Video card for CS5.5

[Matthew Cairns]

For a Clevo 170HM with CS5.5 - which card gives best bang for buck - 485M, 560M or 580M?


- nVidia Geforce GTX560M 1.5GB GDDR5 Dedicated Graphics
- nVidia Geforce GTX485M with 2GB Dedicated Graphics [Add $250.00]
- nVidia Geforce GTX580M with 2GB Dedicated Graphics [Add $450.00]

Thanks

[Ed Fiebke]

As you can imagine, there seems to be a lot of questions regarding which best video card to use for CS5.5 A while back, I asked this question for a Mac Pro. The replies shared were very informative and helpful to me. One response, in particular, helped explain the difference between certain models of video card which you might find helpful. Please click on the link to read this responses. Good luck with your decision.

http://www.dvinfo.net/forum/adobe-cr...ml#post1688390

Although all of the responses were very helpful response #7 was very helpful in describing the GTX verses quadro cards.

[Matthew Cairns]

Thanks Ed,

I have searched many forums and seen in Adobe forums the suggestion that at the time the 460M was preferred in a laptop as it performed well and ran cooler than 480/485M.

I'm aware that although the Quadro are recommended as the best from Adobe/nVidia, the GTX are a minimum alternative considering price and performance. I am aware they are not certified for the Mercury Playback.

My question is based on my options available - Quadro is not an option for me.

Hopefully someone has experience with either the 485M, 560M or 580M.

[Kevin Monahan]

The nVidia Geforce GTX580M is the only one on your list that is officially supported: Tech specs | Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5

[Kawika Ohumukini]

Originally Posted by Kevin Monahan

The nVidia Geforce GTX580M is the only one on your list that is officially supported: Tech specs | Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5

Good point. I had an unsupported graphics card that still supported CUDA and PP ignored it. I highly recommend getting an officially supported card just to avoid any headaches now and in the future. Cheers.

[Matthew Cairns]

Originally Posted by Kevin Monahan

The nVidia Geforce GTX580M is the only one on your list that is officially supported: Tech specs | Adobe Premiere Pro CS5.5

Kevin - I can't see it there - none of the GTX's are Mobile cards - can you clarify???

Kawika - Apparently there are ways to get some unsupported cards to be recognised - check out:

Page 2 of 3 for Adobe Premiere CS5 and CS5.5 Video Cards

Matt

[Kawika Ohumukini]

Originally Posted by Matthew Cairns

Kawika - Apparently there are ways to get some unsupported cards to be recognised - check out:

Page 2 of 3 for Adobe Premiere CS5 and CS5.5 Video Cards

Matt

Matt, thanks for the link. I think I remember coming across a couple sites like that but I couldn't get them to work with my 9800GTX+. I'll give it another go with this software. Cheers.

[Randall Leong]

Originally Posted by Kawika Ohumukini

Matt, thanks for the link. I think I remember coming across a couple sites like that but I couldn't get them to work with my 9800GTX+. I'll give it another go with this software. Cheers.

Chances are that it (the txt tweak) will not work at all with your particular card: Most 9800 GTX+ cards have only 512MB total of RAM. The CUDA hack (as it's called) requires a minimum of 765MB of free, unused graphics RAM in order for the hack to even work at all.

[Kawika Ohumukini]

Originally Posted by Randall Leong

Chances are that it (the txt tweak) will not work at all with your particular card: Most 9800 GTX+ cards have only 512MB total of RAM. The CUDA hack (as it's called) requires a minimum of 765MB of free, unused graphics RAM in order for the hack to even work at all.

You're right. I think that was the issue, not enough VRAM. I went with the GTX 570 on my current system. Cheers.

[John Richard]

Is it possible to currently purchase a MacBook Pro WITH a Cuda supported card?
I see no option for this on Apple's website - only unsupported ATI graphics cards.

[Randall Leong]

Originally Posted by John Richard

Is it possible to currently purchase a MacBook Pro WITH a Cuda supported card?
I see no option for this on Apple's website - only unsupported ATI graphics cards.

Unfortunately, no. Apple decided not to ship any of its laptops and all-in-ones with Nvidia GPUs at all when the Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs came out. The only Apple system that could be had with an Nvidia GPU these days is the super-expensive, super-large Mac Pro with dual Gulftown Xeon CPUs - but the Gulftown CPUs are part of the previous-generation Intel CPU line that's going EOL with the arrival of Sandy Bridge E. It is currently unknown whether the new SB-E based Mac Pros will ever make it to market (or even if it were to make it to market, if Nvidia GPUs will even be offered at all in the new line).

[John Richard]

That makes it tough for folks with the Mac version of CS.

Add to this the rumor that the Mac Pro Towers are being EOL'ed and it is making the decision to just move back to the PC platform that much more inevitable. Moved to the Mac platform back in 2008 and have loved the engineering and stability of the tower. When I switched from FCP7 in June to CS5.5, all I had to do was add an nVidia Quadro 4000 for the Mac and more ram and my 2008 Mac Tower runs it like a beast ...

Just a shame the decisions going on at Apple these days regarding editing.

[Kawika Ohumukini]

I love Macs but I went to windows7 for my editing system. I wanted cuda and used the price difference for the software. I didn't really want to go back to a PC for work, vs. gaming, but the savings is still a big factor for me. Cheers

[Jerry Porter]

Tagging this so I can find it again

[Matthew Cairns]

Just for the record I went with the 560M. Lower power and hack-ability prevailed.

Matt