[dcstep]

My new Canon 5DsR, high resolution, full-frame camera pumps out Raw files in the 70mb range. With my old Windows 7, 2.x mhz processor and 8G of Ram, things were manageable, but slow. Processing in DxO Optics Pro was slowing and applying the DxO's PRIME noise reduction (a pixel-by-pixel tool) was taking painful minutes per file.

My business partner cratered his Windows 7 PC by trying to install Windows 10 (DON'T DO IT) and started having constant HD errors and other concerning issues, so we decided to upgrade him. We looked at Dell, HP and Lenovo, but ended up with PowerSpec X503, through MicroCenter, because they were the only ones with Windows 10 installed, and in-stock. (Others gave you Windows 7 or 8.1 installed, along with an upgrade coupon).

We went with the X503, which is really a gaming computer, but comes with W-10 installed, i7-quad core processor at 4+mhz, 16G of Ram and a burning graphics card. We upgrade together, so I got one also.

I can now preview my Raw files instantaneously. Full-screen previews, with corrections are only a second or so and applying PRIME only takes seconds instead of minutes.

I've got an NEC monitor with proprietery SpectraView calibration software. The new graphics card even makes the monitor look better. I'm getting almost 100% of sRGB color and more than 90% of RGB. With the old computer, it was more like 90% and 80%, with the SAME MONITOR. Graphics cards DO make a difference.

You can save a few bucks by foregoing the solid state HD, but I love SS on startup and loading programs and moving files around.

Dave

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Railgun

I was waiting for X99 to come out last year and opted for the 8-core variant. That, plus 32GB memory means I'm pretty covered for a while. That is unless that 250Mpix sensor makes it to prosumer bodies.

Which specific monitor do you have? I use a Dell u2711 and it's been great for years. I'm thinking of dumping/upgrading to a 4K monitor though.

I've got a Dell u2411 at the office, but I process images at home on an NEC P24w with SpectraView II. There's no a whole lot of difference, but the SpectraView II calibration gets me closer to 100% on both sRGB and RGB Adobe. To calibrate the Dell, I use a Spyder 4, which isn't quite up to the SpectraView II's proprietary management. Still, the Dells are the bargains of the century and I could definitely live with only the Dell.

Dave

[allachie9]

Sounds like a nice machine and monitor set-up Dave.
My desktop pc, running W7 Home Premium is over 3 years old, has served me well, but maybe an upgrade would be nice.
My current set-up uses an i5 processor, a nice NVidia graphics card and 16GB RAM.
The upgrade to W10 is sat there on the pc waiting to go, but I'm sitting tight just at the moment.
I upgraded my Toshiba laptop to W10 just over a month ago and I really like it. No problems so far, but upgrading the desktop with numerous peripherals - 2 printers, scanner, 2 external HDDs, together with some older software - is a different matter.

[P1]

Originally Posted by allachie9

Sounds like a nice machine and monitor set-up Dave.
My desktop pc, running W7 Home Premium is over 3 years old, has served me well, but maybe an upgrade would be nice.
My current set-up uses an i5 processor, a nice NVidia graphics card and 16GB RAM.
The upgrade to W10 is sat there on the pc waiting to go, but I'm sitting tight just at the moment.
I upgraded my Toshiba laptop to W10 just over a month ago and I really like it. No problems so far, but upgrading the desktop with numerous peripherals - 2 printers, scanner, 2 external HDDs, together with some older software - is a different matter.

How much space is that Windows 10 upgrade taking up?

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by allachie9

Sounds like a nice machine and monitor set-up Dave.
My desktop pc, running W7 Home Premium is over 3 years old, has served me well, but maybe an upgrade would be nice.
My current set-up uses an i5 processor, a nice NVidia graphics card and 16GB RAM.
The upgrade to W10 is sat there on the pc waiting to go, but I'm sitting tight just at the moment.
I upgraded my Toshiba laptop to W10 just over a month ago and I really like it. No problems so far, but upgrading the desktop with numerous peripherals - 2 printers, scanner, 2 external HDDs, together with some older software - is a different matter.

My business partner had a real bad experience trying to upgrade a four-year old desktop to W10 from W7. The problems mainly related to drivers of the peripherals, including the network card. He just, last night, upgraded the CPU and did a clean swipe of the HD and finally has it running smoothly, after futzing around with it for days, off and on.

You can see W10 on your laptop. I'm not so sure that it's worth an upgrade on an old desktop. The picture viewer will open some Raw files, but it's not even up to date enough to open my 7D MkII files. My partner has a 60D and it opens those Raw files. I'd love to dump Iranfanview, but one guy seems to keep that up to date, while big corporations, like Microsoft, put in the function and then don't support it. Anyway, I'm not sure there's much gain if you're not going to use a touchscreen. I'm equally happy with the W7 and W10 interfaces.

With any upgrade, check to see if your hardware provider(s) has driver upgrades for W10. Lenovo does and I think that others do also. My W10 install couldn't find my old printer until I manually installed its W7 driver.

Dave

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by P1et

How much space is that Windows 10 upgrade taking up?

Not near mine right now. Alan, can you look?

[P1]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Not near mine right now. Alan, can you look?

I have the Enterprise edition of Win 8 on my computer, and there is no sign of Win 10 anywhere. Must be only the consumer editions that do this?

[dcstep]

Unless you have a pressing need, I think I'd wait for SP1 before upgrading a desktop to W10.

[allachie9]

Originally Posted by P1et

How much space is that Windows 10 upgrade taking up?

If you mean the upgrade sat on my desktop pc, I'm sorry I can't tell you at the moment; I'm away from home over on the West Coast (of Scotland).
I think, from memory, it's taking up just under 5GB of space on the HDD.


The Windows folder on this Toshiba laptop, running W10 Home, is showing 15.4GB in size.

[allachie9]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Unless you have a pressing need, I think I'd wait for SP1 before upgrading a desktop to W10.

Yes, that's what I've been reading. Although I read somewhere yesterday that SP1 has been put back a wee bit longer.
Still, we've got until July next year to get the free upgrade, so no rush.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by P1et

I have the Enterprise edition of Win 8 on my computer, and there is no sign of Win 10 anywhere. Must be only the consumer editions that do this?

This is probably true. My business partner had W7 Pro 64-bit and had to go looking for the upgrade. I think they're trying to push it out to laptops with W7 and later OS.

New desktops with W10 Pro actually installed are just now becoming available. As of last week, Dell and Lenovo, gave you W7 or W8.1 installed, along with an upgrade credit. Those few with W10 installed seem to offer only the "Home" version.

The PowerSpec X503 that I got was one of the few that I could find with W10 Pro 64-bit installed. It's aimed at gamers, but works well for imaging.

Dave