Photoshop CS3 Beta Benchmarks
Since Adobe posted a beta of Photoshop CS3, many users have been eager to see what kind of performance enhancements the universal binary software would bring to both Intel Macs and existing PowerPC systems.
Informal MacRumors.com benchmark testing was performed by various forum members with access to both Intel-based and PowerPC based systems and the beta Photoshop software using the RetouchArtists Photoshop benchmarking test. These tests have shown significant improvement in Photoshop CS3 speeds vs. Photoshop CS2 speeds on Intel hardware. A few selected results are displayed for your convenience (full results are in this story's thread):
Smaller time is better.
The 2.66 GHz Mac Pro showed a nearly 60% speedup by upgrading to the CS3 beta. However, PowerPC systems appear to have not felt any boost in speed, and at least one PowerPC user had speeds actually decrease when upgrading to the CS3 beta.
Similar trends have also been noticed by BareFeats, which posts a similar comparison and also includes their own benchmarks. Of note, BareFeat's 'MP6' test shows a greater disparity between the Mac Pro and Quad G5 than the Retouch Artists test.
However, in the end the Photoshop CS3 software is still BETA software, and firm conclusions about the performance of the product should be avoided until the final version is shipped in Spring 2007.
Informal MacRumors.com benchmark testing was performed by various forum members with access to both Intel-based and PowerPC based systems and the beta Photoshop software using the RetouchArtists Photoshop benchmarking test. These tests have shown significant improvement in Photoshop CS3 speeds vs. Photoshop CS2 speeds on Intel hardware. A few selected results are displayed for your convenience (full results are in this story's thread):
| Model | CS2 Time (s) | CS3 Beta Time (s) |
| Mac Pro 2.66 GHz, 2GB RAM | 62 | 36 |
| Quad G5 2.5 GHz, 5GB RAM | 36 | 36 |
| Quad G5 2.5 GHz, 2GB RAM | unavailable | 42 |
The 2.66 GHz Mac Pro showed a nearly 60% speedup by upgrading to the CS3 beta. However, PowerPC systems appear to have not felt any boost in speed, and at least one PowerPC user had speeds actually decrease when upgrading to the CS3 beta.
Similar trends have also been noticed by BareFeats, which posts a similar comparison and also includes their own benchmarks. Of note, BareFeat's 'MP6' test shows a greater disparity between the Mac Pro and Quad G5 than the Retouch Artists test.
However, in the end the Photoshop CS3 software is still BETA software, and firm conclusions about the performance of the product should be avoided until the final version is shipped in Spring 2007.
Top Rated Comments
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67 months ago
Hey guys-
I'm noticing that a bunch of people have been having success having CS3 run well on their Intel-based Macs. I haven't heard to much from PowerPC users though, and I'm thinking about compiling some of these benchmarks you guys are getting into a story.
The thing is, I'd like us to run relatively equal benchmarks (everyone using the same settings). Since people seem to like the Retouch Artists test, lets run that as our benchmark and use the following settings:
RAM= 70%
History=1
Cache=6
Please be sure to run the test just after restarting your Mac, with no applications running in the background. Of course, include your Mac's specs in your post.
Although thread is in the PowerMac/Mac Pro forum, MacBook and MacBook Pro users are welcome to join in the benchmarking.
I'm noticing that a bunch of people have been having success having CS3 run well on their Intel-based Macs. I haven't heard to much from PowerPC users though, and I'm thinking about compiling some of these benchmarks you guys are getting into a story.
The thing is, I'd like us to run relatively equal benchmarks (everyone using the same settings). Since people seem to like the Retouch Artists test, lets run that as our benchmark and use the following settings:
RAM= 70%
History=1
Cache=6
Please be sure to run the test just after restarting your Mac, with no applications running in the background. Of course, include your Mac's specs in your post.
Although thread is in the PowerMac/Mac Pro forum, MacBook and MacBook Pro users are welcome to join in the benchmarking.
67 months ago
RAM= "1 GB" (for a 1GB machine, set to 100%; for a 2GB machine, 50%; etc...)
I may be incorrect in how this RAM setting works... It looks like according to this article, the amount of RAM photoshop uses will be different anyways based on the amount of memory the system uses. So lets just all set the level to 70%. (I will change the first post to reflect this).
67 months ago
Hey.
I'm using a MacPro Quad Xeon yaddayadda 2.0Ghz, 4x512 (2GB) Ram as supplied by Apple and the Ati x1900xt as supplied by Apple.
I just ran the RetouchArtists Speedtest, I think they say to set memory usage at 100% but I used 70% for this post like you asked and got the same first pass times either way.
Restart machine.
CS2:
First pass: 79 seconds
Quit and restart CS2: second pass: 77 seconds
Not quit CS2, close test image and re-open: third pass: 68 seconds.
Restart computer, start CS3:
First pass: 45 seconds
Quit and restart CS3: second pass: 44 seconds
Not quit CS3, close test image and re-open: third pass: 38 seconds.
I notice a nice sharpening of response and brush sensitivity with CS3, very happy.
I'm using a MacPro Quad Xeon yaddayadda 2.0Ghz, 4x512 (2GB) Ram as supplied by Apple and the Ati x1900xt as supplied by Apple.
I just ran the RetouchArtists Speedtest, I think they say to set memory usage at 100% but I used 70% for this post like you asked and got the same first pass times either way.
Restart machine.
CS2:
First pass: 79 seconds
Quit and restart CS2: second pass: 77 seconds
Not quit CS2, close test image and re-open: third pass: 68 seconds.
Restart computer, start CS3:
First pass: 45 seconds
Quit and restart CS3: second pass: 44 seconds
Not quit CS3, close test image and re-open: third pass: 38 seconds.
I notice a nice sharpening of response and brush sensitivity with CS3, very happy.
67 months ago
wow... so a 2.66 would probably shave a few seconds of those on CS3, and a 3ghz would take a few more off that. *supposedly*
very good results though!
very good results though!
67 months ago
dual g4 867 (MDD) 2gb ram, boot disk as scratch
3:16
MBP 2.0ghz CD 1GB ram
4:18
When I lowered the ram available to photoshop on the G4 to the same amount as the MBP (~710mb), it finished in 5:33
3:16
MBP 2.0ghz CD 1GB ram
4:18
When I lowered the ram available to photoshop on the G4 to the same amount as the MBP (~710mb), it finished in 5:33
67 months ago
"
Quote:
Originally Posted by simie View Post
Quad G5 2.5 Ghz
5 GB DDR 2
500 Gigabyte HDD
OSX 10.4.8
Photoshop CS2
1 History State
100% Memory
Time 36.03 seconds
Stopwatch Used
Just run the test under CS
Time 35.92 seconds
CS 3 Beta with 1 history state and cache level 6
1st run 53.35 seconds
2nd run 40.50 seconds
The second run, is always faster than the first on my Quad G5, I have done this test multiple times and get the same results. Restarting the Mac makes no difference to the test"
Quote:
Originally Posted by simie View Post
Quad G5 2.5 Ghz
5 GB DDR 2
500 Gigabyte HDD
OSX 10.4.8
Photoshop CS2
1 History State
100% Memory
Time 36.03 seconds
Stopwatch Used
Just run the test under CS
Time 35.92 seconds
CS 3 Beta with 1 history state and cache level 6
1st run 53.35 seconds
2nd run 40.50 seconds
The second run, is always faster than the first on my Quad G5, I have done this test multiple times and get the same results. Restarting the Mac makes no difference to the test"
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