GPU: AfterFX, MagicB, Premiere, Cineform

[Rafael Lopes]

I've been doing some research before choosing a graphic card for the new system I'm starting to build and I'm torn between several models. Since I will be using the card with different applications (adobe premiere, adobe after fx, magic bullet, cineform aspect hd) I would like to know which would be the best option.

Before we start I would like to point out that I have been using an nvidia fx540 and I have problems previewing on premiere with cineform (the image is darker when I'm color correcting and it gets lighter when I play it), so I would like to scratch the fx540/550 (I have tried this one too and I had the same issues)/560 from the list.

Bellow you will find the information and suggestions I have gathered from different important sources.

Videoguys:
Magic Bullet--> nvidia quadro3450 or ATI 1800/1900 series
Premiere--> nvidia fx560/1500
After FX--> nvidia fx3450
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Adobe website:
Premiere--> nvidia fx1500/3500 (fx550 doesn't show up) or ATI 1800/1900 series
After FX--> nvidia fx3450 or ATI 1800/1900 series (artifacts may appear on 32bpc projects)
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Cineform website:
Nvidia FX540 or Matrox Parhelia APVe

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Magic bullet (red giant) website):
For real-time preview--> Nvidia 6600, 7800, 8800 or ATI 9600, 1800, 1900

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Prices. I know these cards can be found much cheaper, but for comparison sake I have used bhphotovideo
as the price reference:

- nvidia fx560 --> around 250$
- nvidia fx1500 --> around 500$
- nvidia fx3450 --> arounb 900$ (strangely enough I have seen this card on many website for 400$)

- ati 1900 --> around 300$

[Mike McCarthy]

Cineform is supposed to fix that Color shift on playback in the next version. It only happens with Nvidia cards I am told. Magic Bullet is supposed to work better on Nvidia, AE works better on high end cards.

Do you use the full screen video overlay option in Premiere and Aspect? If so, avoid the Geforce8 series, and go with a GeForce7 or a QuadroFX. Make sure you really need it before investing in a Quadro card, they are almost identical to much cheaper Geforce models.

Assuming you don't need fullscreen overlay, and Cineform fixes the color shift, the 8800GT would work great for you. If not, an ATI 2900 series card might be better, but might not accelerate Magic Bullet as much.