Graphics Card (GPU) Recommendations?

[saladsamurai]

Hi All - I am building a new PC (first time builder) as discussed in another thread.  Can anyone recommend a graphics card for someone who primarily uses lightroom as there heaviest task.  I need to support dual 2K monitors using sRGB.  Motherboard is ASUS Z170A LGA 1151 if relevant. I do not game.

I have primarily been going by this link from Adobe but it seems kind of old.  The only "criteria" they give are as quoted below (bold emphasis mine).

I have been looking primarily at GTX 960 and 1060 but a few people think those are overkill at apporx $200-250.

Would something like the GTX 1050 ti be more appropriate? Should I care that there is only 1 fan?

I'll tell you that I am a fairly technical person, but shopping for a graphics card has been a nightmare

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" Suggested system requirements and graphics cards
      

• 1 GB of VRAM (Video RAM, or RAM on the video adapter). 2 GB of dedicated VRAM is suggested for large, high-resolution (such as 4K and 5K) monitors.
  
• OpenGL 3.3. If you're not sure if your card fully supports OpenGL 3.3, contact the card manufacturer.

Note: Use only one graphics card. Performance isn't enhanced with multiple cards.

• For NVIDIA cards, consider using a card from the GeForce GTX 760+ line (760, 770, 780, ...) or from the GeForce GTX 900 series

• For Intel cards, Intel HD Graphics 4400+, 5000+, 510+, P530, Iris Pro Graphics 5200, 6100+, P6300, P580 or later are required"

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[dj_paige]

That link is still the current information from Adobe. There is no more recent information, because the way Lightroom uses the GPU hasn't changed. So the recommendations for video cards are in that link. And that assumes that you have a 4K monitor (or larger). If you are going to use a standard HD monitor, any of those video cards is overkill and a waste of money.

You might want to read this also: GPU notes for Lightroom CC (2015)

[JP Hess]

That is true for Lightroom. However, there are several features in the latest version of Photoshop that require GPU to function. One of them is the Liquefy filter, and another is the distortion correction filter. That probably isn't the exact name of the filter. But if you are using Photoshop CC then you will definitely have added capabilities with a good graphics card. I'm using integrated graphics (no dedicated graphics card) and GPU is automatically disabled in Lightroom and Photoshop. I'm now thinking of adding a card.

[saladsamurai]

Hi @dj_paige  Got it. So I think that the GTX 1050 ti will work for teh 2x 2K monitors even if it's overkill.  At $140 on sale, I rather go overkill since it's not much more than a low end card.

[dj_paige]

Adding to JimHess​'s comment, when a new major upgrade of Lightroom is released (possibly in the next 6 months, possibly not), the way Lightroom uses the GPU may be enhanced (or it may not be enhanced) and so a more powerful GPU might be worthwhile for general use (or it may not be).

So you pay your money and you take your chances, or not. No one here in this forum (or any other forum) knows what Adobe will do, except for Adobe employees, who are not allowed to say.

[saladsamurai]

Go it. I am not overly concerned about the way Adobe does or does not make use of the GPU acceleration potential.  I am more looking for a recommendation on a GPU that "plays nicely" with LR.  I think have convinced myself that the GTX 1050 ti will do the job.

[dj_paige]

"Plays nicely" is a criteria for deciding, rather than functionality? Ok, I wouldn't look at it that way, but under the "plays nicely" issue, there is a bug with GTX cards that requires an older video driver to work properly in Lightroom. According to this thread, this bug eliminates (for the time being) the GTX 1060. Whether or not it also eliminates the GTX 1050, I don't know, you can do the research.

[saladsamurai]

That's nice that Adobe doesn't support new graphics driver.  How is that a thing?  That is in direct conflict with their recommendation to use a GPU produced within the last 2 years.

Anywho... It is still unclear to me if this or the 960 will work.  Both the GTX 1050 ti and the GTX 960 have a latest driver of 376.09 which is a higher revision than the one that does not work from the link (372.54).  Chances are it doesn't work.

I love than Adobe "solution" is to roll back a driver.  Sorry if I sound bitter here

[dj_paige]

That's nice that Adobe doesn't support new graphics driver.  How is that a thing?  That is in direct conflict with their recommendation to use a GPU produced within the last 2 years.

That's not correct. Yes, they thought they were supporting it. You make it sound like there a willingness on the part of Adobe to force you to use an earlier graphics driver, and nothing could be farther from the truth. There's a bug that either NVidia or Adobe or both have to fix.

There's a lot of unhappy people about this, but bugs happen. There has never been software that is bug free. Unfortunately, this particular bug is a major annoyance (or perhaps stronger words apply).

[saladsamurai]

The newest GTX graphics cards (10 series) do not have the ability to roll back to the necessary driver since the basline driver for the 10 series is later than the one that does not have the issue.  So I can't imagine that anyone at Adobe "thought that they were supporting" the GTX 10 series (the successor to the 900 series with the driver problem).  There seems to be a willingness to not do anything about the problem in a reasonable amount of time.  If there are many people unhappy in their customer base, perhaps it's time to make it a priority.  I does not appear to be addressed in the latest release of LR either.

Yes I understand that no software is bug free.  And I also probably understand how priorities are set at Adobe: just like most other tech companies.  What is the "fire of the week"?  If it's hotter than the driver issue, guess where the driver issue goes: in line somewhere behind the fire

It could be that the GTX 1050 ti works fine with LR.  There has been no update to the link so I really can't tell.  I just have to decide whether I should hedge my bet and open the 1050 when it arrives tomorrow, or return it and buy a different older GPU or a newer AMD GPU.  I am leaning towards the latter.

Thanks for talking me down dj!

[JP Hess]

I think it's a gamble whatever you decide to do. GPU acceleration is still quite new in Lightroom. And I think there are so many other variables involved that it's difficult to predict what any card will do. You will just have to give it a try or send it back. In all probability, unless you have one of those new high-resolution monitors, you will more than likely be underwhelmed by what a supportive GPU acceleration card does for you.