get a new video card or other upgrade for performance?

I am a bit weak in the hardware aspects of computers so seeking some advice. I am running DavRes 14 with the intention of going to DR 15 soon. I edit most 4K footage from Sony DSLR's. Usually short stuff like interviews using two tracks simultaneously to cut back and forth. I'd like to also do some noise reduction down the road on Aurora video I am taking (also 4K). i get some lagging at times currently. I'd like to improve my performance overall.

I have two options. Rebuild an older computer I have (case with 750Wt power supply but old Video card and i7 CPU at 2.8ghhz) or upgrade something (video card i suspect) in my current Dell 8900 (I think that's the model, much smaller case than the other one).

The Dell has a i7 6700 CPU @ 4Ghz, 4 cores, (8 logical pro-somthings - my pic cut off what I wrote down). It currently has a Nvidia GTX690, and 32GB of RAM.

Recommendations and suggestions? I know rebuilding the other one bottom up (motherboard, new CPU and killer Video card) would be the bomb, but maybe overkill and likely $1500-2000. What would be my best bang for the buck to get the Dell where it needs to be? i've read the space for a video card can be tight, some recommending a "mini" card. Anyone with real world experience or knowledge willing to share some thoughts and ideas? Running on Windows 10 64 bit.

The GTX690 has 2x2GB so it are 2 video cards with 2 GByte each in one housing. For 4k video editing it's nice to have between atleast 3-6 GB (more is always welcome) per video chip.

The codec from your sony is CPU heavy so a fast CPU also helps.

Check in the task manager of windows 10 how hard both CPU and GPU have to work when your system is throttling (it might give you some clearer picture of what your computer is doing and which parts are stressed with certain workloads.).

Recommendations and suggestions?

Hi.

In Resolve the CPU is used to run the app, disk I/O and compression and decompression of codecs.
Resolve does all its image processing in the GPU on the graphics card. More CUDA/OpenCL Cores are better.

Intel yesterday had their annual fall CPU launch event. It was expected and AMD answers will come on 9 Januar 2019 when AMD CEO, Lisa Su, will be delivering the keynote for their CES 2019 presentation in Las Vegas:

Quote: 'In 2019, AMD will catapult computing, gaming, and visualization technologies forward with the world’s first 7nm high-performance CPUs and GPUs, providing the power required to reach technology’s next horizon.'

From: https://www.ces.tech/News/Press-Release ... 65a2652e47

To find out what the 7nm process node will give us, can we look at this link for the new 7nm Radeon Instinct Vega GPUs, that is good for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning:

Quote: 'AMD claims the new 7nm process is twice as dense as its 14nm process, and the 7nm Vega die appears to be roughly 40% smaller than its predecessor. The new process also affords a 2x increase in power efficiency and AMD also claims it provides a 1.35x increase in performance.'

From: https://www.tomshardware.com/news/amd-7 ... 37228.html

That the 7nm die appears to be roughly 40% smaller than its predecessor, will produce 40% more dies from a single Wafer. And either reducing the cost of manufacture or giving us more performance from a new larger die with more transistors. The new 7nm or 10nm nodes are the future.


But I don't know if you can wait so long?

So here is your best bang for the buck. It will be to get last years 12 cores 24 threads 1920X CPU from AMD currently reduced to half price and build a new system.

I have made a small guide for a recommended build. Here is a copy and paste of it to you:

'Carsten's hardware guide for DaVinchi Resolve. Version from 4. October 2018.

In Resolve the CPU is used to run the app, disk I/O and compression and decompression of codecs.
Resolve does all its image processing in the GPU on the graphics card. More CUDA/OpenCL Cores are better.

nVidea have just introduced the new nVidea RTX 2080/Ti Graphics Card series with higher CUDA performance.
For 4K choose one with 8-11 GB of vRAM. And more CUDA cores is better.
The Previus GTX 1080 Ti 11GB can be a good way to get one with 11GB of vRam, as more vRam is better.

There is a maximum of one graphics card in the free version of Resolve. If you want to use Noise Reduction etc. then you probably will need 2 GPUs with 11 GB vRam each and the paid Studie version of Resolve.

In the DaVinci Resolve 15 configuration guide is one of the suggestion on page 18 the AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPU.

https://documents.blackmagicdesign.com/ ... _Guide.pdf

All AMD CPU's loves fast memory, and on page 36 under GIGABYTE Motherboard:

16GB (4x4GB RAM) DDR4-3200 SDRAM minimum
64GB or 128GB or more recommend for FUSION

Back in August AMD launched AMD Threadripper next generation with a little cheaper CPU's. For 4K work look at the new 16 cores 32 threads 2950X that get much better reviews than expected.

When I try to check prices don't I yet see any big price drops on the previous 16 core 32 threads Threadripper 1950X CPU's. So far for 16 core 32 threads CPU will I recommend the new 2950X.
While I currently see some large price drops on the 12 core 24 threads 1920X CPU's. It will be good as a entry level CPU for Rersolve.

Both the old and new Threadrippers CPU use a TR4 socket and a X399 motherboards. Suggest you to buy one with nice reviews. If you later want to upgrade to a faster CPU will I suggest you to
buy a Asus motherboard, as they can be upgraded to a TDP of 250 Watt by buying the X399 cooling enhancement kit coming later.
Make sure you inspect the Motherboards TR4 socket carefully for bent pins, before your insert the CPU into it. And for CPU's with more than 20 cores will I look for a motherboard with a 16+3 VRM circuit.

Look here for a Free NVMe RAID upgrade for AMD X399 chipset:

https://community.amd.com/community/gam ... 99-chipset

All motherboard have a QVL List you can find on the manufactures homepage. Here you can see what DDR4-Ram they have tested in that particular motherboard. The Configuration Guide recommend to use minimum DDR4-3200.

The cheapest recommended RAM is many times the G.Skill Flare X DDR4. The Flare X series is made special for AMD CPU's

The Threadripper CPU's have a 4 channel memory design. You will get the fastest system by using 4 DIMM's only, and leave the last 4 sockets empty.

Do you still have some questens you are free to ask.'

Regards Carsten.

Recommendations and suggestions?

I have made a small guide for a recommended build. Here is a copy and paste of it to you:

'Carsten's hardware guide for DaVinchi Resolve. Version from 4. October 2018.


Do you still have some questens you are free to ask.'

Regards Carsten.

Phew, thanks Carsten! A ton of information, and some of it a bit over my head maybe, or too much to digest for my novice'ish level of computer understanding. I couldn't get the "copy and paste" to work. Can you re-post that?


I scrubbed through some video and it looks like the CPU is the weak link.

CPU-usage

Apparently there is no great way, or even any way to upgrade the CPU in the 8900 system, or do I missunderstand? Honestly I'd rather spend $500 or less at this point to have "enough". if that's possible, and it may not be. I'm getting by with what I have, and it's not too bad, but the upgrade to DR 15 may change that.

If that's not realistic, in my old computer case I have the 750wt power supply and a Gigabyte Ga-x58a-ud3r mother board with a GBB 36x controller and the i7 CPU 930 @ 2.8ghz. I assume all but the power supply is outdated and useless?

I only do this on the side and don't need a cutting edge machine. I'm thinking the 12 core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920X (12-core/24-thread) Desktop Processor (YD192XA8AEWOF) for $150 less would be fine. Of course I'll need, what? A new motherboard, RAM, and a video card? Suggestions there for mid to entry level build? I am more concerned with real time scrubbing and editing. I don't have an issue running noise reduction over night if it takes a while.

The GTX690 has 2x2GB so it are 2 video cards with 2 GByte each in one housing. For 4k video editing it's nice to have between atleast 3-6 GB (more is always welcome) per video chip.

The codec from your sony is CPU heavy so a fast CPU also helps.

Check in the task manager of windows 10 how hard both CPU and GPU have to work when your system is throttling (it might give you some clearer picture of what your computer is doing and which parts are stressed with certain workloads.).

Yup, looks like it's the CPU that's got me. Thanks for the advice.

I only do this on the side and don't need a cutting edge machine. I'm thinking the 12 core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920X (12-core/24-thread) Desktop Processor (YD192XA8AEWOF) for $150 less would be fine. Of course I'll need, what? A new motherboard, RAM, and a video card? Suggestions there for mid to entry level build? I am more concerned with real time scrubbing and editing. I don't have an issue running noise reduction over night if it takes a while.

Hi.

I don't know where you live and the prices for last years Threadripper 1920X is different in different parts of the world. But AMD official price was last year 799$ and was last month reduced to 399$. But many places the actual prices is between 424$ and 499$.

But this ýears Treadripper 2920X will arrive worldwide 29th Oktober to 649$. So I hope/expect the actual prices of the 1920X drop.

nVidea just began to ship the new top RTX 2080 TI 11 GB Graphics Card, but rumors on the Internet says that 3 Graphics cards manufacturers from Taiwan still have huge stocks of the previous model GTX 1080 TI 11 GB. When supply of the new RTX 2080 TI 11 GB Graphics Card normalize, do I expect the price of both the new and the previous models to drop.

4K have 4 times the pixels of full HD and require 4 times the VRams on the Craphics Cards for editing and grading. If you want to use Noise Reduction You will need even more vRam to be able to save a sequence of frames for comparison used in the Noise Reduction. So for 4K Noise Reduction is at least 11 GB vRam recommended.

If you accept slow Noise Reduction will one GTX 1080 TI with 11 GB will be enough. But my advice must be to buy a motherboard with space for at least one extra GTX 1080 TI 11 GB, so you some time in the future can upgrade, if you need it.

If you can reuse you 750 Watt power supply, will depend on how old it is and what plugs is have. If you can tell us the brand and type number can we properly tell you, if it is an good idea.

Regards Carsten.

You cannot do noise reduction with the free version of resolve.

It's a balance of cpu, drives, bandwidth in the system and gpu.

1080ti (or the Vega 64) are solid choices. One for start.
Drives, both space and speed: in 4k you will need space, especially if you're going to cache the files. Build a raid.
Cpu, the fastest/ more cores the better.
Bandwidth, you don't want the motherboard kill the whole system because you don't have enough lanes.

Overkill one element and not upgrade the others will just frustrate you at the end.

All good information and great thoughts. I appreciate your time.

If I could keep it under a grand that would be ideal. May not be reasonable if I need basically everything except a power source and case!

I have seen and am interested in the 1080 card. Is that the 1080 ti , or will just the 1080 suffice?

I'll check the power source when I get home. I know compatibility is always a concern, and to be honest, I don't know enough to make sure I'll have that. I think you all do though so thanks again for pointing me in the right direction.

Also sounds like a purchase in Nov would be a wise choice due to potential price drops. I might even push out to take advantage of the Black Friday deals! Are there places you like for computer stuff that does black friday or cyber monday deals?

You cannot do noise reduction with the free version of resolve.

.

I'd plan on getting the Studio version.

But many places the actual prices is between 424$ and 499$.

But this ýears Treadripper 2920X will arrive worldwide 29th Oktober to 649$. So I hope/expect the actual prices of the 1920X drop.

If you accept slow Noise Reduction one GTX 1080 TI with 11 GB will be enough. But my advice must be to buy a motherboard with space for at least one extra GTX 1080 TI 11 GB, so you some time in the future can upgrade, if you need it.

If you can reuse you 750 Watt power supply, will depend on how old it is and what plugs is have. If you can tell us the brand and type number can we properly tell you, if it is an good idea.

Regards Carsten.

Thanks -current USA prices seem to be mid $400's. What Mother board would you recommend for one, and an alternative for 2 video card slots?

I'll look at my power supply and let you know what it is.

If you can reuse you 750 Watt power supply, will depend on how old it is and what plugs is have. If you can tell us the brand and type number can we properly tell you, if it is an good idea.

Regards Carsten.

It's a Cosair TX 750.

I have seen and am interested in the 1080 card. Is that the 1080 ti , or will just the 1080 suffice?

Hi.

In Resolve all the Image Processing is done in the Graphics card. More CUDA cores are better. And the GTX 1080 Ti have more CUDA cores than the GTX 1080.

Noise Reduction need a lot of vRam. And the GTX 1080 Ti have 11GB vRam and the the GTX 1080 only 8 GB vRam.

This is the two main reasons I recommend the GTX 1080 Ti 11GB.


X399 Motherboards are either ATX or EATX in size and recommendation will depend on if you now or later want to buy a Blackmagic DeckLink PCI Card?

https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/decklink

Some require a single PCI slot, others require a dual PCI slot. Space for two dual slot PCI Graphics Cards and one dual slot DeckLink PCI Card will really limit your choice for X399 motherboards.

Many generation 1 Treadripper system is build with water cooling. But now have Cooler Master in corporation with AMD developed an Air coler for the Threadripper CPU's.
It works with both generation 1 and generation 2 CPU's. But it is huge. It is so huge that on some X399 motherboards it cover the first PCI x16 slot, where you normally want to mount one of your Graphics Cards. So when using the Cooler Master Threadripper Coolers on some X399 motherboards can you only use one Graphics Cards. The problem is the actual distance from the CPU socket and to the first PCI slot.

An alternative with a less cooling can be the Noctua TR4 cooler. As I remember do Noctua make 3 different coolers for the TR4 Threadrippers with different physical sizes. The largest giving the best cooling.

In this link under 'MAINBOARD COMPATIBILITY' can you see what TR4 Threadripper X399 motherboards they have tested:

https://noctua.at/en/products/cpu-coole ... ocket_4092


Finally I will write about your corsair tx750 power supply. When I search on this link do I find 3 or 4 different versions.

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R ... c=50&rt=nc

But for the moment will I write, as long it is a ATX power supply and have the right connectors to supply the power to you SSD and hard drives will I expect it will be OK for powering a Trieadripper system with ONE graphics card. I am not sure that I will recommend it for a system with TWO GTX 1080 TI's.

Regards Carsten.