A workstation PC is a computer designed to accomplish professional tasks. Unlike standard computers, workstations typically have specialized components that were designed to handle heavy computational or graphical tasks.
Uses for Workstation computers
Workstation computers tend to be built for very specific purposes, and their internal components will reflect that. Workflows like design, rendering, or content creation using software like AutoCAD, Lumion, Adobe Premiere, or Revit usually benefit from a true workstation vs. a home desktop.
Unlike standard desktop computers, workstations typically support ECC (error correcting) RAM, have advanced storage capabilities like NAS drives, utilize professional grade graphics like Quadro and Radeon Pro, and feature pro-grade motherboards.
The product support and warranties are also much more robust, which is a major factor in driving up the cost of these components. As a tradeoff, these industrial grade parts can and do typically last longer.
The major CPU, and GPU manufacturers offer product lines specifically tailors to workstation tasks.
Workstation CPU Lines
Intel: Xeon & X series
AMD: Threadripper
Workstation GPU Lines
Nvidia: Quadro
AMD: Radeon Pro
Workstation Computer Types
Graphical Production: These computers are designed to produce 2D/3D images and animations and render out these creations for presentation.
Servers: Multi-core CPU based systems, designed in many cases to run indefinitely and handle complex computational tasks, manage many users, store large amounts of data, or render.
Multimedia: The CPU and GPU typically work together in multimedia or production systems to encode, edit, and produce professional audio/video. The more complex the media (more layers, effects, etc), the more hardware intensive.
Modeling: Modeling software like AutoCAD requires professional graphic cards to produce accurate professional models. This is typically CPU based.
For more information, visit our Workstation PC page or contact our sales team at 804-419-0900.
