This is nice and about what I was expecting in a price range.ghettosynth wrote: Fri Jul 24, 2026 9:56 am
https://www.amazon.com/GMKtec-EVO-X2-Co ... MpQ-QycO-L
This is in between the performance of the typical NUC and your xeon system. It is not your xeon system in the sense of a long term it will still be powerful in 15 years kind of system. It is a balanced approach considering application, growth and the current RAMpocalypse. The AI Max+ 395 has an unfortunate name for the AI averse, but, it is a 16 core Zen 5, 5.1 Ghz CPU. I am suggesting this model with 64GB as a reasonable compromise in the modern era. First, that it's soldered in helps to avoid some of the harshest adjustments of DDR5 costs where the flexibility is driving additional extraction. Second, it's LPDDR5 which is faster. It has a top notch iGPU because it is designed for local AI workloads. 64GB is not enough RAM to do significant local AI work, but, should software adjust in the next few years to use these tools in ways that you might appreciate, then you will have it there. Moreover, for me, 64GB is the right amount of RAM for a music machine that's forward looking today in terms of using sample based instruments.
The prices on these have gone up since the end of last year, but the delta is still not unmanageable. I would see this as a three to five year box to get through the RAM apocalypse.
I buy quite a few of these NUC boxes. I have a 10th gen intel box that I like, but, I can't recommend those for music for an ITB system because it's only a quad core.
Let me know how the price/planning sits with your thoughts and I'll give you additional feedback.
I'm a bit unsure about soldered in components though.
I'm not averse to AI really, but it seems to be in an awkward stage for me where it often takes more work rather than reducing my work. I need more of an amaneunsis than a collabrorator.
I seem to have the only Alexa in my community that interrupts and argues with me. And does not correct itself once I prove to it that it's wrong.
What little I've tried with using other AI prompts have been equally frustrating and time consuming to the point where I consistently have to turn it off to get things done. So I have to ask how easy is it to keep it out of my way until the industry has matured?
This would easily replace my Win10 single Xeon 4C 32GB home computer that I use for sketching ideas and testing new apps. (And I can still keep it running for my spouse's needs; which includes her favorite music plugins and business needs.)
I also need to ask about inputs...
I'm running older Studiologic and Crumar controllers and recent MS updates really hate my VMK188+ (which of course is my favorite), even though they're all class compliant. And connecting them through hubs have been problematic. I can also see I'm probably going to be forced into a new Audio interface since Mackie seems to not make any of lists I've read.