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I want to know more about the technology and what is the "best" regarding CPU-GPU one can use for video editing, photo and 3D graphics.

Note: please keep answers to factual data and not solely opinion. If you have used the technology please talk about it, but NO '[Blank] is the best' and that's it. Talk about the technology and why it is useful for video, photo, and 3D graphics

Moab
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4 Answers4

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Basically you want the fastest one you can afford.

You also need to consider the graphics card memory and GPU speed - and get the best one you can afford here too.

Programs increasingly off-load a lot of processing to the GPU so having a good CPU isn't necessary enough.

Also as Xantec points out the amount of memory you have will affect performance too, so again you need to buy the fastest RAM and as much as you can afford.

Even then, your system will be out of date within 6 months and feel like it's running really slowly as you try to edit that 3 hour video and tweak those 20 mega pixel images you've just created ;)

ChrisF
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It's not a great idea to buy the very fastest CPU or graphics card, as you do not get that much more power for the money. One can generalise it this way: you can usually get 80% of the performance for 20% of the price of the fastest components.

I once spent £1,800 (around $3,600 USD at the time) building the most powerful CAD workstation I could afford, only to see machines costing half as much beating its performance within a few months.

It's a better idea to buy a CPU or graphics card that is one or two levels from the top spec, and with the saved money you can replace it in a year or two.

paradroid
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Moab is right. However, what your are probably looking for is not a fast CPU but a fast graphics card. Once again this comes down to price. You really can spend as much as you want on a graphic card. If price is not an issue, then go ahead and look at this guy: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102909. Thats a Radeon HD 6870. Its what can be considered top of the line. It will definitely be able to handle any graphic intensive applications you have to throw at it.

bheussler
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