This compact terminal measures just 15.2 x 9.7 x 3.3 inches, saving you valuable counter space, and the steel chassis is built to withstand years of hard labor. Indeed, it has a built-like-a-tank feel to it. Even better, it is essentially silent in operation, so you don’t have one more machine adding to the background din. A matte black finish helps hide dirt and smudges on the terminal and matching peripherals.

HP included powered serial and USB ports for connecting the system’s cash drawer, credit-card reader, bar-code scanner, receipt printer and other peripherals. That means your entire POS system will have just two power cables—one for the terminal and one for the 15-inch LCD screen—rather than the bevy of power cords that some no-name systems require.

That said, you still need to plan for some cable-clutter management: Each peripheral has a cord running to the back of the terminal, which can lead to a tangle of black spaghetti you’ll want to hide from customers.

The terminal's brain is a reliable Intel Atom 230 processor, which consumes very little power and generates very little heat. To be on the safe side, HP also designed in an oversized cooling system to keep the interior of the terminal cool even during extended use. The rp3000 comes standard with 512MB of RAM and can accommodate up to 2GB. A 160GB hard drive is standard, and you can opt for a 250GB drive.

Beyond the hardware and software, HP backs the rp3000 with a three-year, on-site, next-business-day warranty standard. Even better, the company has pledged that it will not discontinue or substantially alter the rp3000 for at least three years from its September 2008 introduction date. That means if you commit to the rp3000 platform, you're assured that as your business grows you can deploy the same system to your new locations, and that you’ll be able to get replacement parts should something break.

HARDWARE:

KR657UT#ABA - HP Smart Buy, rp3000 POS,1.6 GHZ Intel Atom, 160GB HD, 2GB Mem, DVD, VISTA downgrade to WIndows XP PRO

RB146AT#ABA - HP LM5006TM, LCD 15" touchscreen monitor, VGA cable included.

EY022AT - HP USB Barcode Scanner with stand and cable.

FK224AT - HP Powered USB Receipt Printer, Direct Thermal, Autocutter, with Cable.

FK186AT#ABA - HP USB Mini Magstripe Reader with Brackets, Tracks 1, 2,and 3.

FK182AT#ABA - HP Cash Drawer, Printer Driven with Cable.

KF886AT - HP PS2 Mouse and Keyboard Kit.