Computer speed difference in real life hobby machine

[Chris Ashdown]

I am a old crinkly who is confused by computer speed differences in the main regarding intel i-5 or i-7 versions over the version say 3 to the updated versions like version 12-13

I am not talking about gaming or massive high resolution images just every day use on modern software using up to 12gb ram and a ssd drive

are we talking a couple of seconds which are hardly noticeable or far bigger time differences

Typical software would be say Photoshop, Blender, relatively basic cnc software, Google, Office, etc

 

[FranPlanet]

It depends how many cores and the clock speed. For your usage, I wouldn't worry about the i number. I've built and emulated android apps on an i5 with 2.6ghz quad core.

12gb ram is good for blender and Photoshop, you'll probably want to look for a CPU with quad core 2.6ghz minimum.

 

[DontAsk]

One problem is that software gets more bloated as machine performance increases.

Newer generations do not necessarily bring a big performance boost, but, in general, I would go for a later generation, rather than say an di5 over an i3.

Unless you are into serious gaming then you don't ned to be at the bleeding edge.

I had to upgrade my GPU and PSU (also upgraded the RAM to 32GB) to run the latest Davinci Resolve for producing YouTube content, on my i3-9100, so, depending what you are doing, it's not just about the CPU.

 

[Nico Albrecht]

You've got both ends of the spectrum covered.

For Adobe Photoshop, you'll want ample RAM, lightning-fast storage, a decently high GHz multi-core CPU, and a GPU on the lower end of the spectrum.

Blender demands all the cores available, along with a decent GPU and generous RAM.

Office software is more forgiving and can run on just about anything. However, for a smooth experience with Adobe Photoshop and Blender, you're looking at a minimum of an i7 with 64GB RAM, a speedy SSD, and a mid to high-range GPU.

These specs represent the mid-range for decent speeds and enjoyable workflow. For serious commercial work where time is of the essence, some one want to invest in Dell or HP workstations equipped with Intel Xeon dual CPUs, high-performance Quadro GPUs, and at least 128GB of RAM. Such setups can cost well over 6k when new.

The good news is that these high-end workstations often flood eBay after just a few years of use by businesses, making them available at a fraction of their original cost.

To answer your question, the difference in performance is significant, not just in seconds. It's essential not to underestimate the hardware requirements for demanding applications like Blender and Photoshop, as lower-end CPUs like i3s and i5s with limited RAM can seriously hinder performance.

 

[Nico Albrecht]

As a recommendation that doesn't break the bank and has plenty of power is a spec like that refurbished @ £950 incl. VAT. You get a lot of power for very little money that has good cooling build in

HP Z4 G4 Xeon Workstation

https://www.bargainhardware.co.uk/hp-z4-g4-twr-configure-to-order?c_b=68280

 

[Chris Ashdown]

As a recommendation that doesn't break the bank and has plenty of power is a spec like that refurbished @ £950 incl. VAT. You get a lot of power for very little money that has good cooling build in

HP Z4 G4 Xeon Workstation

https://www.bargainhardware.co.uk/hp-z4-g4-twr-configure-to-order?c_b=68280

As a retired person The only reason using a computer is to keep the very old grey cells working so a quite small requirement and at present time just a interest in the differences, I understand that heavy users need the better machines but reviews tend to be written at the top end and talk of millsec so hard to keep upto date with such a vast range

 

[japancool]

As a retired person The only reason using a computer is to keep the very old grey cells working so a quite small requirement and at present time just a interest in the differences, I understand that heavy users need the better machines but reviews tend to be written at the top end and talk of millsec so hard to keep upto date with such a vast range

I dunno about Photoshop and Blender, but I use Corel Paint Shop and POVray 3.7 (which is quite old now), and my 8GB i5-2500k (3.6GHz) is more than adequate. The only changes I've made to it in the last few years is to bang an SSD and 8GB more RAM into it. For general office work, my £200 laptop is enough.

Though it's probably time to upgrade the desktop at some point soon, when I can be bothered to spend a weekend taking it apart and putting a whole new motherboard and whatnot in.

The slowest bit of software I use is PowerBI, but then again, that's Microsoft for you.

 

[Nico Albrecht]

p end and talk of millsec

We talk here in minutes to hours to be honest. Let's say an older Intel Core i7-6600U CPU @ 2.60GHz top of the line will score a median 25 in Blender. This CPU was top notch in 2016.

A modern 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700 will get you a Blender Score of 400+ so about 16 times faster and uses half the power.

The fastest Blender Score recorded on consumer tech is around 3600. So even a a top i7 13th gen CPU looks like a pleb against that.

This is just an example that we are not talking seconds here and a render would take 1min instead of 16min on a CPU only 7 years apart in the same segment.

Blender and Adobe photoshop req. very modern fast tech to run fast and stable. It will run on older tech but not a very enjoyable experience even for just learning.

Technically both apps rec. even the more expensive Quadro GPU's which makes them more expensive rigs than gaming computers.

 

[CertaxBexley]

I am a old crinkly who is confused by computer speed differences in the main regarding intel i-5 or i-7 versions over the version say 3 to the updated versions like version 12-13

I am not talking about gaming or massive high resolution images just every day use on modern software using up to 12gb ram and a ssd drive

are we talking a couple of seconds which are hardly noticeable or far bigger time differences

Typical software would be say Photoshop, Blender, relatively basic cnc software, Google, Office, etc

You will not see any real world speed differencial in day to day use, so forget the hype. Photoshop depending on how you use it is the only one that might benifit by micro secs.

 

[Chris Ashdown]

We talk here in minutes to hours to be honest. Let's say an older Intel Core i7-6600U CPU @ 2.60GHz top of the line will score a median 25 in Blender. This CPU was top notch in 2016.

A modern 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13700 will get you a Blender Score of 400+ so about 16 times faster and uses half the power.

The fastest Blender Score recorded on consumer tech is around 3600. So even a a top i7 13th gen CPU looks like a pleb against that.

This is just an example that we are not talking seconds here and a render would take 1min instead of 16min on a CPU only 7 years apart in the same segment.

Blender and Adobe photoshop req. very modern fast tech to run fast and stable. It will run on older tech but not a very enjoyable experience even for just learning.

Technically both apps rec. even the more expensive Quadro GPU's which makes them more expensive rigs than gaming computers.

Thanks Niko but as i said in the first post "I am not talking about gaming or massive high resolution images just every day use on modern software using up to 12gb ram and a ssd drive"

I totally understand the difference in high end rendering and basic hobby stuff, but you have answered my question in a way, photoshop to me is only used to improve photo's not produce some games magazine front page

Massive difference between amature general use and a professional user

 

[IanSuth]

Another application that eats processing is modern CCTV, when you have 16 cameras feeding in hi definition pictures that is a lot of image data to be crunched (and stored) but not something a lot of people think about when upgrading their systems