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Intel's 18-core Xeon CPU may be destined for the iMac Pro
There's been a lot of speculation about which Xeon chips the upcoming iMac Pro will use, but Intel may have just revealed the answer. During IFA, it unveiled the Xeon W-series lineup aimed at high-end, single-CPU, mainstream graphics workstations. Intel didn't say that the iMac pro would use the chip, but the stars line up: The flagship Xeon W has 18 cores and is due by Q4 2017, and Apple promised that iMac Pros with up to 18 cores would arrive this December.
Lenovo's pro workstation is as light as a MacBook Air
It's not just laptops that are getting downsized thanks to next-gen graphics chips and processors. Lenovo has unveiled a new workstation, the P320 Tiny, with a discreet professional GPU and Intel Core i7 chip, all in a box that weighs the same as a MacBook Air (2.9 pounds). Users won't be suffering for performance, as it features an Intel Core i7-7700T max CPU, NVIDIA Quadro P600 GPU, up to 32GB of DDR4-2400 RAM and 2TB of maximum storage, via a pair of M.2 SSD slots.
HP's tiny Xeon-powered PC puts the Mac Mini to shame
HP has unveiled the Z2 Mini, a mini PC that packs workstation-class parts, including an Intel Xeon CPU, NVIDIA Quadro mobile M620 graphics and M.2 SSD tech. It managed to squeeze that power into a 2.3-inch-high case that's "90 percent smaller than a traditional business-class tower," HP wrote. In its top configuration, the device is twice as powerful as any mini PC on the market, letting it run up to six displays in a stock configuration.
NVIDIA's latest pro video cards help you livestream VR video
Did you think NVIDIA's newest Titan X was a monster of a video card? You haven't seen anything yet. The GPU maker has unveiled its latest Quadro workstation cards, the Pascal-based P5000 and P6000, and they both pack power that makes your gaming-grade card seem modest. The P6000 (above) is billed as the fastest graphics card to date, and for good reason. It has even more processing cores than the Titan X (3,840 versus 3,584) and twice as much memory -- a whopping 24GB of RAM. The P5000 is closer to the GTX 1080 in performance with "just" 2,560 cores, but its 16GB of RAM handily bests the gaming card's 8GB. If you're working with massive amounts of 3D data, these are likely the boards you want.
The 'Station' desk cradles your body and gut-punches your wallet
Our computers have rapidly shrunk from room-size behemoths to hulking desktops to the svelte laptops that now dominate modern offices. What haven't changed much are the tables and chairs that the computers (and we) sit on. A new integrated workspace from the Altwork company, appropriately named the Station, has been designed to replace both pieces of furniture while giving you more flexibility in how you interact with your computer. I was recently able to get a butts-on demo of the Station, and the only contortion I had to perform was wrapping my mind around its massive price tag.
Lenovo's ThinkPad P40 Yoga is a hybrid PC with pro-level power
Lenovo's existing ThinkPad Yoga hybrids have some power, but they're probably not your first choice for heavy-duty graphics work when they're saddled with integrated video. Thankfully, you now have a beefier option: Lenovo is introducing the ThinkPad P40 Yoga, its first 2-in-1 laptop with workstation-level 3D hardware. It still folds back into a tablet (or tent, or presentation mode), but its Quadro M500M chipset should be speedy enough to handle 3D modelling and other GPU-heavy tasks. You'll have greater control over those images, too, thanks to an included pen that promises both 2,048 levels of pressure and specially-tuned software that reportedly gets closer to the "pen to paper" feel.
The Altwork Station is an expensive marvel of desk engineering
Standing desks are all the rage in modern offices these days, thanks in large part to plenty of research that claims sitting all day is detrimental to your long-term health. And you can spend a lot of money finding the right one -- take the just-announced Altwork Station that goes up for pre-order today for $3,900. It's a tremendous amount of money, but the Altwork Station is far more than your average adjustable standing desk. It's a somewhat crazy but intriguing vision for giving users a totally customizable workstation, whether you want to sit, stand or even recline, and there's some very impressive engineering behind all this. As a product for the average consumer, it might not make sense -- but that doesn't detract from the five years of work that went into the Altwork Station.
Lenovo's latest pro laptops pack 4K and Xeon processors
There are plenty of workstation laptops that claim to deliver on the promise of heavy-duty computing on the road, but they're not usually that much different on the inside than a garden variety portable. You can't say that about Lenovo's monster new ThinkPad P50 and P70 systems, though. The two not only offer things you'd expect in this class, such as color-accurate 4K displays and pro NVIDIA Quadro graphics, but Intel's first-ever mobile Xeon processors (specifically, the E3-1500M) -- you won't have to settle for an ordinary Core i-series chip here. If you need to crunch 3D models or video when you're out of the office, one of these rigs may be your best bet. That CPU upgrade also brings the kind of perks normally limited to desktops, including support for a whopping 64GB of memory and Thunderbolt 3 ports that can handle dual 4K displays.
Intel's pro-level Xeon processors are coming to laptops
Intel's professional-grade Xeon processors are no longer confined to fancy workstations or data centers. The chip designer has unveiled its first-ever Xeon processor family for laptops, the E3-1500M v5. The Skylake-based part is meant to deliver the kind of heavy lifting that you'd want as a pro (such as rendering 3D models or crunching big data sets) while giving you a laptop that's still thin and light enough to carry around. It has Xeon mainstays like error-correcting memory and remote management, but it also rolls in support for brand new features that any self-respecting techie would like, such as the new Thunderbolt 3 connector. If you want, you can drive dual 4K displays, USB Type-C devices and more from a single port.
Intel's next Xeon chip stuffs up to 18 cores into very powerful PCs
AMD and Intel have been in a race to stuff their highest-end processors with as many cores as possible, and it appears that this one-upmanship isn't about to end any time soon -- much to your advantage. As Macworld UK notes, Intel is close to releasing a new range of Xeon E5 processors where more cores (and thus more parallel computing power) is par for the course. According to ChipLoco's leaked roadmap, even the lowest-spec chips start with six cores versus today's four; the best model touts a whopping 18, which should help heavy-duty systems juggle a huge number of simultaneous workloads.
MSI (almost) has the thinnest pro laptop ever
Bragging rights are a tricky thing. It's easy to say that you're the first or best, but backing up that claim is another matter. Take MSI's brand new WS60, for example. The company bills the 15-inch laptop as the "world's thinnest and lightest mobile workstation," and it's definitely on the featherweight side at 0.78 inches thick and 4.36 pounds. There's only one problem: it's actually a runner-up. Dell's Precision M3800 is both slimmer (0.71 inches) and lighter (4.15 pounds), so that's the machine you want in your bag if sheer portability is the major deciding factor.
Mac Pro teardown reveals simple repair process and upgradeable CPU
The new Mac Pro's highly customized design may look like it's a pain to fix, but don't be fooled -- it's friendlier than you think. An iFixit teardown of the workstation has revealed that it's easy to take apart, and that several components can be replaced without going through Apple. It's also more upgradeable than you'd expect. iFixit has confirmed OWC's discovery that the Xeon processor is replaceable, saving buyers over $1,000 if they splurge on a 12-core chip. Other findings? The PCI Express-based SSD looks very familiar, and the entire system is very power efficient; despite the high-end CPU and dual graphics cards, the Mac Pro only needs a 450W power supply. No one will mistake Apple's machine for an easily expandable gaming rig, but it's clearly built with serviceability in mind.
HP launches ZBook mobile workstations with Ultrabook model, 3,200 x 1,800 screen option
HP's 2012 mobile workstation range was powerful, but would we have called it exciting? Not exactly. The company may just liven things up with its new ZBook line, however. The three-laptop series is based on a thinner and lighter design template that includes a 14-inch Ultrabook variant, the ZBook 14 (pictured above). Basically, Dell's Precision M3800 now has a big-name competitor. Those willing to trade some portability for power will also get a few welcome additions. The mid-size ZBook 15 (after the break) has a 3,200 x 1,800 display option, while both the ZBook 15 and the flagship ZBook 17 carry Thunderbolt ports. All three PCs ship with Haswell-based Intel processors as well as the latest pro graphics from either AMD or NVIDIA. Mobile workers can order the 15- and 17-inch ZBooks today, or wait for the 14-inch system's arrival in late October. You'll find more details of HP's workstation updates after the break, including a more conservative refresh to the Z desktop line that brings Ivy Bridge-based Xeon processors and Thunderbolt 2.
Dell officially unveils Precision M3800 workstation at SIGGRAPH, gives rumored specs a nod
Remember that Haswell-powered Dell workstation that popped up last week? The company is officially ready to acknowledged its silicon, announcing on its corporate blog that the machine is being unveiled at SIGGRAPH this week. Dell is still reluctant to get into specifics, but confirmed on a teaser page that the Precision M3800 would contain a 4th Generation Intel Core-i7 CPU, NVIDIA Quadro graphics and a 3,200 x 1,800 QHD+ multi-touch IGZO display. Even better, all that is set to fit into a tight 0.7-inch chassis that weighs in at 4.5 pounds. Mum's still the word on specifics, but previous leaks assigned the machine 15GB of RAM and either a 1TB HDD or a 512GB SSD. Dell hasn't let the workstation's price slip either, but we don't expect it to be cheap -- nothing thin and powerful ever is.
NVIDIA announces 'fastest GPU ever' for pros, the 12GB Quadro K6000
NVIDIA's just launched its latest flagship Quadro GPU for well-heeled graphics professionals, the Kepler-based Quadro K6000. The company claims it's "the fastest and most capable GPU ever built" with double the graphics capability of its Quadro 6000 predecessor. It also has 12GB of the "world's largest and fastest" DDR5 graphics memory, enabling companies like Nissan to load nearly complete vehicle models, for instance. Other niceties include 2,880 streaming multiprocessor cores, four simultaneous displays at up to 4K resolution, ultra-low latency video I/O and large scale visualization support. It'll hit the market this fall from workstation vendors like HP, Dell and Lenovo, along with system integrators and distribution partners like PNY. There's no pricing yet, but the current K5000 runs about $2,250 -- so, prime your budget expectations accordingly.
Report: Dell Precision M3800 workstation to launch with 3,200 x 1,800 display option (updated)
According to a source speaking to Dutch site Tweakers.net, which has been spot on with a previous Dell leak, a new laptop known as the M3800 is set to join Dell's Precision range of workstations. An Intel Core i7-4702MQ (Haswell) processor will reportedly power the M3800, with a 2GB NVIDIA Quadro K1100M GPU taking care of graphics. It's expected to come with up to 16GB of RAM, a 1TB hard drive or 512GB SSD and two options for the 15.6-inch screen: a 3,200 x 1,800 resolution or a 1080p panel as the base option. The workstation is said to measure 18mm (around 0.7 inches) at its thickest point, and tip the scales at 2kg (4.4 pounds). Integrated docking found on other Precision models is apparently not in the M3800's feature set; it's also missing an Ethernet port, so hard-lines will need to be connected via a USB intermediate. Tweakers.net lists an expected price range of $1,699 to $1,999, but now comes the part where we wait for the M3800 to go official and see how correct all this leaked info is. Update: Dell has now provided us with a statement that confirms that the M3800 is indeed coming later this year, although it's not yet confirming all of the specs. More information is promised in the coming weeks. Dell is introducing the thinnest and lightest workstation ever later this year. The Dell Precision M3800 is the first mobile workstation that is less than ¾ of an inch, at 18mm, weighs only 4.5lbs and offers certified performance and dependability for creative professionals. We are not releasing or confirming any additional details today but stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks.
Next-generation Apple Mac Pro eyes-on at WWDC 2013 (video)
Historically, Apple hasn't been one to offer sneak peeks of anything. That changed today with the next-generation Mac Pro -- likely a function of the fact that teasing such a machine couldn't possibly weaken sales of a desktop that hasn't been updated in a technological eternity. Waiting just outside of the concourse walls was one of the prototype cylinders, and it's perhaps the sexiest workstation this world has ever seen. All we know for now is that it'll make its debut "later this year," boasting four USB sockets, six Thunderbolt 2 ports, a full-size HDMI connector, a 3.5mm headphone port and a pair of gigabit Ethernet ports. And yes, it's almost certainly a fingerprint magnet. Have a gander at the eye candy below (plus a vid after the break), and our apologies for the clear case surrounding it. We attempted to remove it, and we're now being forced to type this post with just a single hand. Follow all of our WWDC 2013 coverage at our event hub. %Gallery-190917% %Gallery-190929% Myriam Joire contributed to this report.
AMD roadmap shows Steamroller-based Opterons on track for 2013
AMD gave us a tease of its next-generation Steamroller architecture in 2012, but things weren't looking good for pro users when the initial timeline had current-generation Piledriver technology as the focus for Opterons in 2013. Thanks to a newer investor presentation, there's a glimmer of hope for the workstation and server users among us. Its roadmap shows Steamroller-equipped Opteron variants arriving this year, with an Excavator follow-up coming at an undetermined point in the future. There's nothing about specific timelines and models, as you might imagine -- AMD isn't going to spoil its plans quite so readily -- but the presentation reminds us that Steamroller will put an emphasis on the parallelism that's oh so vital to high-end computing. We're mostly glad to hear that IT backrooms will have something genuinely new to play with while we're off enjoying its Kaveri counterpart at home.
EU Apple Online Stores list Mac Pro as unavailable prior to March 1st cutoff
We already knew the current line of Mac Pros would be discontinued in Europe due to new regulatory standards come March 1st, but we didn't think Apple would pull the plug on its tower desktop this early. According to 9to5Mac, several European Apple Online Stores now show its Mac Pros as "currently unavailable" a couple of weeks before the computers are to be sunsetted. We're not sure if this is the case with machines in brick-and-mortar locales, but Europeans keen on the existing Mac Pro should get to their nearest reseller before it's completely out of stock. Either that or you can choose to sit tight and wait for that impending Mac Pro refresh, whenever the folks in Cupertino get around to it.
Apple halting Mac Pro sales in Europe on March 1st in the wake of new standards
Apple has hinted that it will give Mac Pro aficionados some love with a professional Mac follow-up sometime this year. For Europeans, though, it might not come soon enough: the company has confirmed that it's officially stopping sales of the current Mac Pro in European Union-affiliated countries as of March 1st. Why? Soon-to-be-implemented tougher standards require that companies shield their fans and electrical ports more thoroughly than we see in the existing system, Apple says. While there's no immediate sign of a replacement, prospective customers who want the tower for projects won't be completely left out -- resellers will be free to sell what stock they have after the cutoff date. That might still be small consolation to European pros who need heavier iron for their tasks than an iMac.
