CUDA vs Sandy Bridge onboard graphics

[Steve-o]

I have a Sandy Bridge (Z68) based system where I run my Video Studio....using an i5 processor. It has onboard graphics which are generally enough for everything I need.

Will I get significantly faster processing if I buy an Nvidia graphics card with CUDA enabled. eg a 550 or similar. This will run $150 to $200. It is worth the investment in the sense that I will see a big jump?

[DVDDoug]

I really don't know, but I doubt it... Probably some functions will speed-up a bit... Maybe some "little things" will speed-up a lot.

Are you using 100% of your CPU(s) now? I think the hard drive(s) (and perhaps the data bus) are usually the bottleneck. You can't render any faster than you can read/write the files.

If you don't already have a 2nd drive, that might speed things up more. If you read from one drive and render to another, the drive doesn't have to alternate between reading & writing. For example, you can usually copy a big file from one drive to another about twice as fast as making a copy on the same drive (a small file might copy faster on a single drive).

[erdna]

The question on the gain significance with CUDA GPU and VSX4 is difficult two answer, Nobody seems to know how "deep" the Corel programmers have linked the program into the CUDA co-processing. Afaik their are no benchmarks for VS available. It will certainly do somthing(I think..). Of course we all know that programming a very small bit in the CUDA processor, allows you to commercialy declare that you have CUDA support in your program.

[Steve-o]

DVDDoug - yes CPU is running close to 100%.

I already have two hard drives - 3 if you count SSD for the system drive.

My choice is to try a CUDA enabled card or upgrade to an i7. The card would be $150 to $200, but an i7 will be around $300.

[lilu_hotty]

1st of all i5 - is kind of junky! the lack of Hyperthreading in most models - talks for its self !!! and its not good for video editing ! So changing CPU its self will give some extra power for sure

about the cuda Corel told me its best to use.....so,-

[teknisyan]

VS X5 have been optimized to take advantage PC with GPU and multi-core acceleration. I do not have a CUDA GPU but I can tall you VS X5 render faster than the old videostudio.

There have been no official bench mark how big the speed bump will be once you get a CUDA GPU but I'm sure people who are using VS X5 with CUDA GPU can vouch for me.

[3deeguy]

I don t know if you read any of my posts but I am close to 1 hr rendering 1 hr 3D HD into MP4 3D HD. Read my posts for the full description of my system

3deeguy

[pepegota]

With early Sandy Bridge computers (H67) the Quick Sync function only works with on board graphics. Later versions (P68) have eliminated this constraint.

[lilu_hotty]

With early Sandy Bridge computers (H67) the Quick Sync function only works with on board graphics. Later versions (P68) have eliminated this constraint.

there is just no way that on board grafic will be better then a separate proper video card.

when i look at that new - 3rd generation - its seems to me that its a Budget design..... i dont think 4 cores with on board grafic, will be faster then 6 cores with a cuda GPU...... i just cant believe it.
would like to see a real word comparison !

[lilu_hotty]

There have been no official bench mark how big the speed bump will be once you get a CUDA GPU but I'm sure people who are using VS X5 with CUDA GPU can vouch for me.

For me its not only how much faster the rendering can be - if say true i don care - with Cuda card used, but how smooth i can go back and forward in the time line how many sec i need to wait if i jump from 1 frame to another . thats what really drives me crazy when i work with AVCHD files ....... i hope these issues will gone after i get the Cuda card

also it can probably improve the quality as the newer cards have 10bit per color..... and improve some of the things....

[pepegota]

Sorry but, it's true. H67 without video card faster than H67 with video card.

<<And the only reason why a given Sandy Bridge system is faster with QuickSync and integrated Intel graphics than an otherwise identical system with a discrete Nvidia graphics card is because the H67 chipset gimps the PCIe-x16 graphics card slot: That slot only runs in PCIe-x1 mode instead of the correct x16 mode by default. Otherwise, a P67-based system with a discrete Nvidia GPU far outperforms the H67 setup with integrated Intel graphics.>>
The obvious is sometimes not obvious. Fact is better than phantasy.

[Steve-o]

i hope these issues will gone after i get the Cuda card

[/quote]


If you do get a CUDA card be interested to see the difference - both in trans-coding and your observation about scrolling.