Yes, I am able to use the grpahics processor and have full access to all the features such as basic, normal or advanced mode. For this test, I was in basic mode, with 'use graphics processor to accelerate computation" and "use open CL' enabled. Cache Levels is 1, and Cache Tile Size is 128K - I find these last two options work best when using the mixer brush. ok. here are results. I googled "complex image" and found this spiral-yellow/red/orange cube/block image. Saved it. Loaded it into Photoshop and changed the pixel dimensions to 20,000 pixels (72dpi) . This part took just a few seconds. I then loaded the liquify filter, and changed brush size to 10,000. I then painted in the preview window, and there was no delay at all. Zero delay. The preview kept up with the cursor, 100%. I then clicked OK. It took about 10 seconds to render. Next, I closed the document. Then I reloaded it in again. So the image is freshly loaded into Photoshop again. This time, I changed canvas size to 50,000 pixels. It took about 4-5 seconds. Again I went to Liquify filter, and changed brush size to maximum which is 15,000 pixels. Again, there is *zero* delay when painting in the preview window - the cursor keeps up no problem at all. I painted all kinds of crazy swirls and yes, after hitting OK, the delay is unbearable. If I paint just a few swirls, it handles it ok when you press ok (it takes a minute or so if you did just a couple of swirls). But if you paint too many swirls, the delay looks to freeze my computer, so I just cancelled out. Diagnosis? If this unbearable delay is happening on my ancient video card, and also happens on your new video card, then this problem seems to be a problem with Photoshop? Perhaps the engineers have not optimized the code to run the software at faster speeds with updated and current hardware? Maybe this verifies the idea that it doesn't make sense to upgrade hardware at ridiculous costs if it isn't going to make a difference. I have always come to conclusion that even older, modest hardware is enough to run this program. I somehow doubt that upgrading to expensive, current and ultra-fast hardware makes a difference with Photoshop unfortunately. I think it might has to do with the coding, and that it does not take advantage of current hardware specifications, unfortunately. This is precisely why I am so afraid to spend all this money on hardware that is not going to make any noticeable difference in Photoshop. Here is my worry: I load a photo into Photoshop. On the layer above, I add an highlights/shadows adjustment layer, and increase the highlights and shadows with the sliders. Now, I go back down to the first layer, and select mixer brush tool. I turn on 'sample all layers'. I begin to use the mixer brush. The delay is unbearable. It is too slow to paint/blend with. This is because of the adjustment layer on top. So, I figure I will upgrade my video card to ifix this exact problem. But I am afraid that after spending all the money and time to install the graphics card, that when I follow the same steps, that I will get the same lag when using the mixer brush on this same image. I am not confident that a new graphics card would solve this issue, I am afradi that it is an Adobe issue and that Photoshop is just built this way, no matter what graphics card I have. What think you?
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