About PC processors?

[Göran Nordberg]

Hello Folks!
Anyone using an AMD processor?
I have noticed that people is using i7, i5 or even i9, I use i7 myself.
My computer is about 12 years old now and the BIOS was updated once many years ago.
Thinking of an upgrade not now but in the near future I think.
The integrated GPU became useless after an electrical spike or something.
I have used an old Nvidia card ever since, that was a few years ago.

[Microstudio]

Hardware has far outpaced DAW needs, I use a 2010 Mac Pro with 128GB RAM, and everything runs great. The main thing nowadays is RAM, VST's use a lot of it and most modern CPU's have no problem running them.

[John Ludlow]

I guess I may be out of touch, but I was thinking that running an AMD was asking for problems with SAC/SAW. I haven't tried it myself, so I have no first hand knowledge. I just remember reading 'stick with an Intel processor' over and over through the years. That said, it seems like there have been fewer reports of hardware weirdness with SAC/SAW generally. That 64 bit version, at least, seems really historically solid, I think. So, maybe that extends to AMD too now? I don't know. But like Micro said - do yourself a favor and get some RAM.

Does anyone run AMD now? That would be good to know.

I would add that getting one that is relatively fast at single threaded processing is probably still a good idea, although you don't need to go overboard. You can check that here:

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html .

Sometimes a big multi-thread score is misleading. A processor that is considered fast because it has a lot of cores working together as a team may still disappoint you if its single core speed is lacking. SAC/SAW, for whatever reason, will only use 2 cores max. Or, at least that's what I saw when I did my testing several years ago. So, like, sixteen guys and two shovels. The other 14 mostly just stand around cracking jokes (although they will do OS housekeeping background tasks). It's a waste of hard hats.

[Göran Nordberg]

Well....I have 32GB RAM, and I could upgrade that, and then buy a faster GPU card, I think.
Any advice on graphics card ATI, Nvidia or something else?

[Göran Nordberg]

I would add that getting one that is relatively fast at single threaded processing is probably still a good idea, although you don't need to go overboard. You can check that here:

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/singleThread.html .

Interesting site, there is also something about "Video card Benchmark" I could take a look there and change my very old Nvidia to something.

[John Ludlow]

Interesting site, there is also something about "Video card Benchmark" I could take a look there and change my very old Nvidia to something.

While you were sleeping, computer graphics cards have become crazy fast - mostly for gaming purposes. The ones integrated into CPUs are pretty reasonable for simple application control, I think. I don't use an additional one on my DAW machine anymore. On the other hand, if you're doing video creation or editing - then I'm out of my depth and defer to Micro or one of the other visual creators.

You haven't mentioned it, but I have presumed that you have already upgraded to 64 bit Windows and SAW 64. If not - I strongly think you should consider it. For me, SAC/SAW 64 is the most important innovation in DAW during the past 12 years. All the RAM in the world won't help you if the OS and DAW can't address it, and - if you're still running 32 bit - it can't. Oh - and I still think of 32GB as a lot for running VSTs and VSTis. But I don't do extensive VSTi MIDI orchestrations either. I presume that more would be better if you do. RAM is cheap these days compared to 12 years ago at any rate.

Yes, I think that PassMark site is really great. I've referred to it forever when building PCs. But, I think it got a lot more useful more recently when it began ranking by single core as well.

[Göran Nordberg]

Hi again, I found in the back room where we have old data "junk" ATI Radeon 6850 from another computer, I can try it and then I put in more RAM.
PS: Thanks to all for helping

Win10 -64bit and SAW 64bit

[mr_es335]

Goran,

Great video card! Just install the bare-bones drivers. Avoid installing any of the "add-on" stuff.

PS: If you know how to what I refer to as a "back-door install" - or "manual install", then I strongly suggest that you employ that method.

[Göran Nordberg]

Goran,

Great video card! Just install the bare-bones drivers. Avoid installing any of the "add-on" stuff.

PS: If you know how to what I refer to as a "back-door install" - or "manual install", then I strongly suggest that you employ that method.

Hmm...I dont know what "manual install" and "back-door" install is.
I could use that method if You describe it.

[mr_es335]

Goran,

Check your email...