# GPU in a DAW: 2019 edition?



## JamieLang (Oct 2, 2019)

So, prior to this build, I'd never built a DAW or VI machine without a dedicated GPU. I went ahead and did last year (Coffee Lake 8700/UHD 630)...and other than taking a small chunk of system RAM, and having a bug with Harrison Mixbus (technically some of their plug in UIs) in combination with some kind of antialiasing setting on the intel--I've not had any what seem like performance issues...but DX is one of the bigger offenders in DPC latency--not problematic/symptomatic, just pointing that out.

The RX580s seem to be hitting the used market hard--so...not expensive. So, I was thinking about grabbing one to just SEE for myself whether there was any UI "snappiness" change. But, then--since the Samsung NVME firware updates--this machine has been running better than new...so part of me thinks "leave it alone".

I had planned to get one when I needed to install OSX...but, UHD630 is native there now, too, should I ever decide to retire the MacBook.

I figure that someone here has gone from intel UHD to GPU or visa versa...might know if anything tangibly changes.


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## sostenuto (Oct 2, 2019)

Seems like @ EvilDragon posted a GPU message 'fairly' recently. May take a bit of searching, as he posts often.

(edit) Searched some myself, and could have been ED on Reaper Forums .... sorry !


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## JamieLang (Oct 3, 2019)

I did some searching. I see him recommend a "beefy GPU too" to someone editing video along side audio...and lots of talk of nVidia's drivers causing DPC latencies. 

I don't see any discussions of benefits. I have a hard time believing there are in Windows. Maybe in OSX, where the OS itself migt do more offloading ot the GPU--but, even there, over half Apple's machines run intel GPUs. Granted it's mostly the "non pro" ones--and the MBP. Only the highest end 15" MBP has an OPTION for a Radeon chipset. 

I completely get that adding any hardware is always inviting new issues...but, this is a real screamer of a machine (by my modest standards)….if a RX580 will make it snappier around the edges or something...might be worth the asking. If it's only going to improve gaming graphics and power useage...I guess I'll pass.


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## sostenuto (Oct 3, 2019)

Waaay beyond my chops here ! ........ 
Win10 Pro /Reaper / (30 desktop PC(s) ....... all older nVidia graphics cards, and likely to slowly update.


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## JamieLang (Oct 4, 2019)

So, I kept intel Powergadget up in the Mixbus session nthis morning...the GPU utilization went from like 30% to 55% when opening various plug ins with RTA displays and such(Izotope Insight and Harrison AVA Mastering EQ specifically). Surfing eh web lives at 20-50% or so....ironically a 1080p YouTube video must use the CPU to render...it doesn't seem to effect the GPU pipeline utilization. Thought it would...but, nope.

But, I never saw it go over 55%. Obviously I'm not watching every single moment--I'm doings stuff...but....there's a readout over time that if anything was remotely glitchy--the GPU was not peaking....


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