Edit Review — IBM IntelliStation Z Pro 6221

The Z Pro 6221, IBM’s premier workstation for 3D graphics,sports the latest Intel dual Xeon 2.8GHz chipset with the new 533MHzsystem bus and 512KB LS cache.

While PCs have the general reputation of being commodity computerslacking personality, there's more to a workstation than slots and amotherboard. The IBM IntelliStation product line offers some big gunsfor graphics artists who are not out to save a few hundred dollars byputting a box together themselves. IBM provides premier components, afew engineering innovations, and the internal resources to evaluate itsboxes with lots of software and hardware. There really are differencesamong PC workstations.

Video Systems looked at the latest IntelliStation offering,the IntelliStation Z Pro 6221, to see what the high end looks like in avery competitive market. The Z Pro comes in the now familiar blackmini-tower, although the case has been slimmed down compared to thoseof earlier models. The workstation sports the latest Intel dual Xeon2.8GHz chipset with the new 533MHz system bus and 512KB LS cache. The ZPro is IBM's premier workstation for 3D graphics, engineering, andprevisualization. The high quality of this system is apparentthroughout the entire workstation.

The Z Pro system I reviewed was equipped with a 37.5GB hard drivewith dual-channel, integrated Ultra320 SCSI (64-bit) for 10,000rpm and15,000rpm drives. IBM supplies 1GB of ECC DDR SDRAM 266MHz, althoughthe box can handle up to 4GB of RAM under Windows and 8GB under Linux.While that may seem like an awful lot of memory, you might thinkdifferently when playing HD sequences in RAM preview in After Effects.(Six seconds of 30fps HD footage is approximately 1GB of RAM!) The ZPro also includes DVD and CD reader/burners. The review system shippedwith an 18.1in. TFT LCD flat-panel monitor, although IBM's monitors nowget as vast as the very impressive 22.2in. widescreen LCD flat panel.Windows 2000 Professional was the operating system for the reviewunit.

When I first booted the Z Pro, it was like launching the spaceshuttle. The three cooling fans are very loud at first, but withinseconds the fans blow much slower. This is because internal sensorsdetermine the cooling requirements on the fly and adjust the speedaccordingly. During normal operation the Z Pro is reasonably quiet, butby no means whisper-silent.

When it comes to the performance of the system, processor speedtends to overshadow other aspects of the architecture in consumers'minds. The improved subsystem specs of the 533MHz system bus and thenew 8X AGP port, however, account for the lion's share of theperformance improvements over last year's models.

Access to the interior of the system is straightforward, with asliding side panel on the case that can be removed and replaced withrelative ease — although I still prefer the swinging-doorconfiguration of the Apple G4. Once inside the case, there is plenty ofroom for accessing drive bays, PCI slots, and RAM slots. Replacing oradding components is easy to accomplish. The screws for the PCI cardsare the ridiculously small standard-issue ones, and they're easy todrop between cards. Why not replace these with larger thumbscrews thatdon't require tools? This, by the way, is not a problem specific toIBM, since all PC workstations use the same basic PCI slot hardware.Overall, the case is built like a locomotive, and the weight(approximately 45lbs.) reflects this. A roomy interior and seriouscooling come at a price.

I like the new configuration of the front panel: there are two5.5in. drive bays in the front (for CD and DVD drives) and one 3.5in.Zip disk. I'm glad to see the hinged door that protected access todrives in earlier IntelliStations is now gone. What limited protectionit provided was offset by the fact that it was very easy to snap off. Ialso like the fact that some frequently required controls andconnections are on the front panel including one FireWire connector(two-pin), two USB 2.0 connectors, and mini-pin microphone andheadphone ports. The front panel is topped off by a molded handle thatmakes the unit easy to lift.

The Z Pro has six bays (three 3.5in. internal, one 3.5in. external,and two 5.25in. external) and six slots (one 8X AGP Pro 50, one32-bit/33MHz PCI and four 64-bit/100MHz PCI-X).

There are several graphics options for the Z Pro 6221: the 3DlabsWildcat4 7110 or 7210, the Nvidia Quadro 980 XGL for 3D or NvidiaQuadro4 280 NVS for 2D, and lastly, the Matrox G450 DVI AGP 4X. All thecards fit into the AGP Pro slot and support dual display.

The IBM Z Pro is a monster box that is built to last. That's an oddconcept, because even with a processor upgrade, the shelf life of agraphics workstation seems to be about two years. After that time, thespeed gains of a newer box quickly justify the investment. But foroverall reliability, warranty support, and craftsmanship, this is avery dependable, workhorse system. Decked out with an Nvidia or 3DlabsWildcat graphics card, this system is a major investment for anindividual artist working at home. But for an established freelancer orboutique shop, this is likely to become the trouble-free system thatstaff artists fight over.

S.D. Katz is a New York-based writer/director and is currently busyat work on his latest screenplay.

Company: IBM
White Plains, N.Y.
(800) 426-4968
www.ibm.com

Product: IntelliStation Z Pro 6221

Assets: Powered by dual 2.8GHz Intel Xeons; easy access tointerior of the unit; new 8X AGP port; handles up to 4GB of RAM underWindows and 8GB under Linux.

Demographic: Established graphic artists and editors in needof a seriously powerful and dependable workstation.

Price: $6,158 as reviewed (without monitor)

To comment on this article, email the Video Systems editorialstaff at vsfeedback@primediabusiness.com.