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TechRadar Verdict
If you're one of the thousands that are currently drowning in building AI models locally, the ThinkStation PGX might just be one of the best options I've seen on the market. It's got the form factor of a Mac mini that everybody seems to love, but with a fantastic software stack, the reliability and business prowess of Lenovo, and fantastic power. Though note that this is not a productivity workstation replacement. It's really just an AI-specific device, so choose wisely.
Pros
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Fantastic power in a tiny formfactor
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Lenovo-backed
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128GB memory for heavy LLM use
Cons
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Expensive
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One-Trick-Pony
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Only 1TB Starting storage
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I don't know about you, but any time I spend on LinkedIn, I am then immediately drowned by AI talk by those who are replacing entire companies with AI and how quickly people can build AI. All of that building requires a device that has insane power, or, to quote Aladdin, "ultimate cosmic power." That is what it seems like we are reaching for these days with the amount of computing power we are demanding from our devices.
Depending on what you are doing, having a dedicated LLM device could be the thing that makes or breaks your profit margins or also helps you actually get work done without burning through all of your tokens in one week. The Lenovo ThinkStation PGX is designed to run an LLM locally on a machine so that you can test anything that you need to test in an AI workspace without having to run it through the cloud. This will allow for things like script testing, feature testing, model testing, etc.
Further, this is also the kind of machine that you could use as an always-on device that would be fantastic for OpenClaw or Claudbot. As I mentioned briefly above, many people rely on the Mac mini for this.
However, if you're already in the professional work space or if you prefer Windows or if you trust Lenovo already, or alternatively maybe you don't need a full desktop as well, this is a phenomenal option for those workloads, and it likely destined for inclusion in our best mini PC guide for those that need a dedicated compact AI-ready workstation.
Lenovo ThinkStation PGX: Price and availability
The ThinkStation PGX is available across Lenovo's regional websites, including in the US where prices start at $5,079 and in the UK, priced from £5,200.
The base model comes with 1 TB storage. However, if you want to upgrade to other storage components or buy through other retailers, the price may vary. My quick research has shown that the price of this unit can easily vary between $4,800 and $5,400 depending on your configuration.
Lenovo ThinkStation PGX: Unboxing and First Impressions
The PGX makes a strong case for those who want an mini AI Workstation. There are so many people in that realm of work these days that having dedicated devices that specialize in extracting every ounce of power from components to support power-hungry software is a good thing. However, it’s not for everyone. While there is a basic desktop, it feels more like a NAS rendering than that of a true computer.
The ThinkStation PGX appears to be similar in size to a standard mini PC; for continued comparison and reference, it’s about the size of a Mac mini. All the ports are on the back; since this isn’t meant to be a desktop replacement in any way, there is no need for any ports for the user to interact with after setup.
If you are the type of person who has to ensure the reliability and dependability of AI-powered machines, such as ensuring drivers are up to date, then having a dedicated machine may be just what you need to stay sane.
Lenovo ThinkStation PGX: Design & Build Quality
The Lenovo ThinkStation PGX is fairly compact, and it’s short enough to fit under desk shelves if you want it to stay on your desk, or tuck it away in a media closet or office space. Good flexibility here for that.
No matter where you choose to put it, the result is pretty much the same. It’s not meant to be looked at, bothered with, flash with colors and lights, nor really even be bothered with once it is set up.
Design-wise, as I say, this feels minimalist and styled to look sleek and professional wherever it is used. There are no forward-facing ports, but that is of course due to the intended use case. On the back there are USB-C ports, no USB-A ports, an HDMI port, a network port, and then two expansion ports that will allow for two of these units to link together to distribute the workload you’ve created across multiple PGX’s.
Beyond the ability to link multiple together, the expandability and customization kind of stops there, so if you are the type of person who is currently using a custom tower setup for their LLMs, then this is going to feel a bit too controlled. If you are okay with the change-up from the Wild West of computer parts to something that is a bit more controlled, you will swap customization for reliability.
Lenovo ThinkStation PGX: In use
The Lenovo ThinkStation PGX is best when used as a dedicated device for running tasks against your local LLM. The 128GB memory and the Grace Blackwell GB10 help make even complex scenarios feel snappy, much more than most people’s laptops can; that’s for sure. For those in this space, the struggle of maxing out your available GPU is a known constraint. But now with your own personal device, you won’t have to wait on anyone else or book time, or anything else of the sort.
In my experience with AI tooling, speed is a major factor. Trying to ship features with AI usually comes with the expectation of speed. Now, with your own tooling and hardware, you can get prototypes, demos, and research done without waiting.
Off the top of my head, the tools that would benefit from this the most would be things such as: running local inference on larger models, prototyping across several different models, perhaps different versions of an app, a tool, or a workflow, even other ways of teaching or tooling that require quick turnaround time to try things out and you don't want to waste time or credits.
One thing worth noting is that while this does have a ton of operational memory, storing this kind of information to run these large models will take up a lot of space. If you need more than the allotted storage, or if you don't want to pay for internal storage, you can add external storage options to host the datasets you will be using for this.
In short, utilizing something like this as a service-kind-of-model, where you tunnel in and do what you need to do and keep your day-to-day machine light, means that you could run around with a more lightweight laptop or a more practical day-to-day laptop and then utilize this machine when you need it instead of carrying this beefy machine all day long every day. That may not be the best for everything else that you do in your day-to-day work.
Lenovo ThinkStation PGX: Final verdict
The Lenovo ThinkStation PGX is an incredibly powerful machine; however, it is probably not the machine for you unless you are in a very niche workspace. For those that this applies to, this is a fantastic tool to add to your arsenal, with more specialized capabilities and easier setup than a Mac mini. It is also more limiting than a Mac mini in some other ways.
You shouldn't buy this if you want a small desktop that can do some powerful things. If you do need a machine dedicated to running LLMs or open claw, then absolutely you should consider the Lenovo ThinkStation PGX, because in that world, this thing is a king.
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