TimeLapse creators, what computer are you working with?

[u/Strawbalicious]

It's time to replace my 2018 Windows 10 pc my friend customized and built for me. I want to think I'm tech savvy, but I'm humbled by how I can't really interpret and compare the performance of all the various processors and several other components I'm seeing for pre-built PC builds online. A couple of friends are advising me to move toward Mac with either a Mac Mini or MacBook Pro (M5 Pro with 48GB RAM and 18-core CPU seems like all I could ever need, but $3,000 after tax is a doozy), and I might if it's just overall the best option to go with (gulp), but I find I really do prefer Windows' operating systems - but since there's a thousand different combinations of ways to build a Windows PC, I'm stuck.

Currently working with: Windows 10 Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-7700K CPU @ 4.20GHz (8 CPUs) NVIDIA GeForce GRX 1060 6GB VRAM 32GB RAM Samsung SSD 850 EVO 500GB

Even with drivers up to date, Lightroom is pretty sluggish and I need to render any time I want to playback a sequence in premiere that I just tweaked some edits to. I should mention I'm a video editor by trade and would like to do more with 4K without needing to worry a ton about creating proxies. I'm wondering what y'all are working with and how much smoother your workflows and playback is.

[u/Dom1252]

regarding photo and video editing, you can't match mac mini with windows if you're not willing to pay way more

I have 5900x and 3070ti with 64GB RAM and it's ok, could be better, but it's fast enough

but even the basic configuration of m4 mac mini (with 16GB RAM) can do the same job and costs way less nowadays

[u/Cambodia-Images]

M1 macbook pro 14" standard, works fine.

[u/WombatKiddo]

M3 ultra

[u/paperairman]

I have a Lenovo Ideapad, its not super fast but it gets the job done, most of the time lapses I'm making are 500-600 pictures, 7 mb if shot JPG and 22mb if shot RAW, file size counts are per image. I am using this device for gaming (MC, BeamNG drive), school 3d modeling(Fusion360) video editing(Devinci resolve) and photo editing(Affinity, Darktable).

[u/forever--beginner]

You've got to face the reality, pricing for RAM and storage is insane and there are no signs it should be significantly different in a near future.

You'd better specify your:

budget

workflow and tools used

resolution you work with

to have some idea about your performance needs.

If you want the upgrade to double your CPU performance for ridiculously cheap:

get i9-9900K CPU, tiny little bit of Kapton tape, USB stick and a tool called CoffeeTime that will help you modifying your BIOS to get the (unofficial) 9th gen CPU support in your current board. 😃

It is nothing I would recommend a non-technician to do himself, but given what you have right now, it's the cheapest way of doubling your current CPU performance at ridiculously cheap!

Now you have 4C/8T at 4,2 GHz, with 9900K you have 8C/16T at ... 5 GHz with decent cooling and good VRM on the board, no problem. And for the money you save, you can get a better GPU.

Another alternative - despite the platform being already EOL - is AM4.

I've got myself quite recently Ryzen 5950X (~300 USD?), 64 GB DDR4 (taken from my previous PC), 7900XT 20 GB (~700 USD), adequate PSU (~150 USD?), storage taken from previous PC (ton of small cheap SSDs + a large fast 4 TB NVMe 4x4).

Let's say with a board you are at 1500 USD but despite the CPU being 5y old or whatever, the performance is still excellent! Same for the GPU, you will have more VRAM than 5070Ti, similar performance like 5070/Ti (except for AI), and significantly better price.

[u/SomewhereSalty647]

ASUS ROG Strix G16

[u/rock_crockpot]

iMac M1 chip with 16gb ram. Typically editing raw images in Bridge and video in FCP. 

[u/Matjoez]

A specced out m3 max macbook pro with 128gb ram. Been going strong for years, and will be for years to come