Which computer? OK, all my geeky UHH buds, I need some advice. I have two new computers. One I bought some time ago but never set it up until this week. I bought another new computer...

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

OK, all my geeky UHH buds, I need some advice. I have two new computers. One I bought some time ago but never set it up until this week. I bought another new computer yesterday. One I plan to keep and the other will be set up for my grandson. I want to keep the faster of the two for my photo work. Here is what is inside each computer: #1. has an i7 -7700 chip, 8gb RAM, + 16gb Intel Optain memory (I don't even know what that is - first time I've heard of it.). Computer #2 has an older i7-6700 chip with 12gb RAM with no additional memory. Otherwise the two computers are almost identical: Both HP, 1tb hard drives etc.

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

I personally would rather have the 8Gb of RAM +16 Gb cache as so many programs are memory intensive.

The Optain memory is probably cache memory, gives the PC more speed in operating.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

Longshadow wrote:

I personally would rather have the 8Gb of RAM +16Gb cache as so many programs are memory intensive.

The Optain memory is probably cache memory, gives the PC more speed in operating.

Thanks for the input!

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Bridges wrote:

Thanks for the input!

Not sure how much faster the PC with the Optain memory would be though.

It's kinda a trade-off as cache and RAM are not quite the same.
Hopefully the 7700 processor is also faster than the 6700.

twowindsbear

Perhaps pose this ???? to HP - seems the manufacturer would KNOW.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Look here: https://www.urtech.ca/2017/07/solved-intel-optane-optane-run-faster-ssd/

Seems the Optane memory is a separate memory stick that acts as a cache for the main RAM. When powered down it does not lose the info at the time of shut down so when you power up it takes you right to the place you left off when you shut down.
At least that is what it seems to be saying.
So large cache and faster startup.

Is it faster over all? The article seems to say it is a definite "Maybe" depending on hardware and other factors. It seems to be best at speeding up standard HDD but ... ah, read the article, it is giving me a headache.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

robertjerl wrote:

Look here: https://www.urtech.ca/2017/07/solved-i... (show quote)

Thanks for some good info there!

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

Longshadow wrote:

Not sure how much faster the PC with the Optain memory would be though.

It's kinda a trade-off as cache and RAM are not quite the same.
Hopefully the 7700 processor is also faster than the 6700.

Thank you!

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

twowindsbear wrote:

Perhaps pose this ???? to HP - seems the manufacturer would KNOW.

Thanks, I would but have you ever tried to get help from one of these big computer companies? I've been on hold for 45 minutes sitting in a queue. You guys on UHH are faster and often make more sense.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Two different things. The optain is cache. It saves the last 16gb of data read off the hard drive so it is accessible much faster than reading it off the hard drive again. RAM is working memory. That’s what the processor is working with. There’s debate about which is more important, processor speed or more RAM. in this case the i7-7700 is less than 6% faster. For photo processing I’d rather have 50% more RAM.

Bridges Loc: Memphis, Charleston SC, now Nazareth PA

SuperflyTNT wrote:

Two different things. The optain is cache. It saves the last 16gb of data read off the hard drive so it is accessible much faster than reading it off the hard drive again. RAM is working memory. That’s what the processor is working with. There’s debate about which is more important, processor speed or more RAM. in this case the i7-7700 is less than 6% faster. For photo processing I’d rather have 50% more RAM.

Thank you! Sounds right. I have a small SSD (120gb), and there is probably a program that would allow me to set it up to operate like the optain card.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Bridges wrote:

OK, all my geeky UHH buds, I need some advice. I ... (show quote)

You should be able to find the specs. for those two i7 microprocessors on Intel's Web site. I believe my own Dell PC has a i7-6700. If so, it is pretty nice, 3.4GHz, 4-core with Hyperthreading (8 threads), but I have a whopping 32GB RAM. So check out your i7-7700. It may be a higher model, the chip alone is fairly expensive.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

SuperflyTNT wrote:

Two different things. The optain is cache. It saves the last 16gb of data read off the hard drive so it is accessible much faster than reading it off the hard drive again. RAM is working memory. That’s what the processor is working with. There’s debate about which is more important, processor speed or more RAM. in this case the i7-7700 is less than 6% faster. For photo processing I’d rather have 50% more RAM.

If they were mine, regardless of which you choose, I’d take the 8GB or 12 GB up to 16 GB for your machine and add a 500GB SSD for the OS and aps. If it has 12GB, it likely has a 8GB and a 4GB in 2 slots, so just put an 8GB DIMM of the same type in place of the 4. If the 8GB machine has 4 slots, just add 2 more 4s (you may be able to use one of the 4s from the 12 GB machine) but if only 2 slots, you’ll need to retire or trade the 4s and change to 8s.

Then add the SSD and migrate the OS and aps over and use the HD for data/photos The Optane cache is not a good substitute for SSD - it’s essentially a fast disk cache. It will help in certain circumstances, such as a single threaded ap (such as gaming) but not as much when there are multiple aps running - not all data is cacahable.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

As TriX said, add memory. It's cheap and easy to do. Adding an SSD is easy and not very costly, and it will speed things up.

You could also test each computer doing an involved processing job. If you want to faster computer, see which one is faster. The difference might be insignificant and depend on the specific job it's doing.

bobmcculloch Loc: NYC, NY

Bridges wrote:

OK, all my geeky UHH buds, I need some advice. I ... (show quote)

I googled Optane a while back, confusing, seems to be some extra but slow memory in the cache, better do your own search , if you get a better description please let me know, BTW I've only seen it advertised on HP machines.