Workstation or High End Desktop?

[idata]

What is the difference between a workstation and a high end desktop? Are you really getting more for the extra cost? What are the key features that differentiate them?

[KenLloyd]

One of the biggest differences ( in importance, not size) is ECC memory. A recent study by Google - http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1558338/memory-errors-frequent http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1558338/memory-errors-frequent - showed that memory errors can be much more pervasive than previously thought. If you are designing something critical, the right answer can make all the difference. ECC Memory is one of the key differentiators between high end gaming box, and mission critical design workstation.

[idata]

That was one difference that popped into my head as well, I can understand this in an IPDC such as google or any larger cluster compute environment, but what role would it have with typical workstation usage? Is this the only advantage of Workstation over High End Desktop?