AMD Radeon RX Performance Problems

[Mark Ingram]

Since the release of 1.9.0, we have become aware of performance problems for owners of AMD Radeon RX graphics cards. This is due to the new hardware acceleration feature which is enabled by default in 1.9.0. We are actively investigating this problem, but while we do this, we recommend trying Photo with Hardware Acceleration disabled (in Preferences | Performance). We apologise for the inconvenience, and thank you for your patience while we investigate.

If you are experiencing these performance problems, and you do have an AMD Radeon RX graphics card, please could you go to Help | Benchmark, then press Run Benchmark, and take a screenshot of the results, and post them to this thread (there is no need to record a benchmark with OpenCL disabled). Alternatively just reply with the exact model of graphics card that you're using. There is no need to make additional threads in the forum describing performance problems if you have an AMD Radeon RX, and you still have Hardware Acceleration enabled. Any descriptions of the performance problems that you are seeing would also be useful. Thanks again.

[stranded]

The performance is really really bad with OpenCL enabled, it also happens on my computers with Intel/NVIDIA at work. Here's my benchmark screenshot with OpenCL disabled and enabled from my home PC.

Specs:
Ryzen 3700X
Radeon RX 5600XT
32GB RAM
NVME SSD

all drivers from AMD (chipset, GPU) and Windows 10 x64 (19042.789) up to date

I can see in task manager that the GPU is not used at all (never jumps above 1% of usage) during the benchmark process (with or without OpenCL acceleration).

With enabled (horrible performance, UI hangs all the time):

 

[SavagePT]

Here are my benchmarks.

The graphics card is an RX590 with 8GB of memory, running the latest "normal" drivers (not the Radeon Pro for Entreprise) version 21.2.1

I still didn't notice any slowdown in 1.9 compared to version 1.8.5.

The patch tool seems to work fine in the latest Beta. The current 1.9 has issues with it.

Edit: In case is necessary, my processor is an i7 8700, with 16GB DDR4 and an m.2 ssd has my system drive.

[Duskstalker]

threadripper 2920X

radeon rx vega 56 (seriously underperforming, lol)

[Artisan9]

Ryzen 5 2600X CPU and AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT GPU. Benchmark with Acceleration enabled but AP is slow.

[tpolakov]

Did not see much of performance issues other than the Live liquify tool.

However, the Patch tool simply does not work with OpenCL enabled. The selection will be black on completion. Disabling OpenCL solves it. RX580.

[boulton lee]

Benchmark Pictures provided with hardware acceleration on and off

 

Specs:

i9 9900k OC

32GB Ram 3000mhz

AMD 6900 XT - Powercolor Red Devil

500GB Samsung SSD SATA

 

 

ON

 

OFF

Edited February 10, 2021 by boulton lee

[Mark Ingram]

Thanks @boulton lee, just for reference, there's no need to provide the "off" version, as that is what the "Multi CPU" option is already (you'll notice only minor variance between your two screenshots).

Multi CPU = CPU only (all cores)

Single GPU = GPU only

[boulton lee]

35 minutes ago, Mark Ingram said:

Thanks @boulton lee, just for reference, there's no need to provide the "off" version, as that is what the "Multi CPU" option is already (you'll notice only minor variance between your two screenshots).

Multi CPU = CPU only (all cores)

Single GPU = GPU only

Ok no problem, while you look into the issues, is there anything i can do in the meantime to make life a little easier?

[Mark Ingram]

25 minutes ago, boulton lee said:

Ok no problem, while you look into the issues, is there anything i can do in the meantime to make life a little easier?

Our main problem is that we can't buy any Radeon RX cards, from anywhere! They're completely sold out from what we can see. Which makes it difficult to debug problems without physical access to the hardware. But that aside, thanks 🙂

[Ron P.]

1 hour ago, Mark Ingram said:

Our main problem is that we can't buy any Radeon RX cards, from anywhere! They're completely sold out from what we can see. Which makes it difficult to debug problems without physical access to the hardware. But that aside, thanks 🙂

Wow, that's as bad as firearms and ammo here in the US. 😮 The only AMD card available for purchase directly from AMD is  AMD Ryzen™ 9 3950X Desktop Processor 😮

Products Available for Purchase

[Duskstalker]

1 hour ago, Mark Ingram said:

Our main problem is that we can't buy any Radeon RX cards, from anywhere! They're completely sold out from what we can see

gpu shortages are a thing since november and will continue throughout 2021 because of the mining boom, possibly until early 2022. no way you're getting anything new in the next 6 months without paying triple the usual price or waiting months for delivery.

i highly suggest trying to get a rx580, rx570, vega 56/64 for GCN architecture or a 5600XT/5700 for RDNA 1 on ebay - in germany there are plenty of offerings - quite expensive for a used old cards, but its way cheaper than trying retail. radeon 7 and 6800 series are gone except for those rare >1000€ offerings. i dont know your budget, maybe thats a sum you can easily put up with.

for loaning you could try hardware stores in the UK or tech youtubers based in the UK, like buildzoid. he has tons of GPUs, he might has some spares.

[boulton lee]

2 hours ago, Mark Ingram said:

Our main problem is that we can't buy any Radeon RX cards, from anywhere! They're completely sold out from what we can see. Which makes it difficult to debug problems without physical access to the hardware. But that aside, thanks 🙂

If there's anything I can to help then let me know

 

[Mark Ingram]

37 minutes ago, Duskstalker said:

gpu shortages are a thing since november and will continue throughout 2021 because of the mining boom, possibly until early 2022. no way you're getting anything new in the next 6 months without paying triple the usual price or waiting months for delivery.

i highly suggest trying to get a rx580, rx570, vega 56/64 for GCN architecture or a 5600XT/5700 for RDNA 1 on ebay - in germany there are plenty of offerings - quite expensive for a used old cards, but its way cheaper than trying retail. radeon 7 and 6800 series are gone except for those rare >1000€ offerings. i dont know your budget, maybe thats a sum you can easily put up with.

for loaning you could try hardware stores in the UK or tech youtubers based in the UK, like buildzoid. he has tons of GPUs, he might has some spares.

We believe it's the NAVI architecture specifically, so would need something that was 5000 series or later.

For reference, I have an RX Vega64 here, amongst other cards, and haven't noticed any issues (it is GCN v5 architecture).

[Duskstalker]

3 hours ago, Mark Ingram said:

For reference, I have an RX Vega64 here, amongst other cards, and haven't noticed any issues

i believe vega underperforms significantly, too, at least when comparing the photo benchmark scores and i have had some serious hangs while retouching with my vega aswell. i never saw any dedicated vega card exceed the scores of a R9 290X or a RX 580 or RX 5500XT and vega is significantly more powerful than those three cards - vega scores should be at least 50% higher than what they are at the moment, at least for mine and yours.

that said, i dont know what kind the load of the openCL acceleration is and how well it can be spread over the CUs of the gpu and im no programmer, just my impression as a power user and hardware nut.

[JeffJ]

Here you go.

[Mark Ingram]

@JeffJ, are you experiencing performance problems when using the application with hardware acceleration enabled?

[phil_k]

I have not noticed any performance problems with the released version 1.9.0 and my Ryzen 3700X CPU and AMD 5500XT GPU.  It might be worth trying to assess if the AMD CPUs and GPUs issues could be caused by third party hardware or software, for example tablets, dual graphics, older drivers still remaining on the system, etc. that is interfering with affinity and its use of opencl.

[VolkerMB]

In contrast to @phil_k I do see a difference (see other post).

Here are benchmarks:

 

Edited February 11, 2021 by Mark Ingram
No need to provide "off" benchmarks

[Artisan9]

Check ebay.

[PaulAffinity]

@Artisan9.. Plus shipping, plus customs duty, plus vat... And all that way shipped with love!?..

Enjoy... 

[Artisan9]

Serif is not clear on their location unless you look in Careers.  Isn't there eBay in the UK?   

[JeffJ]

22 hours ago, Mark Ingram said:

@JeffJ, are you experiencing performance problems when using the application with hardware acceleration enabled?

Hi Mark, in general no, I'm not.  I'll give this a more thorough eval today with hardware acc. enabled and execute a few of my routine work flow scripts.

You mentioned you can't test amd radeon video hardware.  If you have specific test scripts and test data, I would volunteer to test a few hours.  I'm retired IT systems analyst, done a lot of testing in my day.

[DenisD84]

Hi @Mark Ingram,

In the German Facebook group Affinity Photo Germany, the error also occurs with many people with a Geforce GTX/RTX. The only thing that helps is to remove the hook. So please take a look at this too. I will then pass it on in the community of the group.

Thank you

[Mark Ingram]

7 hours ago, DenisD84 said:

Hi @Mark Ingram,

In the German Facebook group Affinity Photo Germany, the error also occurs with many people with a Geforce GTX/RTX. The only thing that helps is to remove the hook. So please take a look at this too. I will then pass it on in the community of the group.

Thank you

Which error? A specific crash / error, or the performance problems?