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Choosing the GPU for my new rig
  • I'm trying to get the final piece for my puzzle, reading all across the web about what exact GPU would be the most fitting for Premiere CS6. I've read numerous replies, from "go with the latest, fastes nvidia gaming card" to "get the old 580 because it still rocks".

    My shopping list so far is;

    i7 4790K - Z97 Pro - 32 GB RAM - Intel 535 480GB (OS / apps / scratch) - WD Black 2TB (media)

    I use this primarily and only for editing my own footage (AVCHD). I use only 2 brands of camera, not sure if I can name names, but one can deliver 100 Mbps 4K video in AVCHD, and 200 Mbps in 1080p, and the other one is the most popular action cam on the market. I use CS6 and if someone convinces me, I could consider switching to CC...so that should also be taken into consideration.

    I would like to finalize my build by choosing the right card for this system, so if you can give me any advice, that would be awesome. I don't need any raid setups, for my intents and purposes I believe a straighforward build like this is enough, one day I might experiment with M2 but that's out of the option now.

    Also, I do some mographs in AE but as far as I can tell, GPU acceleration in AE is for raytracing only, which is something I don't do so...I guess it doesn't matter. If the GPU can improve working in Resolve, that would be great.

    Hope to get some good advices, and if you have any other suggestions on my build, feel free to add.

    Thanks

  • 17 Replies sorted by
  • Your build looks fine so far. I'd just recommend to have a look at the following page in terms of disc setup. http://ppbm7.com/index.php/tweakers-page/84-disk-setup/95-disk-setup

    Since the WD Black serious is a good choice, but working with for 4k needs not only be powered by you CPU, also via disc speed. To avoid a bottleneck here, try to perform your OS/apps on a separate SSD, as well as media files and disc cache and preview files.

    Choosing the right GPU, you'll find helpful information here: http://ppbm7.com/index.php/tweakers-page/92-what-video-card-to-use

    NVIDIA GTX 660 Ti or 760 with min. 2 GB VRAM would be a good choice. You will not benefit from your GPU until GPU supported effects such as color corrections, scaling etc. will be applied to your footage. Rendering and preview would that will be mainly handled by CPU. Thus make sure you good cooling is guaranteed. Fractal or BeQuiet is always a good choice here.

    Moreover, a good CPU helps faster exporting once GPU effects are applied. PPPM7 also provides a benchmark tool, you might check that out.

  • thanks alex, I did spend some time on Adobe's site and they basically say that using the same SSD for OS and scratch is fine...the confusion never seems to end :D

    Are there any comparisons, real life examples in use, not just benchmarks?

  • You might consider a 6 core CPU. 4k editing can be quite challenging. I have 4 cores myself mainly editing 4k gh4 footage. Just keep in mind that once you CPU is being upgraded all other components need to be improved as well.

    ssd Setup is up to you of course. It might be a good Idea to start off with 2 disc and probably upgrade later. Caching previews, specially in after effects, needs lot of space. The more you split the better. I am running multiple samsung 850 pro ssds - performing beautifully.

    There are more important Information on the page above. Also check out adobe forum, Hardware.

  • Btw, if you consider adobe CC. Go for the new gtx 900 series. Evga 970 or 980.

  • are you sure Merc. Playback is available with the new 9 series yet? Since its a different chip than the old 7 series.

    I sold my 970 while back for 780 so I wouldnt loose the faster playback/rendering.

  • @Alexauwa the 760 is certainly OK, but the 780 has twice as many CUDA cores, that's a huge difference.

  • As i said 900 series only makes sense when using CC 2014 and onwards. It is fully supported.

  • I'm deciding between an R9 295X2 or dual 290X for similar power, slightly more PITA but roughly $100 cheaper. I've got more software that will take advantage of OpenCL than CUDA.

  • I am reviving this old thread because this is a question that always comes up, as new Nvidia GPU are released. Question at the bottom, specs and explanation here:

    I am looking to upgrade only software (Mac OS to 10.11 or 10.12 and Premiere to CC 2017) and the GPU my "old rig" Hackintosh GA-Z77X-UD5H / i7-3770k / 32GB RAM / GTX 580 3GB with 2 Dell Ultrasharp monitors on DVI-D connections: Dell 24" 1080x1200 and Dell 27" 2560x1440 both in native resolutions.

    It's based on the hackintosh golden-build here (except for the GTX 580 3GB): https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/slugnets-video-editor-ga-z77x-ud5h-i7-3770k-gigabyte-geforce-gtx-660-ti.70530/

    I have a drive set up as described on the tweakers page (Separate SSD drives for OS, Media, PR Caches/Previews, and 3x 7200 rpm HDDs for storage and back-ups all on Sata 3 connections in the case).

    With this set up, editing multicam programs over 1 hour in length with footage from 2x GH2s, was snappy and worked well. When I added a 3rd stream of 4K from the GH4 is when things started to get bogged down (slower reaction from the timeline, waiting for it to react/display the new position), most of these projects are 1 hour in length. I re-wrap the GH2 .mts files to .mov format using Clipwrap and the GH4 footage is also .mov (The tweakers page suggests .mov files (QT32server) slows down Windows, I don't think this is an issue running the Mac OS, is it?)

    The above 3 camera edit starts out well, but as there are more multicam edits, it slows down. If the RAM gets full (an Abobe issue) I can flush it and things get better. But, often my multicam editing window starts flickering and I can revive it by switching the window from "multicam" to "composite video" or "waveform" and back and it usually stabilizes for 10-30 minutes. I have no idea what causes this, but, it only happens in Premiere on a multicam edit and is getting really annoying. Often I have to restart the program to "cure it" for about 30-60 minutes. Rebooting the computer also works, but, only for the same amount of time.

    I suspect the video cards' 3GB of memory is the issue.

    My question is, with a $250 budget, and keeping in mind, I do zero gaming, just video editing (but 3 camera multicam edits) would I be better off getting a used GTX 980Ti 6GB (or GTX 980 4 GB?) or a new GTX 1060 6GB. Maxwell vs. Pascal architecture and wider bandwidth of the 980 vs. narrower but faster processing of the 1060? The news this week that Pascal drivers were released for Mac OS 10.12 make this possible.

    I would like to get as much life from this computer rig as possible and am not looking to build a new one at the moment. Future changes to this workflow, would be to sell off the 2x GH2s and get either 1 or 2 G7s or G85s and shot 2 to 3 cameras in 4k and try to edit, in multicam, on this computer rig. Also, I am not looking at upgrading to the GH5 at this time, that would require a new computer!

    -Thanks in advance PVers.

  • Any help?

    I am starting to think the GTX 980 6GB with the wider bandwidth, might be the way to go...

  • I see no reason to get 960.

    For video things I doubt that bandwidth has any real effect.

    You'll still go to 4K monitors, so get 1060.

  • Get gtx 1080ti

    if not then 980ti

    no 960 is a nogo. Forget price performance. Expend on good videocard.

    4k now need 6 core. If 4 cores used overclock to minimun of 4.5 ghz. Good cooling please. Veryfi voltages for no extreme temps an minimize error correction loops on procesor.

    Use good raid on ssd. And mainting the cache from a good rotating disk. Preferable a western digital cheeta. 10,000rpm.

    Buy liquod cooling avoid led lighting Voltage controlers must be critical for overcloking let the only use the righ current.

    If trying to achive good performance SELL ALL YOU SHIT BUY AMD NEW RYZEN GET GOOD PERFORMANCE. Buy the top 1800

  • @endotoxic The 960 was never on the table, I think VK meant to write the 980. The 1080ti is out-of my budget.

    Just asking about the 980 TI 6GB vs. the 1060 6GB for video editing and Resolve on a 4 core i7 machine running Hackintosh and Win7 (I never use windows).

    GH5 4k 422 needs a 6 core or overclocked 4 core as I understand it. -I'm not going there at this time.

    Thanks guys for your input.

  • I have 6 core 5820k and GTX970 4Gb, with separate Samsung Evo Pro ssd's setup for cache, media and OS, running OSX 10.11 and it is NOT enough to just play back 4k 10bit (or 8 bit) files full res in Premiere Pro with Cuda acceleration. Whether that is due to codec implementation/compatibility or something, we will see.

  • @inqb8tr

    I have 6 core 5820k and GTX970 4Gb, with separate Samsung Evo Pro ssd's setup for cache, media and OS, running OSX 10.11 and it is NOT enough to just play back 4k 10bit (or 8 bit) files full res in Premiere Pro with Cuda acceleration. Whether that is due to codec implementation/compatibility or something, we will see.

    It can be due horrible Premiere implementation, plus fact that Premiere can rely on QuickSync that is missing in your CPU.

  • Maybe try updating to newest MacOS, and newest Nvidia web drivers. There are big changes with Nvidia drivers, especially considering that there is actually now a 'theoretical' reason they exist. (Mac Pro 2018-vapourware).