Meridian Digital is a 12-person agency doing brand strategy, motion graphics, and digital marketing. When they outgrew their old machines and decided to refresh the entire office, they did not want a one-size-fits-all approach. They had three distinct job functions with three distinct computing needs.
The Tier Breakdown
Tier 1 — Strategists and Account Managers (4 machines): These roles use web browsers, Google Workspace, Figma, and presentation software. No 3D. No video. A powerful processor and fast SSD are what matter.
- Intel Core i5-13600K, 32GB DDR4, no dedicated GPU (using integrated), 1TB NVMe
Tier 2 — Motion Designers (5 machines): After Effects, Cinema 4D, and Premiere Pro. GPU acceleration matters. Memory bandwidth matters. We needed real VRAM.
- Intel Core i7-14700K, 64GB DDR5, RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB, 2TB NVMe
Tier 3 — Lead Designer and Creative Director (3 machines): The heaviest After Effects and Cinema 4D projects. Real-time previews of complex motion work. Maximum RAM and GPU.
- Intel Core i9-14900K, 128GB DDR5, RTX 4080 Super 16GB, 2TB NVMe PCIe 5.0
The Logic
Putting the same machine on every desk would have either under-equipped the creative team or wasted money on the account managers. Role-matched hardware let the total budget go further while making sure no one was waiting on their computer.
We delivered all 12 machines within two weeks, including OS configuration, software installation, and a half-day onboarding for IT management.