Workstation Rips with Threadripper

With the release of its new Edge TR workstation, NextComputing offers a workstation built with AMD’s latest Ryzen Threadripper CPU, the 1950x. NextComputing describes the Edge TR as a mid-size tower with workstation-class components and performance tuned to optimize applications for jobs like 3D CAD, rendering and simulation as well as digital content creation and production.

“Creative developers across multiple industries are consistently tasked with maintaining hardware with capabilities that can match or exceed the pace of software development. Before we can blink, the latest and greatest version of a critical development tool comes out and threatens to bog down our systems,” writes NextComputing’s President and CTO Bob Labadini in an e-mail exchange with DE. “NextComputing has always aimed to help close that gap by designing upgradable, powerful systems targeted at developers, with multiple GPU options, massive storage and, of course, maximum processing power.”

NextComputing’s new Edge TR, an AMD Ryzen Threadripper-based workstation, is intended for design engineers running applications such as 3D CAD and simulation as well as for other creative professionals developing virtual reality, digital content and similar demanding applications. Image courtesy of NextComputing.

Whether “multitasking while building a massive assembly or maxing the core count for simulation and rendering,” adds Labadini, “the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X is proving to be the 3D CAD developer’s dream CPU. Some say the Edge TR is more system than they need right now. Good. That’s the point. It’s the power you want right now. And the power you will need in the future.”

The 16-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950X processor provides the Edge TR with 32 threads of simultaneous multiprocessing power. Among its technical specifications are a 3.4GHZ base clock speed, 4GHz Max Turbo Core speed, 1.5MB L1 cache, 8MB L2 cache and 32MB L3 cache. When combined with the AMD X399 chipset, this gives the Edge TR 40MB of combined cache as well as the chipset’s support for up to 66 PCI Express Gen 3.0 and eight PCI Express Gen 2.0 I/O lanes.

A mid-size tower, the Edge TR comes with a 128GB of DDR4 memory and supports up to four single- or three dual-width graphics accelerators as well as a variety of operating systems and storage configurations. Shown here is a rear view of the Edge TR where various port connections are visible. Image courtesy of NextComputing.

The Edge TR workstation offers 128GB of DDR4 memory as well as onboard SATA RAID 0/1/5/10 or via add-on PCIe RAID controller. It can accommodate as many as three, 250W 12-in. long dual-width GPUs (graphics processing units) or up to four 12-in. single-width GPUs.

Storage options include as many as three M.2 SSDs (solid state drives) each with up to 2TB of capacity; up to two 2.5-in. SSDs or hard drives with up to 4TB each; or up to six 3.5-in. hard drives, each with up to 10TB of storage.

Available operating systems include Windows Server 2012, Windows 7 Pro/Ultimate, Windows 8 Pro and Windows 10; CentOS, Red Hat and other Linux distributions; and VMWare and vSphere.

The Edge TR is the most recent addition to NextComputing’s line of Edge workstations powered by the AMD Ryzen series processors. Earlier this year the company announced the Edge T100 mini-tower workstation and Edge P100 all-in-one portable system, both of which incorporate AMD Ryzen 7 series processors.

“NextComputing continues to innovate by designing a grounds up, compact workstation featuring AMD Ryzen Threadripper, which is proving to be a market favorite for workstations,” said John C. Morris, general manager of Workstation Compute Business Unit, AMD, in a statement provided by NextComputing. “NextComputing’s Edge TR will provide the performance that the most demanding creative professionals and design engineers need for content creation and production and simulation, respectively.”

The Edge TR workstation from NextComputing is built around the latest AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPU, the 1950x. The 16-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1950x processor, when combined with the AMD X399 chipset, provides the Edge TR with 40MB of combined cache and multiple I/O lanes. Image courtesy of NextComputing.

The Edge TR mid-size tower is available for configuration and purchase immediately. For more information on the Edge TR, click here.

Download the Edge TR data sheet.

See why DE’s Editors selected the Edge TR workstation as their Pick of the Week.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.