Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Optimal PC hardware configuration to use PSCS4?  (Read 3999 times)

ruud

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 10
Optimal PC hardware configuration to use PSCS4?
« on: March 16, 2009, 08:37:42 am »

Dear all,

I am confused with all announcements and news coming from the PC hardware world (new Nehalem CPUs recently introduced in the Mac Pro).

What would be the most optimized configuration running under windows for 2D applications? Today's most powerfull workstation (Dell, Carri System) are built on a Dual Xeon 54xx basis (quad core, 5400 Intel chipset), i.e. 8 cores.

Today, I use a dual Xeon (5120, dual core, 2.0 Ghz) based on a Supermicro motherboard (Chipset Intel 5000X) and 4 Gig of RAM (FB-DIMM). Very stable under Windows XP 64-bit, but sometimes slow with big files (over 250 Mega) under PS CS3 when I apply heavy layers and filters.

I read on various forums that 8 cores (even more with the reintroduction by Intel of Hyperthreading) is just an overkiller taking into consideration that PS CS4 would not use the full power of the 8 cores at the same time (by the way it is exactly what I noticed under my current configuration with PS CS3, the only software which uses 100% of the CPU capacities being Capture One and Qimage).  

Any thoughts? Let's assume that budget is not a priority.

Do you think it is worth to upgrade my hardware to have a more responsive workstation? Is there other solution (non dual, other Intel CPUs) which are more adapted to PS CS3/CS4?

Thanks for your advice.

Ruud

PS : I am not a gamer (my graphic card is a PNY Nvidia Quadro FX 540)
PPS : I do not 3D software, but just 2D! (PS CS3, Capture One, Lightroom, Qimage)
PPPS: I have yet upgraded to PS CS4 since most of third parties plug-ins do not work under PS CS4 64-bit.



Logged

Bob Peterson

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 77
    • http://www.pbase.com/rwzeitgeist/
Optimal PC hardware configuration to use PSCS4?
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2009, 03:43:44 pm »

Quote from: ruud
Dear all,

I am confused with all announcements and news coming from the PC hardware world (new Nehalem CPUs recently introduced in the Mac Pro).

What would be the most optimized configuration running under windows for 2D applications? Today's most powerfull workstation (Dell, Carri System) are built on a Dual Xeon 54xx basis (quad core, 5400 Intel chipset), i.e. 8 cores.

Today, I use a dual Xeon (5120, dual core, 2.0 Ghz) based on a Supermicro motherboard (Chipset Intel 5000X) and 4 Gig of RAM (FB-DIMM). Very stable under Windows XP 64-bit, but sometimes slow with big files (over 250 Mega) under PS CS3 when I apply heavy layers and filters.

I read on various forums that 8 cores (even more with the reintroduction by Intel of Hyperthreading) is just an overkiller taking into consideration that PS CS4 would not use the full power of the 8 cores at the same time (by the way it is exactly what I noticed under my current configuration with PS CS3, the only software which uses 100% of the CPU capacities being Capture One and Qimage).  

Any thoughts? Let's assume that budget is not a priority.

Do you think it is worth to upgrade my hardware to have a more responsive workstation? Is there other solution (non dual, other Intel CPUs) which are more adapted to PS CS3/CS4?

Thanks for your advice.

Ruud

PS : I am not a gamer (my graphic card is a PNY Nvidia Quadro FX 540)
PPS : I do not 3D software, but just 2D! (PS CS3, Capture One, Lightroom, Qimage)
PPPS: I have yet upgraded to PS CS4 since most of third parties plug-ins do not work under PS CS4 64-bit.
The observations found in Lloyd Chambers' Macintosh Performance Guide, while specific to the Mac platform, seem quite relevant to PC users.  Pay special attention to his "CPU Cores" section of Optimizing Your Applications, which seems specific to PS more than the Mac platform, i.e., PSCS3 generally does NOT take good advantage of lots of cores:
[blockquote]Adobe Photoshop CS3 is an example of a popular program that scales fairly well to dual-core systems, but shows little improvement on quad-core systems.[/blockquote]Lloyd concludes that available memory is the dominant factor in Photoshop performance.  Unfortunately, the PC platform, even running XP 64 and the 64 bit PSCSr, doesn't take advantage of lots of RAM.

Bob
Logged

AlanG

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 195
    • http://www.goldsteinphoto.com
Optimal PC hardware configuration to use PSCS4?
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2009, 03:03:35 pm »

I think the fastest systems now use the X58 chip mother boards and the new Intel i7 processors. They work with DR3 memory and I believe that memory access is sped up.  I'm considering upgrading my board, memory, and processor to this before long. The i7 processors are available at different speeds and price points.

Currently I am using CS4 64 bit on 64 bit Vista. It also loads a 32 bit version so I use that when I need to print with my Canon 6100 32bit plug-in.  I have a 2.4 ghz dual core with 6 gigs of RAM. It seems pretty quick with large files (1 gig or so.)  Saving is a bit slow and I don't often run effect filters.

Logged
Alan Goldstein
[url=http://www.Goldstein

Raw shooter

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 205
Optimal PC hardware configuration to use PSCS4?
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2009, 04:32:27 pm »

No doubt you are looking to the Intel i7 Extreme Processor (all quad core with hyperthreading) and much more RAM, perhaps 16 GB - and Vista 64, but soon replaced by Windows 7 64 bit.
The boot drive - and all programs on an Intel X25 Solid State Drive (Extreme 64 GB, with single level cell only).  Even more SSDs for scratch disk and yet another for Windows swap files. (you said money doesn't matter!)  Of course for data you would need some flavor of hardware RAID 5 (or better), preferably SCSI.

Overclocking, un-necessary! But of course, when the system is 4-5 years old, then overclock to extend the life using Photoshop CS8.

That would be the beast that would get your attention.
Logged

Randy Carone

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 627
Optimal PC hardware configuration to use PSCS4?
« Reply #4 on: March 29, 2009, 12:18:43 pm »

I just upgraded my box to the Intel i7, an ASUS P6T motherboard with the X58 chipset and two 500GB SATA drives. The video card is NNVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT. I'm still on XP Pro 32 bit so I'm limited to 4GB DDR3 Ram. If I'm willing to go to Vista I think I can go to 16GB Ram. This set-up is surprisingly fast when I'm working with 800MB panos. I use Panorama Factory and the stitching is very fast. I highly recommend the i7 processor.
Logged
Randy Carone
Pages: [1]   Go Up