Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/759864
n o v e m b e r . d e c e m b e r 2 0 1 6 c g w 2 3 of Workstations A LOOK AT WHAT'S NEW IN TERMS OF PRODUCTS, PROCESSORS, AND PROMISES BY KATHLEEN MAHER (SSD). Sound expensive? It is. Sound fast? It's killer fast. However, the amount of memory varies depending upon the class of workstation. For example, a main- stream option will typically have 256 SSD and a 1 tb HDD. In that category/realm/segment, AMD announced the Radeon Pro SSG, an AIB with a Polaris GPU and 1 tb of SSD on board. BIG AND SMALL BOXES The workstation system builders have been extremely creative and clever with how they package these wondrous machines: from all-in-ones, to tiny boxes that can be hung on the back of a monitor, to Apple's de- lightful cylindrical Mac Pro, to monsters like HP's Z840, Dell's 7000, Fujitsu's full-power, small form-factor Celsius machines with J550 and the R940, Lenovo's P910, or Boxx's overclocked Apexx 2 2402. You can also get a mobile workstation from the big brands above and several boutique suppliers like Eurocom that makes the biggest, fastest mobile workstation. HP has taken a bold step with its latest Z workstation aimed at the CAD market. HP says there are ap- proximately 11 million CAD workers but only 42 percent of them use workstations. HP cites factors such as resource-hungry appli- cations, reduced desk space (and under-desk space), and loud work environments with heavy-duty computers as challenges that cause traditional workstations to fall short. HP hopes to address recalcitrant CAD us- ers with a tiny workstation box called the Z2 Mini. The Mini comes with a VESA bracket to enable it to be attached to the back of an HP monitor, or it can just slip unobtru- sively on the bookshelf with all the reports, manuals, and technical books that never get opened. There is a locking option to protect the box from thieves or the I/O slots from unauthorized inputs. HP has devised a straightforward but clever cooling system that enables the box to be fitted into cramped spaces, with vents placed to provide airflow from the GPU and CPU fans through the system and protected corners around the vents so airflow doesn't get blocked wherever someone chooses to stuff things around it. In cases where the Mini has been mounted or otherwise hidden out of easy reach, the system can be pow- ered on from the keyboard. There have been cute boxes before, and Intel's NUC form factor and the Mac Mini are obvious examples, but neither would be called workstations. HP changes the game with the addition of a specially designed Nvidia Quadro M620 2 gb graphics board, a full complement of I/O options including multiple display ports, USB, RJ45 network, and an optional serial port. APPLE'S CORE Apple has not said whether it has any plans up update its desktop Mac Pro workstation, and as a matter of fact, Apple has never re- ally liked the appellation workstation, but its HP INTRODUCES ITS NEW Z240 WORKSTATION. FUJITSU SHOWS OFF ITS WORKSTATION LINEUP.