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SDanc

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 26, 2019
2
0
kamloops
I'm trying to configure a new imac to replace my early 2013 mbp. I am a heavy photoshop cc and LR user. I also use some slideshow programs and the usual computer use (excel, word, outlook, internet etc...)The mbp is slowing down and struggling mightily, especially when using some new plugins like Topaz sharpen AI and Gigapixel AI.
Macbook pro retina 15" 2.7ghz i7
16gb ram
512 SSD
TB display
2.6 TB photos/raw images on external Thunderbolt HD

I'm trying to keep costs down but will spend what it takes to have a fast and somewhat future proof photoshop machine. I will also use a Thunderbolt monitor as a 2nd monitor. I've decided on:
I9 processor
8 GB ram (will add 32gb myself)
1 TB SSD

My question is what GPU? Is there an advantage to going with the vega or will the 580 work for my needs? I will not be playing games but occasionally work with 4k video.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
 

kaintxu

macrumors regular
Jul 9, 2018
196
78
Edinburgh
several of topic on this matter. I'm also waiting to know this, though I will be getting the i5 probably. another 360£ is too much
 

Returnoftheimac

macrumors newbie
Mar 21, 2019
13
11
"What GPU (video card) is best for Photoshop?

For Photoshop, it is extremely important to have a supported GPU, but the actual performance of that card will not make a major impact on performance. Compared to the high-end RTX 2080 Ti, even a GTX 1060 is only about 8% slower. Once you get to a GTX 1070 Ti, the difference is only a few percent.

Is onboard graphics good enough for Photoshop?

Photoshop can run just fine with onboard graphics, but be aware that even a low-end GPU will be nearly twice as fast for GPU-accelerated tasks. In addition, most onboard graphics can only use 512-1024MB of memory which is OK for a single 1080p display, but if you have multiple or 4K displays we highly recommend using a dedicated graphics card.

How much VRAM (video card memory) does Photoshop need?

While a higher-end GPU may not give significantly higher raw performance, it is essential that your video card has enough VRAM or video card memory for your projects. However, unless you have multiple 4K displays, even 4GB of VRAM should be plenty. Since all the video cards we currently offer for Photoshop have at least 6GB of VRAM, this should not be a concern for most users."

The above is from pugetsystems web page taking about Photoshop cc 2019. This suggests to me that the return from the Vega over the 580x could be negligible.
For those looking for the best Photoshop bang for your buck the 580x with 8gb of vram could be the best option.

I am in the same boat. ;)
 
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kaintxu

macrumors regular
Jul 9, 2018
196
78
Edinburgh
Quick question regarding the 580X

Checking at userbenchmark, I can't find this card. All I can find is the AMD RX580, is it the same one or are they different models?
 

quagmire

macrumors 604
Apr 19, 2004
6,985
2,489
Quick question regarding the 580X

Checking at userbenchmark, I can't find this card. All I can find is the AMD RX580, is it the same one or are they different models?

They are the same. The 580X just has a bit higher clockspeed, but it's the same chip.
 

kaintxu

macrumors regular
Jul 9, 2018
196
78
Edinburgh
They are the same. The 580X just has a bit higher clockspeed, but it's the same chip.

Thanks, I just really wanted to ask if the AMD RX580 is the same as the AMD Radeon PRO 580 as the names are different so was not sure if RX stood for something specific.
 

jonatious

macrumors member
Sep 29, 2016
88
39
I am not really sure of how much VRAM the Photoshop or LR uses, but I am kind of in the same place as you are, I would say 580X is good enough for me for my photo editing and mild video editing and this is what I decided, if in a few years I get into video rendering and 8k kicks in, I might need GPU and at that point, I would buy an eGPU.

Ordered my iMac with i9 and 580X
 

SDanc

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Mar 26, 2019
2
0
kamloops
I am not really sure of how much VRAM the Photoshop or LR uses, but I am kind of in the same place as you are, I would say 580X is good enough for me for my photo editing and mild video editing and this is what I decided, if in a few years I get into video rendering and 8k kicks in, I might need GPU and at that point, I would buy an eGPU.

Ordered my iMac with i9 and 580X
Thanks for the great info
 
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