# Hardware — Development Specifications Hardware the studio needs to **build** characters, as of 19 September 2026. Every item is currently shipping unless marked *near release* or *defer*. Prices and the buying schedule are in [[Hardware — Price List and Acquisition Schedule]]. ## Market conditions (read before buying) - **Memory and GPU shortage.** AI data-center demand has pushed consumer prices far above launch levels. In September 2026 an **RTX 5090** (launched at $1,999) sells for about **$4,300 in-store and $6,400+ online**; an **RTX 5080** ($999 launch) sells for about **$1,300–1,600**. **DDR5 64 GB kits are about $889 and 128 GB kits about $2,339.** Analysts do not expect relief before 2028. - Consequences for Augmented Traveler: 1. Standardize on **RTX 5080 + 64 GB** for most seats; buy **one** RTX 5090 hero machine for the character artist. 2. Buy each machine **when its person is hired**, not all at once. Prices are volatile in both directions. 3. Use **cloud GPU workstations** for short spikes (capture solves, test builds) instead of buying extra machines. 4. Consider a builder with a warranty (e.g. Puget Systems, whose 2026 Unreal "Game Artist" configuration is Core Ultra 9 285K + RTX 5080 + 96 GB) over self-built machines. ## Workstations | Class | Spec | Who | Why | |---|---|---|---| | **Standard (Windows)** | Intel Core Ultra 9 285K or AMD Ryzen 9 9950X · **RTX 5080 16 GB** · **64 GB DDR5** · 2 TB OS NVMe + 4 TB project NVMe · 1000 W PSU · Windows 11 Pro | TD, AI engineer, Unreal engineer, environment artist | Unreal 5.8 editing, builds, Quest/Android packaging, local LLM tests | | **Standard+ (animation)** | As Standard, **96–128 GB** RAM | Technical animator | MetaHuman Animator solves (body solve is Windows-only), Maya | | **Hero (Windows)** | Same CPU class · **RTX 5090 32 GB** · **128 GB DDR5** · 2 + 4 TB NVMe | Character artist | MetaHuman Cine assemblies, strand grooms, Lumen/MegaLights look-dev, Mesh to MetaHuman | | **Mac (Apple silicon)** | **Mac Studio M5 Max** (shipping 22 Sept 2026; base $2,499) with 64 GB and 1 TB | XR / mobile AR engineer | Required by Xcode for **iOS and visionOS** builds; USD and Reality Composer Pro | | **Build/storage** | NAS with about 40 TB usable (RAID), 10 GbE switch, UPS | Studio | Perforce/Git LFS depot, capture archives, versioned corpora | Monitors: one 27–32 inch per seat; color-accurate (wide-gamut, calibrated) for art seats. ## Capture | Item | Spec | Why | |---|---|---| | **iPhone 18 Pro** (released 18 Sept 2026, TrueDepth + LiDAR) | 256 GB | Live Link Face and MetaHuman Animator face capture; iOS AR reference device | | **Rokoko Full Performance Capture bundle** | Smartsuit Pro II + Smartgloves + Headcam (MetaHuman Animator compatible) or iPhone Headrig + Studio Pro, 1 year | Owned inertial body/finger/face capture for on-island sessions and pickups | | **Mono camera kit** | Good webcam or mirrorless camera + lighting | MetaHuman Animator 5.8 single-camera body + face capture for previs and gesture library | | **Optical stage (rent)** | 1–2 days at a Boston/NYC stage | Hero monologue body performance | | **Voice studio (rent)** | Treated booth + engineer | Voice bible and monologues | | Photogrammetry kit (optional) | Existing camera + turntable + lights | Props and costume references, with partner permission | ## Test devices | Device | Status (Sept 2026) | Why | |---|---|---| | **Meta Quest 3 512 GB** | Shipping ($600 since April 2026 price rise) | Primary VR target | | **Meta Quest 3S 128 GB** | Shipping ($350) | Low-end VR target | | **Google Pixel 11** | Shipping (Aug 2026, from $899) | ARCore reference | | Mid-range ARCore Android | Shipping | Real-world tourist phone; sunlight and heat tests | | Older supported iPhone (used) | — | Low-end iOS target | | *HTC Vive Focus Vision Business* | Shipping ($1,649; wired bundle $1,799) | **Optional**: enterprise warranty, PC-VR over DisplayPort | | *Apple Vision Pro (M5)* | Shipping ($3,699 since June 2026) | **Optional**: donor and press demo | | *Samsung Galaxy XR* | Shipping ($1,799) | **Defer** to 2027 | ## Near release / watch - **Quest 4**: rumored, not announced. Do not wait for it; builds stay on OpenXR. - **Android XR glasses** (XREAL Project Aura, Samsung): promised for late 2026, no firm dates. - **Mac Studio M5 Ultra 512 GB**: late October 2026. Not needed. - **RTX 60-series**: reported delayed to 2028. Sources: [[Sources — 2026-09-19]]