Luminous Landscape Forum
Equipment & Techniques => Computers & Peripherals => Topic started by: steverap on June 27, 2022, 03:25:34 pm
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I am a full-time creative photographer with a Lightroom+Camera Raw+Photoshop workflow and I need to replace my aging 27" iMac. I currently use a Sony a7R II but will replace it with an a7R IVa (61 mp sensor) or perhaps the forthcoming a7R V. An image from an a7R IVa saved after a handful of fairly simple Photoshop edits exceeded 1 GB in size and I do heavy editing, so I can image my files approaching 2 GB in size. Thus I want to make certain that Photoshop running on my new system can handle files that large (without, for example, waiting 5-10 seconds for a selection to be processed).
I am considering the following gear:
Mac Studio M1 Max (not Ultra) with a 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU, 64 GB memory, 1 TB SSD storage
BenQ SW321C PhotoVue display
My reasoning is that I don't need more than a 10-core CPU since my sense is with Photoshop the incremental improvement from 10- to 20-core CPU and/or 16- to 32-core GPU is not great enough to warrant the additional cost of at least $1,400. The 2 TB SSD drive would be nice, but I can move images to an external drive if I need more than 1 TB of storage space.
I've agonized over the display decision for days, but the BenQ seems to be the best display under $2,000.
I'd be grateful for any comments on these choices. Thanks, Steve
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Below is a link to a Google Translate English version of the German monitor review site PRAD's test of the BenQ SW321C. It's a thorough review which should give you some insight into its performance and characteristics.
https://www-prad-de.translate.goog/test-benq-sw321c-grafik-monitor-mit-16-bit-3d-lut (https://www-prad-de.translate.goog/testberichte/test-benq-sw321c-grafik-monitor-mit-16-bit-3d-lut/?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc)
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The alternative 4K display for color critical work, in your price range, would be the smaller 27-inch Eizo ColorEdge CS2740 (https://www.eizo.com/products/coloredge/cs2740/). It's the same 3840 x 2160 resolution (16:9 aspect ratio) in a smaller screen, so it has a higher pixel density of 164 ppi (pixels per inch) compared to 137 ppi with the BenQ SW321C.
Given the specs and quality for the price, the CS2740 is a standout in value. There is an English translated PRAD review link below.
https://www-prad-de.translate.goog/test-eizo-cs2740-4k-monitor-fuer-kreative (https://www-prad-de.translate.goog/testberichte/test-eizo-cs2740-4k-monitor-fuer-kreative-ueberzeugt/?_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=sc)
Whatever you decide to buy, I expect that you'll be happy using it. Ultimately, you're the only one that needs to be satisfied with your monitor. Once you've decided, just ignore the online chatter and enjoy!
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Mac UI is geared for 110 or 220 ppl screens so you may find ui elements either too big or too small on the Benq (137ppi). See https://bjango.com/articles/macexternaldisplays/
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Mac Studio M1 Max (not Ultra) with a 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU, 64 GB memory, 1 TB SSD storage
BenQ SW321C PhotoVue display
This combination looks pretty good and powerful