Computers with solid state drives (SSD) took another step towards becoming more mainstream with the announcement by HP that it will offer an SSD option on its ultra-slim Compaq DC7800 series desktops. For just over USD$300, HP will replace the 80GB hard drive with a 16GB SSD. HP recognizes that a desktop with an SSD is not a mainstream product but suggests that it could be a good fit with some commercial customers that have limited space and run a limited set of applications (eg, the hospitality industry).
The benefit of an SSD drive include reduced power consumption, faster read and write speeds, reduced weight and improved reliability (due to the lack of mechanical parts).
The cost premium of SSDs over traditional hard drives remains a significant stumbling block in its more widespread acceptance.
HP does plan to eventually offer 32GB and 64GB SSD options but did not provide details as to when we could expect to see them on desktops such as the DC7800
Source: C-NET