greenhorn
09-21-2008, 10:48 PM
I'm going to be building a computer partly for running Photoshop CS3, and I would welcome any feedback on the following spec's:
OS: Windows XP Pro SP2
Overclocking: No
Motherboard: Asus P5Q Deluxe
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Memory: 4 Gb Corsair "Dominator" (DDR2, 1066 MHz)
Video: Sapphire Radeon 3850
Primary HD: WD VelociRaptor 150 Gb
Case: Antec NSK6580B
A couple of specific FYI's and questions:
--My typical PS editing load is a single file of 100-500 Mb. I may also batch process 500-1000 13-megapixel raw files in Bridge/Camera Raw, but generally not at the same time as I am working in Photoshop (although if I comfortably could, I might do it).
--As I understand it, CS3 only makes use of 2 cores. I assume that the system will deploy the other 2 cores to run background processes, other applications running simulanteously, etc. Is that correct? Does anyone know if Photoshop, Bridge, and Camera Raw, running simultaneously, would be piled into the same 2 cores, or whether they would be spread across all 4 cores?
--Given the rest of the setup, how much advantage would there be in upgrading to the Q9550?
--Re disk drives, I will have at least a 1 TB eSATA drive for image storage. The primary drive is for system/applications only, and I may add a second VelociRaptor for the PS scratch disk.
--Are the VelociRaptors worth it? Will I notice the difference vs. 7200 rpm drives?
--And, of course, will it all work? Are any of these components secretly incompatible with each other?
Many thanks,
greenhorn
OS: Windows XP Pro SP2
Overclocking: No
Motherboard: Asus P5Q Deluxe
CPU: Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
Memory: 4 Gb Corsair "Dominator" (DDR2, 1066 MHz)
Video: Sapphire Radeon 3850
Primary HD: WD VelociRaptor 150 Gb
Case: Antec NSK6580B
A couple of specific FYI's and questions:
--My typical PS editing load is a single file of 100-500 Mb. I may also batch process 500-1000 13-megapixel raw files in Bridge/Camera Raw, but generally not at the same time as I am working in Photoshop (although if I comfortably could, I might do it).
--As I understand it, CS3 only makes use of 2 cores. I assume that the system will deploy the other 2 cores to run background processes, other applications running simulanteously, etc. Is that correct? Does anyone know if Photoshop, Bridge, and Camera Raw, running simultaneously, would be piled into the same 2 cores, or whether they would be spread across all 4 cores?
--Given the rest of the setup, how much advantage would there be in upgrading to the Q9550?
--Re disk drives, I will have at least a 1 TB eSATA drive for image storage. The primary drive is for system/applications only, and I may add a second VelociRaptor for the PS scratch disk.
--Are the VelociRaptors worth it? Will I notice the difference vs. 7200 rpm drives?
--And, of course, will it all work? Are any of these components secretly incompatible with each other?
Many thanks,
greenhorn