Do I need a new computer?

[John McCully]

I’m thinking of building a new computer. The most challenging task the new machine will face will be, as usual, rendering video and now I have Vegas Pro 12 and most often I’m working with 60p AVCHD files.

My current system is a Dell XPS 9000, Intel® Core™ i7-920 Processor (2.66GHz, 8MB), 4GB (4X1GB) DDR3 SDRAM 1066MHz Memory, 1GB GDDR5 ATI Radeon HD5770. This is dated technology in that another generation or two of gear has emerged, I believe. I don’t follow this technology and am quite out of touch these days. I presume there is a sweet spot when it comes to upgrading where the best bang for the buck is to be had if not the absolute fasted knife in the drawer (mixing my metaphors here). When I purchased the Dell several years ago that was it. Now things have moved on, presumably, and so where is it now?

Or should I wait…

And if I go with the current sweet spot will that make much difference in performance vs what I have? I would look at building myself so buying components might be the way I would go. Is that a good idea, do you think? Or is some reliable outfit almost giving computers away these days? (Never again another Dell, but that’s another story.)

Thanks for your input.

[Chris Harding]

Hi John

The burning issue!! Do you have money to throw around? If so go for the fastest and the best...You however don't say if you need a really good graphics card for V12?? I personally wasn't at all impressed with 11 so I stuck with 10 and my AVCHD files render smoothly and also preview smoothly on my i7 2600 with 8GB ram... When there are multi-tracks it does drop down to half resolution but for me that's no issue.

I think Jeff Harper is the one who has fooled around with processors and cards the most so he probably is worth talking to here!!

I have never bought a brand computer!! I go to my local computer shop and they build what I want to my specs and I never have an issue...Buying HP/Dell etc etc off the shelf isn't the way to go for me.

Just find a good computer components shop in NZ and go from there. My supplier in Perth is PLE Computers and you can customise your package online and they make it for me....Welcome to PLE Computers Online

That's the sort of company you need to find locally

Chris

[Renton Maclachlan]

John...

I built a new computer in July and basically followed/tweaked a PCWorld mag recommend for a high spec'd computer - or at least started with that and did further research. I bought all the bits from a number of mail order suppliers here in NZ after searching around and comparing prices - Ascent Technology, Computer Lounge, Playtech, Elive - and assembled it myself, then got one of my techo sons-in-law to install misc stuff on it for me...

All up it cost about $2700.

For what it's worth, this is what I got:

Case: COOLER MASTER HAF X RC-942-KKN1
CPU: Intel Core i7 2700K Sandy Bridge 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo)
MB: Asus P8Z68 DELUXE/GEN3 Motherboard, Socket 1155, Intel Z68
GPU: EVGA 012-P3-1578-KR GeForce GTX 570 HD 1280MB
PSU: Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold, 1200W ATX
Memory: Kingston 1600 16GB [sold this and got 32gb of ram]
HDD: Seagate Barracuda ST2000DM001 2TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal
DVD: Asus reader writer...

Some of this has moved on with newer chips etc

The case is great...very roomy and easy to work in, and heaps of ventilation...

I've just started doing a project which has a lot of FX stuff and found that rendering has been an issue, though I have found a work around on that now...see recent threads here about rendering issues...

[John McCully]

Thanks for the input guys, yes, I shall go the build-your-own way. I have purchased from Paradigm PC and Ascent so that’s a good start.

Reading around seems a third generation Intel Quick Sync processor is the way to go. Seems a cheaper video card is more than adequate if one goes this way.

Cheers.

[Harm Millaard]

Vegas may have different hardware requirements than Adobe CS6, but you can find my considerations and documentation here: Intro Part 1

It is quite long and contains numerous pages, but it may be worthwhile to read, if you have the time.

[John McCully]

Thanks for the link Harm. I’m on my second cup of coffee this morning and while I totally relate to your circumstances regarding why you were thinking about upgrading soon thereafter I realized that no matter how many cups of coffee I toss back I shall probably not really get it until such time as I upgrade my basic computer technical skills, to say the least. And that is probably not a productive use of my precious time right now. But like you I have no pressing need as we speak as my current system is functioning just fine. I’m also not that motivated to become fluent in this technology but continue to focus on the artistic side of my endeavors which by the way I find hugely more satisfying.

As I read on ignoring that which I did not understand notwithstanding the fact that this piece seems to be very well written I came to the conclusion that there is no compelling reason to upgrade at this moment. I could not find a date that informs when this was written although the copyright indicated this year however things do change rapidly yet I presume you would update any out-of-date content.

Under External Influences you mention the ongoing high prices of conventional disks. That statement surprised me as I thought the prices were at an all time low. No mention of 3rd generation Intel Quick Sync either which I also found surprising given the focus at their web page here Intel® Quick Sync Video

OK, another cup of coffee and I’ll have another crack at this. I think for my feeble mind a list of components would be a good starting point. I’m not a novice at video editing yet quite a lot of your document is indeed way over my head. I do get the impression that an upgrade for me would be premature right now. If something breaks then I shall bother about that at the time. Does that make sense to you?

Thanks again, and Cheers.

[Kim Olsson]

Well John,
According to this fresh statements quick sync may be more optimized then using nvidias new gpu's with cudas...

http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/...ssageID=838085



But apperently you can choose between rendering in 'quality' or 'speed', when using quick sync...
That might be a reason just to use the CPU for maximized quality...

Even with the GPU rendering people have been experienced some kind of artifacts (graphic errors) when rendering...

Anyway, A nice graphiccard is more greater when using it in the workflow...
Quicksync is for rendering only. And thats where the usage comes in handy...
I dont make a statement about how much faster workflow...
But I will try, maybe about 20-50% greater workflow with my gigabyte GTX670 OC to the clockspeed of 1293MHz.

I use only the CPU for rendring. If rendering experience is all, try the 6 core 3930k, with 12 threads thats well spended money if you dont wanna waste time on rendering. I satisfy with 3770k, couse it gives a greater clockspeed with lower heat..better stable that way..

[Leslie Wand]

well i have pretty much the same system as you john....

i went through the same thought process not so long ago (mind you, my main input is hdv, along with some avchd).

and, like you (i think?) have still got the same system.

my logic went -

a. i'm sick to death of buying pc's and bits in general - my profits should be accruing to me, not intel or nvidia all the time.

b. i was happy with moores law - every three years everything got 'better' by a great percentage relatively to what i had. that no longer holds true. i see NO MAJOR benefits / returns for spending money at present.

c. i have never been sucked into the belief i need best / full preview all the time.

d. rendering is something that doesn't need me, so overnight is fine (given that vegas can actually get through a render in the first place ;-()

e. finally, and probably most importantly - why should i keep throwing money at an nle that can't perform as advertised in the first place!!!!! i mean the ongoing joke that is ram preview, along with gpu rendering makes any hardware upgrade moot in the first place. that said, looking at adobe, et al the situation is much better.

so, my i7/920/12gb ram/gtx550ti will soldier on for another year or two - by which time technology will have (hopefully) marched on to a point where i get a SIGNIFICANT increase in computing power on all fronts. Oh, and equally hopefully (though this i doubt), vegas will finally work according to its advertisements....

[John McCully]

Kim and Leslie

Thanks for the input, most helpful. Upgrading is, for now, way way back on the very far back back burner.

Cheers.