The best workstations are the only laptops that can handle massive data or large files for 4K video editing . Of course, the best workstations are for professional users who need to run graphics-intensive applications. The key difference between some of the best gaming laptops and workstations is its GPU, as it’s mostly optimized for tasks like design and 3D rendering, rather than pure gaming performance. Workstations also often have more powerful CPUs, like Intel Core i9 or Intel Xeon processors, rather than the typical Core i7 you see on most gaming laptops.
To speed up your workflow in applications like adobepremiere or Blender, your workstation needs a crappy processor (like Intel’s Xeon series); a vibrant, color-accurate display; and a powerful GPU.
While the quest to buy the best workstation is not a soft task, we’ll help you pick the system that best fits your needs and budget. Whether you need a giant, vibrant monitor or an affordable powerhouse, here are the best workstations you can buy right now. If battery life is your priority, a gaming laptop might be your best bet, as the Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 has an AMD Ryzen processor that will give you over 11 hours on a single charge.
What is the best workstation?
The best workstation you can buy right now is the MSI WS65 9TM. The WS65 packs a powerful 9th Gen Core i7 processor and Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 Max-Q GPU into a super compact, durable chassis. Best of all, it has solid battery life and a beautiful 15.6-inch 4K display. Meanwhile, the HP ZBook Studio x360 G5 is also a good choice, as you’ll get an unrelenting beast with an Intel Xeon processor and Quadro P1000 GPU. With a dazzling 4K display, bouncy keyboard, and long battery life, the ZBook Studio is amazing everywhere. Not to mention its chassis is durable military and quite sexy at the same time.
If you’re looking for a 17-inch workstation, you can’t go wrong with the Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro W700G3T. The StudioBook Pro is one of the most stunning designs I’ve ever seen on a laptop. Its gorgeous 0.7-inch slim design features a powerful Intel Xeon E-2276M processor and Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000 GPU, as well as a vivid 17-inch 16:10 display and comfortable keyboard.
If you need a gaming laptop that doubles as a workstation, look in the Alienware section – the 51m. Equipped with an Intel Core i9 processor and Nvidia’s super-powered RTX GPU, it gracefully completed all the tests in front of us. It will also deflate your wallet. But if you consider that this is the first gaming laptop that can be used in the future, it seems like a great deal for a system that’s really upgradable and what Alienware says is its first true desktop replacement. small price.
MSI WS65 9TM
The best workstation of the new generation is here. The MSI WS65 9TM handles the fools with an Intel Core i7-9750H processor and an Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 GPU (16GB of VRAM). On Geekbench 4.1’s overall performance benchmark, the MSI WS65 scored 22,876.
The phone is superslim and lightweight, with a lifelike 4K display and decent battery life. Although the MSI WS65 is thin and light, it doesn’t sacrifice the durability consumers expect from a workstation. It has passed several MIL-STD 810G tests, so it can withstand sand, vibration, shock, low and high altitudes, and even extreme temperatures. On the security front, the MSI WS65 packs a discrete TPM 2.0 chip and a built-in fingerprint reader (inside the touchpad). Yes, the MSI WS65 9TM is a straight beast.
HP HP ZBook Studio x360 G5
The HP ZBook Studio x360 G5 is the king of 2-in-1 workstations. It’s armed to the teeth of military-durable aluminum, and it’s equipped with an all-powerful Intel Xeon processor and Nvidia Quadro graphics. In Geekbench 4.1’s overall performance test, the ZBook Studio locked in 20,950. On the security front, the ZBook Studio is configured with Intel vPro, which uses remote management, a fingerprint reader, an infrared camera for Windows Hello, and HP’s SureView Panel (aka Privacy Panel). HP also includes its Sure Start software, a self-healing BIOS.
Add to that a gorgeous 4K display, a slim 0.8-inch body, and a tactile keyboard, and it’s the machine you want. Another key feature is the ZBook Pen ($69), which offers 4,096 levels of pressure sensitivity, tilt controls, and three customizable buttons. Aside from that, this HP PC has a slightly longer battery life of just over 9 hours. Perfect all-around creation speed devil’s best workstation.
ASUS Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro W700G3T
What caught my eye was the Asus ProArt StudioBook Pro W700G3T, despite its extremely long name, with its stunning turquoise-gray design and vivid 16:10 display. Its 17-inch screen locks in 162 percent of the sRGB color gamut and emits 292 points of brightness. The StudioBook Pro also performed well on Geekbench 4.1’s overall performance test, scoring 21,359 points thanks to the powerful Intel Xeon E-2276M processor and 32GB of memory. On top of that, it has a comfortable keyboard, and the StudioBook Pro makes it one of the best workstations around.
Like most workstations, the ProArt StudioBook Pro is a tank. It has passed multiple MIL-STD 810G tests, so it can survive extreme heat and cold, humidity, altitude, and vibration. On the security front, you have a fingerprint reader with Windows Hello support, and that’s it.
Dell Dell Precision 7730
With its raw power and sheer sRGB, the Dell Precision 7730 is one of the most powerful workstations with the most colorful display you’ll find. Its Core i9-8950HK CPU beat Geekbench 4.1 with a score of 24,800. Its 17.3-inch, 4K panel covers an absurd 211 percent of the sRGB spectrum. Plus, it offers up to an Nvidia Quadro P5200 GPU and an awesome 16GB of VRAM, leaving plenty of room to run the most graphics-intensive programs. Although the chassis is a bit bulky, this laptop offers a comfortable typing experience.
Don’t worry about your arms getting tired when you’re holding the precise 7730; this tank survives a fall from a height. According to Dell, the business laptop has passed 15 milspec durability tests, including high altitude, extreme temperature, dust, shock and drop tests. The Precision 7730 also has security measures to protect your sensitive data. You can optionally add a FIPS fingerprint sensor to the palm rest to go with a standard smart card reader and an NFC sensor for contactless smart cards.
HP HP ZBook x2
For dynamic content creators, HP’s ZBook x2 is hard to beat, a powerful detachable 2-in-1 with a sleek Bluetooth keyboard. A major selling point is the six shortcut keys on either side of the display, which can be programmed to make Photoshop change hues and even increase the size of the brushes, giving artists a smoother experience.
It also comes with a comfortable stylus that feels the same as the WACOM pen and offers 4096 degrees of pressure sensitivity on both the tip and eraser. The HP ZBook x2’s 14-inch 4K display makes it easy to visualize your creations, wrapping you in vibrant colors—188 percent sRGB, to be exact. While its Quadro M620 GPU isn’t the most powerful, the ZBook x2 offers plenty of unique features that make it stand out.
Alien Alienware Area – 51m
Allow me to introduce you to the king of gaming, and the most powerful machine on this list: the Alienware Area 51-m. Equipped with an overclocked 9th-gen Core i9 desktop processor, the 51-meter area topped Geekbench 4.1 with a score of 32,591, and its RTX 2080 GPU topped Shadow of the Tomb Raider: 92 frames per second at its highest settings. Rise”.
In our file copy test, a pair of 1TB PCIe M.2 SSDs in a RAID 0 configuration of the 51m copied 4.97GB of multimedia files in just 4 seconds. This translates to a high-speed transfer rate of 1272.3 megabytes per second. All the power is matched by a gorgeous design and the ability to upgrade components in the 51m area. Remember, this isn’t a business laptop, so you don’t get a military-spec chassis or a lot of security features.
Lenovo ThinkPad P1
A good workstation might cost as much as a good used car, but Lenovo has the ThinkPad P1, a computer that starts at just $1,299. The best part is that if you get the base model, you’ll also get discrete graphics, unlike many other workstations that offer a pointless integrated version. $1,299 gets you an i5-8400H Core processor, an Nvidia Quadro P1000 GPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD, which is way too expensive. In addition to being affordable and powerful, you’ll also enjoy Lenovo’s ultra-comfortable keyboard and color display.
Business people should also feel comfortable with the P1’s security features. On the panel to the right of the keyboard, is a stock fingerprint sensor for faster and more secure logins. Alternatively, you could upgrade to an IR webcam for Windows Hello facial recognition login, but doing so would mean ditching the ThinkShutter sliding lens cap for standard HD cameras.
Dell Dell Precision 5540
The Dell Precision 5540 has the full spirit of a workstation in the chassis of the Dell XPS 15. Under the thin aluminum casing is an Intel Core i9-9980HK processor, an Nvidia Quadro T2000 GPU, and 32GB of RAM. On Geekbench 4.1’s overall performance test, the Dell Precision 5540 scored 29,023. Its 15.6-inch 4K OLED panel is 200 percent of the sRGB color gamut and has a brightness of 384 nits, so it’s great for whatever you’re working on.
The Dell Precision 5540 passes 15 MIL-STD 810G tests, which means it can withstand extreme temperatures, altitudes, sand, humidity, shock, and more. On the security front, the Precision 5540 offers an infrared camera for Windows Hello and a TPM 2.0 security chip. You can also use vPro for remote management.
How much does a workstation cost?
Workstations start at around $1,000, but many models at this price point lack the discrete graphics card you need for tasks like video editing or 3D modeling. And it’s likely to have a 1080p display, so if your work involves editing high-res photos and videos, you’ll probably want to buy a 4K one.
You can get some work done with one of the cheapest gaming laptops that has a GPU like an Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti or larger, but they aren’t optimized specifically for media creation like Nvidia’s Quadro GPUs. If you want to get some real work done, you’ll need a workstation with a Quadro GPU and a color high-resolution display, which is sure to set you back well over $2,000. While not necessarily a workstation, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo can handle complex tasks on multiple screens for $2,999.
How to choose the best workstation for you
Choosing the right workstation for you comes down to why you need it. You can opt for an affordable workstation for some heavier work than a regular laptop, but if you need a straight-up tank for heavy-duty programs, you’ll pay dearly. If the former, we recommend the Lenovo ThinkPad P1 or the Dell Precision 5540.
If money isn’t an issue, you can opt for some horrible workstations like the MSI WS65 9TM and the HP ZBook Studio x360 G5, which are very powerful and durable machines that can withstand most of the tests you set them up. If you want your monitor to be colorful and bright, the WS65 9TM is a good choice, but if you need a stylus for graphic design or other work, the ZBook Studio x360 is a better choice.
