Is a Quad Core really needed for photo/video editing?

Onslaught

Onslaught

Onslaught

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Hi,

My mother in law is looking for a new PC base unit to replace her laptop, she is branching into professional photography and is looking for a good machine which will handle photo editing (Adobe packages).

She has also thought about editing some of her home videos shot on an HD camera in the near future.

Her local computer shop quoted £750 for (and this is all I could gleem) 4GB Ram, 2TB HDD, Quad Core, Graphics card (Some kind of gamer type).

I am trying to do my research however there is a wealth of information and differing views out there, I need some direction.

Is a Quad Core really needed for photo and eventually video editing? Will a 'gamer type' graphics card be required also? I though perhaps something from the Quatro range may be more suitable (~£50)?

She already has a HP 24" widescreen monitor.

I hope someone is able to shed some additional light on this subject as it is most confusing.

Thanks
 
Adobe Creative Suite 4 uses more than two cores, especially for filters in Photoshop. Photoshop also contains some GPU-accelerated elements.

The newest version of Premiere is GPU-accelerated, with Nvidia even bundling money-off vouchers with their Quadro cards.

I'm not really sure how much extra performance these changes bring; suffice to say that she probably doesn't need a Quadro. Get her a basic card unless she's going to be gaming. A quad core will help though with multiple applications and windows open at the same time. You may also want to consider 8GB of RAM - hardly essential, but if she's handling huge files, it will help.
 
you should see what you can build for that price if your up to making a PC as computer shops have to charge overheads so cant get you as good a deal on the same parts.

Quads are nice for rendering, need a nice monitor with accurate colours for editing photos especially if she is planning to do professional quality. RAM may also help with loading lots of large image files, but >4gb and u will need a 64 bit OS.
 
Yes it is.

Whenever i edit image, i open a few different programs at the same time i.e. CS3, NX2, noise remover, etc so definately need quad core to do that kind of job :)
 
Proper video editing, yes. Some dude sat at home messing about with a camera, no.
Set a price ceiling on what you will pay, then spec to it.
 
It's not just video editing, with proper photo editing as well. Sometimes to process 1 picture, i have to open 5-6 different programs at the same time :)
 
Thank you all for your feedback, I will look at some Quatro's and speak further in regards the Quad cores to make sure she will really have the use for them.
 



No OS tho, and rubbish GPU. But has got 8gb of ram.

Bare in mind that if you do build her one you are the one that will forever be called upon for support when it doesn't work. Might be worth letting the computer shop do it. Or buy a pre made one online.
 
I don't photo edit but I Do run a Quad.
I can Honestly say nowt I do with it slows it down, I fire up & hit every single prog I want & they all load together whilst I work on the first. Getting a Quad has given me a system with Instantaneous responce & I Like it :cool:
 
A good GFX will help with more and more things becoming GPU accelerated. It's about time the power of those things was harnessed outside of games! The smooth zoom in CS4 is worth it alone TBH.

And yes, a Quad core is a good idea. I do a lot of editing with much larger than average files which whilst not essential, a quad really does help you run more to do more, and they just get better the more you intend to do. Pair it with 8GB of ram and I doubt she will need more photo editing power for a while.
 
I should have said I run Two GFX cards in crossfire which obviously helps things along a tad :D
 
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