The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    eGPU for Photosho SC6 ? Photo editing

    Discussion in 'e-GPU (External Graphics) Discussion' started by danyk72, Apr 23, 2012.

  1. danyk72

    danyk72 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    40
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Hello. I recently setup my eGPU with PE4H. But I borrow the GPU and right now am looking to return it to my friend and buy my own one.
    I don`t play games, I am a photographer and work in Lightroom 4, new Photoshop CS6, Nik Software plugins. Im not sure about Lightroom but new PS do have work with GPU, some Plugins use GPU to show real time preview, ect.
    my HP DV6 i3 8Gb Intel HD + GT9600 512mb + external monitor works way better them just DV6(Intel HD only) + just external monitor. I don’t need to wait when applying plugins and some adjustments. Also RAM and CPU are not loaded much.
    My question is what GPU is better choice for me for photo editing (and maybe for some video, once a month or less) , without overspending, because it is going to be x1 anyway. I thinking of nVidia, but which one? GT, Quadro?
     
    danyk72, Apr 23, 2012
    #1
  2. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    11,461
    Messages:
    16,824
    Likes Received:
    76
    Trophy Points:
    466
    any gpu listed as supported for the hardware acceleration is fine, it does not take very much gpu power for the few features photoshop offers.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Apr 23, 2012
    #2
  3. trvelbug

    trvelbug Notebook Prophet

    Reputations:
    929
    Messages:
    4,007
    Likes Received:
    40
    Trophy Points:
    116
    kind ot but:

    the new photoshop cs6 is using the mercury engine. is it similar to the one used in premiere pro which only supports nvidia gpu's?
     
    trvelbug, Apr 24, 2012
    #3
  4. monsterred

    monsterred Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    0
    Messages:
    18
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Agreed, with any acceptable one you won't notice a huge different really, just go for your budget.
     
    monsterred, Apr 24, 2012
    #4
  5. User Retired 2

    User Retired 2 Notebook Nobel Laureate NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    4,127
    Messages:
    7,860
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Get one that supported by the engine without any hacks. Building an external GPU for mobile robotics development Icrontic recommends a GTX560Ti as the fastest Fermi desktop CUDA card:

     
    User Retired 2, Apr 24, 2012
    #5
  6. ViciousXUSMC

    ViciousXUSMC Master Viking NBR Reviewer

    Reputations:
    11,461
    Messages:
    16,824
    Likes Received:
    76
    Trophy Points:
    466
    Yeah for 3D rending and stuff go for fast, for photoshop the few things it does is just accelerate a few filters and give you a few features not otherwise available (that are not even that important) so a powerful card is not needed.

    They could easily have the few gpu accelerated features run on cpu without issue should they want to, todays quad core cpu's are more than up to the task.

    It comes down to politics more than likely where nvidia and perhaps AMD have contacted them to make certain features gpu only.
     
    ViciousXUSMC, Apr 24, 2012
    #6
  7. danyk72

    danyk72 Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    40
    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    5
    Thank you all for explaning and answering.

    After some test with my friend`s GT 9600 512 Mb I saw that while running LR + PS + Nik Software opening my 16MPX photographs GPU memory is loaded from 70Mb (before starting any software) to ~500Mb, GPU load 0% - 80%.


    There are Screenshoots from techPowerUp GPU-Z. while editing one picture.

    1.Before starting any Software
    [​IMG]

    2.Lightroom Only
    [​IMG]

    3.LR + PS
    [​IMG]

    4.LR + PS + PS native pluging
    [​IMG]

    5.LR+PS+ Nik making ajustments
    [​IMG]

    6.4+LR+PS+ Nik aplying adjustments
    [​IMG]

    I decide to get some not expencive card in range $ 40-60 based on your answers and advices. I`ve found, GT 520 1Gb, GT430 1Gb, GT 440 1Gb and GT 440 2Gb in this range. Do I need 1 or 2Gb?
    What do you think about this?
     
    danyk72, Apr 24, 2012
    #7