MP 1,1-5,1 Slow Mac Pro 5.1 with Big Sur 11.1

[norda72]

I have issues with my Mac Pro 5.1 from 2012. I have installed Big Sur 11.1 via open core and it runs surprisingly well. But when I use apps like Dreamweaver and Photoshop the computer has problems. In Photoshop I have to deal with beach ball all the time, even when I close it or open a file/picture. When Dreamweaver is opened it is impossible to work with a page for some minutes. It seems like Dreamweaver is a very heavy app. iStatmenus shows that some process in the computer requires 250-300 percent of probably the CPU which is going down to normal in a couple of minutes. Same thing happens when I open another Dreamweaver-file, it can’t be used at once. The videocard-memory is vanishing if I use these Adobe-apps. It get ful after 10 minutes. The card is an AMD Radeon RX570 8 GB. I had Nvidia-card before with 4 GB but when it also had this problem I thought that 8 GB should be the fix, but no. This computer is originally an Quadcore. Maybe 12 core can’t be used with ful speed and power? Or is the 3.06 GHz-processor bad? Slow?

 

[h9826790]

Photoshop is very CPU single limiting, 12 cores doesn't help much.

The cMP's Xeon is way too old, the single thread performance is very bad for today's standard.

And your CPU is about 10% slower than the max what a cMP can do, that makes the situation even worse.

If possible, you may try Affinity Photos, this works much better on the cMP due to much better optimised for Mac.

For VRAM, Big Sur use VRAM very aggressively. Even my Radeon VII has 16GB VRAM. The usage still stay at above 90% most of the time.

IMO, this is good. I pay the VRAM to work, not sits idle.

Anyway, VRAM usage stay high doesn't slow down my cMP in Big Sur. I can't feel any difference. If not checking iStat, I don't even know the VRAM usage is that high. However, I am with 11.2 beta (20D5029f). That may make the difference.

P.S. I share use the same cMP with my wife (two profiles). Even I mainly use Affinity Photos, she mainly use Photoshop. Since I haven't heard her complain, I believe the Photoshop performance is OK on my cMP in BS (she use PS for more than 10 years, know what's good / bad).

 

[norda72]

Thanks for your answer! I suspected that it’s all about this. The machine is too old. If I say that to people on Youtube or sellers on eBay they will deny it. They want to keep it alive to whatever cost. It can’t die.
The basic new Mac Pro has a videocard with only 8 GB and I guess that it also has issues with memory, or? You buy a new computer for 5 999 US Dollars and it has so weak GPU that you need to replace it the first you do. I get so bad feelings for Apple nowadays. Profit is all they care about.
The problem with Adobe is that I am a complete customer, I have all apps there is because you can’t choose which you need. I pay for them every month and get updates regularly via downloading. I am tied to this agreement until August 2021.

 

[norda72]

I have to find something else, but what should I go for? I thought that opencore was the solution for this computer, but now I realize that it’s out of the game. Mac or PC? With Mac you are in a way more incompatible all the time and with PC you are very compatible, even for viruses and ransom-ware. Apple isn’t an option anymore, I guess, if you don’t want to ruin your economy.

 

[h9826790]

May be you should go for the M1 mini

 

[mode11]

I have issues with my Mac Pro 5.1 from 2012. I have installed Big Sur 11.1 via open core and it runs surprisingly well. But when I use apps like Dreamweaver and Photoshop the computer has problems. In Photoshop I have to deal with beach ball all the time, even when I close it or open a file/picture. When Dreamweaver is opened it is impossible to work with a page for some minutes. It seems like Dreamweaver is a very heavy app. iStatmenus shows that some process in the computer requires 250-300 percent of probably the CPU which is going down to normal in a couple of minutes. Same thing happens when I open another Dreamweaver-file, it can’t be used at once. The videocard-memory is vanishing if I use these Adobe-apps. It get ful after 10 minutes. The card is an AMD Radeon RX570 8 GB. I had Nvidia-card before with 4 GB but when it also had this problem I thought that 8 GB should be the fix, but no. This computer is originally an Quadcore. Maybe 12 core can’t be used with ful speed and power? Or is the 3.06 GHz-processor bad? Slow?

Are you using a HDD or an SSD?

 

[norda72]

Are you using a HDD or an SSD?

I have two 2,5" SSDs, both with USB 3-speed (520-540 Mb/s). Maybe that is too slow today? Even if I should buy M.2 stick the speed would only be around 1 500 Mb/s due to pcie-2 in the machine. Well it is 3 times faster, but I bought 4 TB SSD 2,5" 7 weeks ago so right now there is no need. No, a new computer wouldn’t be wrong. Probably not a Mac. They are far too expensive and in some ways odd. People find you strange when you say that you use Mac. Expensive and with much more incompatibility, especially after ARM-change.