Actual tests of editng platforms? Video Cards?

[CyberDyneSystems]

Finally in the market for a new PC

I am loooking for actual side by side comparisons of platforms in completing PSCS tasks...

I can't find a single one???. (yes I know how to use google)

I am looking for two things in particular.

1. What Video cards perform the best in Photoshop. (Yes I am aware it has historcally been Matrox.. but I can't find anything more recent than a test of the old 550 in CPU magazine) I am also wondering how a new Matrox would stack up against an Nvidia Quattro.

2. What CPU platform? I'm steering towards Dual Opteron but again can't find any test results in relevant software. I'd like to know how Opterons/AMD 64 do Vs. P4 and Xeons...

[Scottes]

Apparently Matrox has something they call GigaColor allowing 10-bit image viewing in PS thanks to a plugin. Found it here (http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20020514/parhelia-09.html) on Tom's Hardware Guide (http://graphics.tomshardware.com/index.html) which should useful in your quest.

Here's (http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20021218/index.html) a recent test comparing cards in 3D, but could be worth looking at.

Here (http://www.intel.com/performance/desktop/consumer/consumer_imaging.htm) is one article, and another (http://www.intel.com/performance/desktop/business/business_imaging.htm) from Intel comparing Photoshop CS on their chips.

Here's (http://www.gamepc.com/labs/view_content.asp?id=xeon32&page=6&cookie%5Ftest=1& MSCSProfile=95385A1F52DEA1A229D5B37542054464227318 8304CBD28CC47CFF3D01C05F9C25195955B4D4AFC43E184013 93FC7104731476269B3355E1F9DBD15D1C2ED18F6FF0AA7434 895EB760E5A00911E0AD571BD9C5D5C92E7A219C92B3449790 E74AFAB919672C2931B9067055A65D31A10B0C7C19C9455826 82CF664ECDC9D50149DF20189E04B8BA77) a page benchmarking Xeon vs Opteron using PS CS.

A Google for "photoshop cs" site:gamepc.com filter test found some good looking pages.

Here's (http://www.robgalbraith.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=242785&Main=222556) a good thread on PS on Opteron or Athlon.


But I'm tired of looking now. You're right, it's not easy to find this stuff.

My opinion would be a dual Xeon with 2 gigs of RAM and the Radeon 9800 on an Intel motherboard. Or an Alienware Workstation would do. Not so much for PS performance, but stability and compatibility, too. And do I really care about another 3% improvement? No, I don't. A system like that would be *so* much faster than what I have now...

[elfyrulz]

:? hmm.. that intel comparison site never mention anything about their P4E processor.

[CyberDyneSystems]

The Tom's Hardware article on graphics cards.. (and about 300 others I have perused on the 'net just like it) just lenave mne more frustratred as they will take twnety cards and test them in 15 applications.. ALL of which are 3D.. not a single image editing 2D application. :(

Again.. the last time I saw ANYONE test cards in 2D was "CPU" magazine about two years back (or more?) and Matrox wipe the florr with the G-force and ATI cards.

The Xeon Vs. Opteron results are odd... they pit 3.2GHz Xeons against 2Ghz Opterons?

Seems a little lop sided. They could at least do a comparison of = price points if they refuse to put a lsower XEON against the Opteron.

I looked closely at Alienware.. but there no name MBs have me worried.

I actually found a really awesome rig made by "BOLData" using my dream dual opteron Mobo;

http://www.boldata.com/html/prod.cfm/view/1/list_id/372.htm

Once I customized it with better RAM, 2Ghz CPUs (instead of 2.4) and dumped the $1000.00 workstation Quattro graphics I was down to just over $3K... still a lot.. but the emory bandwidth of this particular Mobo is sick!

It had FOUR Dimm slots PER CPU!!!! Each CPU gets it's own four banks of dedicated memory!

Yowza!

[CyberDyneSystems]

Hey thanks a lot Scott.. some of this is really good reading.

The thread on Galbraith is of particular interest!

[elfyrulz]

ouch.... 4K for that BOLData workstation?? :?

[CyberDyneSystems]

The Mobo is about $450.00 alone at NewEgg....

Anyway.. as I mentioned I'd drop the $1,000.00 graphics card... that saves a lot.

[Scottes]

Much of what's used in 3D is 2D stuff. But you pay for all the features you normally won't use. I want the speed in running filters - I don't think that I'll see much difference (or care that much) when one card takes .05 seconds to scroll an image versus .10 seconds. Just my opinion.

However that Matrox 10-bit feature is interesting. But will you really see it?

And the rarity - I've got Doom 3 sitting here unopened, waiting for some time, and I'm pretty happy that I've got a decent 3D card in my system. It's rare that I'll play a game, but last time I found a game that I wanted to play (Morrowind - I lived in my basement office for 37 days) it meant that I had to buy a new card.

[CyberDyneSystems]

As far as 3D.. I have a PC i'm (trying) to type on right now with what was once a decent graphics card (gefroce 4 ti 4400)

So I can play games ... it just won't be on the "Workstation" which will be... for "work" lol...


I guess this beast here will become my "PlayStation"

Part of the interset I have in the graphics card question revolves around whether or not I'll even get a new graphics card.

I have about 8 Matrox G-400's sitting around in boxes.. and last I checked they were faster and better looking than this literally ten times more expensive Gforce.

[elfyrulz]

:( I wanted Doom 3 but alas Im only running an ATI Radeon 9800 PRO.

[Scottes]

I have about 8 Matrox G-400's sitting around in boxes.. and last I checked they were faster and better looking than this literally ten times more expensive Gforce.

I think you'll get more bang by spending money on a faster CPU, or more RAM, or RAID, or...

Your 2D screen refresh rate is minimal compared to how fast filters run. Or how fast you can load an image. Etcetera.

[Belmondo]

I tend to agree with Scottes. I put a Matrox Parhelia (128mb) card in my new system, and I'm running some nondescript card in the old system. Frankly, I don't see a great deal of difference that can't be attributed to the faster CPU in the new system. I do believe color fidelity and calibration is better with the Matrox card.

[Penguin_101_1]

After you figure out that stuff it is time for the important things. What OS? Linux - Red Hat, Mandrake? Windows 3.1, 95, DOS, XP :wink:

Do you really need another PC?

[Scottes]

Do you really need another PC?

HERETIC! You *always* need another PC!
:-)

I have RAID backup - two old Pentium IIIs with 40-gig disks...

[Penguin_101_1]

He needs a server!

[CyberDyneSystems]

I need something that will allow me to run a guasian blur on a 48 MB 16bit tiff without having to wait.. :mrgreen:

[CyberDyneSystems]

After you figure out that stuff it is time for the important things. What OS? Linux - Red Hat, Mandrake? Windows 3.1, 95, DOS, XP :wink:

Do you really need another PC?

I have considered a Dual boot with some flavor of PenguinOS.. what do you recomend?

I have allways liked the Idea of "TinFoil Hat Linux" myself.. but it has such limited applications. :lol:

[Penguin_101_1]

I have a Mandrake box (well it is on my desk being taken apart because there is a video problem). Look around, there are also a lot of non name brand Linux os's.

[XXWoodmanXX]

Being an "avid" computer builder, I would highly recommend [H]ardOCP.com ( www.hardocp.com ) and Anandtech ( www.anandtech.com )

These two are some of the best hardware review sites I've seen, and will give you in-depth reviews and comparisons, to include benchmarking tests. :)

[John_T]

Hey Scott, thank you for reminding me!

I've had GigaColor turned on and off for the last couple of years. I had noticed a subtle difference but hadn't found it compelling, probably because of those :evil: :evil: :evil: mediocre Spyder Pro calibrations and profiles.

Now my Monaco Optix XR Pro calibrations and profiles are just stunningly perfect, so it's time to dig into GigaColor again!

Of course the quality of monitor and quality of calibration, and the latest drivers, are key, but in the last ten years I have never seen any 2D display from any other card that approachs the the quality put out by the Matrox cards, particulary the Parhelia. nVidia and ATI are gamers cards with, IMO, mediocre 2D, particularly nVidia. On the other hand, Matrox's market is primarily professional 2D and that's why and where they excel.

I now have the Parhelia 256, and the particular pleasure is that it performs so flawlessly I hardly ever have to think about the damn thing. Whatever 3D I've played with it has been fine, but most popular games are written specifically to nVidia and ATI drivers and cards, so obviously there are some hiccups, say in Far Cry, on the Parhelia, whereas Unreal Tournament runs like a charm.

Whatever, now I'm going to play with the GigaColor toy and see what I can get out of it. Means new calibration, so I'll start there, (mad scientist hehehehe!), thanks Scott! 8)

[Big_B]

The Xeon Vs. Opteron results are odd... they pit 3.2GHz Xeons against 2Ghz Opterons?


The reason is that Intel and AMD chips are structured differently. This means that on an AMD chip you get the same (broadly speaking) computing power at a lower clock speed - hence the comparison.

[John_T]

Well Scott and CDS, I just got two new monitors by turning on GigaColor and calibrating and profiling again with Monaco Optix XR Pro. It's really amazing.

There is a subtle new quality, depth and definition to the colors, and the screen seems finely sharper. I feel like a fool for not having caught onto this earlier, but then again I didn't have the Optix earlier.

What a pleasure! Thanks!

[Scottes]

What a pleasure! Thanks!

You're Welcome.

Then again, now *I* want one! :(

[John_T]

Sorry 'bout that.

Contagious stuff... 8)

The calibration kit is the absolute star. Everything is a shadow of it's good old self without it.

[CyberDyneSystems]

John

I have been seriously considering a calibrator.. I have heard that Monaco or Gretag are the way to go...

What is it about the Monaco that makes you prefer it soo when compared to the "spyder"... ?

What did your set up cost?

Thanks.

[John_T]

Hi CDS, I've had the Spyder Pro for a couple of years, but never felt like it did more than a mediocre job, and not very consistent from calibration to calibration. After reading more and more often similar complaints over on FM, I decided to do something about it.

After chasing down everything I could find from FM to Galbraith, it became increasingly clear that the Monaco Optix XR and it's Pro version were the current best. Monaco was formerly ok, but not fully up to snuff, but then they got taken over by x-rite, a much larger company specializing in color and color instruments, and they got things very well straightened out. I find the Optix kit easy and very precise to work with, and finally, finally I have something I trust.

One of the biggest breakthroughs for me was that with the Optix I finally calibrated both my identical monitors on dual head, and whereas Windows XP only lets you profile one, both are so nearly calibrated it hardly makes any difference. Every attempt I made with Spyder Pro to do this was unusable and a mess.

Here are some links:

http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/wc026a.htm

http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/wccvx.html

http://www.monacosys.com/

http://www.xrite.com/home.aspx


http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=310560&is=REG

and

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=310564&is=REG

[CyberDyneSystems]

Thnka much John...

After your testimonial and others.. I know it will be Monaco when I finally make the leap.