The Dell XPS 17 is the 17 inch model in the XPS lineup. Unlike the 14 and 15 inch models, it provides a much larger screen at a resolution of 1600×900. The extra size of this model also allowed Dell to include a full-size keyboard and a number pad, which is not included in the other two models. This could be good news for those who do a lot of work with numbers and spreadsheets, as the majority of laptops on the market do not include a dedicated number pad.

Buyers have a choice of four different i5 or i7 processors from Intel, which provide great performance even in the base configuration. Buyers also have a choice of Windows 7 64-bit operating systems: Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate. RAM configurations go from 4 GB to 16 GB.

The XPS 17 is built for multimedia and gaming as well. In addition to the high-definition screen, it includes built-in JBL speakers with Waves MaxxAudio 3 technology for better sound even from small speakers. The built-in webcam can stream video at 720p resolutions for clearer video chats. Skype software is even included right out of the box. The includes of NVIDIA’s 3DTV Play technology allows the laptop to send 3D content directly to a 3D TV as well, even opening up possibilities for 3D gaming.

For such an affordable price, the Dell XPS 17 sports an impressive array of high-end features, complimented by an eye-catching design. Those who want more performance and a larger screen than budget models will be impressed with the XPS 17.

While not as bulky as some multifunction machines, the M1536dnf is not exactly small. It measures 14.7 inches by 13.5 inches by 17.4 inches, but it weighs only 25.8 pounds, making it fairly easy to move around when necessary. It includes a 250-sheet standard paper tray and a 10-sheet priority tray for alternate media types. The unit has a built-in ethernet port for connecting it to a wired networking and sharing it among multiple computers.

Although the printer does not have wireless printing capabilities, it does support Apple’s Airprint service, which allows you to print wirelessly from any iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch device. This is a convenient feature, but not likely to be a must-have feature for most office environments.

An automatic document feeder is included on the top of the machine, and supports two-sided scanning and copying. In addition, the machine features and ID scan feature that can scan an ID card and print both sides of the card on a single sheet of paper. This avoids the typical procedure of copying one side of an ID then scanning it along with the other side, wasting paper. A small feature like this could be very useful for businesses that must scan ID cards on a regular basis.

Overall, the LaserJet Pro M1536dnf is a solid machine for the small or medium office. Its monochrome printing speeds are impressive, but lack of color printing and a slightly bulky design may turn some buyers away.

Price and Value

For many small businesses, the major factor when choosing which computers to buy will be price. Both HP and Dell offer a wide range of business machines that offer varying levels of performance at different price points. HP tends to offer more performance for the price, but Dell offers more customization options for their business machines, allowing buyers to tailor them to their individual needs.

Components and Features

HP and Dell offer similar features and components in their business machines. Both offer a wide range of components from simple DVD-ROM drives all the way up to Blu-ray drives and large memory upgrades for high-end users. It is generally possible to find a configuration that fits every need with both manufacturers.

Support and Warranty

Many small businesses don’t have an IT staff, but must support machines on their own. This makes the warranty and support options even more important. Both companies offer support through live chat, email, and over the phone, but some of Dell’s less expensive business models come with only live chat support included, giving the edge to HP for support. Warranty periods are similar between the two, offering 1 year warranties on budget machines and 3 year warranties on more expensive models.

Overall, it is difficult to crown one company the winner for small business, as both provide similar machines and experiences. Dell is a good choice for buyers who want more configuration options to fit their specific needs, but HP has an advantage in offering more support options. It is recommended that you compare similar machines from both companies to see which fits your needs and budget.

While not as bulky as some multifunction machines, the M1536dnf is not exactly small. It measures 14.7 inches by 13.5 inches by 17.4 inches, but it weighs only 25.8 pounds, making it fairly easy to move around when necessary. It includes a 250-sheet standard paper tray and a 10-sheet priority tray for alternate media types. The unit has a built-in ethernet port for connecting it to a wired networking and sharing it among multiple computers.

Although the printer does not have wireless printing capabilities, it does support Apple’s Airprint service, which allows you to print wirelessly from any iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch device. This is a convenient feature, but not likely to be a must-have feature for most office environments.

An automatic document feeder is included on the top of the machine, and supports two-sided scanning and copying. In addition, the machine features and ID scan feature that can scan an ID card and print both sides of the card on a single sheet of paper. This avoids the typical procedure of copying one side of an ID then scanning it along with the other side, wasting paper. A small feature like this could be very useful for businesses that must scan ID cards on a regular basis.

Overall, the LaserJet Pro M1536dnf is a solid machine for the small or medium office. Its monochrome printing speeds are impressive, but lack of color printing and a slightly bulky design may turn some buyers away.

The design of the machine keeps things simple and fairly compact. It measures 7.1 inches by 15.8 inches by 17.4 inches (HWD) and weighs only 13.4 pounds, making it a good choice for home users or those with limited space. Wireless support is built right in making it easy to connect to an existing network and share the device. Support for AirPrint is also included, letting users print wirelessly from an iPad, iPhone, or iPod Touch device.

One of the most unique features of the D110a is its TouchSmart frame, which acts as the menu for the printer and also as a small interface for interacting with the included software. Using the TouchSmart frame, users can create a variety of different print projects from scanned photos or those stored on a connected memory card. They can even print coupons, photos, and other items directly from the web without the need for a computer. This feature is limited to only the types of sites the software is designed to browse, however, so don’t expect a full-featured browser.

Despite all of its niche features, the Photosmart D110a is also a solid color printer. Print quality is very sharp in both color and monochrome, and print speeds are fast, at up to 29 pages per minute in black and 23 pages per minute in color. It is an excellent printer for home users or even small offices, and if its niche features such as AirPlay support are useful to buyers, it will be an even better value for the price.

The concept of the HP MultiSeat ms6000 is that the single desktop machine is set up and connected to a network and then multiple users can connect to the device, rather than each individual having a full-featured Windows machine. The benefit of this setup is fewer machines to maintain and a more centralized experience for file-sharing and other types of communication. Individuals will still be presented with a standard Windows experience which they can customize to suit their needs.

The ms6000 is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo or Quad processor, depending on the configuration, and comes with either 2 GB or 6 GB of RAM. The system includes an integrated Intel 4500 chip for graphics acceleration and even has 4 low-profile PCIe slots available for future expansion. 12 USB 2.0 ports are available for easily connecting devices and setting up new users, and both a VGA and DisplayPort connection are included for multiple monitor support. The system runs Microsoft Multipoint Server 2010, which provides valid Windows licenses and installs for up to 10 users.

The HP MultiSeat ms6000 Series Business Desktop system is not only a great solution for businesses looking to keep IT costs down, but it is also potentially a good system for schools and other environments where support staff is limited but multiple seats are needed. Providing so many seats for such a low price makes for a system that is easy to set up and has a lot of bang for the buck.

The HP t5740e is power by an Intel Atom N280 1.66 GHz processor and an Intel GL40 chipset. The system includes 2 GB of RAM but up to 8 GB of RAM is supported if upgrades are required in the future. Instead of a hard drive, the unit includes 4 GB of flash memory, which provides a nice performance boost and faster boot times.

Most of the thin client’s interaction will happen through the Wireless LAN port or ethernet port, making it easy to connect to the main server. It also includes 6 USB ports for peripherals such as a keyboard and mouse, and some models include PS/2 ports as well. The inclusion of both a VGA and display port connector means that the machine can handle multiple monitors, and despite its small size and limited processing power, it is capable of handling high resolutions. There is also a headphone output and microphone input located on the front of the device as well as two USB ports for convenience.

The compact design of the HP t5740e makes the term “thin client” seem like an understatement. The unit measures just 10 inches by 1.7 inches by 8.7 inches (HWD) and weighs around 4 pounds. With such a small device, theft could be a concern, so HP included a security lock slot for attaching a cable lock, though the lock is not included.

If you are considering thin client computing for business applications the HP t5740e provides only the necessary components to have your employees working efficiently. Its low price and compact size make it an excellent value.

Efficiency and speed are both readily available in the 8290. It can print at a rate of up to 215 square feet per hour to help keep production speed rolling along. Also adding to its efficiency is the fact that users can add ink while the printer is running, eliminating slowdowns that can cause delays and revenue loss. Support for motorized winder and un-winder mechanisms also allow the printer to operate unattended.

The printer supports multiple media types, such as coated media and uncoated vinyl. It uses piezoelectric inkjet technology in its ink mechanism, which provides a solid balance of quality and speed.

When faster speeds or lower ink usage are required, users have a choice between different printing resolutions. Resolutions of 360, 540, 720, and 1440 dpi are available depending on the specific needs of the project. The printer can also operate in four-color or six-color ink mode for different balances of quality and ink usage.

For a wide-format printer, the design of the 8290 manages to keep things relatively compact. The device measures 49.2 inches by 112 inches by 29.5 inches (HWD). The minimum printing width of the machine is 24 inches, which could limit users from using it for smaller projects. The printer supports EPS, PDF, JPEG, TIFF, and postscript file formats.

When it comes to large format printing, the Xerox 8290 has the size and versatility to handle nearly any project you can throw at it. Its support for coated and uncoated media makes it suited for indoor and outdoor printing, and its ability to operate unattended makes an efficient addition to your shop.

While Apple’s iPad aims to be a unique device and many competing tablets seem to be nothing more than a smartphone with a larger screen, Toshiba claims they designed the Thrive to be more like a laptop. Thus, they have included features such as an HDMI port and SD card reader, allowing users more connection options for input and output.

One of the most striking features of the design is the rubber rear surface, which makes the tablet much more stable to hold in one hand. Further, the color of the rear surface is replaceable, with a number of bright custom colors available to users. The customization might appeal more to younger users, but the rubber surface is somewhat of an improvement over the easily-scratched surfaces of competing models.

Some of the extra features of the Thrive seem to have taken their toll on the design, however. It weighs in at 1.6 pounds, making it one of the heaviest tablets on the market. Its 10.1 inch screen provides a sharp and vibrant display.

Building on the Android platform, Toshiba decided to include some applications of its own, such as an “App Place” for downloading content that Toshiba decides to feature. Unfortunately, this and other Toshiba apps such as its book reader tend to conflict with the software already included with Android, making users choose between what may be too many options.

Toshiba has created a very capable tablet with the Thrive, and it is priced to compete well with the devices currently on the market. Time will tell if it can get a good start in a market totally dominated by Apple.

The Z200 includes a 3.47 GHz Intel Core i5 processor for fast performance with 8 GB of RAM. It features integrated graphics with 256 MB of video memory, though it does have two PCI Express slots available for video upgrades for users who need more power. A 500 GB hard drive is included in the standard configuration, offering plenty of storage for documents and other important files. The machine comes Windows 7 Professional.

The hardware specs of the Z200 are impressive in its standard configuration, but buyers who wish to add upgrades by configuring the machine will find that many of the upgrades are costly. Adding a DVD burner or other extras quickly raises the machine’s price and makes it less of a bargain. IT pros will be glad to know that the insides of the machine are easily-accessible with a screw-less case design, but there is not much room in the compact case for modifications.

The machine includes a number of useful extras such as built in ethernet and HDMI ports. It also includes slots for most popular memory card formats right out of the box. A whopping 5 USB ports are available right on the front of the machine, with an additional 6 ports available on the back, offering support for numerous devices without the need for a separate USB hub.

The HP Z200 is a well-designed machine for business environments, offering the essential hardware and features for a good price. Custom configurations are costly, however, so buyers who need other options may want to shop around first.