workstation special report
Desktop workstation buyer’s g Greg Corke goes back to basics with some general advice for those looking to buy a workstation for architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) workflows If you read AEC Magazine, the chances are that you already own a workstation. But how much do you know about it and how involved were you in its purchase? If you leave everything to your general IT department, you could end up with a machine that slows you down or, worse still, is simply not able to run your more demanding applications. We all work within budget limits, so it is really important to spend your money in the right areas. We’ve heard plenty of horror stories, including that of one large engineering firm that spent loads on a dual CPU workstation with lots of cores that ran at a low frequency (GHz), even though its designers only ever used CAD. In that example, buying a workstation with a single high-frequency CPU with fewer cores would not only have saved money, but significantly increased the productivity of the design team. Choosing the right spec is very important – and we cover this in depth in this special report – but it is not the be all and end all of buying a workstation. In this article, we look at other important points to consider.
Warranty Virtually all workstations come with a three-year warranty, but the level of cover can vary considerably between manufacturers. This isn’t just about protecting your investment. In the event of a
HP Z2 Tower G8 running Navisworks
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July / August 2021
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failure, you need to get machine. Warranties can be your workstation back up extended and negotiated, so and running as quickly as also bear that in mind. possible and with minimal The chassis hassle. A next business day (NBD) Workstations are not just on site warranty is common about their constituent parts. with workstations from The chassis can be incredibly major OEMs. Some custom important. There are three manufacturers only offer main points to consider: size, ‘return to base’ as standard noise and serviceability. But or NBD on site for the first having easy access to things Having to send like USB ports or headphone year. Having to send away away your your workstation to be sockets can also make a big repaired could mean days workstation to difference. Ask yourself the without its use, which could following questions: Will the be repaired be catastrophic when on a machine fit on your desk, or could mean tight project deadline. will it have to be kept down Many minor repairs can days without it, by your feet? If you need to be done by yourself. Some which could be move it, is it heavy and does manufacturers specifically it have built-in handles? catastrophic make their workstations Are the fans so noisy that when on a tight they are distracting? Can easy to service, so customers can be guided over the project deadline you expand the system with phone or video call and GPUs, storage or memory get themselves back up (are there free memory and running the same day (or the next slots)? Is it easy to service internal day if a part needs to be sent out). Other components? manufacturers state that any repairs or Of course, if you are the type of person alterations that are carried out by the that would never dream of getting inside a customer invalidate the warranty, so computer then serviceability is a moot point. check with your supplier first. Think about the things that matter to you. When comparing prices of workstations, For some, aesthetics are very important. make sure you are looking at details of the warranty and not just the Custom manufacturer or OEM specifications of A frequently asked question is whether t h e to buy from a custom manufacturer or a major OEM like Dell, HP, Lenovo or Fujitsu? There’s no simple answer, but there are a number of things to consider. Custom manufacturers are more flexible in how machines can be configured and are generally quicker at introducing new technologies. Many such firms overclock their CPUs, which can boost performance. OEMs, on the other hand, spend much more time on R&D to make
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20/07/2021 09:37
