Going to buy Ryzen for a photo/video, but 7700K benches smoke it sadly- help me choose what2buy

Combat squirrel · 15 Mar 2017 at 13:04

As title - I found a very specific set of bench marks looking ONLY AT PHOTO VIDEO SOFTWARE - over at (I'm not sure I'm allowed to say it) a very well known hardware store over in the USA - they only sell in the USA so im not sure im allowed to say it.

Anyway they found the following info with LR/PS/PP - and its shocked me to be honest.

Lightroom CC2015.8

Ryzen 1700x = 100% (Export Only)
Ryzen 1700x = 100% (All other stuff (Import, Previews, HDR, Pano etc)

7700K = 90% (Export Only)
7700K = 130% (All other stuff (Import, Previews, HDR, Pano etc)

i7 6950k Six Core = 141%
i7 6950k Six Core = 117%

Premiere Pro CC 2017

Ryzen 1700x = 100% (Warp Stab)
Ryzen 1700x = 100% (Render Previews)
Ryzen 1700x = 100% (Export Average)

7700K = 140% (Warp Stab)
7700K = 94% (Render Previews)
7700K = 94% (Export Average)

i7 6950k Six Core = 149% (Warp Stab)
i7 6950k Six Core= 107% (Render Previews)
i7 6950k Six Core = 110% (Export Average)

Photoshop CC 2017

Ryzen 1700x = 100% (HDR)
Ryzen 1700x = 100% (Photo Merge)
Ryzen 1700x = 100% (General Actions)

7700K = 116% (HDR)
7700K = 112% (Photo Merge)
7700K = 123% (General Actions)

i7 6950k Six Core = 117% (HDR)
i7 6950k Six Core= 104% (Photo Merge)
i7 6950k Six Core = 103% (General Actions)

As you can see the 7700k for content creation seems to be extremely good, and in these applications clearly faster - Im shocked because iv waited years for affordable multi core - but apparently the software isnt there yet - im 'getting by' on my 4710HQ CPU - but its really really annoying me lately and I need something a lot snappier.

MY MAIN FOCUS is - how fast the system is while im working on it and with it - im less bothered about exports as I can do that overnight.

Also with the 7700k - it means I might be able to get a laptop ?!?!

Am I mad to think the 7700k maybe the way forward ? This software is the ONLY software I use - but im worried as my 4710HQ is also 'ONLY' an 8 thread cpu - yet, with the same threads 7700k is apparently smoking everything - help ?!?!! Any input really really welcome guys.

zeam · 15 Mar 2017 at 13:16

I'm pretty sure I know the reviews you're referring too (dyslexic budget?) and I've been looking at them too. I do a lot of photoshop/lightroom work along with time-lapse and was hoping that Ryzen might present a good path going forward.

Having said that im not all that surprised, their previous reviews covering intels high core counts and photoshop didn't yield great results. the software isn't really well equipped to take advantage of high core counts. Combined with Adobe's own plan of upcoming features focusing almost exclusively on Mobile editing I doubt adobe will put much effort into making use of ryzens core count.

im going to stick with my 6700k for a while more

Columbo · 15 Mar 2017 at 13:45

Do you intend to overclock?

A 7700k is smoking pretty much everything because of it's high base clock speed, much of this can be caught back with overclocking but in same breath I'm not sure why you would consider yourself mad to be considering a 7700k. Its a very powerful CPU, on intel's architecture and doesn't really have a weakness as such other than the fact that it only has 4 cores which in reality doesn't really seem to be a weakness at all.

If its in the right price bracket / performance bracket for then just go and get one.

Combat squirrel · 15 Mar 2017 at 13:59

Yeah I would overclock any CPU I got, my current basket is looking like this:

My basket at Overclockers UK:

1 x Intel Core i7-7700K 4.2GHz (Kaby Lake) Socket LGA1151 Processor - OEM= £338.99
1 x Corsair Vengeance LPX 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4 PC4-24000C15 3000MHz Dual Channel Kit - Black (CMK32GX4M2B3= £269.99
1 x BitFenix Phenom MATX Cube Case - Arctic White= £59.99
1 x Asus ROG Strix Z270G Gaming Intel Z270 (Socket 1151) DDR4 Micro ATX Motherboard= £184.99
1 x Corsair Hydro Series H80i v2 Extreme Performance Liquid CPU Cooler (CW-9060024-WW)= £89.99

Total: £956.25
(includes shipping: £12.30)

I would probably delid the CPU also as im comfortable doing that - no idea how the cooler would handle the CPU though or what overclock I would get.

I am aiming as small as possible while still having a little bit of flexibility and some overclocking potential - obviously it wont be 'as good' as a full blown ATX tower, but also better than ITX

Columbo · 15 Mar 2017 at 15:05

Spec looks great but I'd go with a high end air cooler such as a Noctua over that AIO if the case will fit it in.

Combat squirrel · 15 Mar 2017 at 16:36

Columbo said:
Spec looks great but I'd go with a high end air cooler such as a Noctua over that AIO if the case will fit it in.

Cool thanks, interesting why would you go high end air? The cooler got good reviews and I thought it may free up airflow space in the case?

An Exception · 15 Mar 2017 at 18:35

I'm not sure how useful these benchmarks are right now (I've seen the ones you are referring to). I'd wait to see what performance is like when MS issues the SMT fix for Ryzen. Maybe lightroom should speed up a bit.
Personally I'd wait or buy a 7700k.

Combat squirrel · 15 Mar 2017 at 18:50

An Exception said:
I'm not sure how useful these benchmarks are right now (I've seen the ones you are referring to). I'd wait to see what performance is like when MS issues the SMT fix for Ryzen. Maybe lightroom should speed up a bit.
Personally I'd wait or buy a 7700k.

Perhaps to a degree, but that doesnt explain Intels 6-8 CPU's that have perfect windows code also getting butt kicked by the 7700 (aside from export)

I knew Intels 7700k was a new CPU, but (and I'm an AMD fan/want AMD to win), its simply putting out big numbers for a 'desktop' CPU, especially in tests that matter - like when your using the software and are working on projects (again export matters less, I want a snappy experience when actually working).

Columbo · 15 Mar 2017 at 19:43

AIO's are mostly just over priced vs air coolers imo

Combat squirrel said:
Perhaps to a degree, but that doesnt explain Intels 6-8 CPU's that have perfect windows code also getting butt kicked by the 7700 (aside from export)

As I said previously its the 7700k's high base clock speed that makes the difference, it's 4.2ghz at stock none of the other chips are clocked that high at stock.

D.P. · 15 Mar 2017 at 21:17

Clock sped trumps cores in most tasks. Very hard to make multi-threaded algorithms for many tasks, and in some cases its impossible. Don't forget that as well as threading over multiple cores data can already be processed in parallel within a single core with SIMD, with the typical data in images SIMD instructions will be working over 16 pixels/color channel. Conversely, stuff like exporting is an embarrassingly parallel problem.

Combat squirrel · 15 Mar 2017 at 22:04

Columbo said:
AIO's are mostly just over priced vs air coolers imo

I see :O is there an air cooler that will perform the same for less money ?

An Exception · 16 Mar 2017 at 00:06

D.P. said:
Clock sped trumps cores in most tasks. Very hard to make multi-threaded algorithms for many tasks, and in some cases its impossible. Don't forget that as well as threading over multiple cores data can already be processed in parallel within a single core with SIMD, with the typical data in images SIMD instructions will be working over 16 pixels/color channel. Conversely, stuff like exporting is an embarrassingly parallel problem.

So is rendering previews. Yet that doesn't seem to benefit 8 cores. Rendering and exporting is what takes time in LR.
Other software can do it MUCH faster.

Minstadave · 16 Mar 2017 at 00:21

Lightroom and Photoshop are just not properly designed to use multiple cores/threads and this isn't likely to change any time soon.

If that's all you use then the 7700K is the CPU for you.

Columbo · 16 Mar 2017 at 08:30

Combat squirrel said:
I see :O is there an air cooler that will perform the same for less money ?

Noctua would be my choice, I've got a Noctua D14 that replaced a Corsair H100 GT and I'm much happier with it. No whining pump noise, easier to install and no moving parts so no chance of failure.

voidshatter · 16 Mar 2017 at 10:55

7700k is a no-brainer. It's still the best choice, especially all the UI-blocking operatings (e.g. alignment of layers, HDR etc) are relying on single-thread performance, which is sensitive to frequency. A 5.2GHz 7700k might smoke everything else.

ethan · 16 Mar 2017 at 13:39

To what extent will the 7700k smoke everything else over a period of two to three years is a question I would be asking myself. I think its a realistic possibility to assume the multi core approach will become mainstream.

Combat squirrel · 16 Mar 2017 at 13:56

Columbo said:
Noctua would be my choice, I've got a Noctua D14 that replaced a Corsair H100 GT and I'm much happier with it. No whining pump noise, easier to install and no moving parts so no chance of failure.

Interesting thanks, however, what were the temp and overclock differences ?

Combat squirrel · 16 Mar 2017 at 13:58

ethan said:
To what extent will the 7700k smoke everything else over a period of two to three years is a question I would be asking myself. I think its a realistic possibility to assume the multi core approach will become mainstream.

As mentioned above, Adobe are god god awful at recoding, I don't see them majorly changing their code base to take advantage of cores, hell, they had 10 years already and only just about make a quad core ok - hell photoshop STILL contains 26 year old code - its horrendous - sadly its industry standard, but my god it needs heavily reworking - but adobe wont do that, to much time and money.

Columbo · 16 Mar 2017 at 14:04

Combat squirrel said:
Interesting thanks, however, what were the temp and overclock differences ?

Well I'm currently using an old i7 2700k.

With the H100 temps hit 65c at 4.6ghz with 1.325v and I didnt go higher due to the temps, I changed to the Noctua primarily due to the pump noise the AIO kicked out and it knock nearly 10c off under load so I put 1.35v through and managed to get 4.8ghz with load temps maxing out at 64c. So the Noctua is cooler and quieter for me with more volts and faster clock speed.

ethan · 16 Mar 2017 at 17:56

Combat squirrel said:
As mentioned above, Adobe are god god awful at recoding, I don't see them majorly changing their code base to take advantage of cores, hell, they had 10 years already and only just about make a quad core ok - hell photoshop STILL contains 26 year old code - its horrendous - sadly its industry standard, but my god it needs heavily reworking - but adobe wont do that, to much time and money.

I would imagine they'll be dragged kicking and screaming due to other alternatives. Currently I use CS5 & CC2016 and CS5 behaves like a Ferrari by way of comparison.