The high cost of high performance can be intimidating to anyone in the market for a new workstation, especially if you aren’t quite sure what to look for. It’s crucial that you know your money is going toward exactly what benefits your workflow, and nothing more. There’s no need to pay a premium for 18 cores or loads of expensive ECC memory if the task at hand doesn’t demand it. An unoptimized, overpriced system like that is what we in the industry call a “diamond briefcase.” 1 Having the most cores on the block might sound nice, but if maximizing productivity and minimizing cost is the goal, it’s important to understand how to choose a workstation that caters specifically to what you’ll be using it for. Fit the hardware to the software, not vice versa.
For example, to get the most out of lightly-threaded applications like Revit or SOLIDWORKS, you need a processor with high frequency per core, not a high core count. This points you directly to the system with the fastest processor per core on the market, the APEXX S3 from BOXX. Why is it the fastest, you ask? By working closely with Intel, we go beyond Intel Turbo Boost Technology®, which only raises the clock speed of two of the i7-9700K’s eight cores. Our engineers expertly dialed in overclock settings to push the processor to its limits—5.1 GHz across all cores2—without sacrificing stability. In addition, we mitigated the fear of thermal throttling (which can lower clock speed) with liquid cooling, which also happens to make it run nice and quiet, even at load.
As our flagship model, the APEXX S3 is ideal for many modern professional settings, but I’d like to spotlight how well it fits into academia. After all, teaching the next generation of engineers, architects, and other creative professionals on a rusty old computer is a recipe for disaster. That’s what we in the industry call a “pedagogical bottleneck.”3 It stands to reason that the best way students and researchers can learn and utilize the latest techniques and technology is to have the latest hardware. You can’t create the future if you’re living in the past, right?
That said, like most people, BOXX exists in the real world. Sometimes budgets can be tight, and we understand that it can be a delicate balancing act to get the most out of those dollars. Justifying the cost is easier when you have facts to back it up. Buying older, cheaper machines are an option, but is it worth a 15% drop in performance?4 Also, buying outdated systems can come with other issues. You may recall the widely-publicized CPU bugs of recent memory, which 9th generation Intel® processors like the 9700K come with protection against at the hardware level. Previous generations got a fix, but that came with patches that could affect performance up to 8%5. Add those numbers together and you’re looking at a significant decrease in productivity that is difficult to gloss over, even when budget is a concern.
In a university setting, particularly in STEM fields, another consideration is the ability to adapt quickly as industries evolve. Additionally, to justify that budget, you need a warranty that adds tangible value and won’t end the second you need it or want to change a part. Once again, BOXX has you covered. For example, if Autodesk or MATLAB update their software with new features and you need a little more RAM to keep up, you can always speak to a BOXX performance specialist to find the perfect upgrade. Unlike some companies, upgrading your system won’t void your warranty. Also, if you ever want tips on optimization or have any issues, you can contact our legendary tech support. 6 We can help you keep up with the latest advancements without needing to swap out entire systems with every product refresh or software update.
Doing research on benchmarks and weighing the pros and cons to fit a budget sounds a lot like homework. Fortunately, with decades of experience under their collective belt, BOXX performance specialists can point you to exactly the right solution for your workflow. Let us do the legwork for you. Our philosophy has always been that helping you find the right product is more important than convincing you to buy the wrong one. Speaking of, if APEXX S3 doesn’t quite fit the budget but you’re still looking for a fast, reliable workstation, BOXX has made that choice easy with the APEXX E2, which offers the same level of expertise, support, and customizability, but at a more budget-friendly price. Much like APEXX S3, it uses the same Intel® i7 or i9 processors, but comes in a slightly smaller package.
BOXX not only provides better solutions and value than the other guys, we can also get the systems to you faster. Choose a BOXX Quick Ship configuration and we can ship it to you overnight—the same day it’s ordered. The bottom line is, if you need a state-of-the-art system that comes in under budget and on schedule, the economical APEXX E2 is the perfect choice.
1 No one calls it that.
2 5.0 GHz on the i9-9900K, also available with the APEXX S3.
3 I made that one up too.
4 Comparing 8th generation vs 9th generation processors per Intel’s benchmarks.
5 Source
6 877-877-BOXX (US) / support@boxx.com