By Brady Betzel
HP workstations have been a staple in the post community, especially for anyone not using a Mac or the occasional DIY/custom build from companies like Puget Systems or CyberPower PCs. The difference comes with customers who need workstation-level components and support. Typically, a workstation is run through much tougher and stringent tests so the client can be assured of 24/7/365 up-time. HP continues to evolve and become, in my opinion, a leader for all non-Apple dedicated workflows.
At Adobe Max 2018, HP announced updated components to its Z by HP line of mobile workstations, including the awesome ZBook Studio x360, ZBook Studio, ZBook 15 and ZBook 17. I truly love HP’s mobile workstation offerings. The only issue I constantly come up against is can I — or any freelance worker for that matter — justify the cost of their systems?
I always want the latest and greatest, and I feel I can get that with the updated performance options in this latest update to the ZBook line. They include the increased 6-core Intel i9 processors; expanded memory of up to 32GB (or 128GB in some instances); a really interesting M.2 SSD RAID-1 configuration from the factory that allows for constant mirroring of your boot drive (if one drive fails, the other will take over right where you left off); the ZBook Studio and Studio x360 getting a GPU increase with the Nvidia Quadro P2000; and the anti-glare touchscreen on the x360. This is all in addition to HP’s DreamColor option, which allows for 100% Adobe RGB coverage and 600 nits of brightness. But again, this all comes at a high cost when you max out the workstation with enough RAM and GPU horsepower. But there is some good news for those that don’t have a corporate budget to pull from: HP has introduced the pilot program Z Club.
The Z Club is essentially a leasing program for HP’s Z series products. At the moment, HP will take 100 creators for this pilot program, which will allow you to select a bundle of Z products and accessories that fit your creative lifestyle for a monthly cost. This is exactly how you solve the problem of getting prosumer and freelance workers who can’t quite justify a $5,000 price tag for purchase, but can justify a $100 a month payment. HP has touted categories of products for editors, photographers and many others. With monthly payments that range from $100 to $250, depending on what you order, this is much more manageable for mid-range end users who need the power of a workstation but up until now couldn’t afford it.
So what will you get if you are accepted to the Z Club pilot program? You can choose the products you want and not pay for three months. And you can continue or return your products, you can switch products and you will have access to a Z Club concierge service for any questions and troubleshooting.
On the call I had with HP, they mentioned that a potential bundle for a video editor could be an HP Z series mobile workstation or desktop, along with a DreamColor display, and an external RAID storage system to top it off.
In the end, I think HP (much like Blackmagic’s Resolve in the NLE/color world) is at the front of the pack. They are listening to what creatives are saying about Apple — how this giant company is not listening to their customers in an efficient and price-conscious way. Creating essentially a leasing program for mid- to high-range products with support is the future. It’s essentially Apple’s own iPhone program but with computers!
Hopefully this program takes off, and if you are lucky enough to be accepted into the pilot program, I would be curious to hear your experience, so please reach out. But with HP making strides in the workstation security initiatives like Sure Start, a privacy mode for mobile systems, and military-grade testing known as MIL-spec, HP is going from being a standard in the media and entertainment post industry. For those leaving Apple for a Windows-based PC, you should apply for the Z Club pilot program. Go to www.hp.com to find out more or follow along on Twitter @AdobeMax, @HP or using #AdobeMax.
Brady Betzel is an Emmy-nominated online editor at Margarita Mix in Hollywood, working on Life Below Zero and Cutthroat Kitchen. You can email Brady at bradybetzel@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter @allbetzroff.
