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HP t820: Hardware 

HP t820 Thin Client

The HP t820 was launched in October 2013. I think it reached end-of-life at the end of October 2015. My example dates from December 2014.

HP Marketing: "HP's most powerful thin client is the full-featured solution to boost efficiency and performance. Get a responsive, smooth desktop experience from two Intel 4th Generation high performance processors. Robust security options deliver superior data protection. Enable cost-effective, remote IT management - and simplify deployments - with the flexibility of a multi-protocol environment. Multiple monitors expand multitasking.......

t820 logo
What is clear is that the t820 is not a purpose designed thin client but actually is a standard HP Desktop computer with a few bits left off. One clue is the front panel of my example carries the moniker 'EliteDesk' (and sticky residue indicates that something was once stuck over it). The t820 data sheet shows that the front panel of thin client version is actually labelled 'Flexible Thin Client'.

As far as I can see the underlying hardware is an HP EliteDesk 800 G1 Ultra-Slim.

Obvious give-aways are:

  • the use of desktop socketed CPUs - no use of power saving mobile technology.
  • two fans.
  • metalwork for DVD drives and a hard drive.
  • needs a 135W or 180W power supply.

Specifications

Processor & Graphics
   Type
   Speed
   Graphics
Intel Pentium G3220
3.0GHz
Intel HD Graphics for 4th Generation Intel Processors


  or  
Intel Core i5-45705
3.20GHz - 3.60GHz
Intel HD Graphics 4600
Memory
   Flash
   RAM		16GB/32GB
upto 16GB DDR3-1600 (max 16GB)
Ports
   Network
   USB (front)
   USB (rear)
   Serial
   Parallel
   PS/2
   Video Ports
 		 10/100/1000
2 x USB 3.0, 2 x USB 2.0
6 x USB 2.0
0
0
2 (Kybd, Mouse)
2 x DisplayPort 1.2: Resolution 2560 x 1600
1 x VGA
Power
   Power
   Plug
   Off
   Idle
   Stressed		 19.5V 6.9A (label)
Coax male 7.4mm/5.0mm + centre pin
0.1W
16W
42W
Dimensions
H x W x D (mm)66 x 252 x 254

The embedded operating system is one of:

  • Windows Embedded Standard (WES) 7E (32-bit)
  • Windows Embedded Standard (WES) 7P (64-bit)
  • Windows Embedded Standard (WES) 8 (64-bit)

Full specifications can be found in:

Power Supply

The power supply has the standard HP 7.4mm x 5mm + centre pin coax connector and is rated at 19.0V 135W. My simple power check of the basic unit with keyboard, mouse, one display and running four null shell loops clocked the power consumption at 42W.

If you don't have an HP PSU/charger and are thinking of using a non-HP PSU see this page.

CPU

The t820 has a socketed CPU. The socket is a FCLGA1150 and the t820 comes with either a 3.20GHz - 3.60GHz 4 core i5-4570 CPU (TDP 84W) or a 3.0GHz 2 core Pentium G3220 (TDP 53W). My example is fitted with the Pentium option.

vendor_id :GenuineIntel
cpu family :6
model :60
model name :Intel(R) Pentium(R) CPU G3220 @ 3.00GHz
stepping :3
flags :fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx pdpe1gb rdtscp lm constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology nonstop_tsc cpuid aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl est tm2 ssse3 sdbg cx16 xtpr pdcm pcid sse4_1 sse4_2 movbe popcnt xsave rdrand lahf_lm abm cpuid_fault epb invpcid_single pti fsgsbase tsc_adjust erms invpcid xsaveopt dtherm arat pln pts

PCI

00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation 4th Gen Core Processor DRAM Controller (rev 06)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 06)
00:03.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v3/4th Gen Core Processor HD Audio Controller (rev 06)
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB xHCI (rev 04)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 04)
00:16.3 Serial controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family KT Controller (rev 04)
00:19.0 Ethernet controller: Intel Corporation Ethernet Connection I217-LM (rev 04)
00:1a.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI #2 (rev 04)
00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset High Definition Audio Controller (rev 04)
00:1d.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family USB EHCI #1 (rev 04)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation Q87 Express LPC Controller (rev 04)
00:1f.2 SATA controller: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family 6-port SATA Controller 1 [AHCI mode] (rev 04)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation 8 Series/C220 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller (rev 04)

Noise

As the t820 is fitted with a standard desktop CPU it is fitted with a couple of fans to assist with the cooling. These provided a low level of background noise. Loading the CPU didn't really make any noticeable difference.

Expansion

Inside the HP t820

As usual click on the photo for a larger photo of the motherboard.

The photo here shows included metalwork that's used to hold a hard drive and DVD drive if the unit is configured as a standard desktop PC.

Inside the HP t820
Flash: The t820 supports three types of flash media. On the motherboard there is a mSATA socket. (Not visible in the photo thanks to the spare metalwork). With my t820 this is where the 32GB flash drive was fitted.

There is also a SATA power/data socket that matches up to the metalwork carrier for a 2.5" drive.

Elsewhere on the motherboard is a SATA data socket and separate header labelled SATA Power. I assume that this connector is where the DVD drive would be connected if the unit was configured as a standard desktop.

HP t820 ram
RAM: There are two slots for DDR3/DDR3L SODIMMs. HP fits up to 16GB (2 x 8GB) of RAM. Others have happily fitted 32GB (2 x 16GB). The hardware reference guide gives the following specification for the RAM:
  • unbuffered non-ECC PC3-12800 DDR3-1600 MHz-compliant
  • 1.35 volt or 1.5 volt DDR3-SDRAM SODIMMs
  • support CAS latency 11 DDR3 1600 MHz (11-11-11 timing)

In addition, the computer supports:

  • 512-Mbit, 1-Gbit, and 2-Gbit non-ECC memory technologies
  • single-sided and double-sided SODIMMS
  • SODIMMs constructed with x8 and x16 devices; SODIMMs constructed with x4 SDRAM are not supported

HP t820 wireless card
mPCIe: There is a mPCIe connector just below the mSATA socket. This is where a WiFi card would be fitted. If HP have fitted an interface card the HP Spec says you'll get: Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6205 PCI Express Mini Card Wireless Network Connection (optional).

USB: There are plenty of USB ports - 2 x USB3.0 and 2 x USB 2.0 on the front panel, 6 x 2.0 connectors on the rear panel. These can be individually enabled/disabled in the BIOS.

The BIOS also lists three additional 'Accessory USB ports' that can be enabled/disabled. Where/what these are is not immediately obvious and I haven't tried tracking them down.

Display: There are two DisplayPort 1.2 ports on the rear panel along with a VGA socket.

HP t820 password reset link
Links: The main one of interest is E49 labelled PSWD which is located near the RAM. If the link is in place then you have 'normal' operation in that you can set and change the BIOS password. If you remove the link then on power-up the BIOS will clear any set password. i.e. to remove any unknown BIOS password remove the link and power up the system. (Hit F10 to get into the BIOS?). Then power down and replace the link.

NB If the stringent option was set when the password was entered then the PSWD link is ignored and there is no way of removing an unknown password.