Sorry if my question is not fit for this forum, but I think people here will have the best knowledge to help me. My home PC is getting pretty old (a 2.4 GHz Intel Core2 duo processor, 4 GB DDR2 Ram) and processing raw images in Rawtherapee on this “beast” is getting painful, even for my small 16 MPixels X-Trans images. It’s really holding me back. So I decided I would upgrade my system (motherboard, CPU and ram), with the maximum of 200€ (about 220 USD) I can afford.
I spent quite a lot of time searching on internet, and I’m still not sure what processor I should take, knowing that this computer will be mostly for processing images in Rawtherapee, and some editing in Gimp, but no gaming, on a Linux OS. Should I aim to the maximum number of cores/threads (favouring AMD), or less cores/threads but higher clock speed (favouring Intel such as the Pentium G3258)? And regarding the couple CPU/Ram, should I favour a better CPU with 4GB of ram, or a lower end CPU with 8GB ram?
Sorry again if I’m not posting at the right place.
@sguyader I would go with 8 GB Ram and (as you’re using native builds) a CPU which features FMA and AVX. Though RT doesn’t have hand written AVX code (only SSE2), compiling RT using gcc 5.3 uses SSE4, AVX and FMA instructions when it’s beneficial.
Thanks Ingo, I was particularly expecting a response from you, I knew it would be valuable!
There’s this Pentium G3258, clocked at 3.2GHz stock but apparently easily overclockable to higher speed (4GHz annd more without overheating) but it is has 2 cores, 2 threads. I can pair it with a good MSI motherboard and 8 GB Ram for exactly the price I can afford.
For the same price, I can get an AMD FX6300 (3.5GHz, 6 cores) and a cheaper motherboard. Which one would be better, if you have any idea?
Edit: actually the intel Pentium CPUs doesn’t have AVX nor FMA, while the AMD CPUs do, so maybe I should go the AMD way
Hi Ingo, I might build a desktop for Ubuntu and RT. Is there a graphics card you’d suggest, please? I’m not into gaming so don’t need a very fancy card. Photo processing mainly, including support for the higher res monitors these days. If it costs a lot more to play 4K video well, I can do without that too. Also, it would be an FX6300 processor or similar as you suggest, socket AM3+. Looking at motherboards, is the 970 chipset ok do you happen to know, or would a 990 board be quicker for RT? Thanks, Andrew
@RawConvert regarding the motherboard chipset, it depends if you want to overclock your CPU, mobos with higher chipsets tend to also have better components to provide more stable voltages et less heating. Lower chipsets often don’t support more recent technologies such as USB 3.0 and SATA 3 (6 GB/s) as well as the max RAM capacity and number of RAM slots. If you don’t plan to push your mobo, a 970 chipset should be enough but I suggest you look at the USB and SATA specifications and make sure the manufacturer has included support for those more recent technologies. That’s what I’m gonna get when I get cash to upgrade.
Regarding a graphics card, if not for gaming any recent card should do the job, particularly if you run a single monitor. I’ll give you some references I chose based on this when I get back home.
I find 2GB to be restrictive for 4k if you have compositing, things run slowly when too many windows are open. I’d say that 1 would be the bare minimum for a non composited window manager, 2 would be more comfortable.
4 gigabytes would be comfortable with compositing.
I use a 2 gigabyte Nvidia 750 Ti with a 4k display.
Sebastien, thanks for the info.
I’m unlikely to do any overclocking and the 970 chipset looks ok with USB3 and SATA3 present on the mobos.
Where I often look, a mid-price 970 board is about 70GBP and this is MSI or ASUS or Gigabyte, which I feel are good makes. They have the one you mention for 55GBP, however there are poor reviews, see here
However there’s an ASRock 990FX Extreme3 for 84GBP, though I’ve no idea if this is a good brand.
The latter chipset goes at 52Gt/s compared with “only” 48 for the 970 chipset. I’ve no idea if this would make RT a bit more responsive when tweaking things. @carVac, thanks too. I just looked up composited window manager in wikipedia, it says Linux works this way, so I assume my intended Ubuntu does also. You mention “too many windows” – is your card fast if RT is the only app/window running?
Thanks, Andrew
@RawConvert My advice to go for AMD FX was only for Sébastien because he listed two choices and the AMD FX was the better one of the two for about the same money. If money doesn’t play a big role, I would go for a new Intel CPU. About the mobos I don’t know. RT doesn’t use GPU, which means that it’s not important for RT.