What Computer For Serious Editing?

[downhillnews]

Okay so I am a FT product shooter and do all my own editing. ALong with that I run 2 websites and may start doing edit work for another. I need a new system. I usa an IMAC at work but they are very weak for cost. So I am going the PC route. I have been looking at the Cyberpower Black Pearl. Any other suggestions out there? Below is one I made it is $3100 just need a monitor.....

BLUETOOTH:None

CAS:SilverStone FT02 Fortress Series Full Tower All Aluminum Body Case w/ Right-Sided See-Thru Window [+119]

CASUPGRADE:None

CD:24X Double Layer Dual Format DVD+-R/+-RW + CD-R/RW Drive (BLACK COLOR)

CD2:None

COOLANT:Standard Coolant

CPU:Intel® Core™ i7-990X Extreme Edition 3.46 GHz 12M Intel Smart Cache LGA1366 [+776]

CS_FAN:Maximum Enermax 120MM Case Cooling Fans for selected case (Maximum Silent Operation) [+29] (1,000 RPM Black Color with No LED Enlobal Magnetic Barometric Bearing 17 dBA)

ENGRAVING:NONE

ENGRAVING_MSG:

FA_HDD:Vigor iSURF II Hard Disk Drive Cooling System [+21] (1 x System)

FAN:* CoolerMaster V6 GT CPU Cooler (Nickle Plated Double-V Heatpipe w/ Color Changing LED Cap) [+22]

FLASHMEDIA:INTERNAL 12in1 Flash Media Reader/Writer (BLACK COLOR)

FREEBIE_HD:None

GLASSES:None

HDD:1TB SATA-III 6.0Gb/s 32MB Cache 7200RPM HDD (Single Drive)

HDD2:None

IEEE_CARD:None

IUSB:Built-in USB 2.0 Ports

KEYBOARD:Xtreme Gear (Black Color) Multimedia/Internet USB Keyboard

MEMORY:24GB (8GBx3) DDR3/1333MHz Triple Channel Memory [+417] (Corsair or Major Brand)

MONITOR:None

MONITOR2:None

MONITOR3:None

MOTHERBOARD:* (3-Way SLI Support) GigaByte G1.Guerrilla Intel X58 Chipset SLI/CrossFireX Triple-Channel DDR3 E-ATX w/ 7.1 Creative X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity Audio, Bigfoot Killer E2100 GbLAN, eSATA, USB3, 2x SATA3 RAID, 3 Gen2 PCIe, 2 PCIe X1 & 1 PCI [+95]

MOUSE:XtremeGear Optical USB 3 Buttons Gaming Mouse

NCSW:None

NETWORK:Onboard Gigabit LAN Network

NOISEREDUCE1:Sound Absorbing Foam on Side, Top And Bottom panels [+29]

OS:Microsoft® Windows 7 Professional [+31] (64-bit Edition)

OVERCLOCK:No Overclocking

POWERSUPPLY:* 1,000 Watts - CoolerMaster Silent Pro Gold 80 Plus Power Supply ( 80 Plus Gold) [+126]

RUSH:NO; READY TO SHIP IN 5~10 BUSINESS DAYS

SERVICE:STANDARD WARRANTY: 3-YEAR LIMITED WARRANTY PLUS LIFE-TIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT

SOFT1:Microsoft® Office® 2010 Home and Business (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook + OneNote) [+159]

SOUND:HIGH DEFINITION ON-BOARD 7.1 AUDIO

SPEAKERS:None

TEMP:None

TVRC:None

UPS1:* OPTI-UPS ES1500C 1400VA/980W Uninterruptible Power Supply [+189]

USB:None

USBFLASH:None

USBHD:None

USBX:NZXT Internal USB 6-PORT Expansion Module + USB Bluetooth 2.X EDR Dongle with Led Light Thumb Size [+29]

VIDEO:AMD Radeon HD 6870 1GB GDDR5 16X PCIe Video Card (Major Brand Powered by AMD)

VIDEO2:None

VIDEO3:None

WNC:None

_PRICE:(+3251)

[muskyhunter]

overkill...

[Merlin_AZ]

I'd check the specs comparing that CPU to an i7-2600 and save the bucks.

[downhillnews]

overkill...

I was building a cost equivlant machine to the 27" IMAC we use at my work. They do not like editing my 500MB files much. But this has 3x the ram and much faster build. HMMM

[gotaudi]

$417 for 24GB of ram? That right there should scare you... if you want help building a computer you can PM me and I would be happy to help.

[downhillnews]

$417 for 24GB of ram? That right there should scare you... if you want help building a computer you can PM me and I would be happy to help.

Okay maybe I will. NEWEGG is selling the 8GB sticks for 125 each. So I figured this wasnt too bad. I think there are either 6 or 9 slots for RAM. Have to see. Unless I start playin with MAYA I should be good.

[tim]

I wouldn't get that system, I think almost all components are sub optimal. You can save money and get a faster system. Here's my recent build (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=13408828&postcount=93).

I suggest:
- i7 2600 - K version is optional and probably unnecessary. The i5 is 99% as fast for most tasks.
- You don't need a hard drive cooler, just put a fan near them to draw a bit of air over them.
- Get WD 2TB hard disks, or 2TB Seagate barracuda. You might want to buy only the storage you really need right now, as prices are high due to flooding in Thailand. They should be back to normal in a few months.
- SSD are price competitive,
- The X58 chipset is quite old. Get a newer one, Z68.
- You really, really don't need a 1000W power supply. My i7 PC draws 120W under full load, 100% CPU and all disks working.
- You're paying too much for RAM. 16GB is what I have, it's really nice to have, it caches 500+ RAW files in memory so I don't hit the disk. 32GB is still a bit too expensive. 8GB is enough for most people.
- Graphics card: get the entry level of the current generation. For nVidia that's the 5xx series, not sure about the AMD one.

[downhillnews]

I wouldn't get that system, I think almost all components are sub optimal. You can save money and get a faster system. Here's my recent build (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=13408828&postcount=93).

I suggest:
- i7 2600 - K version is optional and probably unnecessary. The i5 is 99% as fast for most tasks.
- You don't need a hard drive cooler, just put a fan near them to draw a bit of air over them.
- Get WD 2TB hard disks, or 2TB Seagate barracuda. You might want to buy only the storage you really need right now, as prices are high due to flooding in Thailand. They should be back to normal in a few months.
- SSD are price competitive,
- The X58 chipset is quite old. Get a newer one, Z68.
- You really, really don't need a 1000W power supply. My i7 PC draws 120W under full load, 100% CPU and all disks working.
- You're paying too much for RAM. 16GB is what I have, it's really nice to have, it caches 500+ RAW files in memory so I don't hit the disk. 32GB is still a bit too expensive. 8GB is enough for most people.
- Graphics card: get the entry level of the current generation. For nVidia that's the 5xx series, not sure about the AMD one.

We are running 8 GB at work. The computers lag heavily. I would not mind going 48GB and have 6 slots filled with 8GB sticks. There is a faster processor offered.

You built your system from scratch right? Problem I have with that is if I land this editing gig the shooter I may be editing for is doing big projects for big money. The Cyberpower system carry a 3 year warranty. But I am not 100% sure they will send you a replacement system if something happens with the one you buy. I found another system but it was very expensive, Is there a pre built maker that is very good? The one below is coin...

http://www.shopl2.com/Worlds-Fastest-Gaming-Computer-Bestia-Extreme-p/bestia-gamer.htm

[Merlin_AZ]

I've got a Z68 board, 16 GB RAM, i7-2600K and it smokes.
No where near the prices you quoted.

[shazza]

Agree this is probably overkill. And a lot of money for the X58 that is being replaced with X79.

I'd also recommend the Z68, or even a P67 based system with the i7 2600. With the money you save, you can max out RAM and storage. If you don't already have a good backup system, think about adding extra HDs.

Also, make sure you have USB 3.0 capability.

If you don't want to build it yourself, it's a good idea to check out other vendors. Give Origin PCs a call and see what they suggest.

Good Luck!

[tim]

We are running 8 GB at work. The computers lag heavily. I would not mind going 48GB and have 6 slots filled with 8GB sticks. There is a faster processor offered.

You built your system from scratch right? Problem I have with that is if I land this editing gig the shooter I may be editing for is doing big projects for big money. The Cyberpower system carry a 3 year warranty. But I am not 100% sure they will send you a replacement system if something happens with the one you buy. I found another system but it was very expensive, Is there a pre built maker that is very good? The one below is coin...

http://www.shopl2.com/Worlds-Fastest-Gaming-Computer-Bestia-Extreme-p/bestia-gamer.htm

8GB should not lag heavily, but I guess it depends what you're doing. What are you doing? It could be a slow disk or processor slowing your work machines.

The only reason to have more than 8GB for most people is as a disk cache, few programs expect or can use more than that. 16GB is heaps, 32GB is overkill for everything except database servers IMHO.

That "fastest computer" may be for gaming, but definitely isn't for photo work. AMD processors are slower than Intel, no question. More than 4 cores doesn't help much for photo processing. An SSD makes infinitely more difference than a fast video card.

Honestly, buy a Dell/HP 2600 based business system with next day on site support. It'll get the job done and will be decent value for money. Custom will cost a bunch more.

Do you know what the different components of a computer do, and how they affect performance? I'm not trying to put you down, it's a genuine question.

[downhillnews]

8GB should not lag heavily, but I guess it depends what you're doing. What are you doing? It could be a slow disk or processor slowing your work machines.

The only reason to have more than 8GB for most people is as a disk cache, few programs expect or can use more than that. 16GB is heaps, 32GB is overkill for everything except database servers IMHO.

That "fastest computer" may be for gaming, but definitely isn't for photo work. AMD processors are slower than Intel, no question. More than 4 cores doesn't help much for photo processing. An SSD makes infinitely more difference than a fast video card.

Honestly, buy a Dell/HP 2600 based business system with next day on site support. It'll get the job done and will be decent value for money. Custom will cost a bunch more.

Do you know what the different components of a computer do, and how they affect performance? I'm not trying to put you down, it's a genuine question.


Tim no not really. So I am sort of looking at gaming rigs. Average file size for me at work is maybe 300-600MB say 6-10 layers stacked. That is with small cameras DSLRs. The guy I may be editing for has S2's and also the new 80MP Phase One along with Nikon. I am worried that me stacking 10 layers of 16 BIT TIFF file will be between 1-2 GIG per file. So I do not think that a MAC will work unless I go Tower and that is just too much money.

Basically the Processor and memory should take my money? I would like to get a computer that can run Maya or a rendering program also. Am looking more into that down the road. But I need tech support incase something happens.

[gotaudi]

If you really need tech support, I would go with a Dell workstation, but at that point you are above your budget for that.

[downhillnews]

If you really need tech support, I would go with a Dell workstation, but at that point you are above your budget for that.


Yeah the Dells look pretty good. They are coin looking at $5K easy. Basically for 24GB it is about $2500. So maybe it would be better to get the 8GB it comes with and wait until costs drop in 6 months and get more RAM later?

[tim]

RAM is dirt cheap at the moment. If you buy Dell get it with the minimum or default, and upgrade from newegg or somewhere, with certified compatible ram.

For such massive files I think RAM will be important. However I just opened fourteen 25MP raw files, stacked them together, and the TIFF is 800MB, which is the same as photoshop is taking. After applying filters to all the layers, creating a history state, and saving it, the size stayed the same but memory usage jumped to 1.2GB. So I wouldn't go too overboard on RAM. 16GB should be plenty. I have the i7 2600K, all the filters applied almost instantly.

Photoshop isn't good at releasing RAM. Just restart it if it slows down and it'll speed up again.

[*sigh*]

Agree this is probably overkill. And a lot of money for the X58 that is being replaced with X79.

I'd also recommend the Z68, or even a P67 based system with the i7 2600. With the money you save, you can max out RAM and storage. If you don't already have a good backup system, think about adding extra HDs.

Also, make sure you have USB 3.0 capability.

If you don't want to build it yourself, it's a good idea to check out other vendors. Give Origin PCs a call and see what they suggest.

Good Luck!Yeah... It's a lot of money to spend on a CPU that was just replaced with one that is much faster.

But I will once again reiterate a Z68/P67 based system with a 2600/2600k is more than you need for Photo editing.


Save yourself some money on the CPU/Motherboard/Ram and get yourself a SSD. You should be able to get a faster rig for less money. (The 2600k actually outperforms the 990x in almost any scenario that can't utilize more than 4 cores, aka things like video editing.)

Yeah the Dells look pretty good. They are coin looking at $5K easy. Basically for 24GB it is about $2500. So maybe it would be better to get the 8GB it comes with and wait until costs drop in 6 months and get more RAM later?Dell workstations just aren't geared towards photo or video work. It can be quite hard to customize them to the specs you really want/need.

But if you do go Dell, as Tim said, buy the ram later, Ram is insanely cheap right now. You can find 16GB (4x4GB) kits for under $100.

[tim]

Don't buy cheap RAM. I've found it's better to have identical RAM, rather than mismatched bits, it just seems to work better. Mismatched RAM can cause system instability even if memtestx86 reports no problems.

[*sigh*]

Don't buy cheap RAM. I've found it's better to have identical RAM, rather than mismatched bits, it just seems to work better. Mismatched RAM can cause system instability even if memtestx86 reports no problems.Yeah, it's much better to get everything the same so all the specs of the ram match up.

Which is why I mentioned the 4x4GB kit, and it's not cheap ram, it's good Corsair Vengeance which goes great with Sandy Bridge. :)

[xpfloyd]

Avoid the i7 990x extreme, the new i7-2600k will be as powerful and cover your needs at a fraction of the cost. Sandybridge blows the majority of the original i7s out the water. Also you wont need that much ram

[*sigh*]

Avoid the i7 990x extreme, the new i7-2600k will be as powerful and cover your needs at a fraction of the cost. Sandybridge blows the majority of the original i7s out the water. Also you wont need that much ramYes, but not only that LGA 1366 is now a dead socket, it's been replaced. LGA2011 is replaced, if you really needed a chip more powerful than the 2600k the 3930k and 3960X are the only chips you should be getting.

[xpfloyd]

PS to put it into perspective I just built a i7-2600k system for £1000 ($1600) which handles anything I throw at it. Its also easy to overclock

[xpfloyd]

Yes, but not only that LGA 1366 is now a dead socket, it's been replaced. LGA2011 is replaced, if you really needed a chip more powerful than the 2600k the 3930k and 3960X are the only chips you should be getting.

Sandybridge E are succeeding sandybridge but I'd be surprised if anyone actually needed that much processing power no matter what they were editing

[*sigh*]

Sandybridge E are succeeding sandybridge but I'd be surprised if anyone actually needed that much processing power no matter what they were editing
For photo work it's unnecessary, Photoshop can't really utilize more than 4 cores as it is, so adding two extra isn't going to do you any good.

If people do video editing or CAD work though they generally can benefit from the extra cores, the OP did mention Maya, so it's possible he may benefit some, although he would probably be better off saving the money, going with a 2600k and getting a compatible GPU for Maya.

That and there not really succeeding, they are just a separate line. The problem is clock for clock they really are not faster than the 2600k, so unless you can fully utilize all 6 cores they won't benefit you. Once Ivy Bridge comes out next year, the 2011 platform will become a more attractive platform.

[xpfloyd]

Ah sorry never spotted the video bit, I was talking image editing but yeah the 2600k is still a beast

[tim]

Yeah, it's much better to get everything the same so all the specs of the ram match up.

Which is why I mentioned the 4x4GB kit, and it's not cheap ram, it's good Corsair Vengeance which goes great with Sandy Bridge. :)

You should check the compatibility list for the motherboard, not all ram is compatible with all motherboard. In my old Core2Quad I got an extra 4GB of RAM with the right specs but my computer crashed quite often even though memtest said it was fine. I took it out, went back to recommended ram and it worked perfectly again.

[*sigh*]

You should check the compatibility list for the motherboard, not all ram is compatible with all motherboard. In my old Core2Quad I got an extra 4GB of RAM with the right specs but my computer crashed quite often even though memtest said it was fine. I took it out, went back to recommended ram and it worked perfectly again.The ram I run is on the compatibility list of the motherboard I run (Corsair Vengeance with a P8Z68V-Pro), It's also the same ram I used in a rig I built for FlyingPhotog with is using a P67 sabertooth. It's compatible with most 1155 boards, it's specifically designed for sandy bridge setups with it's Voltage specs. There are several Corsair vengeance kits as well, with some different settings, with the right kit it should work with just about any motherboard.

All you have to do is go to the motherboard manufacturer's website and check the boards DRAM QVL list.

[charlieharper]

Hi Guys,

Just passing, Saw your light on ..........

I've recently started a thread, which is, kind-of-sort-of related to this one.

I'm not sure what I'm talking about, as usual, but I seem to recall that CS5 could off-load some of the pixel-crunching from the CPU to (certain) GPU's.

Anyone know what I am talking about, am I on the right track, or right track but wrong train :D ? ? ?

If I'm on the right track, is this a good idea, as I tell my kids, "Just because you can, doesn't mean you should " !!!

Does any of this effect the advice to the OP on this thread ? ?

Thanks,

Austen.

[CameraMan]

Look at those parts (or equivalent) at NewEgg as tim suggested and I'm sure you'll get a better price. Also, I'd go with an ASUS Motherboard and an i7 CPU. Overkill isn't too bad so long as it's not overpriced. Pricewatch.com is something I used to use a lot too.

[tim]

I'm not sure what I'm talking about, as usual, but I seem to recall that CS5 could off-load some of the pixel-crunching from the CPU to (certain) GPU's.

Very little can be offloaded. The cheapest video card in the newest series of nVidia or AMD graphics cards is plenty for Photoshop. I got a nVidia 510 or 520 or something.

[rcfury]

For Serious editing you could check out HP's z800 workstation.. Its our standard choice of PC at work for all of our video editors, well at work that is... Fully loaded it will cost you but, depending on how serious you want to go.. For a AVID certified video editing system you looking at:

2x 2.66GHz Intel Xeon X5650 Six-Core CPUs
12GB (6x2GB) RAM
320GB 7200rpm Hard Drive
nVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 1.5GB GPU

That will cost you around 10k however, if you trade off the 6 core procs with a single quad core xeon you could really get a very good editing machine..

[Methodical]

Yeah, what he said. I just built a nice machine and it's not as hard or difficult as it seems. The group help me through the process. It even has the build sheet and other options that many suggested. This may help you. *Sigh* help me, well put together the build list. I changed a couple things, but it's basically what he suggested. They all were very helpful. Hell I can even give you some pointers now:D

Here's the link: My computer build (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1115301)

$417 for 24GB of ram? That right there should scare you... if you want help building a computer you can PM me and I would be happy to help.