What fun is having an AI workstation if you don’t dive deeply into what makes AI work. Inference is maybe 98% of AI tasks from image generation to machine learning and even basic chats and summaries. We rely on model makers to do the heavy lifting and provide models that we can use, either in the cloud or locally.
In my previous articles I discussed the balance between model quality and hardware requirements for running AI models locally. For this article I wanted to discuss software and how my AI Workstation build was designed to work with the software packages and how I can switch between them to complete certain tasks.
Building an AI workstation is rarely about buying the single fastest component on the market; it is about finding the specific "sweet spot" that fits your workload. Whether you are prioritizing VRAM capacity, PCIe lane availability, or thermal management, the right build depends entirely on how you plan to use your machine. The goal isn't just raw power, but the ability to run the tools you need efficiently.
This is the first article in a new AI Hardware series talking about the requirements for running AI Models and why paying attention to these things can help you build a better AI Workstation. If anything learning why a DGX Spark or Mac Mini work but, can also be really slow.
2026 marks the 30th year for Lexar and they started CES off with an announcement that they were going to be the global storage partner for the Argentina National Football (Soccer) Team and launched a number of AI focused storage devices.
Trade shows are an intereseting thing where you can walk around all day, or all week, and still miss stuff. I wasn't able to see LianLi until day two of Computex and honestly might not have stopped by had not someone sent me an article talking about how cables are now RGB!
At Computex GSKill was showing off their latest revision to the popular TridentZ RGB memory with a sleek gold heatspreader and faceted RGB diffuser.
Asustor was showing off a new AS40 series NAS that is the world’s first consumer level NAS featuring a 10Gbps Ethernet connection along with a number of updates to their ADM firmware.
EG (Epic Gear) Infinity was showing off their new modular and reusable gaming arena concept during Computex 2018 by building their entire booth from their modular panels. These panels are constructed from a molded plastic and used to decorate a space and create depth.
The MEG is designed for next generation AMD Threadripper processors and to help handle the excessive power demands it features an 18 phase VRM that takes up the entire top section of the motherboard.
ASUS has always done extremely well with their marketing messages and the TUF Gaming Alliance is one of the most powerful I have seen in a long time. Not only is it attacking the mainstream market directly but is bringing vendors along with supporting products that would have otherwise been passed over.
GeIL Announces the JEDEC Standard 8000MT/s Memory and the Stunning AQUARIUS Diamond RGB Series at Computex 2026? Origin Code Unveils Ultra-Low Latency Vortex 48GB DDR5-6200 CL28 “Meteorite Black” at Computex 2026A tribute to the very first ROG motherboard from 20 years agoEpomaker RT100 Pro Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Review @ APH NetworksASUS ROG Strix X870E-A Gaming Wi-Fi 7 Neo @ TechPowerUpPC Board Game Crossovers that are Actually GoodLIAN LI VECTOR V150 INF: Infinity Mirror Front Panel Meets Compact m-ATX PerformanceADATA Unveils New Product Strategy to Accelerate Its Expansion into the Next AI EraPop 2 Vision by FractalAlphacool Apex Grip Fittings & Adapter