Intel Graphics 630 vs discrete GPU on Hackintosh

[Mr Mayhem]

I know I could try this on my own, but I wanted to ask here if anyone has any opinions first.  After 30 years of using Apple PCs, I gave up on Cupertino and built a hackintosh.  I just got it up and running tonight, but I still don't have my GPU.  I ordered an Asus GTX 1060 Turbo 6GB, which will arrive tomorrow.  After seeing how well my system runs so far on Intel HD 630, I am wondering if I even need the GPU.  I will use the hackintosh mostly for office work, but for my business I also use Illustrator a lot, along with Lightroom and Photoshop.  My Illustrator work is only for basic scale drawings, pretty much just simple paths with a black stroke, and the occasional very simple logo.  Lightroom and Photoshop are used for product photography for work and personal photography, which is very little.  When I do use Lightroom and Photoshop, the sessions are intense with long hours, usually many days straight to get a job done.  I am still running CS5 on my old MacBook Pro, and I don't have any jobs coming up that I need Lightroom or Photoshop for.  So I am holding off starting a trial for CC right now because I will not be able to use it much in the next two weeks, then the trial will be over before I need it.  I probably have a couple months before I really need to use any of those applications any more than I can get away with on my old, slow MacBook Pro.  So, I now have to decide if I should install the GPU and keep it, or just return it and hope Illustrator, Lightroom and Photoshop will run well when I need them. 

I have found some benchmarks online relating to the issue.  Unfortunately, I really only found one that has a decent setup with good comparisons of IGPU and GPU.  That review is found here.

https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Photoshop-CC-2017-NVIDIA-GeForce-GPU-Performance-899/

From his results, you can see that Intel HD 630 competes very well except for smart sharpen.  With the little photo editing I do, the extra time really won't cost me much in the scenarios tested.  However, what I don't know is how quickly Lightroom will load images with IGPU vs GPU. Does anyone happen to have experience with this setup and have any advice?  If I could save the $250 I spent on the GPU, it would be very helpful.  Plus, I could possibly save a little money and get something better if I wait.  Any advice is welcome...unless you want to tell me not to use a hackintosh.  🙂

[kglad]

[moved from Adobe Creative Cloud to Photoshop Lightroom]

[dj_paige]

However, what I don't know is how quickly Lightroom will load images with IGPU vs GPU.

GPU in Lightroom does not affect the loading of images. GPU in Lightroom only affects the speed of most (but not all) development actions. And that only applies if you have Lightroom 6/Lightroom CC 2015 (and not earlier versions of Lightroom). And that only applies if you have a large monitor (4k or above), it really doesn't make a difference to Lightroom if you have a standard HD monitor.

Lastly, the benchmark you link to applies to Photoshop and NOT to Lightroom.

[Mr Mayhem]

Thank you both for the replies.  Yes, I know that link only had photoshop benchmarks.  It's just all that I could find even close to a comparison of IGPU and DGPU in Lightroom, Photoshop or illustrator.  Adobe lists Intel HD 630 as a supported GPU, but it really doesn't tell you much about performance.  Real works tests would be very helpful if only I could find them. 

I am currently using a lower resolution monitor, a 19" 1440x900.   But by the time I get to my photo work, I will likely be buying a 1080 or 4k monitor.  When I do that, you are saying I will see a significant drop in performance if I don't have the GPU, right?  I guess then, there is no point in even installing the GPU today and testing both with and without it if I plan to upgrade my monitor soon.  It sounds like I should either commit to keeping it, or return it and purchase it again after I get my new monitor.  Because if I try it now, it may run very quiet and cool, but find it to be hot and loud when I am driving a higher resolution monitor later, at which point it would be too late to return it.

For Lightroom then, with a 1080 or especially a 4k monitor, am I assuming correctly that my performance will be worse with CC 2017 on Intel HD than it is on my 2010 MacBook Pro running CS5?  I just don't know how to gauge it without trying it or seeing some results.  I was hoping someone would chime in who actually uses integrated graphics, but it doesn't seem like anyone really does!  Intel HD 630 can drive a 4k monitor at 60hz, but is limited to 1GB memory.  It sounds good on paper, but doesn't help in the real world.

For Photoshop, I have come to understand it is more CPU intensive.  But again, will I see a significant drop in performance?

Finally, for Illustrator, will it make a difference with or without a DGPU for doing basic design?

[dj_paige]

I am currently using a lower resolution monitor, a 19" 1440x900.   But by the time I get to my photo work, I will likely be buying a 1080 or 4k monitor.  When I do that, you are saying I will see a significant drop in performance if I don't have the GPU, right?

You don't really need a higher end GPU if you have a 1080p monitor, it won't make a difference to Lightroom. If you have a 4K monitor, the GPU will help in the Develop Module only (and there are some functions in the develop module, like brushing and spot healing, where the GPU will actually cause slowness).

For Lightroom then, with a 1080 or especially a 4k monitor, am I assuming correctly that my performance will be worse with CC 2017 on Intel HD than it is on my 2010 MacBook Pro running CS5?

If I were you, I would not attempt to compare performance on CS5 to Lightroom. It's like comparing apples to avocados.

For Photoshop, I have come to understand it is more CPU intensive.  But again, will I see a significant drop in performance?

While I am not a Photoshop expert, but I would certainly avoid making statements like "Photoshop is more CPU Intensive" because IT DEPENDS on what you are doing. There are aspects of Lightroom that are CPU intensive and don't use the GPU acceleration.

[DdeGannes]

See the link below for info and help.

Adobe Lightroom GPU Troubleshooting and FAQ

The GPU is only used by Lightroom when working in the Develop module. It is only helpful when working with systems are using high resolution displays like 27" with 4 or 5K.