When it comes to cutting edge workstations HP has delivered two amazing units for the hardworking professional who needs an equally hard working machine. Yet, it can be difficult to know how much power you need out of your workstation and sometimes having too much power becomes expensive while you don’t see any added benefit. At VRLA we believe in finding your comfort zone with a workstation, we want your workstation to get the job done and keep you under budget. Below we’ll look at the two most recent workstations from HP and find the best use case scenario for your hardware needs. As always, you can reach a specialist at sales@vrlatech.com or give us a call at (213)810-3013.

HP Z8 Workstation

The HP Z8 Workstation is HP’s newest iteration on its successful Z series of workstations. Released in late 2017 the Z8 was built for the most cutting edge and hardware intensive programs. The Z8 took various features to a whole new level. While the Z8 has a lot of features many of them will not be utilized unless you are working in an incredibly hardware intensive environment.

Hardware Specifications

The Z8 was a major redesign by HP and their attempt to set a new industry standard. The Z8 Workstation is capable of holding two CPU’s with up to 56 processing cores. Memory in a Z8 can be upgraded to 3 terabytes of RAM and the unit comes with a 1700 watt power supply. Finally, a Z8 has nine PCIe slots, seven full size slots and two personality slots. In all, the Z8 has 33% more memory bandwidth, 27% greater processor core count, and a 29% greater power supply than its predecessor. However, this unit is made for utilizing the most cutting edge software; unless, you’re rendering multiple 8K videos on a virtual machine the chances of you utilizing the power of this machine is incredibly low.

HP Z840 Workstation

The HP Z840 Workstation is the direct predecessor to the Z8 and arrived on the market in late 2015 and received astonishing praise. HP’s professional “Z” series has routinely tested the limits of a workstations capabilities and the Z840 was the best iteration of the 2015 release. While two and a half years old the Z840 is compatible to the newest graphics cards and storage options, including HP’s Z turbo drive.

Hardware Specifications

While the Z8 comes with a plethora of features, the Z840 comes with a robust and customizable chassis that meets the majority of a working professionals hardware needs. A Z840 has the ability to hold 2 terabytes of RAM –  an amount that has the capacity to run multiple rendering software’s without slowing your computer’s functionality. A Z840 can hold up to 44 cores on its dual CPU motherboard giving it an incredibly fast processing power. With seven total PCIe slots the Z840 has an optimized motherboard for customizability to fit your RAID, or graphics card’s needs. A Z840 gives you a reliable machine at an incredibly affordable cost.

Choosing your Hardware

While the Z8 Workstation can be tempting to add to your company’s workstation fleet, it’s important to look at your hardware needs. The Z8 has a litany of features and because of that is much more expensive. Additionally, for most software a Z840 can meet your requirements and come in under your company’s budget. The Z840 is still the industry norm for working professionals and while the Z8 has higher functionality, most software has yet to find a way to utilize this functionality. In all, the Z8 possesses a lot of power, but with a higher price tag. Meanwhile, the Z840 runs just as efficiently for most programs, but with a cheaper price tag. If you’re still considering between the two or are looking to buy one contact us at sales@vrlatech.com or give us a call at (213)810-3013.