VR Powerhouse
Getting your hands on VR content is still an early-adopter’s game for now, as VR headsets are still a little on the pricey side. Making your own VR content has an even steeper cost with HP releasing new Z Workstations that start at $4,363.
The entry-level version doesn’t even come with a VR headset, so you’ll have to shell out for your own. On the bright side, these rigs are powerful enough to handle other resource-heavy applications, like engineering and filmmaking apps.
HP’s Z Workstations are used to develop games and other VR content for the HTC Vive. HP is joined by Lenovo and Dell who have also announced that they’re releasing desktops designed for VR.
The Z Workstation
The Z Workstations are compatible with 22-core Intel Xeon E5-2600 v4 chips, while you can configure the higher-end Z840 with two CPUs. You could also set it up with dual Quadro M6000 24GB graphics cards, which can be combined to power the production of VR content.
These systems will be able to support up to either 256GB of DDR4 memory or 1TB LRDDR4 memory, which is often used in database servers. It also provides for a wide range of storage options, along with provisions for 6 SATA, 8 SAS (serial-attached SAS), or 2 PCI-Express 3.0 NVMe storage ports.
The Z Workstation system has 5 USB 3.0 ports, 3 USB 2.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet, and supports up to 1125-watt power supplies.
In short, it’s got a lot of power, which should give you a good idea of what it takes to create content for virtual reality headsets. So, if you’ve got a lot of money, and you’re looking to break into the brave new world of VR, HP’s new Z Workstation might just be the powerhouse system to take you there.
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