Hardware

What Kind of AI-Ready Devices Do Startups Need?

As they build out their artificial intelligence products, startups require high-powered computing technology at fair prices.

Nikki Szanyi

Nikki Szanyi is a small business field and startup manager at CDW, focusing on comprehensive go-to-market strategies and sales processes.

For investor-backed startups racing to bring products to market, every dollar — and every workflow — counts. The right technology can dramatically accelerate innovation, especially when it comes to artificial intelligence. But AI-powered tools can only perform as well as the hardware behind them. Being investor-funded, high-tech startups often work on tight budgets and short runways, so when it comes to buying endpoints, the challenge lies in finding devices that balance power, performance and cost.

That’s where AI-ready devices come in — and where a good partner that’s experienced working with startups can help acquire and manage the right hardware through predictable, scalable options such as mobile device management (MDM) programs and flexible financing.

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The New Wave of AI-Optimized Devices

The latest generation of AI-ready devices represents a leap forward in how startups can deploy machine learning tools, build models and run data-intensive workloads locally — without having to rely entirely on cloud infrastructure. Three devices stand out for their innovation and startup-friendly value: the ASUS Ascent GX10, the Acer Veriton GN100 and the 2025 Apple MacBook Pro powered by the M5 chip.

Each brings something different to the table, and all illustrate how startups can now access computing performance once reserved for enterprise data centers.

ASUS GX10

Startups pushing the limits of AI research need machines that can keep pace with their ambitions. The GX10 by ASUS is among the first devices on the market designed from the ground up for AI workloads. Powered by NVIDIA’s GB10 Superchip, it combines a 20-core Grace CPU with a next-generation Blackwell GPU, delivering 1,000 trillion operations per second.

That sheer processing power enables developers to train, fine-tune and run complex AI models locally with unprecedented speed. For startups working in fields such as generative AI, computer vision or data analytics, the GX10 can dramatically cut processing times and dependency on external computing resources.

While not a small-form-factor desktop, the GX10 is compact enough for startup offices or lab environments and provides a serious return on performance for teams that need muscle over mobility.

Acer Veriton GN100

For startups seeking a balance between capability and cost, the Veriton GN100 by Acer offers a compelling middle ground. This AI mini workstation, also powered by the NVIDIA GB10 Superchip, is capable of delivering up to 1 petaflop of AI performance — a remarkable achievement in a compact design.

The GN100 provides serious computing capacity for AI development or data analysis tasks without requiring a massive capital investment. It’s also designed for energy efficiency and scalability, making it an ideal fit for startups that need to deploy multiple devices or scale their infrastructure as teams grow.

The Acer Veriton GN100 gives startups the ability to build and test AI applications faster and smarter with hardware that won’t eat into their burn rate.

Apple MacBook Pro With M5

Many startups are already standardized on Apple. For them, the 2025 MacBook Pro with the M5 chip will feel like a natural evolution. The new M5 features a 10-core GPU with neural accelerators in each core, alongside a 16-core neural engine that delivers up to 3.5 times faster AI performance compared with the previous M4 chip. With 153 gigabytes per second of unified memory bandwidth, it’s built to handle AI workloads seamlessly across creative, engineering and data science applications.

For startups whose teams already live within the Apple ecosystem, this means zero disruption: no juggling multiple operating systems or workflows. It’s an easy way to step up to AI performance without retraining users or retooling processes.

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How To Find the Right Hardware

While these examples represent some of the most exciting AI-capable devices on the market, they’re only part of the picture. Every startup has unique needs, workloads and growth trajectories — and choosing the right mix of devices requires more than comparing spec sheets.

That’s where the right partner can help startups assess their computing needs, match them with the right devices and ensure they’re not over-purchasing or under-provisioning. Through MDM partnerships, CDW can streamline deployment, security and lifecycle management.

And because cash flow is king in the startup world, CDW also offers flexible financing and leasing options that help spread costs over time, preserving runway without sacrificing performance.

AI is reshaping the startup landscape, enabling small teams to achieve what once required enterprise-scale infrastructure. But innovation starts with the right tools.

This article is part of BizTech's AgilITy blog series.