How Computle delivers workstations at scale without the overheads
I founded Computle in 2020 to disrupt the VDI market for creatives, architects, and engineers - offering remote workstations with lower cost, zero setup hassle, and superior performance. Since then, we’ve added features like Entra ID integration and built-in patch management, putting us head-to-head with VMware Horizon, Citrix, and RDS. In this blog, I’ll explore deployment scenarios and show how Computle delivers greater value through dedicated performance and operational simplicity.
Scenario 1: Workstation in an office, paid monthly and self-managed
Workstations from major vendors are cheap and simple to run but scale poorly and lack advanced management.
Key limitations of this approach:
- Operational overhead: High-end workstations generate noise and heat, often needing specialised cooling.
- Limited scalability: Adding users requires procurement, delivery, and installation.
- No central management: Each workstation must be maintained and patched separately.
- Security risks: Physical access exposes data vulnerabilities.
- Inflexible resources: Users are locked into fixed hardware regardless of changing needs.
20-Core i7-14700 Workstation with a NVIDIA 4000 ADA GPU
| Manufacturer | Complexity | Security | 3-Year TCO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dell | 1/5 | 3/5 | £4,883.38 |
| HP | 1/5 | 3/5 | £4,608.12 |
| PC Specialist | 1/5 | 3/5 | £3,778.13 |
20-Core i7-14700 Workstation with a NVIDIA 5090 GPU
| Manufacturer | Complexity | Security | 3-Year TCO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dell | 1/5 | 3/5 | £12,827.16 |
| HP | 1/5 | 3/5 | £12,646.76 |
| PC Specialist | 1/5 | 3/5 | £11,723.10 |
Scenario 2: Adding Remote Access
Enabling remote work typically requires tools like Parsec or Teradici (HP Anyware), which involve a medium level of integration complexity.
Challenges with retrofitted remote access:
- Integration complexity: Remote access requires separate configuration, security, and maintenance.
- Performance limits: Latency and bandwidth degrade graphics-intensive workflows.
- Office dependency: Users rely on office connectivity, power, and security.
- Limited management: Workstations lack central provisioning and lifecycle control.
- Extra hardware: Access devices must support high-res, multi-monitor setups.
Whilst these tools enable remote access, the workstations still lack central management - no remote reboot, re-image, or reassignment, and heat/noise remains. Users must provide or be issued certified access devices, capable of supporting workflows like dual 4K displays.
20-Core i7-14700 Workstation with a NVIDIA 4000 ADA GPU
| Manufacturer | Complexity | Security | Remote Connection | Access Device | 3-Year TCO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dell | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £5,683.38 |
| HP | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £5,408.12 |
| PC Specialist | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £4,578.13 |
20-Core i7-14700 Workstation with a NVIDIA 5090 GPU
| Manufacturer | Complexity | Security | Remote Connection | Access Device | 3-Year TCO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dell | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £13,627.16 |
| HP | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £13,446.76 |
| PC Specialist | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £12,523.10 |
Scenario 3: Adding a management layer
At scale, managing workstations is challenging. Many turn to VDI for fast provisioning, remote power capability, and simpler management, though it brings its own challenges.
The VDI complexity trap:
- Cost escalation: Licensing often doubles TCO, sometimes exceeding hardware costs.
- Technical complexity: Requires specialist skills or costly consultants.
- Performance trade-offs: Shared resources create contention and reduced performance.
- Infrastructure overhead: Demands major investment in servers, storage, and networking.
- Operational burden: Involves managing hypervisors, templates, brokers, and troubleshooting.
6-Core 6336Y Workstation with a NVIDIA 4000 ADA GPU
| Manufacturer | Complexity | Security | Server | Remote Connection | ESXi Enterprise License | Horizon | Access Device | Electricity (3 yrs) | 3-Year TCO | Per VM TCO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gigabyte | 5/5 | 5/5 | £29,413.73 | £300 | £5,000 | £2,880 | £500 | £18,000 | £56,093.73 | £7,011.72 |
12-Core 6336Y Workstation with 4x NVIDIA 5090 GPUs
| Manufacturer | Complexity | Security | Server | Remote Connection | ESXi Enterprise License | Horizon | Access Device | Electricity (3 yrs) | 3-Year TCO | Per VM TCO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gigabyte | 5/5 | 5/5 | £23,800 | £300 | £5,000 | £2,880 | £500 | £28,800 | £61,280 | £15,320 |
The Computle Solution: Dedicated workstations, remote access, and a built-in management layer
Computle combines VDI-style management with the performance of dedicated workstations, accessible worldwide. Deploying from a master image ensures consistency, while the Packtle platform automates updates and software deployment, removing manual maintenance and delivering enterprise-grade control.
20-Core i7-14700 Workstation with a NVIDIA 4000 ADA GPU
| Manufacturer | Complexity | Security | Remote Connection | Access Device | 3-Year TCO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computle | 1/5 | 5/5 | N/A | £324 | £5,852.34 |
| VMware Horizon VDI | 5/5 | 5/5 | £300 | £500 | £7,011.72 |
| Dell | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £5,683.38 |
| HP | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £5,408.12 |
| PC Specialist | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £4,578.13 |
20-Core i7-14700 Workstation with a NVIDIA 5090 GPU
| Manufacturer | Complexity | Security | Remote Connection | Access Device | 3-Year TCO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Computle | 1/5 | 5/5 | N/A | £324 | £11,148.26 |
| VMware Horizon VDI | 5/5 | 5/5 | £300 | £500 | £15,320.00 |
| Dell | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £13,627.16 |
| HP | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £13,446.76 |
| PC Specialist | 3/5 | 3/5 | £300 | £500 | £12,523.10 |
How Computle eliminates traditional VDI compromises:
- Dedicated performance: Each workstation has its own CPU, GPU, RAM, and storage - no resource contention.
- Enterprise management: Centralised imaging, patching, and provisioning without VDI complexity.
- Global access: Low-latency connectivity via strategically placed data centres.
- Built-in security: Entra ID, MFA, and compliance baked into the platform.
- Operational simplicity: No servers, hypervisors, or storage arrays to manage - Computle runs it all.
- Predictable costs: Shift CapEx to a scalable monthly subscription covering hardware, software, and support.
The cost advantage: Computle delivers the same VDI management functionality with dedicated hardware per user, but at significantly lower costs:
- 4000 ADA scenario: 16.5% savings (£1,159 per user over 3 years)
- 5090 scenario: 27.2% savings (£4,172 per user over 3 years)
Our custom blade workstations cost about half the price of off-the-shelf hardware, avoiding VDI markups while delivering superior dedicated performance.
Summary: The Computle advantage
Computle delivers value across all scenarios:
- Vs. office workstations: Adds enterprise security, central management, and global access at competitive cost.
- Vs. remote-enabled workstations: Removes remote access complexity while enhancing security and management.
- Vs. traditional VDI: Provides dedicated performance without contention, with far less infrastructure and overhead.
The real value goes beyond cost - Computle combines dedicated hardware performance with cloud management benefits, eliminating the operational burden on IT teams.
DATA CORRECT AT TIME OF PRINT
