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Photo & Video Computers
Gaming computers don’t make the best photo or video editing machines
There are a few things you should know before buying a computer that will be used for editing photographs or video. This quick guide is to help the end user determine what parts of a computer need to be fast to increase productivity and avoid spending more than you have to to get the job done. Almost daily I speak with a customer that’s been sold a gaming style PC to be used for editing and managing a database for a photographer. This style of computer is not appropriate for a photographer and will almost always cost a great deal more than a workstation style computer that’s much more capable. These days it’s almost impossible to avoid getting wrapped up in the constantly more dense video and photo data streams. New cameras, software and techniques require faster computers on an almost yearly basis. It’s easy to get sucked into the geekspeak of a fast computer CPU and RAM capabilities. Unfortunately, for a fast workstation the computer is only part of the equation. Not only do you as an editor require a fast CPU and RAM capabilities, but equally as important is a fast I⁄O capability and dedicated scratch space. Note: Computer I⁄O refers to the capability of connecting a fast database to the computer and it’s ability to get that data In and Out of the computer as fast as is affordable. Gaming style computers are just that, a computer designed specifically for gaming. If you approach a computer manufacturer with the request for a fast "Graphics Computer", most will push you toward a gaming computer. Gaming = Graphics, right? For the purpose of editing photos and video that’s only half the battle. Not only do you require the fast graphics capability that high end processors and RAM offer, but more importantly a motherboard that has the capability to add large fast external storage to house your project database and it’s backup. The major drawback with using a gaming computer is the lack of useful expansion slots. Gaming computer motherboards typically have multiple 16-lane PCIe expansion slots that are dedicated for graphics cards and are often unusable for expansion cards. The I⁄O limitation is the bane of many computer buyers who are not aware of the problem until they try working with their new computer and find that they can’t attach high speed storage. Quite often a new computer is slower than the computer it replaced because it’s simply incapable of transferring data in and out quickly. Workstation style computers generally have much more useful expansion capabilities. These computers are designed specifically for the type of work you’re doing, manipulating images and editing video. The motherboards usually offer the latest in CPU sockets allowing you to choose a fast processor, and very good RAM capabilities. The best part is they are generally designed for a single graphics card which leaves both room and bandwidth for multiple fast expansion slots, providing a fast I⁄O. When choosing a production desktop computer look for motherboard specifications that offer multiple PCIe expansion slot capability, preferably 8-lane slots usable for external storage. Shorter 4-lane and 1-lane slots are also useful but they have reduced capabilities. Available expansion slots are often overlooked when pricing a new computer or motherboard. For most power users the expansion slot capability is even more important than what CPU is offered. The hard drives and storage database are the slowest part of any computer. The faster you can make the storage I⁄O the more productive you will be. Another feature required of a new desktop computer should be the ability to attach multiple hard drives internally to motherboard SATA ports. These ports are the ideal location to attach scratch drives and backup operating system drives. By attaching your scratch drives internally you free up the bandwidth on external storage and provide the scratch disks with a fast dedicated conection. A properly set up workstation, with the correct hardware capabilities will usually cost less than purpose built computers that were designed with another goal in mind. Compare computer capabilities and you’ll soon be able to pick out a very capable photo or video editing workstation, at a conservative price. If you have any questions or would like help choosing between specific models please contact us for personalized help.
updated 5-25-11
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