Ryzen Mini PC vs. Laptop

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bakubo
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Ryzen Mini PC vs. Laptop

Unread post by bakubo »

It is probably a long shot, but I wonder if anyone here knows enough about PCs to help me?

I bought a new Dell ultrabook in 2019 while back in the States for a few months:

  • i7-8565u (1.8ghz, Turbo Boost 4.6ghz)
  • Nvidia Geforce MX250 2gb
  • Intel UHD 620
  • 32gb ram 2666MHz
  • 512gb SSD + external Sandisk Extreme 2tb SSD


I wanted something small and light because I live a sort of nomad lifestyle spending time in various places in Japan, the U.S., etc. While actually traveling internationally for a few weeks I usually don't bother carrying a computer (just a tablet and/or smartphone), but for extended stays of a few months then I take a computer. Here in Japan I have 2 pretty good external monitors in different locations so I almost always have the computer connected to one of them. In the States I usually buy a new monitor to use for a few months and then give it away before returning to Japan.

All that has worked out well for the last few years with several different laptops, but for the last 20 months or so, because of the coronavirus, we have found ourselves just hanging out in the same place. I don't play games. I just use my computer for Lightroom Classic, Photoshop, and the 3 Topaz programs I bought in May (Sharpen AI, Denoise AI, Gigapixel AI). Those are the only programs that performance matters. The rest of my use is just internet, email, etc.

The Topaz programs could use a bit more power (CPU and GPU) in order to better handle real-time display updates. Currently, every time the screen needs to update (I have a 1920x1200 monitor) at 100% view it takes 10-20 seconds with the Nvidia GPU (much slower with the CPU). Lightroom and Photoshop performance are no problem.

I have been looking at some mini PCs that are quite small, but with, I think, more power using AMD Ryzen processors:
  • Ryzen 7 4800U (Total L2 Cache 4MB, Total L3 Cache 8MB, Base Clock 1.8 GHz, up to 4.2 GHz) + Radeon Graphics (Graphics Frequency 1750 MHz)
  • Ryzen 9 5900HX (Total L2 Cache 4MB, Total L3 Cache 16MB, Base Clock 3.3 GHz, up to 4.6 GHz) + Radeon Graphics (Graphics Frequency 2100 MHz)
  • Ryzen 7 Pro 4750G (Total L2 Cache 4MB, Total L3 Cache 8MB, Base Clock 3.6 GHz, up to 4.4 GHz) + Radeon Vega Graphics (Graphics Frequency 2100 MHz)

+

  • 32gb ram 3200MHz
  • 512gb M.2 2280 PCIe3.0 SSD


These mini PCs are small enough that I could easily carry them in my carry-on rolling bag (if we ever can easily travel again!) and then I could connect it to an external monitor. For now it looks like we will be stuck here for at least several more months so having a more powerful computer while still being small and easily portable is attractive. I also have limited space for a computer.

Now to my question. Do you think I would see much of an improvement in the Topaz interactive performance with these computers? They have integrated graphics, but from a couple of youtube video reviews it seems they are pretty fast. Unfortunately, all the info I can find is focused on using them for games, not Topaz and other graphics programs which may be a bit less demanding.

I am sorry that this was rather long, but I already know that without the background many people would tell me to get a full-size desktop with fast GPU, etc. That isn't practical for me though. I am trying to find a compromise that may work enough better than my laptop for these times when I am not moving around. Thank you.

For example:

https://store.minisforum.com/products/h ... 8847128737

https://store.minisforum.com/products/m ... 0884281505

https://store.minisforum.com/collection ... 0g-mini-pc

https://youtu.be/rUkm9Pg3tqE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X4MOUnOsA7Q

https://youtu.be/ItdkUxZYWjA

Of course, there are lots of companies that make these mini PCs, but above is a sample of some I have looked at.
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Dusty
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Re: Ryzen Mini PC vs. Laptop

Unread post by Dusty »

Henry, one thing gamers like is fast refresh rates, so they may do the trick. I haven't looked at the specs, but some of the minis out there do have a slot or 2 that's free, so the possibility of an updated graphics card would be one of my criteria in a mini.

Dusty
An a700, an a550 and couple of a580s, plus even more lenses (Zeiss included!).
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bakubo
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Re: Ryzen Mini PC vs. Laptop

Unread post by bakubo »

Right now I am thinking about the M1 Mac Mini with 16gb, 512gb SSD. Since I am in Japan my choices in computers are more limited than in the U.S. and usually prices are a lot higher here, but I can get the M1 Mac Mini and the price is essentially the same as in the U.S. I have read reviews and watched youtube videos and it looks very good. Great performance, quiet, and small. I have been using Windows computers and this is the software I mostly use:
  • Lightroom Classic
  • Photoshop
  • Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, Gigapixel AI
  • Vuescan
  • darktable
There are Mac versions for all the software above. Am I right that since I paid (Abobe is rental so the paying never ends) I can just download the Mac versions to use without paying again?

I also use these free Windows programs a lot:
  • Syncback (backup software)
  • WinSCP (GUI ftp software to update my website)
  • Faststone (photo browser)
  • UltraSearch (file search)
  • various other free utility programs
I assume there are other free programs for Mac that can do the same things. Suggestions?

The big fly in the ointment is that I have a NTFS USB external 2tb Sandisk Extreme SSD that I use with my current laptop which has an internal 512gb SSD. My Lightroom catalog is on the internal SSD and all the photos (along with other stuff) is on the external SSD. Since it is formatted NTFS then that seems to be a big problem with the Mac. My understanding is that the Mac can read NTFS, but can't write. Also, even if it could write/read it would be much slower than with the standard Mac file system. I want to be able to continue to use this external SSD with both the Mac and my Windows PC. That seems undoable. Any ideas?

I also have several NTFS portable USB drives (4tb) that I use for backups.

I have a pretty good monitor that I currently use (and another one in a different location that I sometimes use when I am there). I think the only thing I need to buy is a keyboard. My understanding is that the 2 Mac Thunderbolt ports also work with USB C, right?
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Dusty
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Re: Ryzen Mini PC vs. Laptop

Unread post by Dusty »

For the most part, Henry, I think you'll be okay on re-d/ling the software. Adobe is rental, so they don't care about platform, darktable is FLOSS and Vuescan premium shareware. Other stuff you have may be a problem, as MS and some of the other companies lock you in to a motherboard. That's one of the reasons I'm limping along on this old laptop.

The freeware is no problem, unless they don't have Mac versions, but alternativesto.net and sourceforge.net are your friends there.

I never liked the Mac, esp. the fact that they are entirely closed - hardware as well as software. And you will have a problem with the external drives. Too bad there's not yet a common file system for everyone to use. Maybe if Reiser hadn't killed his wife we'd have had it by now.

There is also a learning curve, but it's not that bad.

Dusty
An a700, an a550 and couple of a580s, plus even more lenses (Zeiss included!).
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bakubo
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Re: Ryzen Mini PC vs. Laptop

Unread post by bakubo »

bakubo wrote: Tue Aug 31, 2021 3:52 am Right now I am thinking about the M1 Mac Mini with 16gb, 512gb SSD. Since I am in Japan my choices in computers are more limited than in the U.S. and usually prices are a lot higher here, but I can get the M1 Mac Mini and the price is essentially the same as in the U.S. I have read reviews and watched youtube videos and it looks very good. Great performance, quiet, and small. I have been using Windows computers and this is the software I mostly use:
  • Lightroom Classic
  • Photoshop
  • Topaz Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, Gigapixel AI
  • Vuescan
  • darktable
There are Mac versions for all the software above. Am I right that since I paid (Abobe is rental so the paying never ends) I can just download the Mac versions to use without paying again?

I also use these free Windows programs a lot:
  • Syncback (backup software)
  • WinSCP (GUI ftp software to update my website)
  • Faststone (photo browser)
  • UltraSearch (file search)
  • various other free utility programs
I forgot to update this thread. I ended up getting the M1 Mac Mini with 16gb, 512gb SSD along with another external Sandisk 2tb SSD. Big transition from Windows to Mac, but no problems. Runs the Topaz programs fast along with Lightroom Classic, etc. I have it connected to 2 monitors.

After looking at the Windows mini PCs they were not nearly as powerful for the stuff I use. Also, noisy, hot, high power usage, big power brick, etc. This is a pretty good comparison and is typical of one of the most powerful and expensive mini PCs:

They said THIS was the M1 Killer...AMD 5900HX Mini PC

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVsy1yrG2e8

AMD's 5900HX is by far the FASTEST mobile APU chip on the market, outpacing EVERY Intel chip... But can it beat Apple's M1 in the Mac Mini for the same $899 Price? Let's find out!
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