Hardware Recommendations for 2023
December 14, 2023
Presented by: Mike Bennett
The time has come to inspect equipment, evaluate warranties, and consider upgrading or replacing your existing hardware. Along with evolving hardware, we’ve seen more and more frequent use cases for cloud computing. We’ll take a look at what "cloud computing" means and how you might be able leverage this up-and-coming tech in your workflow, along with providing some tips and tricks to take some of the stress out of your experience looking for new equipment.
Webinar Contents:
Note: The following catalog of content covered in this webinar is time stamped to allow you to follow along or skip to sections of the video that are relevant to your questions. You can also search for content on this page using the FIND command in your browser (CTRL + F in Windows, Command + F in Mac OS.)
- Intro/TOC
- Understanding Your Needs
- The Anatomy of a Computer
- Cloud Computing
- Tablets
- Choosing a Computer
- Our Top Picks
- Apple – What's the Status?
- Accessories and Add-Ons
- Maintenance
0:00 – 4:38: Intro/TOC
4:39 – 10:18: Understanding Your Needs
Recommended Specifications:
- 64-bit Windows 10 or 11
- 32GB RAM/memory
- Solid state drive
- 4+GHz (Turbo) processor/CPU
- Graphics/video card with 4GB+ RAM + DX12 compliant
Minimum Specifications:
- 64-bit Windows 10 or 11
- 8GB RAM/memory
- Solid state drive
- 3+GHz (Turbo) processor/CPU
- Graphics/video card with 4GB+ RAM + DX11 compliant
What is processor/CPU Turbo? (7:25)
All modern processors have a min and max speed.
Base clock is where the processor sits when not in use.
- Lower power consumption
- Lower heat output
Turbo clock is the limit the processor will boost to under load.
- Higher power consumption
- Higher heat output
- Burstable loads mostly
Graphics cards and DirectX (8:48)
- DirectX is an API that allows software to interact directly with your graphics card or GPU.
- API = translation layer for one software or application to talk to another
Benefits of DirectX 12:
- CPU multi-core support
- Lower CPU overhead
- Lower overall system load
- DX12 launched in 2015, so most modern GPUs support it.
Why the three-year replacement cycle? (15:00)
Laptops (17:12)
Why upgrade every 3 to 5 years? (18:47)
10:19 – 23:02: The Anatomy of a Computer
23:03 – 32:04: Cloud Computing
What is cloud computing? (23:27)
Pros and cons (24:03):
Pros:
- Low to zero maintenance
- Available anywhere you have Internet access
- Able to work from almost any device
- Minimal recovery time in the event of local hardware issues
Cons:
- Complicated configuration
- Cost, which can vary month to month
- Desktop services tend to bill per hour device is powered on
- Still requires you to have some sort of computer on your end
Pros/cons:
- Multiple platforms available
- Options can be overwhelming
Cloud computing price examples (as of presentation time) (26:18)
Cloud computing security (30:26)
32:05 – 34:11: Tablets
Pros and cons (32:21):
Pros:
- Compact
- Lightweight
- Low power
Cons:
- Compact
- Low power
- Most are mobile OS
34:12 – 38:44: Choosing a Computer
Primary considerations (34:12)
Mobile setup, desktop setup, and things to avoid (36:45)
38:45 – 47:46: Our Top Picks
Laptops (38:45)
Desktops (44:50)
47:47 – 52:31: Apple – What's the Status?
52:32 – 57:03: Accessories and Add-Ons
57:04 – end: Maintenance
Gaming laptops (1:01:45)
Contact
- Land F/X
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