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In the summer of 2020, Lenovo announced an exclusive deal with AMD, in the launch of a ThinkStation model using a new line of workstation-minded Threadripper chips, the Threadripper Pro. That may be poised to change a bit, though. The chips' weak point is that they're harder to find in workstations from major vendors such as Dell, HP, and Lenovo, where Intel remains by far the dominant choice. The current Threadrippers top out at 32 cores, with, technically, 64 cores possible in the rarified Threadripper 3990X that debuted in February 2020. Intel has responded by slashing prices, but the value edge still lies with AMD. The Threadripper has taken the market by storm by delivering more cores and threads per dollar than Xeons. Today's true workstation-CPU families are the Intel Xeon and AMD Ryzen Threadripper lines. Processors with higher core and thread counts are better for multitasking and especially long-running tasks like video encoding, though one with fewer cores and a higher clock speed or operating frequency (measured in gigahertz or GHz) may be more responsive for general use. The least powerful CPUs you'd find in a workstation would have four cores apiece, while top-end ones can have 32 to 64 cores. Reference a CPU's core and thread count (both Intel and AMD high-end processors can handle two simultaneous computing threads per core) for a basic estimation of its processing power.
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This chip-or chips, as workstations can have more than one-is vitally important for complex tasks. The central processing unit (CPU) is the lifeblood of any computer. The following sections delve into all aspects of the workstation world, including professional-grade graphics cards, error-correcting memory, workstation-class CPUs, and warranty considerations. Anyone using extra-tough software (decidedly not something as simple as Microsoft Office) or looking for a highly reliable PC for intensive tasks should consider a workstation over a traditional desktop.īefore you go workstation shopping, you should know they can be some of the most confusing computers to purchase because of their sheer configurability and a knack for offering options you've probably never heard of. These specialized computers are available for nearly any budget, from not much more than a normal desktop to well above the sticker of a sports car. Workstations are the sharpest tools in the desktop world, purpose-built for everything from professional photo and video editing to scientific analysis, computer-aided design (CAD), and Hollywood-level computer-generated imagery and 3D rendering.
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