question about paint brush speed

[dwalby2]

I'm running PSPx3 and x4 on a 4-year old laptop/external monitor setup. Not the fastest processor, so I was wondering if what I'm seeing is a result of my hardware, or just a software issue.

If I select a paint brush and set the step value below about 40-45, then I get slow response if I drag the cursor fairly quickly across the screen. If I just do a bunch of random squiggles very quickly, I see a visible time lag while the "paint" catches up with the prior cursor movement. If I move the step value over 45 or so, then instead of a continuous line I see a series of dots, like a strobe effect, across the painted area. Setting the value to 45 gives me the best speed without the strobe effect, but there's still a small time lag between the cursor movement and the paint application.

With Photoshop I don't see this lag at all, the paint follows the cursor everywhere, no matter how fast I move it.

So my question is, for those of you with faster CPUs (and more memory) do you also see this painting lag with PSP, or is yours continuous like I see on my system using Photoshop?

[LeviFiction]

I have a dual core i5 processor, 2.5ghz. At the settings you give I'm getting decent speed. At a step of 10 there is a half-second lag between the actual drawing and the following of my cursor.

So it does have something to do with the way the software is written to a point, PSP's brush system has never been the fastest in the world but it's not bad.

[brucet]

I work with both a i3 64bit 4gig system laptop and desk top. PSP x5.
I work on 100-300meg PSP files with 7-8 layers.

With tools I always work with 1 step.
95% of the time I get almost instant results. However every now and again there can be a 2-3 second delay.

Initially I had issues. Somewhere in the preferences I made a change that made the difference. Off hand I can't remember exactly what I did but I seem to recall it was allocating more memory. Others may have a more specific answer.

PSP will run fast. You just have to get it set up right.

Regards

[dwalby2]

Thanks for the replies, sounds like what I'm seeing is normal for PSP, which is what I expected to hear.

[brucet]

Out of curiosity I ran a few tests.
Desk top. i3. 64bit. 4gig.
I opened a 100meg tiff. 5 layers.Then I used a number of tools at 1 step and 45 step. Tool sized at 100. 100 hardness and 100 opacity.
Some tools, such as the eraser, work instantly. While other tools, such as the smudge tool, lagged behind the cursor by about 0.5 to 1 second.
It seems that any tool that 'rearranges' the pixels suffers from 'lag'. Any tool the 'overwrites' a pixel has no lag. (Not the most correct description I guess!)
1 step increments were slower than 45 step increments but not by a lot.

After lots of 'playing' I found the 0.5 - 1second lag no issue.

Just on another note. Some times some tools seem to go to sleep. ie if you are using the Smudge tool it will work ok for awhile. Then nothing works. I've left it thinking it's just catching up but that's not the case. If you get out of that tool and come back at it all is well again. ??

I'm not sure if Adobe products are any faster or slower but for the price I'm prepared to waste a few seconds every now and again.

regards