Editor’s Pick: GoBOXX MXL VR Workstation

Dear DE Reader:

Virtual reality (VR) for engineering is hot and getting hotter because the real benefits of interacting with your design virtually are too hard to ignore. What’s driving this? Basically, you’re witnessing a confluence of powerful technologies from processors to GPUs (graphics processing units) to HDMs (head mounted displays) that have made VR a versatile and affordable option for engineers. Today’s Pick of the Week takes a look at a new VR offering for engineers on the go.

BOXX Technologies recently introduced their new GoBOXX MXL VR mobile workstation. It’s a compact, easily shouldered, pack-portable workstation. While it supports the technologies for immersive VR experiences, BOXX says that it also can easily do double duty as your mobile 3D CAD workhorse. BOXX even recommends this mobile for CATIA and SOLIDWORKS in addition to applications like Autodesk 3ds Max for modeling, animation and rendering as well as VR-specific development applications like IrisVR and Unity. So what have you got here?

The GoBOXX MXL VR is built around an Intel Core i7-6700K processor running at 4GHz. That’s a quad-core, desktop-class CPU. It has Turbo Boost technology to overclock processing performance to up to 4.2GHz, and it has 8MB cache memory. You can extend the GoBOXX MXL VR’s base 16GB of RAM up to 64GB. Your operating system is 64-bit Windows 10.

For graphics, the GoBOXX MXL VR is equipped with an 8GB NVIDIA GeForce 1070 GPU, or you can move up to an 8GB GeForce 1080 if you need faster memory speed. It sports a 17-in. full HD (high-definition), 1920x1080 pixel LED display. Storage starts with a 256GB SSD (solid-state drive), and available options will get you up to 1TB.

It has port connections galore, including digital audio and a USB 3.1/Thunderbolt 3. There’s Gigabit Ethernet LAN 10/100/1000 Mbps networking as well as Intel’s 802.11ac Wireless LAN + Bluetooth communications. It weighs just 8.6 lbs. with its 8-cell lithium-ion battery.

The short of it is that the GoBOXX MXL VR mobile workstation sure seems to have the guts for engineering VR, if you have the chops. Your architect cousin and his rich digital content-creating kid should be interested in it as well. Let them know a week from tomorrow during your Thanksgiving gorge-a-rama.

For now, hit today’s Pick of the Week link to learn more about the GoBOXX MXL VR mobile workstation. Good stuff.

Thanks, Pal. – Lockwood

Anthony J. Lockwood

Editor at Large, DE