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which computer for photshop cc 2017

New Here ,
Nov 13, 2017 Nov 13, 2017

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i need to buy a new computer mine is too old and i need some advise my budget is 1500e max

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correct answers 1 Correct answer

Community Expert , Nov 13, 2017 Nov 13, 2017

Hi Bernardy,

There is no simple answer to your question. Any new computer should be able to run Photoshop. The exact specs depend on what other things you will be doing with it. Will you be doing any video work, 3D modeling?  Other considerations - do you prefer Mac or PC.

Here is some advice we give students in my faculty (Built Environment) at The University of New South Wales, where they may do a lot of graphics and high processing applications.

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Form Factor and Design:
Laptops come in a wide v

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Community Expert ,
Nov 13, 2017 Nov 13, 2017

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Hi Bernardy,

There is no simple answer to your question. Any new computer should be able to run Photoshop. The exact specs depend on what other things you will be doing with it. Will you be doing any video work, 3D modeling?  Other considerations - do you prefer Mac or PC.

Here is some advice we give students in my faculty (Built Environment) at The University of New South Wales, where they may do a lot of graphics and high processing applications.

---

Form Factor and Design:
Laptops come in a wide variety of configurations that limit other choices depending on your intended use. The basic laptop configurations still vary greatly with size, while convertable laptops (where the screen flips around or detaches) offer other modes like using them as a tablet or for drawing. Studying in a design degree is something to think about in your choice of laptop, what design aspects do you consider are most important...

Processor:
You want an i7 (or i5 for lower end tasks) with larger model/chip numbers being better, more GHz means faster) - this is where your laptop's general speed comes from for many tasks. (critical for rendering and data processing)

Memory:
You want at least 8GB for most low to mid end use with 16GB being better for loading up large models into specialised software and working with graphics/video. The price of upgrading from 8GB to 16GB is usually good value. (important for larger 3D models, city plans and video)

Display:
There are several factors that impact screen choice - size, resolution and quality (colour accuracy, brightness etc).
The combination of screen size and resolution will control how much you can fit onto the screen and how big things will be. Technical software can have complex interfaces, a larger resolution will let you work with these better, but on smaller screens this will make things pretty small. The lowest resolution you should look at would be FullHD (1920x1080) but many laptops can now give you much higher resolutions which is generally preferred even if some elements become very small on the screen. The larger screens with higher resolutions give you a better experience, particularly for prolonged work, but the smaller screen laptops are much more portable. You will need to find a balance here from the big 17" gaming/workstation laptops, though the middle 14-15" machines to the mobile 11-13" devices. Note that you can plug in an external monitor as well to give yourself more screen when at home.

Hard Disk:
Minimum 256GB SSD. An SSD (solid state disk) is much faster than normal hard disk but provides less storage space for the same cost. You will need space for all your software and many files but larger storage options can be expensive. You will also need to make sure that you backup to external drive/s or into the cloud (protecting your files is essential).

Graphics:
There are 3 main classes of graphics chips (GPUs): 'integrated' (Intel - less suited to graphics applications); 'dedicated gaming' (great consumer graphics eg. NVIDIA GeForce); and 'dedicated workstation' (professional graphics eg. NVIDIA Quadro). Better graphics can make a significant difference when working with visual software - particularly 3D modelling, real-time visualisation and large simulations. The better GPUs can be quite expensive and only available in some laptop models like those designed for gaming.
You can compare different GPUs on NotebookCheck and for higher-end users (eg. Architecture and CoDe students running game engines or creating large digital models), you can see graphics cards comparison for various games (better indicator) here.

Touch and Stylus:
Some laptops also come with a digital stylus/pen which can be used with the laptop display in tablet mode - this eliminates the need for an external graphics tablet and allows you to work directly on the display when drawing or sculpting digitally. It is worth noting that some laptops also support touch screen displays which can be nice.

Battery and Power:
Battery life can be important if you intend to work while travelling or for extended periods away from a convenient power point. It may also be a good idea to check out the size of the AC adapter, so you know what you might have to carry with you for when the battry isnt enough. Note that when using the laptop for more intensive graphics and processor tasks the battery life will be much shorter.

Other:
There are many other aspects of a laptop that are worth understanding before you make your final choice. Look at the USB ports (number and type), speakers, microphone, camera, keyboard, etc.

Warranty:
The default warranty from many suppliers is a 1 year limited warranty, look into 3 year options as the lifespan of a new laptop in terms of both parts failure and obsolescence is typically 3 to 4 years - getting accidental damage and/or theft coverage is nice as well if you have spent lots on the hardware.

Windows or Mac:
The BE labs are all running Windows7 (64bit) as a majority of the specialist software used in the Built Environment only run under Windows. New laptops will generally have Windows 10 which supports these applications. If you choose a Mac then you will have OSX which will run some of the software natively, to run the rest you will need to configure BootCamp on your laptop then install Windows as well so you can run the other applications.

Vendors

Microsoft Surface:
The tablet and stylus powered Microsoft Surface Pro 4 is the default machine for most the staff of the faculty at the moment, providing a great deal of portability while still delivering the firepower needed for many tasks. The (i7, 16GB, 256HDD, Iris540) spec is a little underpowered in graphics but great in the other areas and often on sale through the Microsoft AU store (or use their educational discount or specials from other retailers). Some users have gone with the Surface Book as well which has even higher specs including the nicer GPU options though it is expensive.

Core and Gaming Vendors:
The main suite of laptop vendors like Dell, HP and Lenovo have competitive models depending on which form-factor you are looking at. They have a wide range of options from cheap entry-level machines through to serious workstation class machines.
There are a suite of more graphics/gaming style options from vendors like Dell/Alienware, HP (Omen, Envy, Spectre), Asus/ROG, MSI, Razer and Metabox. You can buy direct from any of these vendors or go through a store like JB Hi-Fi and MSY. Be wary of smaller vendors or distributors in terms of warranty and support even though you may be able to save on price.

Apple:
You can get educational pricing from the Apple store on their range of MacbookPro and MacbookAir laptops.

Advice:
To get help with various specs or quotes, please contact the BECU office, your lecturer and tutors as well as checking with your fellow students (esp those in higher years). Some models worth looking at include: Microsoft Surface Pro 4 (and Surface Book), Gigabyte AERO 14, MSI GS63, , etc...
Note that some of these machines have nice high-resolution displays which are great for many things but some software isnt built to handle them nicely (like Autocad)

Other Considerations

You want a Desktop:
With the price difference you can buy a lot of computing power in a Desktop for the price of a Laptop. Alas this makes the computer non-portable. The faculty recommends a laptop as there will be classes using websites and software as well as opportunities to work on your projects when you are away from home. Some people can afford to have a travel laptop plus a grunty workstation desktop at home, but the faculty recommends an appropriate laptop for all students.

What about a Tablet:
The portability and increasing capability of tablets (like iPads) make them really useful for consuming media and browsing the web etc. Some (like the iPadpro) are also good for creating certain types of content. Add a keyboard and the amount of things you can do increases even more. Even with all of this a tablet cant do a large number of things that a laptop can, including running the more techincal software. Only the most adventurous students should experiment with replacing their laptop with a tablet. Note that some laptops 'convert' into tablets, but they still run the full version of Windows 10 when they do this which is different to tablets running Android or IOS.

Facilities at Uni:
There are laptop benches in the corridors of the Red Centre, plus work locations in the computer labs plus inside and outside buildings across the campus. These provide powerpoints and some even give you peripherals like monitors, keyboards and mice you can plug into and use. BECU have loan gear that might help if you want a mouse, an adapter of some sort or even a laptop for a presentation if yours isnt working.
If you need software that you dont have installed on your laptop or your computer is struggling or not working then you can use the Built Environment Computer Labs 24 hours a day (except when they are booked for classes).

Software:
Depending on the Degree and Courses you are taking, there will be a mixture of general and specialised applications you will need. Some of these are available free from the supplier or via the UNSW licensing. Other software requires everyone (including students) to purchase them - note that often you can get 'educational' pricing which can bring significant savings as long as you are just using the software for your studies. Check with your lecturer or BECU on the availability of software you are looking to buy.

** Please note this advice is only a guide to help you refine your specification.  We always recommend looking around for a model/specification/price that suits your needs best. **

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New Here ,
Nov 13, 2017 Nov 13, 2017

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thanks for that

i need to buy a laptot connecting my wacom tablet cintiq 21 ux,i am on windows,and i am creating matte painting,digital painting

and next year will buy a new wacom tablet,27qhd,using my new laptop so this is why i am looking for advise from professional to guide me

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