, however, HP's hardware suddenly becomes far less compelling.

Both vendors aggressively pursue ISV certifications, and both vendors seem to be pretty aggressive about getting their hardware in the hands of major customers. Yet Dell's workstation offerings seem to be more forward thinking as a whole, and if they can continue to hit better price points than HP, they may yet leave a complacent HP behind.