Asus ProArt Station PD5 evaluate: Too little, too late

Asus ProArt Station PD5

MSRP $1,700.00

“Appears to be like cannot make up for the shortcomings of the Asus ProArt Station PD5.”

Professionals

• The case appears to be like nice
• Strong GPU efficiency
• ISV certification

Cons

• Loud and sizzling
• Restricted room for upgrades
• Makes use of a last-gen processor
• Underperforms in comparison with equally priced PCs

The Asus ProArt Station PD5 is considered one of the primary PCs that explicitly targets creators, versus the barrage of video modifying and streaming PCs which can be actually simply gaming desktops. Sadly, the PD5 doesn’t make a robust argument for this phase because of its older Intel processor, excessive thermals, and loud fan noise.

Regardless of a smooth chassis worthy of our greatest desktop PC roundup, the PD5 is held again by a last-gen processor that massively underperforms in comparison with trendy choices. It’s lacking many important options which can be obtainable to creators right now, all whereas promoting for a similar value as desktops with them.

Design

Jacob Roach / Digital Developments

The ProArt Station PD5 appears to be like nice, however it doesn’t have a terrific design. Aesthetically, the slender strains on the entrance of the case look incredible, accented by skinny LED strips that may present your CPU/GPU temperature, render occasions, and extra. The ProArt branding is incredible, and it makes the PD5 appear like a very distinctive PC.

Operate over kind has to come back into play sooner or later, although, and the PD5 is dysfunctional. The PC nearly appears deliberately designed to maintain as a lot warmth in as potential. The entrance consumption vents are skinny and don’t usher in sufficient air, and the exhaust is restricted to an 80mm fan within the again and a few vents on the aspect panel. The overwhelming majority of this case is closed off to airflow, and that’s an issue.

The ProArt PD5 looks as if it’s attempting to be as sizzling as potential.

It’s much more of an issue contemplating the elements inside. The ProArt PD5 comes with one — depend them, one — fan inside: an 80mm exhaust at the back of the case. Asus additionally makes use of a skinny CPU cooler paying homage to a inventory cooler and a blower-style graphics card. From the case to the internals, the ProArt PD5 looks as if it’s attempting to be as sizzling as potential.

Jacob Roach / Digital Developments

The ProArt PD5 appears to be like nice, and small touches like a lock on the ability button are welcome. However the glitz washes away shortly when the PC appears like (and will get as sizzling as) a correct workstation however doesn’t carry out like one (learn our Lenovo P620 evaluate for a machine that does).

Specs and pricing

Jacob Roach / Digital Developments

The ProArt Station PD5 can sport some critical {hardware}. You might have entry to as much as a Core i9-11900 for the GPU, an RTX 3070 or RTX A2000 for the GPU, as much as 128GB of DDR4-3200 reminiscence, and as much as 6TB of storage unfold throughout an SSD and a spinning harddisk.

The issue is the CPU, which is a earlier technology providing. Stepping again a technology isn’t nice, however it’s worse contemplating Intel’s Eleventh-gen platform wasn’t precisely an replace fans have been hoping for.

Even the most costly Core i9-11900 is an embarrassing CPU, so the ProArt Station PD5 left me scratching my head. AMD’s Ryzen 5000 choices make extra sense for creators, and so they’re nonetheless amongst the most effective CPUs in 2022. It’s a missed alternative contemplating Asus sells the ProArt X570 Creator Wi-Fi motherboard. What’s worse is that Intel’s Twelfth-gen platform is considerably sooner, and it comes with higher options for creators.

It’s actually onerous to justify the PD5’s specs.

The essential one is DDR5. DDR5 would have seemingly bloated the associated fee of the ProArt Station PD5, however it gives actual benefits in inventive apps like Adobe Premiere Professional. Even with out DDR5, you’re locked into considered one of Intel’s worst platforms with out the choice to improve except you rip the motherboard out.

It’s actually onerous to justify the PD5’s specs. You’ll be able to choose up an identically configured Dell XPS Desktop 8950 with Intel’s Twelfth-gen i7 for much less cash than what Asus is charging for the PD5. My configuration clocks in at $2,000, although I’ve seen some for as little as $1,700.

I’m unsure how excessive the machine will scale as a result of higher-end configurations aren’t obtainable without delay. I don’t think about the machine will exceed $3,000, although. It’s not a nasty value, however the PD5 is basically a pc from 2021, not 2022, so trendy PCs with an analogous value vary will at all times be a greater deal.

That might change if Asus updates this machine with Twelfth-gen choices, however on the time of writing, these aren’t obtainable.

Internals and upgradability

Jacob Roach / Digital Developments

The ProArt PD5 gives some room to develop, however not a lot. You’ll be able to swap the GPU and RAM, and there are a few drive bays at the underside of the machine. These are tool-less, which is a pleasant contact. Sadly, Asus doesn’t embrace cables already routed to the bay.

Inside, the case is remarkably small. Asus calls it a “full-sized ATX tower,” however that’s removed from the case. You couldn’t even match a typical ATX motherboard contained in the case, and the ability provide is shmushed up towards the drive bay. There isn’t any room for followers, both, simply the one 80mm fan at the back of the case.

Contemplating the case is considered one of the worst components of the ProArt PD5, upgradability is a little bit of a moot level. You’ll be able to, technically, add some {hardware} to the machine. However you’re so restricted by room and thermals that you most likely shouldn’t. The machine is locked to Intel’s Eleventh-gen platform, too, which isn’t appropriate with Intel’s trendy CPUs.

Efficiency

The ProArt PD5 could be a strong desktop if it was launched a yr in the past. In 2022, it’s a disappointment. It underperforms throughout the board, hindered by the weaker eight-core Core i7-11700 that has been surpassed by Intel’s more moderen Twelfth-gen choices. I included a few machines for CPU reference beneath (even when the HP Omen 45L isn’t actually competing with Asus’ machine).

The most important subject for the ProArt Station PD5 is that it’s based mostly on Intel’s Eleventh-gen platform. Asus introduced the machine in September 2021, simply a few months earlier than Intel launched its Twelfth-gen Alder Lake platform. Regardless of that, machines solely began exhibiting up originally of 2022.

The 32GB of DDR4 reminiscence and RTX 3070 graphics card ought to make the PD5 a strong midrange creator PC, however the {hardware} is held again by the Core i7-11700. The Dell XPS Desktop 8950 reveals that. Even with half of the RAM and a weaker video card (the RTX 3060 Ti), it outperforms the ProArt PD5 by almost 13% in Premiere Professional and nearly 12% in PCMark 10.

Intel’s Twelfth-gen chips are leaps and bounds forward of the corporate’s earlier choices (you’ll be able to learn our Core i9-12900K evaluate for the proof). It’s onerous justifying a desktop with {hardware} that’s outdated, particularly when that {hardware} so clearly underperforms in comparison with trendy choices.

It’s potential Asus will replace the PD5 with the Twelfth-gen chip, although, which might enhance the efficiency scenario rather a lot. This could possibly be a problem with provide shortages, and Asus could possibly be planning so as to add Twelfth-gen choices down the street.

Gaming efficiency

Jacob Roach / Digital Developments

The ProArt PD5 is a creator-focused machine; however let’s be trustworthy, it’d be a disgrace to not let an RTX 3070 rip by means of some video games. Sadly, this machine isn’t the most effective setting for Nvidia’s GPU (which is amongst the most effective graphics playing cards you’ll be able to purchase). You’ll be able to see the outcomes I recorded from a couple of video games at 1440p beneath. I used the best preset for every sport.

Once more, the Core i7-11700 is a hindrance. In a one-for-one towards the MSI Aegis RS 12 with a Core i7-12700KF, the ProArt PD5 lags. It’s not too dangerous in GPU-limited titles like Murderer’s Creed Valhalla and Crimson Useless Redemption 2. The hole is a bit wider at 1080p, however the Asus machine solely lagged by round 6% at most.

Forza Horizon 4, which is a bit heavier on the CPU, reveals a unique aspect of the story. The Dell XPS Desktop 8950 managed to outperform the ProArt PD5 regardless of utilizing a weaker GPU. Dell’s machine makes use of the Core i5-12600K, too, not the Core i7-12700K.

Exterior of efficiency. I want to indicate temperatures. Throughout a run of Murderer’s Creed Valhalla, the GPU reached 84 levels Celsius. That’s not an issue in isolation, however the cardboard reached that temperature after about 30 seconds. For lengthy rendering periods, these sorts of temperatures might trigger points down the road. They’re protected, however you shouldn’t maintain them for hours on finish.

Software program

Asus is usually good about bloatware — learn our Asus ROG GA35DX evaluate for an instance — and the ProArt PD5 isn’t any totally different. For bloat, the machine does include McAfee Web Safety. It wasn’t too intrusive at first, however take into accout that packages like McAfee are inclined to solely turn out to be annoying as soon as it’s time to resume.

In any other case, the machine comes with MyAsus for assist and the ProArt Creator Hub to customise your machine. I just like the Creator Hub. It offers you a strong overview of your system vitals and lets you alter the lights on the entrance of the PD5 to indicate remaining render occasions or present warnings about CPU/GPU temperature.

I significantly just like the Work Sensible function, which lets you create teams of apps which you can launch with a single click on. My solely subject is that Asus doesn’t floor the ProArt Creator Hub in the identical method as MyAsus (which is pinned to the taskbar). Apart from that, it’s a terrific, if easy, piece of software program.

Our take

The Asus ProArt Station PD5 is a nasty selection for creators in 2022. Though I had points with the thermals and fan noise, the true killer is the last-gen processor at the center of the machine. Asus seemingly desired to launch this machine in 2021 earlier than Intel’s next-gen processors arrived, however the delays have been to the machine’s detriment.

Are there any alternate options?

Sure, however not many without delay. The essential competitor is the Dell XPS Desktop, which is obtainable with Intel’s newer processors, DDR5 reminiscence, and extra highly effective GPU choices. That stated, it lacks ISV certification and entry to Nvidia’s workstation GPUs.

How lengthy will it final?

The Asus ProArt Station PD5 ought to final a couple of years, however the older Intel platform and restricted case room imply that it is going to put on out its welcome shortly.

Must you purchase it?

No. The ProArt Station PD5 could have been an possibility in 2021, however in 2022, there are machines promoting for a similar value with newer {hardware}, higher thermals, and decrease fan noise.

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