Aperture + Mac Pro & which GPU?

[Grimace]

Hey gang, I probably should know the answer to this, but it's always good to hear what the MacRumors PhotoCrew thinks

I'm getting a 2.66 Mac Pro (and will up the RAM when I can afford it.) The only intense/pro application that I use is Aperture. I know FCP doesn't use very much of the GPU (as compared to RAM and CPU) but I'm not sure about Aperture.

Do you think there will be a noticeable difference on the X1900XT? (I'm using a 30" display if that actually makes a difference -- I assume dual-link is the same for all vidcards.) Or does anyone know if Aperture is GPU accelerated?

 

[ChrisA]

... Or does anyone know if Aperture is GPU accelerated?

Aperture uses "Core Image". Core Image will perform some operations of the GPU if that would make it go faster. What this means in practical terms, who knows? you'd have to try Aperture out using both video cards. I doubt anyone has been able to do this yet. But in theory the faster card should be beter. But remember the GPU can only (possably) help with stuff like color transforms and resizing for display. The GPU will not make a file load off the disk faster.

 

[menziep]

Hey gang, I probably should know the answer to this, but it's always good to hear what the MacRumors PhotoCrew thinks

I'm getting a 2.66 Mac Pro (and will up the RAM when I can afford it.) The only intense/pro application that I use is Aperture. I know FCP doesn't use very much of the GPU (as compared to RAM and CPU) but I'm not sure about Aperture.

Do you think there will be a noticeable difference on the X1900XT? (I'm using a 30" display if that actually makes a difference -- I assume dual-link is the same for all vidcards.) Or does anyone know if Aperture is GPU accelerated?

I would recommend getting a few more gig of RAM and staying with the nVidia 7300 (Witch is Dual Link On one port) Since Apture is more a CPU and Ram Intensive App

Hope this Helps,
Menziep

 

[Grimace]

Good to know! Tax-free weekend in MA is this Sat/Sunday and purchases are limited to $2500. I just sneak under with the standard 2.66 version and no GPU upgrade.

 

[xrays]

Do you think there will be a noticeable difference on the X1900XT? (I'm using a 30" display if that actually makes a difference -- I assume dual-link is the same for all vidcards.) Or does anyone know if Aperture is GPU accelerated?

If it means anything, I'm running Aperture on my 2x2.0 MacBook Pro (256MB X1800), and it's very good. I really only notice hard drive related bottlenecks when skipping through images, and CPU bottlenecks when applying filters to multiple images at a time. I don't believe Aperture is extremely GPU intensive, not nearly as much as something like Motion, and since it runs fine on my dual-core laptop, I can only imagine it would simply scream on a quad-core machine with a faster CPU. I also run almost exclusively on a 24" LCD, and not that it's nearly as big as the 30", it's not far off. I'd definitely take the advice to spend more on RAM than a video card at this stage, especially when the machine is so much more powerful now. RAID a pair of drives, increase the RAM to at least 4GB, and you should have no problems with an x800 video card, for that matter.

x.

 

[Grimace]

If it means anything, I'm running Aperture on my 2x2.0 MacBook Pro (256MB X1800), and it's very good. I really only notice hard drive related bottlenecks when skipping through images, and CPU bottlenecks when applying filters to multiple images at a time. I don't believe Aperture is extremely GPU intensive, not nearly as much as something like Motion, and since it runs fine on my dual-core laptop, I can only imagine it would simply scream on a quad-core machine with a faster CPU.

How many images do you have in your Library? I'm at about 40,000 RAW photos right now -- that could spell trouble with 1GB of RAM. From what I'm hearing, increasing the power of the GPU won't help much. (Bumping the RAM will always help!)

 

[darko tensek]

more RAM

You should upgrade up to 4GB of RAM !

 

[ChrisA]

How many images do you have in your Library? I'm at about 40,000 RAW photos right now -- that could spell trouble with 1GB of RAM. From what I'm hearing, increasing the power of the GPU won't help much. (Bumping the RAM will always help!)

40.000 images? I imagine you would have multiple copies of each.. At least aRAW and JPG version. What disk are these on? Seems like one of the best things you could do is get the fastest storage subsytem you can afford.

Of course RAM will help. The speed of the disk is effectivly multiplied by the probability that the data the software needs is cached in RAM. Doubling the RAM cache size can only raise that probaility. But also doubling the speed of the disk is a multipling effect too.

 

[maxi]

If it helps, Aperture runs well enough on a base model white macbook (1.83) with 2 gigs of RAM. and you know the (lack of) video card these have

It will fly on a macpro with a couple gigs, fast disks and the stock video card.

 

[Grimace]

All RAW, no JPGs or copies (i guess I have an itchy trigger finger!)

I store my library on a big 500GB drive which is sitting in my drawer right now longing for a new home. I think no matter what, I'm going to go with the stock card and up the RAM when I am able. The video card can be an xmas gift to myself!

 

[seenew]

If you ship it to me, I'll put in a new video card for you.

...of course you might not see it again for two years.