Multi Processor and Photoshop

I just got really started with CS2 and it is clear that more processing power would be worthwhile.

My question is how much benefit can be expected from using the new Intel Extreme multi-core chips and (ultimately) 64bit Windows? I know that multi-core is new but I would assume that people who have used multi-processors would have a good understanding of what benefits accrued from those.

Also, has anyone done any experiments of multi-processor windows machines versus multi-processor Apple G5? Since I have to buy a new computer anyway, maybe now is the time to re-look at the Macintosh again.

Thanks for any help
Woody Spedden

Photoshop isn't compiled as a 64-bit application (at least not yet). But it can use more than 2GB of memory.

Photoshop has been a "multi-threaded" application for a long time now (around a decade). Any dual processor PC or Mac -or any computer with new dual core processors (such as the new Intel 840 Pentium Extreme Edition now available) will allow Photoshop to gain significant speed improvements.

Symmetric multiprocessing won't gain you a flat out 100% speed improvement over a single CPU. Some compute cycles are dedicated for dividing compute threads between the two CPUs or two "cores". Certain tasks will gain decent improvements and others will see speed boosts over 90%.

Photoshop is one of the few "mainstream" applications that are enabled for multiprocessing. 3D animation programs like Maya, Lightwave3D and others operate much better on multiprocessor systems. Adobe After Effects and a number of other multimedia applications are also multiprocessor enabled.

A multiprocessor PC or Mac can still be faster even if the user has no multithreaded applications running. The operating system can divide resources of each CPU for multiple applications running in the foreground or background.

Here is some info on the new multi core processors.

< http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/colfax_dual_opteron/defa ult.asp>

Wow

This is the first article I have read with such extensive testing. I am getting ready to move up to a new computer and this article makes it clear what to buy.

Thank you so much for providing this link to me. You are a lifesaver

Best regards
Woody Spedden