# Going to upgrade to i9 9900K, Should I remove GPU?



## hag01 (Nov 14, 2019)

I'm not sure whether my old low end GPU any better than intel UHD Graphics 360.
I have AMD Radeon 200 Series(that's the name of the GPU that I see in the Radeon Settings Center and in windows device manager).
Also, if I remove the GPU and use the integrated GPU, I assume that less complicated system - less drivers for Windows to deal with and less hardware for the CPU to talk with, less heat to the system - I guess it will give better audio performance. What do you say about that? Is that any correct?

Also, the integrated GPU should deal sufficiently with a video file running in Cubase along with various virtual instruments, and then rendering video with all the music, isn't it? Which is what Film and TV composers do if I'm not mistaken?
Not that I compose for Films or TV(I wish I was). I'm pretty sure it's a simple task for any basic GPU.


----------



## Pier (Nov 14, 2019)

hag01 said:


> Also, the integrated GPU should deal sufficiently with a video file running in Cubase along with various virtual instruments, and then rendering video with all the music, isn't it?



Yeah it should be good enough for that. If you're given a 4K RAW video (unlikely) you can always reencode a lighter video at 1080p with H264 which is decoded via hardware. As for video encoding this is usually done via the CPU.

One limitation of using the integrated GPU is that you won't have outputs for multiple monitors. Also, if you are planning to run a 4K monitor at 60Hz make sure the motherboard video output supports it.


----------



## hag01 (Nov 14, 2019)

Weight, what is 4K RAW?
I'm going to read about it. I'm not updated.
Are you telling me there are video codecs that integrated GPU can't handle?


----------



## Pier (Nov 14, 2019)

hag01 said:


> Weight, what is 4K RAW?
> I'm going to read about it. I'm not updated.
> Are you telling me there are video codecs that integrated GPU can't handle?



There are tons of video codecs and yeah an integrated GPU won't be able to handle the majority of pro codecs.

As a composer you will most likely get a 1080p video in H264 though, which shouldn't be an issue. Or if you get anything else too heavy to decode in real time you can reencode it in H264 with handbrake, Adobe Media encoder, etc.


----------



## Architekton (Nov 14, 2019)

Dont upgrade to i9 9900 yet as new gen of intel cpus is just around the corner, wait a bit and than upgrade to a new build.


----------



## Audio Birdi (Nov 14, 2019)

Architekton said:


> Dont upgrade to i9 9900 yet as new gen of intel cpus is just around the corner, wait a bit and than upgrade to a new build.


10th Gen high end consumer is coming next year or even the year after.
They are coming out with 10th gen HEDT soon though.


----------



## ltmusic (Nov 14, 2019)

Architekton said:


> Dont upgrade to i9 9900 yet as new gen of intel cpus is just around the corner, wait a bit and than upgrade to a new build.




Exactly! 
The only thing ''missing'' from the new I9 is that it don't support PCI EX 4.


----------



## JohnG (Nov 14, 2019)

Well, you can always wait; there always will be some Magic CPU just around the corner and of course prices sometimes drop when the new once are out. 

I have two computers with i9 9900k CPUs and they are amazingly powerful. I use the onboard graphics, but I'm not interested at all in graphics on them. They are satellite PCs that run VE Pro and just play back samples.


----------



## Living Fossil (Nov 14, 2019)

JohnG said:


> I have two computers with i9 9900k CPUs and they are amazingly powerful.



Do you have 128 GB of RAM in each of them or just 64?


----------



## JohnG (Nov 14, 2019)

Living Fossil said:


> Do you have 128 GB of RAM in each of them or just 64?


Just 64 each. I picked MOBOs that can accommodate a PCI card (still using old RME 9652 cards). They are fine motherboards but only accommodate 64 GB according to spec.


----------



## synthnut1 (Nov 15, 2019)

John G,
I too want to utilize my RME 9652....What motherboard are you using that has a PCI slot ?....Thanks, Jim


----------



## JohnG (Nov 15, 2019)

synthnut1 said:


> John G,
> I too want to utilize my RME 9652....What motherboard are you using that has a PCI slot ?....Thanks, Jim



Hi Jim,

It's a Gigabyte H370 HD3. But, at least in January 2019, you had to have a recent firmware update if you want to work with the i9 series. I bought two of these motherboards. As it happened, one had the update, the other I had to drive out to City of Industry or Commerce or wherever to the Gigabyte headquarters, where they kindly updated it for me.

If you have a CPU that works with it (an old one, in other words, lower than the i9 series), they told me you can install that, update the MOBO firmware, then install the i9 CPU.

[edit: I looked on Gigabyt'es website and it says "supports 9th and 8th Gen Intel Core Processors" so maybe the firmware issue no longer obtains]


----------



## hag01 (Nov 15, 2019)

So I think I narrow down the question to how likely a media composer has to deal with video codecs that the integrated CPU won't handle with?


Except from this there is no need for a dedicated GPU, for a composer, correct?
Oh, and multiple screen which I won't going to use.


----------



## hag01 (Nov 15, 2019)

By the way, is there a disadvantage in having dedicated GPU on an audio computer?
Latency? Audio performance?
Except from the psychological effect that make you feel like it's a gaming PC and give you the unserious self perception.


----------



## JohnG (Nov 15, 2019)

hag01 said:


> By the way, is there a disadvantage in having dedicated GPU on an audio computer?
> Latency? Audio performance?



The drivers of some separate GPUs have in the past introduced stupendous latency, resulting in stuttering, dropouts -- major problems. 

In some cases, notably Nvidia, that has improved, but I prefer to skip it and not take the risk. I use PCs purely for music and don't need any better graphics than those required to see Kontakt or PLAY or VE Pro etc.

So I don't use them.


----------



## hag01 (Nov 15, 2019)

*JohnG, *I checked you website, you do write for TV, films, and games.
You don't run any video files in your DAW while composing?


----------



## chimuelo (Nov 15, 2019)

If your worried about Codecs wait until CES 2020 1/8 in Vegas.
AMD has a really powerful APU designed to handle GFX Heavy chores.
Not sure about its capabilities yet but Intel is pretty nervous.

If their CPU is even close to Intel single core performance it‘s going to chop into more market share and since Apple engineers announced their going to start making their own CPU’s now things are going to get dicey.


----------



## JohnG (Nov 15, 2019)

hag01 said:


> *JohnG, *I checked you website, you do write for TV, films, and games.
> You don't run any video files in your DAW while composing?



I do, but from a Mac Pro or the iMac (which houses Pro Tools), never from the PCs.

But even if I did, they usually send a highly pixillated version of the picture, so that reduces somewhat the urge to build in the World's Best Video Output.

Don't get me wrong -- if a director comes over, he wants to see the picture looking great. So you want it looking acceptable. Ironically, though, if the video the editor provides you is pixillated, it can look worse, not better, if you are projecting it at the highest resolution.


----------



## synthnut1 (Nov 16, 2019)

Hi John,
I’m wondering if I contact Gigabyte via email, if they will send me an updated motherboard....I have another “new in the box” hdsp9652 PCI that I want to utilize.....Thanks again for the info....Jim


----------



## EvilDragon (Nov 16, 2019)

You should be fine getting rid of the discrete GPU.


----------



## hag01 (Nov 16, 2019)

EvilDragon said:


> You should be fine getting rid of the discrete GPU.


Would you say it will be for the better?
I'm not even sure whether my dedicated GPU is stronger than the integrated.


----------



## EvilDragon (Nov 16, 2019)

I don't know how they compare like-for-like, but from my experience, for an ITB composer workflow discrete GPU is in 99% cases not necessary at all.


----------



## hag01 (Aug 30, 2020)

After having my new PC for abut 7 month, I can not unrecommend more on Intel integrated GPU.
Even Windows 10 GUI is very unpleasant under this GPU.

I've got AMD Radeon RX550, very cheap, definitely not for gamers, but for my purpose it makes the job done.

For anyone buying a new audio computer, I'd recommend - Do yourselves a favor and invest in some cheap dedicated graphic card.


----------



## Robert Kooijman (Aug 31, 2020)

Honestly, I also don't see the point of a discrete GPU in a DAW. Don't experience problems with the Windows 10 GUI either. But do enjoy the lowered noise and heat.

Am still using 3 monitors connected directly to the mobo using the 9900K's integrated GPU, of which one is a 4k TV. Works fine.


----------



## chimuelo (Sep 3, 2020)

New Tiger Lake by Intel is a great laptop CPU.
Xe Graphics is solid, good solution for dual 4k, and appears to be 3 x monitor capable just from onboard GPU.

To me it‘s not FPS or which games can run, but how many displays, and if I can run USB powered monitors.

I run a cheap GTX 210 on my AMD 3700X because I don’t need high end discrete cards.

Competition with AMD/Intel is bringing us quality choices on all levels.
Definitely excited about triple monitors. I’m even reading on a Belgian start up company adding triple monitors to an already single monitor laptop.
That’s 4 x Displays.

We’ll get more details as launched products are reviewed.


----------



## vitocorleone123 (Sep 5, 2020)

Some DAWs and / or plugins use OpenGL. A discrete card is likely going to render that faster and not take CPU cycles. Or RAM. I see that most people would want a fanless GPU.

flip side of that is risk:more potential for latency issues caused by the driver


----------



## Fredeke (Sep 6, 2020)

Pier said:


> One limitation of using the integrated GPU is that you won't have outputs for multiple monitors.


Many motherboards have two video outputs (often one HDMI and one DVI). I extended my setup to 4 monitors by adding a cheap USB video adapter. The combination of both the integrated and the USB adapters makes dragging a window across monitors less than flawless, I'll admit, but the incovenience is negligible. Playing video in Reaper on any monitor works rather well (h264 1080p).

(In fact, I first bought a cheap PCIe video adapter but its driver messed up my latency. My USB adapter has better drivers apparently. I suppose it could just as well have been the other way around.)



Architekton said:


> Dont upgrade to i9 9900 yet as new gen of intel cpus is just around the corner, wait a bit and than upgrade to a new build.


I'm not much aware of the latest tech developments, but... Isn't the next generation always around the corner? Won't all new tech become old too soon? Yet, at some point, you need to cross the bridge and upgrade to whatever is available.

Me, I always buy computer parts that are 1 year old. That way they're a bit less expensive, while still far from obsolete. And also I can pick the models that have already proven their reliability -- stability being at least as important as performance.


----------



## Audio Birdi (Sep 6, 2020)

vitocorleone123 said:


> Some DAWs and / or plugins use OpenGL. A discrete card is likely going to render that faster and not take CPU cycles. Or RAM. I see that most people would want a fanless GPU.
> 
> flip side of that is risk:more potential for latency issues caused by the driver


Got the GTX 1650 KalmX here. It's fanless, outputs to 3 monitors, 4 if you want to get a Displayport to HDMI MST splitter so that you can do 1080p/1440p at 60 hz or 2x 4K at 30 hz 

No noise and works well for video editing and game audio / game development too! :D


----------

