HP Visualize x-class p-class Xeon

Quick Facts
Introduced	2000
Period	Intel
Series	Visualize
CPU	1-2 Pentium III
Cache	256 KB
RAM	4 GB
Design	RCC
Drives	1 FD 4 IDE
Expansion	1 AGP 4 PCI 1 PCI/ISA
I/O	2 serial parallel 2 USB audio

HP updated the Visualize Personal Workstations line in 2000 with new Intel-based models in the x-class and p-class. Models A1280 were new x-class, A6034 the new p-class – both identical besides maximum memory and some expansion configurations.

Based on Intel Pentium III Xeon Cascades processors, they were up to two-way SMP capable with rare RCC ServerWorks chipset and Xeon CPU models and updated earlier P-Class and X-Class workstations.

HP Visualize C-Class — X500, Thomas Schanz CC BY-SA 4.0

Visualize X-Class and P-Class high were NT-based workstations for Mechanical Design Automation (MDA) and Digital Content Creation (DCC) to complement more expensive HP PA-RISC Unix offerings.

Visualize X-Class shared almost nothing with PA-RISC-based HP Visualize workstations but modified version of Visualize graphics adapters on AGP Pro. They also were shipped with some 3rd-party graphics for 3D.

HP Visualize p733, A6034A, were introduced in 1999
HP Visualize x733, A1280, were introduced in 1999 for $6,470
HP Visualize x733, A1280A, with fx4, introduced in 2000 for $7,470
HP Visualize p800, A6034A, were introduced in 2000 for $3,346
HP Visualize x800, A1280B, with Elsa Synergy II, introduced in 2000 for $4,246
HP Visualize p866, A6034A, with Elsa Synergy II, introduced in 2000 for $3,246
HP Visualize x866, A1280B, with Elsa GLoria II, introduced in 2000 for $5,906
HP Visualize p1.0, A6034A, introduced in 2000 for $3,846
HP Visualize x1.0, A1280B, with Elsa Synergy II, introduced in 2000 for $4,746
HP Visualize X-Class A1280A were shipped with HP Visualize fx4+ and fx6+
HP Visualize X-Class A1280B were shipped with HP Visualize fx5 and fx10 Graphics Cards; ELSA GLoria II and Synergy II
HP Visualize X-Class A1280C: unclear
HP Visualize P-Class A6034A were shipped with HP Visualize fx5 and fx10 Graphics Cards; ELSA GLoria II and Synergy II

System architecture

Processors

System	CPU	Speed	L1 Cache
HP Visualize x733 HP Visualize p733	1-2 Intel Pentium III Xeon Cascades?	733 MHz	256 KB on-chip
HP Visualize x800 HP Visualize p800	1-2 Intel Pentium III Xeon Cascades?	800 MHz	256 KB on-chip
HP Visualize x866 HP Visualize p866	1-2 Intel Pentium III Xeon Cascades?	866 MHz	256 KB on-chip
HP Visualize x1.0 HP Visualize p1.0	1-2 Intel Pentium III Xeon Cascades?	1 GHz	256 KB on-chip

Chipset

Visualize x-class and p-class workstations use a RCC chipset, possibly ServerWorks III (HE?), after the company renamed itself.

Reliance Computer RCC chipset, possibly ServerWorks ServerSet III HE-SL
RCC North Bridge, with memory controller, connects CPU bus (FSB), memory bus (SDRAM), PCI and AGP buses
RCC I/O Bridge, connects PCI to ISA, USB and IDE
- (integrated) IDE controller PCI Bus master Ultra ATA/33
- (integrated) USB controller
- (integrated) DMA (82C37) and Interrupt (82C59) controllers
- (integrated) Power Managemend
- (integrated) SMBus interface
NS87317, Ultra I/O, integrates parallel, serial, keyboard, mouse, floppy controllers and RTC
Two ROM sockets for flash ROMs
Intel 82559 10/100 Fast Ethernet controller.
Graphics through separate boards, usually shipped with:
- Optional Visualize fx OpenGL 3D with 18 MB SGRAM and 16-32 MB SDRAM, dual PCI-AGP
- Optional Visualize fx2+, fx4+, fx6+ with 18 MB SGRAM, dual PCI-AGP
- Optional Visualize fx5, fx10 up to 64 MB RAM, 6 (PA-RISC) geo engines, AGP
- Optional ELSA GLoria II (with hp visualize technology)
- Optional ELSA Synergy II with 32 MB SGRAM
- Optional NVIDIA Quadro2 MXR
CS4280 and CS4297 sound chips
Optional Adaptec SCSI card for Ultra-wide LVD and SE SCSI

System buses

Intel 133 MHz 2x Front-side bus (FSB), 64-bit with Parity, data rate
Memory bus 133 MHz (SDRAM) CL2, 288/144-bit with ECC, 2 GB/s data rate
PCI 33 MHz 3.3V bus
PCI 66 MHz 5.0V bus
AGP Pro 66 MHz 4X bus
SCSI Ultra160 storage bus, 160 MB/s
IDE PIO mode 4 and Bus Master IDE

Memory

133 MHz SDRAM 2-way interleaved
X-Class (A1280): Eight slots for 64-512 MB SDRAM DIMMs
P-Class (A6034): Four slots for 64-512 MB SDRAM DIMMs
64 MB to 2 GB (P-Class) or 4 GB (X-Class) supported

Expansion slots

One AGP Pro slot, 66 MHz
- Possibly on A1280B and A6034 Not supported: Visualize fx4, fx6, fx2+, fx4+, fx6+ (with plain AGP) will not work and might damage the board
- A1280A was apparently shipped with fx2+ and fx4+ AGP Pro
Three PCI slots, 32-bit 33 MHz, 5V
Two PCI slots, 64-bit 66 MHz, 3.3V
I/O slot layout (from top to bottom):
1. AGP Pro
2. PCI 32-bit, PCI 1
3. PCI 32-bit, PCI 2
4. PCI 32-bit, PCI 3
5. PCI 64-bit, PCI 4
6. PCI 64-bit, PCI 5

Storage

Hard drives either Ultra ATA/33 or Ultra160 SCSI
3.5″ Floppy drive
Two internal trays for 3.5″ drives
Two external trays for 3.5″ drives
Three external trays for 5.25″ drives, CDs etc.

External ports

Two serial RS232C DB9
VGA DB 15-pin
Parallel DB25
Two USB ports
Two PS/2 ports for keyboard/mouse
Four phone jacks for audio

Operating systems

Windows NT, original support and drivers
Windows 2000, original support and drivers
Linux, original support and drivers
many other PC operating systems

Pictures

HP Visualize X-Class X1.0, Thomas Schanz 2015, CC BY-SA 4.0

Dimensions

System	Height	Width	Depth	Weight
Desktop	483mm	208mm	473mm	15kg

There is an LCD panel on the front of the case which shows BIOS and configuration info and possible detected errors by the BIOS, enhanced by beeps. The LCD can also be used for diagnostics.

Benchmarks

No official SPECint or fp results could be found for newer HP Visualize x- and p-class systems, but some comparisons might be made with systems using a similar ServerWorks ServerSet III chipset, such as DELL Power Edge 4400.

* - possible using ServerWorks ServerSet LE III, like the p/x-class
^ - data extrapolated for BX-based P-Class for comparison
System	Processor	SPEC95 int	SPEC95 fp	SPEC2000 int	SPEC2000 fp
DELL Power Edge 4400	Pentium III Xeon 1 GHz*			437	302
HP Visualize P750C^	Pentium III 750 MHz	35.7^	22.9^	325^	219^
HP Visualize B1000	PA-8500 300 MHz	23.9	39.3
HP Visualize C3000	PA-8500 400 MHz	31.8	52.4	313	321
HP Visualize C3750	PA-8700+ 875 MHz			678	674

HP PA-RISC were always good performers on FPU loads and pretty strong on a MHz-for-MHz comparison; granted on synthetic benchmarks.

Documentation