Dell has revealed more details about its workstation-class Dell Pro Max PC lineup, following a major rebrand earlier this year that marked the end of its long-standing Precision workstation brand.

For Dell Pro Max laptops (in other words, mobile workstations) there are three tiers – Premium, Plus and Base.

The Premium tier is said to balance performance and style in a ‘sleek, lightweight design, and come in two sizes – 14-inch (1.61kg) and 16-inch (2.25kg). There’s a choice of 45W ‘Arrow Lake’ Intel Core Ultra processors, Nvidia RTX Pro Blackwell GPUs, and up to 64 GB of LPDDR5x 7,467MT/s memory. Other features include a haptic touchpad, a zero-lattice keyboard, and an 8-megapixel IR camera.

The 14-inch and 16-inch Premium models have slightly different graphics and display options. The Dell Pro Max 14 Premium goes up to an Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 Blackwell (8 GB) GPU, which should hit the sweet spot for CAD, while its top-end display is a QHD+ (3,200  ×  1,800) Tandem OLED with touch, low blue light, and VESA HDR TrueBlack 500 support.

The Dell Pro Max 16 Premium offers more powerful GPUs, up to the Nvidia RTX Pro 3500 Blackwell (12 GB), capable of entry-level viz, and a Tandem OLED 120Hz display with 100% DCI-P3 colour accuracy, touch support, and VESA HDR TrueBlack 1000. The laptop also offers up to 8TB of dual storage (RAID 0 or 1 capable).

The Dell Pro Max Plus tier, which is said to offer ‘massive scalability’ for desktop-like performance on the go, is available in 16-inch (2.25kg) and 18-inch (3.13kg) form factors. Both laptops offer more powerful processors – up to 55W ‘Arrow Lake’ Intel Core Ultra, and Nvidia RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell (24GB) for graphics, plus significantly more memory – up to 256 GB.

To keep the devices running cool and quiet there’s a new patented thermal design. And for single-cable docking and charging, there’s a 165W / 280W USB Type-C adapter with Extended Power Range (EPR) support.

The base tier, simply referred to as Dell Pro Max, comes in a portable, lightweight design, designed for entry-level design applications and AI inferencing. The 14-inch model is limited to ‘Arrow Lake’ Intel Core Ultra 7 processors, and Nvidia RTX Pro 500 Blackwell graphics but is said to be up to 36% more powerful than its predecessor, the Dell Precision 3490. The 16-inch model offers the beefier Intel Core Ultra 9 and Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 Blackwell graphics and is said to be 33% faster than the Precision 3591.

Expect to see Dell Pro Max laptiops with AMD Ryzen processors in July.

Meanwhile, the first wave of Dell Pro Max desktop PCs are classified as ‘Base’ models and are built around ‘Arrow Lake’ Intel Core processors. They come in Tower, Slim and Micro form factors and offer a wide range of Nvidia RTX GPUs, including Ada Generation (now) and Blackwell Generation (July 2025).

For CPUs, the Dell Pro Max Tower and Dell Pro Max Slim come with a choice of 125W ‘Arrow lake’ Intel Core processors, up to the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (24 cores). Dell claims the Tower T2 is the world’s fastest tower for single-threaded application performance, made possible by Dell’s ‘unlimited turbo duration technology’, which is said to ensure top-tier performance in prolonged intensive tasks.

Meanwhile, the Dell Pro Max Micro is limited to 65W processors, up to the Intel Core Ultra 5 235 vPro, which means fewer cores and lower single core frequencies. However, these can run up to 85W thanks to a new thermal solution.

Graphics is a big differentiator between the form factors. The ‘Micro’ and ‘Slim’ are limited to the Nvidia RTX 4000 SFF ADA (20 GB), whereas in July, the Dell Pro Max Tower T2 will go all the way up to the up to the Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell Workstation Edition (600W).

Expect to see Dell Pro Max desktops with AMD Threadripper processor options in July.

Meanwhile, Dell has also launched a pair of Dell Pro Max AI developer PCs, powered by the Nvidia Grace Blackwell architecture and a pre-configured Nvidia AI software stack. The Dell Pro Max with GB10 is powered by the Nvidia GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip and comes with 128 GB of unified memory, while the Dell Pro Max with GB300 features the more powerful Nvidia GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Desktop Superchip and comes with 784 GB of unified memory.

The post Dell rolls out Intel-based Dell Pro Max PCs appeared first on AEC Magazine.

To coincide with the launch of the new Nvidia RTX Pro Blackwell GPUs, HP has introduced two new Z by HP workstations: the HP Z2 Tower G1i desktop and the HP ZBook Fury G1i mobile workstation. Both models are powered by Intel processors (signified by the ‘i’ suffix) and support a variety of Nvidia GPUs.

The HP Z2 Tower G1i is billed as the world’s most powerful entry workstation, likely because it can accommodate Nvidia’s new flagship 600W Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell Workstation Edition GPU with 96 GB of memory.

Other specs include a 24-core Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, including K-Series models that support 250W sustained TDP, up to 256 GB of DDR5 5600 MT/s memory, and up to 36TB of total storage (12 TB with 3 x NVMe and 24 TB with 2 x HDD).

The HP Z2 Tower G1i features a redesigned chassis with ‘phase change cooling’ and ‘lattice thermal venting’. With an angular 4U form factor, the workstation is also designed for rack environments and can be fitted with an HP Remote System Controller for remote workstation fleet management.

HP is also rolling out three more Intel-based desktop workstations – the HP Z1 Tower G1i, HP Z2 Mini G1i, and HP Z2 SFF G1i. With an Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and up to Nvidia RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation GPU, the HP Z2 Mini G1i is an Intel-based alternative to the HP Z2 Mini G1a, which launched earlier this year sporting a powerful AMD Ryzen processor with integrated graphics.

On the mobile workstation front, the HP ZBook Fury G1i, available in both a 16-inch and a brand new 18-inch form factor, is said to offer desktop-class performance in a laptop. It boasts up to an Nvidia RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell laptop GPU, up to an Arrow Lake’ Intel Core Ultra 9 285HX CPU, up to 192 GB of DDR5-5600 memory, and up to 16 TB of NVMe storage.

The HP ZBook Fury G1i 18 is billed as the world’s most powerful 18-inch mobile workstation and includes an ‘industry first’ three-fan design.

HP is also in the process of streamlining its HP ZBook product range, dropping the ‘Firefly’ and ‘Power’ brands in favour of ‘Fury’ and ‘Ultra’. HP is also introducing a numbering system that signifies increasing device features and overall performance. HP says the numbers 8 and 10 (represented by “X”) will show this progression.

Also coming soon are the HP ZBook 8 G1a (14-inch) with ‘Next Gen AMD Processors, HP ZBook G1i (14-inch and 16-inch) with up to Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and up to Nvidia RTX 500 Ada Laptop GPU, and HP ZBook X G1i (16-inch) with up to Intel Core Ultra 9 CPU and up to Nvidia RTX Pro 2000 Blackwell Laptop GPU. All of these new laptops look best suited to CAD and BIM-centric workflows and come with up to 64 GB DDR5-5600 memory.

The post Nvidia Blackwell GPUs at heart of new Z by HP workstations appeared first on AEC Magazine.

Nvidia has launched the Nvidia RTX Pro Blackwell generation of professional workstation GPUs for desktops and laptops, with significantly improved AI and ray tracing capabilities.

The new GPUs also support DLSS 4, the latest release of Nvidia’s real time neural rendering technology, where 15 out of every 16 pixels can be generated by AI, which is much faster than rendering pixels in the traditional way.

According to Nvidia, in arch viz software D5 Render, enabling DLSS 4 can lead to a four-fold increase in frame rates, leading to much smoother navigation of complex scenes.

Of the new desktop GPUs, the flagship Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell Workstation Edition features a whopping 96 GB of GDDR7 memory, double that of the previous Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada Generation. This opens up the Nvidia RTX Pro family to even more demanding workflows in AI, simulation and visualisation.

Nvidia is billing the new dual slot board as the most powerful desktop GPU ever created. On paper, it outpaces the 32 GB consumer-focused Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090, which launched earlier this year. With a slightly beefier chip, the RTX Pro offers better single-precision performance and is also faster in AI and Ray Tracing workloads.

This marks a change in strategy for Nvidia, as the company’s top-end workstation GPUs usually run slower than their consumer GeForce equivalents.

One of the reasons for this is that workstation cards usually draw less power. But this is not the case for the Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell Workstation Edition, which goes up to 600W, a massive step up from the 300W Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada Generation GPU and slightly more than the 575W Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090.

This increased power draw will likely have an impact on how the new chip is deployed by the workstation OEMs. While some high-end desktops can physically house up to three or four dual slot GPUs, we don’t expect many will be able to handle the thermal demands of multiple Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell Workstation Edition GPUs.

This is probably why Nvidia has also launched the Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell Max-Q Workstation Edition. It offers similar specs, but in a more familiar 300W package, translating to around 12% less performance across the board – CUDA, AI and RT.

Other new workstations additions include the Nvidia RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell (48 GB) (300W), Nvidia RTX Pro 4500 Blackwell (32 GB) (200W), and Nvidia RTX Pro 4000 Blackwell (24 GB) (140W), each with slightly more memory than their Ada Generation predecessors. All new Blackwell RTX Pro boards feature 4 x DisplayPort 2.1 connectors.

For mobile workstations, Nvidia has launched a much broader range of laptop GPUs. This includes the Nvidia RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell (24 GB), RTX Pro 4000 Blackwell (16 GB), RTX Pro 3000 Blackwell (12 GB), RTX Pro 2000 Blackwell (8 GB), RTX Pro 1000 Blackwell (8 GB) and RTX Pro 500 Blackwell (6 GB). The RTX Pro 5000 Blackwell stands out because it has 50% more memory than its predecessor, the Nvidia RTX 5000 Ada Generation, which should make a big difference in some workflows.

The new laptop chips will be found in mobile workstations, such as the HP ZBook Fury G1i, available in both a 16″ and an all-new 18″ form factor.

Nvidia has also launched the Nvidia RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell Server Edition, a successor to the Nvidia L40 data centre GPU, which along with the new ‘Pro’ branding now makes it much easier to understand Nvidia’s entire pro GPU lineup.

The data centre GPU can be combined with Nvidia vGPU software to power AI workloads across virtualised environments and deliver ‘high-performance virtual workstation instances to remote users.

The post Nvidia RTX Pro Blackwell workstation GPUs launch appeared first on AEC Magazine.

AEC Magazine’s mammoth Winter 2025 Workstation Special Report is out now and free to read, full of insight, reviews and expert comment.

Learn how to transform your AEC workflows with the latest in desktop/remote/cloud workstations, CPUs and pro GPUs – plus plenty of indpendent advice for buying a workstation.

Scroll down to read and subscribe here

Features

• AMD Ryzen AI Max Pro: the integrated GPU comes of age
• AMD Ryzen 9000 vs Intel Core Ultra 200S
• Workstations for arch viz
• The AI enigma – challenges for workstations
• Nvidia RTX GPUs for Stable Diffusion
• Z by HP Boost: GPUs on demand
• Workstations for reality modelling

Reviews

• HP ZBook Firefly 14 G11 A mobile workstation
• Lenovo ThinkPad P14s (AMD) mobile workstation
• Scan 3XS GWP-A1-C24 and GWP-A1-R32 desktop workstations
• Boxx Apexx A3 desktop workstation
• Armari Magnetar MM16R9 desktop workstation
• Comino Grando workstation RM

News

• Reshuffle spells end for Dell Precision workstation brand
• Lenovo powers IMSCAD workstation as a service (WaaS)
• Nvidia unveils ‘Blackwell’ RTX GPUs
• HP to launch 18-inch mobile workstation
• Nvidia reveals AI workstation
• HP bets big on AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO processor
• Intel Core Ultra 200HX and 200H processors launch
• AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO ‘Strix Halo’ processor launches

The post Workstation Special Report – Winter 2025 appeared first on AEC Magazine.

Reality modelling is one of the most computationally demanding workflows in Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC). It involves the creation of digital models of physical assets by processing vast quantities of captured real-world data using technologies including laser scanning, photogrammetry and simultaneous localisation and mapping (SLAM).

Reality modelling has numerous applications, including providing context for new buildings or infrastructure, forming the basis for retrofit projects, or comparing “as-built” with “as-designed” for construction verification.

This article is part of AEC Magazine’s 2025 Workstation Special report

While there’s a growing trend to process captured data in the cloud, desktop processing remains the preferred method. Cloud can be costly, and uploading vast amounts of data — sometimes terabytes — is a significant challenge, especially when working from remote construction sites with poor connectivity.

Processing reality capture data can take hours, making it essential to select the right workstation hardware. In this article, we explore the best processor, memory and GPU options for reality modelling, testing a variety of workflows in three of the most popular tools — Leica Cyclone 3DR, Leica Cyclone Register 360, and RealityCapture by Capturing Reality, a subsidiary of Epic Games.

Most AEC firms have tight hardware budgets and it’s easy to spend money in the wrong places, sometimes for very little gain. In some cases, investing in more expensive equipment can even slow you down!

Leica Cyclone 3DR

Leica Cyclone 3DR is a multi-purpose reality modelling tool, used for inspection, modelling and meshing. Processing is done predominantly on the CPU and several tasks can take advantage of multiple CPU cores. Some tasks, including the use of machine learning for point cloud classification, are also optimised for GPU.

For testing we focused on four workflows: scan-to-mesh, analysis, AI classification and conversion.

Scan-to-mesh: Compared to point clouds, textured mesh models are much easier to understand and easier to share, not least because the files are much smaller.

In our ‘scan-to-mesh’ test, we record the time it takes to convert a dataset of a building — captured with a Leica BLK 360 scanner — into a photorealistic mesh model. The dataset comprises a point cloud with 129 million points and accompanying images.

The process is multi-threaded but, as with many reality capture workflows, more CPU cores does not necessarily mean faster results. Other critical factors that affect processing time include the amount of CPU cache (a high-speed onchip memory for frequently accessed data), memory speed, and AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT), a technology similar to Intel Hyper-Threading that enables a single physical core to execute multiple threads simultaneously. During testing, system memory usage peaked at 25 GB, which meant all test machines had plenty of capacity.

The most unexpected outcome was the 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D outperforming all its competitors. It not only beat the 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and Intel Core Ultra 9 285K (8 performance cores and 16 efficient cores), but the multicore behemoths as well. With the 96- core AMD Threadripper Pro 7995WX it appears to be a classic case of “too many cooks [cores] spoil the broth”!

The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is a specialised consumer CPU, widely considered to be the fastest processor for 3D gaming thanks to its advanced 3D V-Cache technology. It boasts 96 MB of L3 cache, significantly more than comparative processors. This allows the CPU to access frequently-used data quicker, rather than having to pull it from slower system memory (RAM).

But we expect that having lots of fast cache is not the only reason why the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D comes out top in our scan-to-mesh test – after all, Threadripper Pro is also well loaded, with the top-end 7995WX having 384 MB of L3 cache which is spread across its 96 cores. To achieve a high number of cores, modern processors are made up of multiple chiplets or CCDs. In the world of AMD, each CCD typically has 8 cores, so a 16- core processor has two CCDs, a 32-core processor has four CCDs, and so on.

Communication between cores in different CCDs is inherently slower than cores within the same CCD, and since the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D is made up of a single CCD that has access to all that L3 cache, we expect this gives it an additional advantage. It will be interesting to see how the recently announced 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X3D compare. Both processors feature 128 MB of L3 cache and comprise two CCDs.

Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) also has an impact on performance. With the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, for example, disabling SMT in the BIOS cut processing time by as much as 15%. However, it had the opposite effect with the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D, increasing processing time by 32%.

Memory speed also has an impact on performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X processor was around 7% slower when configured with 128 GB RAM running at 3,400 MT/sec than it was with 64 GB RAM running at the significantly faster 5,600 MT/sec.

Analysis: In our analysis test we compare a point cloud to a BIM model, recording the time it takes to calculate a colour map that shows the deviations between the two datasets. During testing, system memory usage peaked at 19 GB.

The process is multi-threaded, but certain stages only use a few cores. As with scan-to-mesh, more CPU cores does not necessarily mean faster results, and CPU cache, SMT and memory speed also play an important role. Again, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D bagged first spot, completing the test 16% faster than its closest rival, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K.

The big shock came from the 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, which took more than twice as long as the 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D to complete the test. The bottleneck here is SMT, as disabling it in the BIOS, so each of the 16 cores only performs one task at a time, slashed the test time from 91 secs to 56 secs.

Getting good performance out of the Threadripper Pro processors required even more tuning. Disabling SMT on its own had a minimal impact, and it was only when the Cyclone 3DR executable was pinned to a single CCD (8 cores, 16 threads) that times came down. But this level of optimisation is probably not practical, not least because all workflows and datasets are different.

AI classification: Leica Cyclone 3DR features an AI-based auto-classification algorithm designed to ‘intelligently classify’ point cloud data. The machine learning model has been trained on large amounts of terrestrial scan data and comes with several predefined models for classification.

Two of our test workflows rely on Nvidia GPUs, but because they share some of the workload with the CPU, the performance gains from more powerful GPUs are less pronounced compared to entirely GPU-driven tasks like ray trace rendering

The process is built around Nvidia CUDA and therefore requires an Nvidia GPU. However, the CPU is still used heavily throughout the process. We tested a variety of Nvidia RTX professional GPUs using an AMD Ryzen 9 9950X-based workstation with 64 GB of DDR5 memory.

The test records the time it takes to classify a point cloud of a building with 129 million points using the Indoor Construction Site 1.3 machine learning model. During testing, system memory usage peaked at 37 GB and GPU memory usage at a moderate 3 GB.

The big takeaway from our tests is that the CPU does the lion’s share of the processing. The Nvidia RTX GPU is essential, but only contributes modestly to the overall time. Indeed, there was very little difference between most of the Nvidia RTX GPUs and even the entry-level Nvidia RTX A1000 was only 22% slower than the significantly more powerful Nvidia RTX 4500 Ada.

Conversion: This simple test converts a Leica LGSx file into native Cyclone 3DR. The dataset comprises a point cloud of a highway alignment with 594 million points. During testing, system memory usage peaked at 11 GB. As this process is largely single threaded it’s all about single core CPU performance. Here, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K takes first place, closely followed by the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X in second. With a slightly slower peak frequency the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D comes in third. In this case, the larger L3 cache appear to offer no benefit.

The Threadripper Pro 7975WX and Threadripper Pro 7995WX lag behind — not only because they have a lower frequency, but are based on AMD’s older ‘Zen 4’ architecture, so have a lower Instructions Per Clock (IPC).

Leica Cyclone Register 360

Leica Cyclone Register 360 is specifically designed for point cloud registration, the process of aligning and merging multiple point clouds into a single, unified coordinate system.

For testing, we used a 99 GB dataset of the Italian Renaissance-style ‘Breakers’ mansion in Newport, Rhode Island. It includes a total of 39 setups from a Leica RTC360 scanner, around 500 million points and 5K panos. We recorded the time it takes to import and register the data.

The process is multi-threaded, but to ensure stability the software allocates a specific number of threads depending on how much system memory is available. In 64 GB systems, the software allocates five threads while for 96 GB+ systems it’s six.

The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K processor led by some margin, followed by the 16- core AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and 96-core Threadripper Pro 7995WX. Interestingly, this was the one test where the 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D was not one of the best performers. However, as the GPU does a small amount of processing, and Leica Cyclone Register 360 has a preference for Nvidia GPUs, this could be attributed to the workstation having the entry-level AMD Radeon Pro W7500 GPU.

Notably, memory speed appears to play a crucial role in performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, configured with 128 GB of 3,400 MT/sec memory, was able to utilise six threads for the process, but was 20% slower than when configured with 64 GB of faster 5,600 MT/sec memory, which only allocated five threads.

RealityCapture from Epic Games

RealityCapture, developed by Capturing Reality — a subsidiary of Epic Games — is an advanced photogrammetry software designed to create 3D models from photographs and laser scans. Most tasks are accelerated by the CPU, but there are certain workflows that also rely on GPU computation.

Image alignment in RealityCapture refers to the process of analysing and arranging a set of photographs or scans in a 3D space, based on their spatial relationships. This step is foundational in photogrammetry workflows, as it determines the relative positions and orientations of the cameras or devices that captured the input data.

We tested with two datasets scanned by R-E-A-L.iT, Leo Films, Drone Services Canada Inc, both available from the RealityCapture website.

The Habitat 67 Hillside Unreal Engine sample project features 3,199 images totalling 40 GB, 1,242 terrestrial laser scans totalling 90 GB, and uses up 60 GB of system memory during testing. The Habitat 67 Sample, a subset of the larger dataset, features 458 images totalling 3.5 GB, 72 terrestrial laser scans totalling 3.35 GB, and uses up 13 GB of system memory.

The 32-core Threadripper Pro 7975WX took top spot in the large dataset test, with the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X, AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D and 96-core AMD Threadripper Pro 7995WX not that far behind. Again, SMT needed to be disabled in the higher core count CPUs to get the best results.

Memory speed appears to have a huge impact on performance. The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X processor was around 40% slower when configured with 128 GB of RAM running at 3,400 MT/sec than it was with 64 GB running at the significantly faster 5,600 MT/sec.

Import laser scan: This process imports a collection of E57 format laser scan data and converts it into a RealityCapture point cloud with the .lsp file extension. Our test used up 13 GB of system memory.

Since this process relies heavily on single-threaded performance, single-core speed is what matters most. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K comes out on top, followed closely by the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X. With a slightly lower peak frequency, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D takes third place. The Threadripper Pro 7975WX and 7995WX fall behind, not just due to lower clock speeds but also because they’re built on AMD’s older Zen 4 architecture, which has a lower Instructions Per Clock (IPC).

Reconstruction is a very compute intensive process that involves the creation of a watertight mesh. It uses a combination of CPU and Nvidia GPU, although there’s also a ‘preview mode’ which is CPU only.

For our testing, we used the Habitat 67 Sample dataset at ‘Normal’ level of detail. It used 46 GB of system memory and 2 GB of GPU memory.

With a variety of workstations with different processors and GPUs, it’s hard to pin down exactly which processor is best for this workflow — although the 96-core Threadripper Pro 7995WX workstation with Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada GPU came out top. To provide more clarity on GPUs, we tested a variety of add-in boards in the same AMD Ryzen 9 9950X workstation. There was relatively good performance scaling across the mainstream Nvidia RTX range.

Thoughts on processors / memory

The combination of AMD’s ‘Zen 5’ architecture, fast DDR5 memory, a single chiplet design, and lots of 3D V-Cache, looks to make the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor a very interesting option for a range of reality modelling workflows — especially for those on a budget. The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D becomes even more interesting when you consider that it’s widely regarded to be for gamers. The chip is not offered by any of the major workstation OEMs — only specialist system builders like Armari.

However, before you rush out and part with your hard-earned cash, it is important to understand a few things.

1) The AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor currently has a practical maximum capacity of 96 GB, if you want fast 5,600 MT/sec memory. This is an important consideration if you work with large datasets. If you run out of memory, the processor will have to swap data out to the SSD, which will likely slow things down considerably.

The AMD Ryzen 9 9800X3D can support up to 192 GB of system memory, but it will need to run at a significantly slower speed (3,600 MT/sec). And as our tests have shown, slower memory can have a big impact on performance.

2) AMD recently announced two additional ‘Zen 5’ 3D V-Cache processors. It will be interesting to see how they compare. The 12-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 16-core Ryzen 9 9950X3D both have slightly more L3 cache (128 MB) than the 8-core Ryzen 7 9800X3D (96 MB). However, they are made up of two separate chiplets (CCDs), so communication between the cores in different CCDs could slow things down.

3) Most of the reality models we used for testing are not that big, with the exception of the Habitat 67 dataset, which we used to test certain aspects of RealityCapture. Larger datasets require more memory. For example, reconstructing the full Habitat 67 RealityCapture dataset on the 96-core Threadripper Pro 7995WX workstation used 228 GB of system memory at peak, out of the 256 GB in the machine – and took more than half a day to process. Workstations with less system memory will likely have to push some of the data into temporary swap space on the SSD. Admittedly, as modern PCIe NVMe SSDs offer very fast read-write performance, this is not necessarily the colossal bottleneck it used to be when you had to swap out data to mechanical Hard Disk Drives (HDDs).

4) Multi-tasking is often important for reality modelling, as the processing of data often involves several different stages from several different sources. At any given point you may need to perform multiple operations at the same time, which can put a massive strain on the workstation. As the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor has only 8-cores and is effectively limited to 96 GB of fast system memory, if you throw more than one task at the machine at a time things will likely slow down considerably. Meanwhile Threadripper Pro is much more scalable as there are processors with 12- to 96-cores, and the platform supports up to 2 TB of DDR5-5200 ECC memory.

For a crude multi-tasking test, we performed two operations in parallel — alignment in RealityCapture and meshing in Leica Cyclone 3DR. The Threadripper Pro 7995WX workstation completed both tests in 200 secs, while AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D came in second in 238 secs. We expect this lead would grow with larger datasets or more concurrent processing tasks.

In summary, your choice of processor will depend greatly on the size of datasets you work with, and the complexity of your workflows. For lighter tasks, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D looks to be an excellent budget choice, but for more complex projects, especially those that require multi-tasking, Threadripper Pro should deliver a much more flexible and performant platform. Of course, you still need to choose between the different models, which vary in price considerably and, as we have found in some of our tests, fewer cores is sometimes better.

Thoughts on GPUs

Two of our tests — Reconstruction in RealityCapture and AI classification in Leica Cyclone 3DR — rely on Nvidia GPUs. However, because these processes share some of the workload with the CPU, the performance gains from more powerful GPUs are less pronounced compared to entirely GPU-driven tasks like ray trace rendering.

There’s a significant price gap between the Nvidia RTX A1000 (£320) and the Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada Generation (£6,200). For reconstruction in RealityCapture, investing in the higher-end model is probably easier to justify, as our tests showed computation times could be cut in two. However, for AI classification in Leica Cyclone 3DR, the performance gains are much smaller, and there seem to be diminishing returns beyond the Nvidia RTX 2000 Ada Generation.

While larger datasets may deliver more substantial benefits, GPU memory — a key advantage of the higher-end cards — appears to be less crucial.

Workstation technology on test

Below is a list of kit we used for testing. All machines were Windows 11 Pro 26100.

Armari Magnetar workstation with AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPU (8 cores), 96 GB DDR5 5,600 MT/s memory and AMD Radeon Pro W7500 GPU (read our review).

Scan 3XS workstation with AMD Ryzen 9 9950X CPU (16 cores), 64 GB DDR5 5,600 MT/s memory or 128 GB DDR5 3,600 MT/s memory and Nvidia RTX 4500 Ada Generation GPU (read our review).

Scan 3XS workstation with Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU (8 P-cores and 16 E-cores), 64 GB DDR5 5,600 MT/s memory and Nvidia RTX 2000 Ada Generation GPU (read our review).

HP Z6 G5A workstation with AMD Threadripper Pro 7975WX CPU (32 cores), 128 GB DDR5 5,200 MT/s memory and Nvidia RTX A6000 GPU (read our review).

Comino Grando workstation with overclocked AMD Threadripper Pro 7995WX CPU (96 cores), 256 GB DDR5 4,800 MT/s memory and Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada Generation GPU. (read our review).

We also tested a range of GPUs, including the Nvidia RTX A1000 (8 GB), RTX A4000 (16 GB), RTX 2000 Ada (16 GB), RTX 4000 Ada (20 GB), RTX 4500 Ada (24 GB) and RTX 6000 Ada (48 GB).

Main image: Reality modelling data comes from multiple sources: the Leica BLK ARC autonomous laser scanning module riding steady on the Boston Dynamics Spot robot

This article is part of AEC Magazine’s 2025 Workstation Special report

Subscribe here

• Features
  • AMD Ryzen AI Max Pro: the integrated GPU comes of age
  • AMD Ryzen 9000 vs Intel Core Ultra 200S
  • Workstations for arch viz
  • The AI enigma – challenges for workstations
  • Nvidia RTX GPUs for Stable Diffusion
  • Z by HP Boost: GPUs on demand
  • Workstations for reality modelling

  Reviews

  • HP ZBook Firefly 14 G11 A mobile workstation
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P14s (AMD) mobile workstation
  • Scan 3XS GWP-A1-C24 and GWP-A1-R32 desktop workstations
  • Boxx Apexx A3 desktop workstation
  • Armari Magnetar MM16R9 desktop workstation
  • Comino Grando workstation RM

  News

  • Reshuffle spells end for Dell Precision workstation brand
  • Lenovo powers IMSCAD workstation as a service (WaaS)
  • Nvidia unveils ‘Blackwell’ RTX GPUs
  • HP to launch 18-inch mobile workstation
  • Nvidia reveals AI workstation
  • HP bets big on AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO processor
  • Intel Core Ultra 200HX and 200H processors launch
  • AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO ‘Strix Halo’ processor launches

  ---

The post Workstations for reality modelling appeared first on AEC Magazine.

Nvidia RTX workstation GPUs were initially limited to Nvidia’s mid-range 4000 series and high-end 5000 and 6000 series. Over time, the technology trickled down, reaching a significant milestone last year with the debut of the first entry-level Nvidia RTX cards—the RTX A400 (4GB) and RTX A1000 (8GB).

The RTX A1000, the focus of this review, features 8 GB of GDDR6 memory and four Mini DisplayPort outputs. Unlike most of Nvidia’s current pro graphics lineup — the RTX 2000 Ada, RTX 4000 SFF, RTX 4000 Ada, RTX 4500 Ada, RTX 5000 Ada and RTX 6000 Ada — all of which are based on the Ada Lovelace architecture, the RTX A1000 uses the older Ampere architecture, introduced in 2020. That means its RT and Tensor cores are one generation behind.

Like its predecessor, the Turing-based Nvidia T1000, the Nvidia RTX A1000 is a low-profile card, making it compatible with compact workstations like the HP Z2 Mini G9 and Dell Precision 3280 CFF. However, with an optional ATX bracket, it can also be installed in standard desktop systems. With a peak power consumption of 50W, it draws all its power directly from the motherboard’s PCIe slot.

The CAD workhorse

As expected for a GPU in this class, the RTX A1000 handles most CAD and BIM workflows with ease. In Solidworks 2024, it delivered a perfectly smooth viewport at 4K resolution when navigating a large 2,300-part, 49-million-triangle snow bike assembly—even with RealView enabled for realistic lighting and materials.

Eighteen second-gen RT cores also provide a level of futureproofing for CAD. We anticipate ray tracing techniques will become integrated with traditional rasterisation to create more realistic CAD viewports. The idea is that users will be able to switch to ‘ray traced’ mode just as they do now with shaded, shaded with edges, and realistic view modes.

Entry-level viz

Visualisation demands significantly more GPU power than CAD. Here, the RTX A1000 offers an entry point, and noticeably faster ray tracing than its predecessor, the Nvidia T1000, which relied solely on general-purpose CUDA cores.

For example, in Twinmotion 2024, we could navigate the Snowden sample project smoothly at FHD resolution. However, the RTX A1000 falls significantly behind when compared to the Nvidia RTX 2000 Ada Generation (16 GB), which delivers far better performance for just £157 more (£509 vs. £352). Rendering six standard 4K images took nearly four times as long, while five 4K path-traced images took twice as long. Similar slowdowns were observed in Lumion, D5 Render, and V-Ray.

This performance gap isn’t just due to the RTX 2000 Ada’s more powerful processor; memory also plays a crucial role. With only 8 GB of VRAM, the RTX A1000 struggles with larger visualisation models. When a scene exceeds 8 GB, the card must borrow from system memory via the PCIe bus, significantly reducing performance. In some cases, such as with our 12 GB Enscape dataset, this limitation even caused the software to crash. We explore this in more detail in our “Workstations for arch viz” article.

AI-enabled workflows

With 72 third-gen Tensor cores, the RTX A1000 brings AI capabilities to the entry-level segment. In visualisation workflows, this could be beneficial in three key areas: Nvidia DLSS for improving 3D performance, AI-powered denoising for reducing noise in low-pass renders, and AI image generators like Stable Diffusion.

We did not test DLSS directly, but we expect the benefits with this card may be limited due to relatively low Tensor performance and the fact that the Ampere architecture only supports older versions of DLSS (2.0 and below).

In Stable Diffusion 1.5, the RTX A1000 was about twice as slow at generating images as the RTX 2000 Ada. However, in the more demanding Stable Diffusion XL, performance plummeted, as 8 GB is insufficient to run the software effectively. Nevertheless, it remains significantly faster than the Nvidia T1000, which lacks Tensor cores altogether. We did not test the T1000, but Nvidia claims the RTX A1000 is up to three times faster. We explore the performance of Nvidia RTX GPUs in Stable Diffusion in more detail in this article.

Beyond visualization, the RTX A1000 supports a range of AI workflows, including inferencing for large language models (LLMs) and AI assistants—some of which are not particularly demanding computationally.

For example, reality modelling software like Leica Cyclone 3DR uses machine learning to ‘intelligently classify’ point cloud data. It requires an RTX GPU, but the RTX A1000 was not that much slower than the RTX 4500 Ada Generation, trailing the high-end GPU by just 29%. We explore this in more detail in our Workstations for Reality Modelling article.

The verdict

The Nvidia RTX A1000 marks a significant leap forward for Nvidia’s entry-level workstation GPUs. With dedicated RT cores and Tensor cores, it enables ray tracing and AI workflows that simply weren’t viable on the Nvidia T1000.

However, potential buyers must consider whether the RTX A1000 provides enough value compared to the RTX 2000 Ada Generation. For only £157 more, the RTX 2000 Ada delivers significantly better RT and Tensor performance and, crucially, twice the memory, which can be a limiting factor in some workflows.

With software evolving so quickly, especially in the area of AI, spending a bit more now could be the smarter way to future-proof your workstation.

Read our other recent Nvidia RTX workstation GPU reviews

Nvidia RTX 2000 Ada Generation
Nvidia RTX 4000 Ada Generation
Nvidia RTX 4000 SFF Ada Generation
Nvidia RTX 6000 Ada Generation

The post Review: Nvidia RTX A1000 appeared first on AEC Magazine.

Dell has simplified its product portfolio, with the introduction of three new PC categories – Dell for ‘play, school and work’, Dell Pro for ‘professional-grade productivity’ and Dell Pro Max ‘for maximum performance’

The rebranding spells an end to the company’s long-standing Precision workstation brand, which will be replaced by Dell Pro Max. It also signals a move away from the term “workstation”. On Dell’s website “workstation” appears only in fine print, as the company now favours high-performance, professional-grade PC when describing Dell Pro Max.

This article is part of AEC Magazine’s 2025 Workstation Special report

To those outside of Dell, however, Dell Pro Max PCs are unmistakably workstations. They feature ISV certification and incorporate traditional workstation-class components, including AMD Threadripper Pro processors, Nvidia RTX graphics, high-speed storage, and advanced memory.

Dell has also simplified the product tiers within each of the new PC categories. Starting with the Base level, users can upgrade to the Plus tier for more scalable performance or the Premium tier, which Dell describes as delivering the ultimate in mobility and design.

“We want customers to spend their valuable time thinking about workloads they want to run on a PC, the use cases they’re trying to solve a problem for, not what sub brand, not understanding and figuring out our nomenclature, which at times, has been a bit confusing,” said Jeff Clarke, vice chairman and COO, Dell.

To coincide with this major rebrand, Dell has introduced two new mobile workstations at the base level of its Dell Pro Max brand – the Dell Pro Max 14 and 16. According to Dell, the new laptops add 30% more performance, gen on gen due to some new patented thermal designs, and are built around Intel Core Ultra 9 (Series 2) processors and Nvidia RTX GPUs. Later this year, Dell will add AMD options and introduce the full portfolio with the Plus and Premium tier.

Drilling down into the specs, the 14-inch Dell Pro Max 14 will feature Nvidia RTX 500-class graphics, up to 2 TB of storage, a 72Whr 4-cell battery, and will start at 1.83kg.

The 16-inch Dell Pro Max 16 will feature up to Nvidia RTX 2000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU, up to 4TB of storage, full-size keyboard, a 96Whr 6-cell battery, and will start at 2.20kg.

Both machines feature 6,400MT/s memory, 16:10 aspect Ratio displays up to QHD+ resolution, an 8MP IR camera, Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and single cable docking.

Dell also gave a taste of what’s to come in Dell Pro Max Desktops. They will be available in micro, slim and tower form factors and offer Nvidia RTX professional graphics and AMD graphics options.

The post Dell drops Precision workstation brand in major product reshuffle appeared first on AEC Magazine.

The first AMD Ryzen processor to feature AMD 3D V-Cache technology launched in 2022. Since then, newer versions have become the processors of choice for hardcore gamers. This is largely thanks to the additional cache — a superfast type of memory connected directly to the CPU — which can dramatically boost performance in certain 3D games. As we discovered in our 2023 review of the ‘Zen 4’ AMD Ryzen 9 7950X3D, that applies to some professional workflows too.

With the launch of the ‘Zen 5’ AMD Ryzen 9000 Series, AMD has opted for a staggered release of its X3D variants. The 8-core AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D was first out the blocks in November 2024. Now the 12-core AMD Ryzen 9 9900X3D and 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D have just been announced and should be available soon.

This article is part of AEC Magazine’s 2025 Workstation Special report

UK manufacturer Armari has been a long term advocate of AMD Ryzen processors and has now built a brand-new workstation featuring the AMD Ryzen 9800X3D. With a 120W TDP, rising to 162W under heavy loads, it’s relatively easy to keep cool. This allows Armari to fit the chip into a compact Coolermaster MasterBox NR200P Mini ITX case, which saves valuable desk space. Even though the components are crammed in a little, the 280mm AIO CPU cooler ensures the system runs quiet. While the fans spin up during all-core tasks like rendering in V-Ray, the noise is perfectly acceptable for an office environment.

But this is not a workstation you’d buy for visualisation or in indeed CAD or BIM. For those workflows, the non-X3D AMD Ryzen 9000 Series processors would be a better fit, and are also available as options for this machine. For instance, the 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 9950 has a significantly higher single-core frequency to accelerate CAD, and double the number of cores to cut render times in half.

The X3D chips shine in tasks that benefit from fast access to large amounts of cache. As we detail in this in-depth article, reality modelling is one such workflow. In fact, in many scenarios, Armari’s compact desktop workstation not only outperformed the 16-core AMD Ryzen 9 9950 processor but the 96-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 7995WX as well.

However, the workstation is not quite the perfect match for mainstream reality modelling. While the AMD Radeon Pro W7500 GPU is great for CAD, it’s incompatible with select workflows in Leica Cyclone 3DR and RealityCapture from Epic Games – those accelerated by Nvidia CUDA. Here, the Nvidia RTX A1000, an equivalent 8 GB GPU, would be the better option.

The test machine came with 96 GB (2 x 48 GB) of Corsair Vengeance DDR5-6000C30 Expo memory, running at 5,600 MT/s. While the system supports up to 192 GB, anything above 96 GB requires the memory speed to be lowered to 3,600 MT/s. This reduction can lead to noticeable performance drops in some memory-intensive reality modelling workflows.

Armari, true to form, is continually looking for ways to improve performance. Just before we finalised this review, the company sent an updated machine with 48 GB (2 x 24 GB) of faster 8,000 MT/s G.Skill Tri Z5 Royal Neo DDR5 memory, paired with the newer Asus AMD ROG Strix B850-I ITX motherboard.

In our tests, this new setup provided a slight (1-2%) performance boost in some reality modelling tasks. However, since our most demanding test requires 60 GB of system memory and 48 GB is the current maximum capacity for this memory speed, it’s hard to fully gauge its potential. For the time-being, the higher speed memory feels like a step toward future improvements, pending the release of larger-capacity kits.

Having more cache probably isn’t the only reason why the 9800X3D processor excels. Because the chip is made from a single CCD, there’s less latency between cores. We delve into this further in this in-depth reality modelling article. It will be fascinating to see how the 12-core and 16-core X3D chips compare.

If we were to look for faults, it would be that the machine’s top panel connections are USB-A only, which is too slow to transfer terabytes of reality capture data quickly, but Armari tells us that production systems will have a front USB-C Gen 2×2 port.

Overall, Armari has done it again with another outstanding workstation. It’s not just powerful — it’s compact and portable as well — which could be a big draw for construction firms that need to process reality data while still on site.

Specifications

• AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor (4.7 GHz, 5.2 GHz boost) (8-cores, 16 threads)
• 96 GB (2 x 48 GB) Corsair Vengeance DDR5-6000C30 EXPO memory (5,600 MT/s)
• 2TB Samsung 990 Pro M.2 NVMe PCIe4.0 SSD
• ASUS ROG Strix AMD B650E-I Gaming Wifi Mini-ITX Motherboard
• AMD Radeon Pro W7500 GPU (8 GB)
• Armari SPXA6815NGR 280mm AIO+NF-P14 redex CPU Cooler
• Coolermaster MasterBox NR200P Mini ITX case (376 x 185 x 292mm)
• Microsoft Windows 11 Pro
• Armari 3 Year basic warranty
•  £1,999 (Ex VAT)
•  www.armari.com

This article is part of AEC Magazine’s 2025 Workstation Special report

Subscribe here

• Features
  • AMD Ryzen AI Max Pro: the integrated GPU comes of age
  • AMD Ryzen 9000 vs Intel Core Ultra 200S
  • Workstations for arch viz
  • The AI enigma – challenges for workstations
  • Nvidia RTX GPUs for Stable Diffusion
  • Z by HP Boost: GPUs on demand
  • Workstations for reality modelling

  Reviews

  • HP ZBook Firefly 14 G11 A mobile workstation
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P14s (AMD) mobile workstation
  • Scan 3XS GWP-A1-C24 and GWP-A1-R32 desktop workstations
  • Boxx Apexx A3 desktop workstation
  • Armari Magnetar MM16R9 desktop workstation
  • Comino Grando workstation RM

  News

  • Reshuffle spells end for Dell Precision workstation brand
  • Lenovo powers IMSCAD workstation as a service (WaaS)
  • Nvidia unveils ‘Blackwell’ RTX GPUs
  • HP to launch 18-inch mobile workstation
  • Nvidia reveals AI workstation
  • HP bets big on AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO processor
  • Intel Core Ultra 200HX and 200H processors launch
  • AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO ‘Strix Halo’ processor launches

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The post Review: Armari Magnetar MM16R9 (AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D) appeared first on AEC Magazine.

The ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 (AMD) is the thinnest and lightest mobile workstation from Lenovo — 17.71mm thick and starting at 1.31kg. It’s a true 14-incher, smaller than the ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 (Intel), which has a slightly larger 14.5-inch display.

The chassis is quintessential ThinkPad — highly durable, with sturdy hinges and an understated off-black matte finish. The keyboard feels solid, complemented by a multi-touch TrackPad with a pleasingly smooth Mylar surface. True to tradition, it also comes with the ThinkPad-standard TrackPoint with its three-button setup. We’ve yet to meet anyone who actually uses this legacy pointing device, but removing it would likely spark outrage among die-hard fans. Meanwhile, the fingerprint reader is seamlessly integrated into the power button for added convenience.

This article is part of AEC Magazine’s 2025 Workstation Special report

The laptop stands out for its impressive serviceability, allowing the entire device to be disassembled and reassembled using basic tools — just a Phillips head screwdriver is needed to remove back panel.

It offers a range of customer replaceable components, including the battery (39.3Wh or 52.5Wh options), M.2 SSD, and memory DIMMs, which thankfully aren’t soldered onto the motherboard. Beyond that, you can swap out the keyboard, trackpad, speakers, display, webcam, fan/heatsink assembly, and more.

The keyboard deserves a special mention for its top-loading design, eliminating the need to dismantle the laptop from below. Simply remove two clearly labelled screws from the bottom panel, and the keyboard pops off from the top.

There’s a choice of two AMD Ryzen 8000 Series processors: the Ryzen 5 Pro 8640HS (6 cores) and the Ryzen 7 Pro 8840HS (8 cores). Both have a Thermal Design Power (TDP) of 28W. Lenovo has chosen not to support the more powerful 45W models, likely due to thermal and power considerations. 45W models are available in the HP ZBook Firefly G11 A (read our review).

Our review unit came with the entry-level Ryzen 5 Pro 8640HS. While capable, it has slightly lower clock speeds, two fewer cores, and a less powerful integrated GPU compared to the flagship 45W AMD Ryzen 9 Pro 8945HS.

The machine performed well in Solidworks (CAD) and Revit (BIM), but unsurprisingly came in second to the HP ZBook Firefly in all our benchmarks. The margins were small, but became more noticeable in multi-threaded workflows, especially rendering. On the plus side, the P14s was slightly quieter under full load.

Our review unit’s 14-inch WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) IPS display is a solid, if not stand out option, offering 400 nits of brightness. One alternative is a colour-calibrated 2.8K (2,880 x 1,800) OLED screen — also 400 nits, but with 100% DCI-P3 and 120Hz refresh.

The 5.0 MP webcam with IR and privacy shutter is housed in a slight protrusion at the top of the display. While this design was necessary to accommodate the higher-resolution camera (an upgrade from the Gen 4), it also doubles as a convenient handle when opening the lid.

Additional highlights include up to 96 GB of DDR5-5600 memory, Wi-Fi 6E, a hinged ‘drop jaw’ Gigabit Ethernet port, 2 x USB-A and 2 x USB-C. It comes with a compact 65 W USB-C power supply.

Overall, the ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 stands out as a reliable performer for CAD and BIM, offering an impressive blend of serviceability and thoughtful design.

In an era where manufacturers often prioritise ‘thinner and lighter’ over repairability, it’s great to see Lenovo bucking this trend, a move that is sure to resonate with right-to-repair advocates.

Specifications

• AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 8840HS processor (3.3 GHz base, 5.1 GHz max boost) (6-cores)
• Integrated AMD Radeon 760M GPU
• 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) DDR5-5600 memory
• 512 GB, PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSD
• 14-inch WUXGA (1,920 x 1,200) IPS display with 400 nits
• 316 x 224 x 17.7 mm (w/d/h)
• From 1.31 kg
• Microsoft Windows 11 Pro
• 3 Year Premier Support
•  1,209 (Ex VAT
•  www.lenovo.com

This article is part of AEC Magazine’s 2025 Workstation Special report

Subscribe here

• Features
  • AMD Ryzen AI Max Pro: the integrated GPU comes of age
  • AMD Ryzen 9000 vs Intel Core Ultra 200S
  • Workstations for arch viz
  • The AI enigma – challenges for workstations
  • Nvidia RTX GPUs for Stable Diffusion
  • Z by HP Boost: GPUs on demand
  • Workstations for reality modelling

  Reviews

  • HP ZBook Firefly 14 G11 A mobile workstation
  • Lenovo ThinkPad P14s (AMD) mobile workstation
  • Scan 3XS GWP-A1-C24 and GWP-A1-R32 desktop workstations
  • Boxx Apexx A3 desktop workstation
  • Armari Magnetar MM16R9 desktop workstation
  • Comino Grando workstation RM

  News

  • Reshuffle spells end for Dell Precision workstation brand
  • Lenovo powers IMSCAD workstation as a service (WaaS)
  • Nvidia unveils ‘Blackwell’ RTX GPUs
  • HP to launch 18-inch mobile workstation
  • Nvidia reveals AI workstation
  • HP bets big on AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO processor
  • Intel Core Ultra 200HX and 200H processors launch
  • AMD Ryzen AI Max PRO ‘Strix Halo’ processor launches

  ---

The post Review: Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 5 (AMD) appeared first on AEC Magazine.

IMSCAD Services has launched WaaS, a ‘Workstation as a Service’ solution, in partnership with Lenovo workstations and Equinix Data Centres.

The global service comprises private cloud solutions and rentable workstations, on a per user, per month basis. Contracts run from one to 36 months.

This article is part of AEC Magazine’s 2025 Workstation Special report

According to IMSCAD, the service is up to 40% cheaper than high-end instances from the public cloud, and the workstations perform faster.

Users can get a 1:1 connection to a dedicated workstation, such as the Lenovo ThinkStation P3 Ultra, featuring a CPU that runs at frequencies up to 6.0 GHz and a GPU with up to 24 GB of VRAM.

“Public cloud pricing is far too high when you want to run graphical applications and desktops,” said CEO Adam Jull. “Our new service is backed by incredible Lenovo hardware and the best remoting software from Citrix, Omnissa (formally VMware Horizon) and TGX to name a few.”

IMSCAD’s WaaS offering was one of four solutions tested by engineering, architecture and planning company TKDA when looking to replace its RDP solution that it quickly adopted during Covid.

“IMSCAD stood out far above all other solutions in our testing,” said Nicholas J. Steele, senior systems analyst, TKDA. “The performance of the Lenovo P3 Ultra we accessed was an unexpected surprise for all testers. None of us thought we would ever get remote performance that outperformed our local machines.”

TKDA runs a variety of applications including Revit, SketchUp, and point cloud software.

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