Which video card should I buy for the new Apple 16 inch McBook Pro? I'm a photographer not a "gamer". The two most programs that I routinely use that seem to bog down the computer...

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

I'm a photographer not a "gamer". The two most programs that I routinely use that seem to bog down the computer resources the most are:
DxO PhotoLab 2 and
Topaz (reiterative deconvolution)

In fact both of the above programs perform different forms of deconvolution, that results in more detail being seen in the final photograph.

I have no idea if having a faster video processor will speed up these programs or not?! Does anyone else know?

rcarol

I've been using the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 on my windows PC. It is a middle of the road video card that won't break the bank but has sufficient processing power to get the job done for me.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Davethehiker wrote:

I'm a photographer not a "gamer". The two most programs that I routinely use that seem to bog down the computer resources the most are:
DxO PhotoLab 2 and
Topaz (reiterative deconvolution)

In fact both of the above programs perform different forms of deconvolution, that results in more detail being seen in the final photograph.

I have no idea if having a faster video processor will speed up these programs or not?! Does anyone else know?

A modest, middle of the road GPU is all you need, with enough memory to support your screen resolution. You will need some serious cpu power in order to not spend a couple of minutes for each image when you use deconvolution.

This may help:

https://feedback.dxo.com/t/what-hardware-variables-matter-for-photolab-performance/4374

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Gene51 wrote:

A modest, middle of the road GPU is all you need, with enough memory to support your screen resolution. You will need some serious cpu power in order to not spend a couple of minutes for each image when you use deconvolution.

This may help:

https://feedback.dxo.com/t/what-hardware-variables-matter-for-photolab-performance/4374

Thank you.

It's been six years since I bought myself a new computer. My old/current MacBook Pro has a 15.5 inch screen and uses the older
"Lighting Bolt", and USB-2 ports. I think it's about time I update my computer.

Apple only offers two choices when ordering thier new computer:
1) AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 4GB of GDDR6 memory
2) AMD Radeon Pro 5500M with 8GB of GDDR6 memory (for an additional $90)

So it's the same processor with more memory. I'm willing to spend another $90 on the off chance that I might do some gaming some day.

The expensive upgrade for me will be the:
1) 64GB 2666MHz DDR4 memory $360 (needed for optimum performance)
2) 8TB SSD storage $1,980.00 (expensive but it will mean that I eliminate attaching the HD the external HD that is currently attached to the back of my screen with Velcro.)

8 TB is a lot of memory! Hopefully more than I will ever need. I'll still do periodic backups to my little 5 TB external HD using a thunderbolt cable.

jgudpns Loc: Pensacola, FL

Do you need 8TB for normal use and editing? I'd put that money into a good NAS. For <$1,500 you can get a 4 or 5 RAID unit (I'm using a Synology DS918+ unit with 4-4 TB drives - giving you 12TB of RAID 5) which you can use. That way a single drive failure (either in the Macbook or your external drive. Yes, it would not be as fast as the Thunderbolt drive, but a lot more versatile for day to day use. Still would keep the Thunderbolt drive for out on the road, maybe...

Not a Mac person, but I'd go for the most memory in the Video card, and I'd also max the RAM.

Good luck!

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

Thanks for the reply. No, I doubt that I would ever come close to using all of the 8 TB SDD. In my current MacBook Pro I only have a 1 GB SSD. I use less than half that SSD to store all my programs and few other things. I have an external 4 GB HD. This external drive is less than half full of my photographs. I currently effectively have 5TB of memory and only use half of it.

I like to keep plenty of head room and think it safer to have more than I need than to have NOT ENOUGH! The problem in buying a current Apple computer is that they are NOT user up-gradable. We are stuck with what ever we buy. As I already have an effective 5 TB of memory, the next step up is the expensive 8TB SSD. That's more than I will ever need but it will all be internal to the computer eliminating the need of a cable that can get knocked loose.

I switched to Macs years ago because my son had one. There is an Apple store a short drive from my house where I can carry my MacBook and get direct support. I like that. I can hand it to them and tell them what my problem is and to fix it.

BebuLamar

I don't know about the Mac. I thought the MacBook is a laptop and you can't change the video card. Am I wrong?

BillFeffer Loc: Adolphus, KY

rcarol wrote:

I've been using the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 on my windows PC. It is a middle of the road video card that won't break the bank but has sufficient processing power to get the job done for me.

I just added the same card (4gb) to my PC. It made a very big difference in LR and PS in a system with 32gb ram and a 1tb m.2 ssd.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

BebuLamar wrote:

I don't know about the Mac. I thought the MacBook is a laptop and you can't change the video card. Am I wrong?

You are correct. I plan of upgrading my 6 year old one with a new model MacBook Pro that was recently announced. Now is the only time I have chance to select options.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

BillFeffer wrote:

I just added the same card (4gb) to my PC. It made a very big difference in LR and PS in a system with 32gb ram and a 1tb m.2 ssd.

Thank you. That's good to know. I suspect the same will be true for a MacBook.

BebuLamar

Davethehiker wrote:

You are correct. I plan of upgrading my 6 year old one with a new model MacBook Pro that was recently announced. Now is the only time I have chance to select options.

Once again I am not familiar with the Mac. I found for a PC laptop the video card options are not that many and the most expensive vs the least expensive options are not that much different in price. So if I order one I would pick the best.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Davethehiker wrote:

I'm a photographer not a "gamer". The two most programs that I routinely use that seem to bog down the computer resources the most are:
DxO PhotoLab 2 and
Topaz (reiterative deconvolution)

In fact both of the above programs perform different forms of deconvolution, that results in more detail being seen in the final photograph.

I have no idea if having a faster video processor will speed up these programs or not?! Does anyone else know?

Watch the recent videos on Max Yuryev’s YouTube channels. He and his assistant have reviewed them thoroughly and addressed your issues.

I doubt the 16” will disappoint you! Even the base 13” MBP is decent for photographers, although you will need to pay upfront for memory and internal storage capacity. You can hook up a dock, though, and connect nearly anything.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

burkphoto wrote:

Watch the recent videos on Max Yuryev’s YouTube channels. He and his assistant have reviewed them thoroughly and addressed your issues.

I doubt the 16” will disappoint you! Even the base 13” MBP is decent for photographers, although you will need to pay upfront for memory and internal storage capacity. You can hook up a dock, though, and connect nearly anything.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

BebuLamar wrote:

I don't know about the Mac. I thought the MacBook is a laptop and you can't change the video card. Am I wrong?

You have options when ordering only from the online Apple Store.

Davethehiker Loc: South West Pennsylvania

I intend to walk into the local Apple store, ordering a loaded 16 inch MaxBook Pro, then asking for the 10% teachers discount. I think may also get another discount if I open a new Apple credit card? I'll find out. I think you can get 3% cash back for purchases made at Apple if you use their credit card.

My wife is a HS art teacher. She teaches PhotoShop. I got the teachers discount the last time I bought an Apple computer. They do have some hoops that they made me jump through. i.e. letter from the school and a pay stub. That comes to over a $700 saving and will help pay for that expensive memory.