Solution variety, reliability and service. That is the essence of why Dell Technologies remains at the top of its game when it comes to the roll-out of professional, high-end workstations – a market segment that has become all the more relevant as COVID-19 continues to shape a new way of living and working.

Dell Technologies in partnership with distributor Axiz has secured a stronghold in the South African workstation market through what it calls ‘work redefined’ – the core value proposition of its comprehensive solution portfolio.

This portfolio incorporates notebooks, desktops and a rack-mountable version, along with the best-suited screen solutions that accompany these products.

Dell places a premium on monitoring technology because of the important role this plays in facilitating online meetings, webinars and other digital imperatives today.

The company has made a name for itself in the supply of premier cutting-edge monitor technology and leverages this widely recognised industry strength to ensure its products are rolled out with monitors that add immediate value.

Dell’s product diversity has ensured that its Precision and Latitude brand lines are at the forefront of communications infrastructure purchase and supply.

Precision workstations are the number one workstation brand globally. These workstations feature Dell Optimiser for Precision, an AI tool that learns and adapts to the user’s needs.

The company’s Precision 5000 series includes the world’s smallest 15-inch and 17-inch mobile workstations with AI.

This technology speaks to the increasing demand for mobility and multimedia applications, along with high-end professional graphics and processing power.

To ensure this level of performance, Dell has integrated Intel processing technology along with state-of-the-art noise cancellation tech.

Optimum features

Terence Barter, Executive Head for Dell at Axiz, explained that in today’s hybrid work environment (with workers at home some days and then at the office on other days), features like optimal sound/noise control, high quality visual display, storage and capacity are vital.

Barter said: “From an affordability point of view, when anyone thinks of a professional workstation, competitive brands dominate… we know that video editing, CAD-type applications or software applications are dominating, especially with this next generation coming through (with) marketing, social media-type stuff. So the fact that Dell has been able to make a workstation like Precision, with leading Intel processor and in-video graphics, really adds value.”

Precision is an affordable, performance power product suited for the next generation of workstation users.

Barter added that Axiz and Dell are focused on empowering the modern ‘work from anywhere, anytime’ hybrid worker. This is reflected in value-add services like product warranties.

Having the advantage of technology that comes with an onsite warranty makes life a lot easier. It removes the hassle of having to physically take products in for maintenance and service, says Barter.

This is particularly valuable as many people continue to work offsite, at home and away from the office.

In his overview of the market, Barter said while aspects such as look and feel, aesthetic value and price are important when it comes to solution purchase, performance, reliability and capacity are considered far more critical.

Barter said COVID-19 has resulted in a slowdown in the sale of workstation-type devices, but this has little to do with supply chain issues or logistic problems. Rather, it is more of a numbers game at the moment, with the supply-demand dynamic changing constantly according to socio-economic realities.

“The differentiator, specifically with Dell, is the variety of options you can get in the products – from very slim line notebooks to more conclusive, top-of-the-range 17-inch notebooks with the top graphics, even with Intel i9 or even Xeon-type processor. A lot of the focus now is that people want mobility, so to give a notebook with a 17-inch screen, with an Intel Xeon processor and the graphic option, is something we need to highlight.”

Dell does its best by listening to the needs of end-users and not by rolling out technology on the notion of what it thinks the market wants or needs.

Barter believes workstations will increase in relevance as the pandemic shows no signs of abating and the dual approach to work (hybrid work model) will begin to emerge as the norm, not the exception.