Graphics workstations provide a high performance and stable platform for designers, artists and engineers using content creation applications. As graphics workstations are available in a huge variety of configurations, the choices can seem overwhelming. This guide walks you through the main considerations when choosing a graphics workstation, so you can make the best choice for your requirements.
There are multiple brands of graphics workstation available in the market, and it’s an important decision to get right to make sure you receive a professionally assembled system, built from high quality branded components, it’s competitively priced, and is provided with excellent customer service in case you need support. 3XS Systems has been hand crafting PCs, workstations and servers for more than 30 years, so we have a huge amount of experience in building highly reliable systems that deliver the most performance for your budget. Here are the key reasons to buy a 3XS Systems graphics workstation.
Scan is an NVIDIA Elite Partner, awarded for our GPU-accelerated systems expertise.
Our graphics workstations are used by a host of leading organisations.
Our systems have won hundreds of awards in the media.
Our experienced technical support engineers are available seven days a week.
3XS Systems include a three-year warranty offering complete peace of mind.
The graphics card or GPU is the most important component in a graphics workstation as it the main driver for rapid ray-tracing and rendering of complex workloads. We recommend NVIDIA professional-grade workstation GPUs as they deliver maximum performance and are supported by certified drivers for a wide range of applications. The below table summarises the best GPUs for each type of workload.
| RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell | RTX PRO 6000 Blackwell Max-Q | RTX PRO 5000 Blackwell | RTX PRO 4500 Blackwell | RTX PRO 4000 Blackwell | A800 | RTX 6000 Ada | RTX 5000 Ada | RTX 4500 Ada | RTX 4000 Ada | RTX 4000 SFF ADA | RTX 2000 ADA | RTX 2000E ADA | RTX A2000 | RTX A1000 | RTX A400 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AEC / BIM | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| CAD | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| CAE / CFD | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
| RENDERING | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| VR | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ | ✖ | ✖ |
3XS graphics workstations can be configured with up to six GPUs. For further information on the full range of NVIDIA GPUs and their specifications, please read our NVIDIA WORKSTATION GPU BUYERS GUIDE.
The processor or CPU is the second most important component in a graphics workstation as it plays a key role alongside the graphics card in determining overall system performance in content creation applications. Most graphics workstations are equipped with either AMD Ryzen or Intel Core Ultra processors, and for the ultimate in performance we also offer Ryzen Threadripper and Intel Xeon-W configurations. Consideration should be given to the number of cores, memory capabilities and expandability in the form of PCIe lanes as this determines how many GPUs, SSDs and network cards can be used in the system.
You can learn more about AMD and Intel CPUs by reading our AMD DESKTOP CPU BUYERS GUIDE or our INTEL DESKTOP CPU BUYERS GUIDE.
While having sufficient memory on the graphics card is important, system performance will be crippled without adequate system memory. We use Corsair Vengeance RAM in our 3XS graphics workstations, with a minimum of 32GB on entry-level systems and more memory in high-end systems, ensuring optimum performance.
You can learn more about RAM requirements by reading our MEMORY BUYERS GUIDE.
3XS graphics workstations can be configured with a range of storage, power, connectivity and OS options.
We use the latest high performance NVMe SSDs in our graphics workstations, as these are around eight times faster than a SATA SSD and over 25 times faster than a traditional HDD
Our graphics workstations are supplied as standard with high-quality 80PLUS Gold power supplies, ensuring a reliable and efficient power source for the system.
Our workstations are equipped with best-in-class connectivity, including ultra-fast USB-C ports, high-speed network ports and plenty of DisplayPort outputs for connecting multiple monitors.
Our systems are preinstalled with Microsoft Windows 11 Pro. The Pro version supports larger memory configurations and offers many advanced security features.
3XS graphics workstations can be complemented by a range of accessories to suit every workflow.
Choosing the right monitor is not only critical to ensure that what you’re creating is colour accurate, but a higher resolution monitor or multiple screens can boost your productivity. Learn more by reading our MONITORS BUYERS GUIDE.
Professional graphics workloads will be accelerated by the use of dedicated mice and tablets alongside your traditional keyboard. You can learn more by reading our GRAPHICS CONTROLLERS BUYERS GUIDE.
You can also spec your ideal system by the application(s) you intend to use. Explore our options for AEC & BIM, CAD & CAE, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT or RENDERING software packages.
Click the links below to view the range of 3XS Systems graphics workstations.
If you still have questions on how to select the perfect system, don't hesitate to contact one of our friendly advisors on 01204 474747 or [email protected].