Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Hello,
I use lightroom quite a lot and recently upgraded my workstation to a HP Z8, which is an extreamly powerful machine. However, it loads and operates Lightroom so slow. So slow, in fact, that my Macbook Pro 2015 is so much faster I prefer it over my workstation in that regard. I cannot figure out what makes it better. It has twice the amount of RAM, better processor, better graphics card. It makes no sense.
Any insight?
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
What are the detailed hardware specs of the Z8?
Which exact version and build number of Windows?
Which exact verion of Lightroom?
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Here are the specs:
Model: HP Z8 G4 Workstation
Processor: Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 5120 CPU @ 2.20GHz 2.19GHz (2 Processors)
Installed RAM: 32.0 GB
System Type: 64-Bit x-64 based processor
Graphics Card: Nvidia Quadro P4000
2 1TB NVME Drives
Windows Build: 18363.592
Lightroom Version: Lightroom Classic 9.1
Thanks!
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Any other thoughts now that the specs are sent?
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
The specs are excelent. First thing to try is update the graphics driver using the latest version on the Nvidia website. Choose 'Clean Install' during the installation.
https://www.nvidia.com/Download/driverResults.aspx/156767/en-us
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
What aspects of Lightroom are faster? Please be specific.
Also please state the size of the monitors (in pixels, not inches) on the two different computers.
Also, is the GPU acceleration choices in Lightroom Classic set the same on both machines?
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Initial startup, Importing photos, Fetching previews. Essentially, getting everything started. Once the photos are imported, loaded etc, the performance is comparable to the MacBook.
My monitor for my desktop is 5120x1440. However, I only occupy less than a third of the space while operating LR.
Macbook is 2880x1800.
As of right now, my Macbook is not using the 8.4.1 Release.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Initial startup, Importing photos, Fetching previews. Essentially, getting everything started. Once the photos are imported, loaded etc, the performance is comparable to the MacBook.
A possibility is that your virus checker is checking things it shouldn't be checking, like photos and the previews and even the catalog itself.
Very slow importing of photos could also be a hardware problem, but since other things are slow, I would investigate the virus checker first.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
1. How about some additional System Information, and how about posting that via what a Lightroom Classic reports.
In Lightroom Classic, click on Help, then System Info, then Copy. Paste into a reply. include info from first line down to just past plug-in info.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Looking up your rig, appears to be a nice capable Windows workstation, not one of those power saving POS (typicaly hybrids). So at least one default power setting can be altered to give more CPU usage.
See tip 8 in the following
https://au.pcmag.com/windows-10-1/5180/11-tips-to-speed-up-windows-10
and, of course read the entire thing.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
2. NVIDIA in a Windows workstation, so a default in the card can be changed for more use of the processor on the GPU. Tyicaly used to GeForce, so might be slightly different on a Quadro
see https://www.winhelp.info/boost-lightroom-performance-on-systems-with-nvidia-graphics-chip.html
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
3. Lots of performance tips exist.
Seeing as you have 2 identical very capable hard drives, no advantage on photo storage location, no big advantage on catalog location (but perhaps store on non boot, non program drive) One thing, location of Camera RAW CACHE, keep on seperate drive away from Windows Paging file so that the do not compete in read/wrights on same drive.
see tip 3 in: https://digital-photography-school.com/10-tips-to-improve-lightrooms-speed-and-performance-without-a...
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
The only other thing that might cause/ contribute to the slowdown in the tasks you mention is hdd space, could you indicate what internal and external drives are on your system. Indicate the percentage of free disk space available on each drive and where the original files and Catalog file located?
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
Click on the down arrow in the upper left-hand corner as shown below. Make sure all background tasks are 'Paused' as shown below.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
If you have Lightroom Classic set to generate Standard size previews, that’s an angle to investigate. If Lightroom Classic is set to generate 1:1 previews, I’d guess performance should be roughly the same on both computers since 1:1 is tied to the pixel dimensions of the images, not the displays, so the same image file should generate the same 1:1 preview regardless of the display. But because Auto Standard size previews are based on the display size, it’s possible for preview generation to exact a much higher toll on one computer compared to another, if the computer has a display with very large pixel dimensions.
You can see the options above by opening Catalog Settings and clicking File Handling. On my MacBook Pro, the Auto Standard Preview Size is 3360 pixels across. This is based on my MacBook Pro display being set to a “looks like” (UI) resolution of 1680 pixels across, multiplied by the 2x scaling factor of a Mac Retina display.
You said that your Windows desktop display is set to 5120 x 1440 pixels, so if you haven’t manually changed the Standard preview size, it’s probably set to Auto which would probably be 5120 pixels across. 5120*1440 = a 7.4 megapixel Auto Standard preview. Because a preview is generated for an entire image, it’s got those dimensions no matter how small you make the Lightroom Classic application window.
You said that your MacBook Pro display is 2880 x 1800 pixels, so assuming that means its “looks like” UI resolution is 1440 x 900 pixels, its Auto Standard preview size is 2880 pixels across. 2880*1800 = a 5.2 megapixel Auto Standard preview.
So, if your catalog is set to generate Standard previews at Auto size, the PC might be slower because every time it has to generate a preview, it’s having to crunch 2.2 more megapixels of data per image (42% more work per image) than the MacBook Pro does.
If that’s what’s happening, you might see some improvement on the Windows PC by reducing its Standard Preview Size. Any reduction in detail in the preview might not be noticeable if you run the Lightroom Classic application window at a size somewhat smaller than the display, like you said. Of course, this affects only the operations that involve generated previews, such as the Library module; so if you think Lightroom Classic is slower than the Mac in the Develop module, facial recognition, exporting, etc. the cause is probably something else. I’m not sure this would explain everything, because that PC sounds a lot more powerful than the MacBook Pro in several areas — seems like its superior hardware should be able to make up most or all of that 42% bump in load. But it would be interesting to see if the Auto Standard preview size is a contributing factor.
Copy link to clipboard
Copied
And, since you are running OS Windows, unlike MACOS, you can choose to reun at a lower display resolution, cut it down to that 2K, probably dramatic improvements in develop.