
Julia Van
Champion WriterThe Community Champion from the Cambridge, MA Micro Center Store
Hi there, my name is Julia and I work in the Systems Department at the Cambridge Micro Center. Outside of work, I enjoy creating, whether it's painting, 3D modeling, photography, or writing. I am particularly passionate about environment art, whether it's textures, lighting, or prop modeling. Building worlds with complex and interesting stories and being able to visually represent them is exciting to me, and I aim to become more proficient at it. Software-wise, I am working with Blender and Adobe Substance in order to learn the fundamentals of 3D and procedural materials. I also enjoy gaming in my spare time. In fact, Destiny 2 was the game that helped me discover my passion for environmental art. In general, I enjoy open-world games and competitive FPS games. When I built my PC at Micro Center, I picked up a Ryzen 9 5900X and an RTX 3080 in order to support what I want to do. Now, I daydream about getting the i9-13900K and the RTX 4090 someday. 😝
On the less techy side, Philosophy is also one of my huge passions. I love reading and writing about philosophical topics. My area of expertise in philosophy is Philosophy of Mind and Phenomenology. Edmund Husserl's works have played a huge part in my college career and continue to influence me today. Something else I enjoy a lot and wish I had more time for is Shotokan Karate. I started practicing Karate in college and was able to train my way up to a 1st Kyu Brown Belt. Eventually, I hope I can go back and train, and work toward my Black Belt.
All Posts by Julia Van
ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 Review: Top-Of-The-Line Productivity
The ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 has been one of my most anticipated laptops to test and write about. I have been a huge fan of ASUS’s ProArt product line since I started building my own...
Continue Reading About ASUS ProArt Studiobook 16 Review: Top-Of-The-Line ProductivityHands-On with the LG gram Style - Ultra Light, Ultra Portable
The 14-inch LG gram Style, featuring the new 13th Generation Raptor Lake i7-1360P processor, is an amazing ultraportable laptop. For the week that I got to go hands-on with this laptop, it was...
Continue Reading About Hands-On with the LG gram Style - Ultra Light, Ultra PortableChampion PCs - Julia V's Media Center!
I own two separate PCs that perform separate tasks at home - one for everyday use, and one for a media center “TV” computer. While my main machine is equipped with an RTX 3080 and a Ryzen...
Continue Reading About Champion PCs - Julia V's Media Center!The Best Tech for a Home Digital Art Studio
To help others get started in digital art – or just improve your studio! - I compiled a wide range of electronics, from computers to peripherals, that can be used for digital art.
Continue Reading About The Best Tech for a Home Digital Art StudioMini ITX Build on a $1500 Budget
ITX builds can be challenging. With relatively limited selections for parts, we also have to figure out if the parts will physically fit in a small ITX chassis. In this guide, we will build a sleek, streamlined, and silvery ITX entry-level gaming build with a budget of $1500.
Continue Reading About Mini ITX Build on a $1500 BudgetGetting Creative On The Go - The Best Laptops and Tablets for Art
There are a ton of laptops and tablets on the market for artists, and the choices are overwhelming. Whether you're a student just starting out or a seasoned pro, we'll highlight on-the-go devices that can handle heavy design software like Blender, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Unreal Engine.
Continue Reading About Getting Creative On The Go - The Best Laptops and Tablets for ArtMotherboard Sockets and Chipsets: What are they and what do they mean?
The motherboard is one of the most important pieces of your PC, as it is what holds all of your components together. But how much do you know about it? Whether you’re a veteran...
Continue Reading About Motherboard Sockets and Chipsets: What are they and what do they mean?Build Guide: Hobbyist Level 3D Graphic and Video Rendering PC
Ever wanted to make a game in Unreal Engine? Have you dreamt of creating 3D models, materializing Blender animations, or editing videos with cool visual effects but not sure where to begin building a PC for this type of work?
Continue Reading About Build Guide: Hobbyist Level 3D Graphic and Video Rendering PC