Work smarter, not harder with HP portable workstations
Portable workstations are a step above your average laptops. Typically, they’re chock full of advanced features, like model rendering, 3D animation, data analysis, CAD programs, and video editing programs. In contrast, traditional laptops are structured for less resource-intensive tasks like sending emails, document creation, and web browsing.
However, portable workstations offer modern professionals the freedom to work wherever their office happens to be during any given day. Perhaps one day the office is HQ, but other days might involve travel, and being on the road doesn’t mean clients’ expectations disappear or deadlines vanish.
But a mobile workstation means you can still work without disruption at airport gates, in hotel rooms, and anywhere else your business takes you. Your office is wherever you happen to be.
The biggest benefit to portable workstations comes in their small-form-factor size despite their desktop-like performance. For power users, an HP portable laptop workstation offers uncompromising abilities to take on anything your day throws at you. If you’re working at a fast pace, your computer should be able to match your pace, task for task.
What is a portable workstation?
While the exact definition and terminology might vary from brand to brand, there are some features that are universal in all workstation laptops. Here are a few of the components you can expect in
a typical mobile workstation:
1. RAID (Redundant Array of Independent Disks)
A RAID system uses multiple hard drives for the storage of data, which diminishes the likelihood that a crash or other disaster will affect your system long-term. In turn, processing and storage are more efficient as well as faster.
2. ECC memory
ECC memory has an error-correcting code (ECC) to resolve and detect data correction. If you’re regularly working with scientific data processes ECC memory benefits you since, if even a small error or interruption in calculations happens, your computer will address it before work can resume.
3. GPU
A dedicated GPU is critical when you’re a professional working in any creative or design industry.
A quality GPU means that there are resources dedicated to processing visual data. In turn, this frees up the CPU from visual tasks so your computer can continue to run fast and efficiently.
4. Solid-state drives (SSD)
Hard disk drives are delicate mechanical structures with moving parts that are responsible for storing and retrieving data. SSDs have no moving parts so they can retrieve data almost instantaneously. They work faster and have a longer lifespan compared to HDDs. HDDs, in contrast, are more prone to physical failure.
5. Multiple processor cores
Multiple cores in your CPU means faster, better processing of data. The main benefit of multiple cores is being able to juggle multiple programs simultaneously. You can expect a portable workstation to boast an Intel Core i5, i7 or i9 CPU of the most recent generation.
Is a regular laptop or portable workstation better for me?
Portable workstations are the best option if you work in a data-intensive industry. Engineers, architects, video editors, and designers would all benefit from the technological heft a portable workstation provides.
Multi-tasking
These capable machines are constructed from top to bottom to deliver advanced multi-tasking ability. For example, if you have two windows open, one rendering 3D models and another with a large spreadsheet of data, you can do so seamlessly and expect the best in performance.
Battery life
Because of their more intensive abilities, portable workstations
use up more battery life more quickly, depending on what and how many programs you run. However, they near desktop performance in their capabilities, so it’s a tradeoff you’ll need to decide makes sense for your workflow.
Variety of price points
In addition, these heavy-duty machines have prices that match their functions. As you might expect, portable workstations are less budget-friendly than their less robust cousins, the traditional laptop.
Mobile
Portable workstations are necessary for industries where you’ll be on the move, like those that work in film, animation, mathematics, and engineering. This mobile computer allows you to take it anywhere so your workflow is never interrupted. Need to go into the field to perform tests or on-site changes? You can with a portable workstation from HP.
Students vs professionals
On the other hand, a laptop might be a better fit if you just need a computer built for less resource-intensive tasks.
If you are a student, for example, you likely don’t need a portable workstation. Unless of course, you’re a grad student and you’re taking classes in advanced design principles or engineering.
Demanding software
If you’re beginning to use CAD software, it might be time to level up your computer to keep up with the demands of your lessons. A portable workstation can keep up with advanced studies, a regular laptop will likely falter under the pressure.
Basically, the rule of thumb is if you’re not multi-tasking and tend to use your computer to browse, send emails, and generate documents, most traditional laptops will be able to handle those actions without an issue.
But as soon as you start opening programs that use up the majority of your computer’s resources, you might find that your PC’s performance slows almost to a standstill, and in the worst-case-scenario, it might crash.
HP business computers and more for professionals
Your business never stops, neither should your technology. The future of portable laptop workstations is already here. HP® continues to update these models so you can be confident going into the future. With the ability to run the advanced software programs modern professionals need and robust security options, HP workstations continue to prove their worth in the field and in the office.
When you’re browsing for your next portable workstation, make sure you choose the machine that will promote your productivity and growth. HP is ready to give you the tools you need to succeed in your professional life.