NComputing’s new RX-HDX thin client looks to bring Raspberry Pi to the enterprise

The new NComputing RH-HDX thin client boasts enterprise device management and dual monitor support capabilities, addressing two key enterprise concerns where Raspberry Pi 3 had been lacking.

Today at Citrix Synergy, NComputing is announcing the RH-HDX thin client, a new desktop virtualization solution based on the Raspberry Pi 3 that aims to bring that technology squarely into the enterprise, by addressing the enterprise concerns that have existed with the ARM-based computers.

“Citrix launched Raspberry Pi 3 last year, and it is really defined for the enterprise market,” said Richard Sah, NComputing’s Chief Technology Officer, “The gap between ARM and x86 is really closing up with Pi 3, and the Citrix Pi solution minimizes initial acquisition costs compared with the x86.”

Sah said that Pi 3 has had two significant obstacles to enterprise adoption, however.

“It has lacked device management capability, and also dual monitor support,” he stressed. “The device management capability that was lacking was a huge issue for management in the enterprise.”

Sah said that the ability of NComputing’s RX technology to address these issues attracted Citrix’s interest.

“Citrix really wants to crash into the enterprise with this,” he said. “We have been working closely with Citrix since 2012. They approached us and asked us to expand our RX technology to provide Citrix support, and we decided to partner together.”

The RX-HDX builds on the RX300, which Ncomputing launched in February of this year, targeting the SMB and education markets.

“The response to the RX300 has been great,” Sah indicated. “It provides a true PC-like performance. We did the equivalent of the old Coke-Pepsi ‘taste test’ and found that people could not tell the difference – whether it was a PC or a thin client.”

The keys to making the RX-HDX successful in the enterprise rest in the RX technology’s ability to handle the two core problems of Raspberry Pi – the lack of comprehensive Pi device management capabilities, and the absence of dual monitor support.

“Because we have both optional dual monitor support capability, and enterprise-level management, with our Pi Management Console, we believe we will fill that gap,” Sah said. “The RX-HDX’s device management provides enterprise scalability, with the ability to manage up to 10,000 RX devices. In addition, the RX300, with an MSRP of $USD 119, provides great price performance.”

The RX-HDX has been validated by Citrix with the Citrix Ready designation. In addition to the Pi Management Console and the optional dual monitor support, its features include: less than 5W power consumption, with a sleep mode button for additional power saving; full-motion HD video playback and content display (1920×1200) through HDMI; an 8GB internal Micro SD card and 1GB RAM; a built-in Kensington security slot and sealed micro SD card; built-in WiFi (802.11 b/g/n) and Bluetooth 4.1; 4x USB 2.0 high-speed ports with full USB redirection; and an optional VESA mount.

NComputing’s RX-HDX thin client is scheduled to be available in the late July 2017 timeframe, through authorized NComputing resellers.