How to build your own computer for photo processing (a computer for a photographer) and for games (a gaming computer). Selection of components for PC assembly. What kind of computer is needed to work with photography?

15298 Computer for a photographer 0

You have already learned that for those who are seriously interested in digital photography, today we will talk about another important component of the workplace - the system unit or sometimes simply called a computer. The system unit for a photographer is the main tool in working with digital images and it is as important as a good camera. The comfort of the photographer’s work and his capabilities will depend on how its components are correctly selected.

Before you start choosing a “system engineer,” you need to determine the tasks that he will have to solve in the process of his work. Some people need simple operations with one photo, while others have to batch process a large number of photos using complex algorithms. In any case, the photographer must determine what he needs. In our material, we rely on you knowing the basics of computer design and basic terms.

So, in order to understand the issue of choosing a system unit, we will consider the requirements for it from the developers of the Adobe Photoshop program - this is a popular, expensive graphics editor that is used by many photographers. They are as follows:

Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 processor (2 GHz or higher)

Microsoft Windows 7 SP 1 and later

1 GB RAM

2.5 GB of free hard disk space for installation; additional free space required for installation (not installed on removable flash storage devices)

MacOS

Multi-core Intel processor with 64-bit support

Operating system Mac OS X versions 10.7 or 10.8

1 GB RAM

3.2 GB of free hard disk space for installation; additional free space required for installation (does not install on a drive that uses a case-sensitive file system or on flash-based removable storage devices)

Video card supporting OpenGL 2.0, 16-bit colors, 512 MB video memory (1 GB recommended)

Note!

These are the minimum requirements! Modern cameras are clearly not enough for comfortable work with huge RAW files. In order for Photoshop and Lightroom to work quickly, when choosing or independently assembling a computer from components, you need to pay special attention to the components listed below, which directly affect the speed of work.

CPU

The central processor is the main component of the system unit, the heart of your computer, on the basis of which the computer is assembled. Almost all operations in Photoshop, especially heavy filters, use mainly processor resources, therefore, the more powerful it is, the higher the speed. His choice determines the basis of the entire system or, as it is also called, the platform. When choosing components for your computer, a photographer should start with the processor. The entire configuration of the system unit will depend on the choice of processor.

An important parameter when choosing a processor is its bit capacity - 32 or 64 bits. It depends on the operating system under which the processor will operate. Here we must proceed from the fact that 32-bit systems support no more than 4 GB of RAM, and the photographer’s computer may have more.

Well, the main parameter for choosing a processor is its power. It is determined mainly by the clock speed, number of cores and a number of other characteristics. The photographer's computer should have a fairly powerful, but not necessarily the most expensive, processor. Since power is constantly growing, it makes sense to talk only about the price range of processors. There are several well-known companies in the computer market that produce processors, but only two are the main ones - Intel and AMD. Both processors have both pros and cons. Intel is more reliable in operation, and AMD is cheaper. The photographer must choose the computer platform based on his preferences. I would recommend an Intel processor as its performance for graphics applications is better than AMD. Well, of course, the processor must be multi-core. I will not recommend a specific model, since it is quite possible that in a month or two this information will become outdated and more advanced and productive processors will appear. For comfortable work, it is better to choose processors costing about $300 or more.

RAM

RAM in a photographer’s computer is second in importance after the processor. This is what you should invest in first. The more RAM, the more information the processor can process. This means that when working with photographs, highly complex algorithms will be available.

When assembling a computer for a photographer, the amount of RAM must be chosen so that it is enough for full-fledged work in several large programs at the same time. These include, first of all, the operating system itself, an antivirus, an Internet browser, and of course the graphic editor Photoshop and Lightroom, opened together. The required minimum now is 8 GB, but it is better if you install 16 GB or more. At the same time, the speed of work increases significantly. In order to install the required amount of RAM on the motherboard, it must support work with this amount.

Video card

The video card in a computer is the third priority for a photographer. A photographer doesn’t necessarily need to have a very cool model. A video card from the mid-price range is enough for him. Such a video card should be able to reproduce a good picture on the monitor in any situation.

There are two main manufacturers in the video card market - nVidia and Ati Radeon. You can choose any of them to work with photos. In addition, there are other manufacturers who use both their own developments and take these platforms as a basis. It is important to choose a manufacturer not for working with graphics, but for working with video.

When choosing a computer video card for a photographer, the question of integration into the motherboard immediately arises. This option is of course possible, but only if there are problems with the budget. This option is not suitable for serious work. The built-in versions of the graphics card don't have much of what a photographer needs. For example, a graphics processor.

For comfortable work, it is advisable to purchase a video card with a memory capacity of at least 1 GB and DDR5 memory type.

Motherboard

Only after the processor, RAM and video card have been selected can you begin to select the motherboard. The first thing you need to choose is the manufacturer. There are many companies in the motherboard market, but preference should be given to the leaders. This will largely determine the reliability of the computer.

After choosing a motherboard manufacturer, in the supplier's catalog you need to find models made on the platform of the selected processor - Intel or AMD. From these, models are selected that have a socket for the selected type of processor, and from these, a motherboard with the functions that should be in the computer is selected.

All the main functions of the motherboard are included in its chipset (chipset). The chipset provides internal communication between all computer components and connection of external devices to it. The newer the chipset, the better the computer's performance.

The motherboard does not have a big impact on the operating speed, so there is no point in buying an expensive model. The main thing is that it matches the dimensions of the system unit case and supports the required amount of RAM (from 16 GB, and preferably 32 GB).

Disk system

The computer must have a disk system installed. It consists of one or more hard drives and a DVD-ROM drive. In addition to hosting software, a disk system is needed to store digital information. A photographer's computer must have a very large amount of disk space in order to easily store thousands of photographs. For reliable operation, it is better to have two hard drives, one of which will be a photo archive.

The third article in the “Computer for the Photographer” series is devoted to choosing a candy bar. Until recently, monoblocks were considered a curiosity and were quite rarely found in stores. Now there are about a dozen manufacturers on the market: Acer, Apple, Asus, Hewlett-Packard, Sony and others. The choice has become quite wide. And where there is a choice, there is always a risk of making the wrong decision. In this article we will help you choose the perfect all-in-one for the photographer.

Why monoblock

Today, the all-in-one computer has become a direct competitor to a computer with a separate system unit and a laptop. The all-in-one unit combines these two devices in a beautiful unibody design. When choosing between a standard desktop computer and a laptop, an all-in-one computer can be a good compromise solution.

The advantage of this form factor is, first of all, its compactness: the candy bar allows you to free up a lot of space both on the desktop and under it, where the system unit is usually located. Almost all monoblocks are equipped with Bluetooth wireless communication, which eliminates the use of wires. At the same time, monoblocks are easy to install, connect and configure. The aesthetic component is no less important. As a rule, the design of all-in-one computers is well thought out and made in such a way that this computer does not disturb the environment, but fits well into any interior. It is also worth noting that monoblocks have a low noise level.

Of course, along with their advantages, monoblocks also have disadvantages. Typically, the price of such a computer is higher than that of a regular one with identical characteristics. In addition, due to their form factor, all-in-one PCs are quite difficult to repair yourself. Replacing and installing additional components for some models at home is not possible; you must contact service.

Monoblocks are limited in size and therefore they are usually equipped with “laptop hardware”. Note that this is not a minus. Modern technologies make it possible to produce compact components for computers, the characteristics of which do not differ much from the characteristics of components that are installed in conventional computers with a system unit (ATX).

The choice of monoblock according to technical parameters is quite extensive. The modern monoblock market can satisfy consumers with almost any budget and technical requirements.

All-in-one PC performance

As for the performance of all-in-one PCs, it is higher than that of a laptop, but lower than that of classic desktop computers. Monoblocks are equipped with video cards similar to those found in laptops. It should be noted that modern mobile video cards are becoming more and more powerful. In combination with powerful multi-core processors, they produce very good results.

So, we smoothly moved on to the filling. When choosing an all-in-one, you can be guided by the same principles as when choosing a laptop. Everyone chooses the importance of certain technical characteristics for themselves. I will highlight only those parameters that affect the speed and performance when processing photos in the editor.

Screen

The screen is the “face” of the candy bar. The screen sizes of modern all-in-one PCs start from 20 inches. The largest screen at the moment is the HP K2B38EA monoblock - 38 inches. As you probably already guessed, the all-in-one screen must meet the basic criteria for color rendering - be made using IPS technology. Only this way and no other way. As for size, the larger the screen, the more resources it requires to render graphics. I suggest staying between 24-30 inches. In my opinion, this is the optimal size for both photo editing and other computer work. Large displays are suitable for film lovers, video editors and those who like to work in several programs at once, the windows of which can be neatly arranged across the entire screen.

Speaking about the candy bar screen, it is necessary to take into account two more parameters - the screen surface and the touchscreen function. With the first, everything is more or less clear: matte surfaces do not glare and do not have the property of reflecting objects located opposite them, which cannot be said about screens with a glossy finish. Almost all light objects are reflected in them. At the same time, glossy screens have more saturated color rendition, the picture looks clearer on them. For working with photography, a matte surface is more optimal, since reflections often interfere with the processing of the frame.

In our case, the ability to have a touchscreen on a candy bar is unnecessary functionality. This is due to the fact that fingerprints and smears will constantly remain on the screen. When editing a photo, it is more convenient to use a keyboard, mouse and/or graphics tablet. This is much more convenient and faster than manipulating by touching the screen directly.

CPU

The most common processors that are now equipped with monoblocks are Intel Core i5 or older models of this line - Intel Core i7. For working with graphics, a younger model with a clock frequency of 2 GHz (Windows) and 1.5 GHz (OS X) is quite sufficient. There are also A-series and Athlon processor solutions from AMD on the market. These processors are quite powerful, but now in almost any segment they are inferior in performance and heat dissipation to central processors from Intel. VIA processors are also found on budget models. We will not consider them in this article due to low performance.

Amount of RAM and hard drive

The speed of a computer (laptop) is determined mainly by the power of the processor, and RAM is used for temporary data storage. If the amount of RAM runs out, the system begins to use the hard drive, and then there is a sharp decrease in the speed of the entire system.

For normal operation, the Windows operating system with all its services uses about 0.8 GB of RAM. Thus, for everyday work, 2 GB of RAM is quite enough (but preferably 4). Currently, 32-bit Windows client operating systems do not support the ability to work with memory above 4 GB, although this is theoretically possible.

Nowadays, most all-in-one PCs are equipped with a 64-bit operating system. In this case, it is useful to have at least 4 GB of RAM on board. It is better that the installed RAM has a total volume of 8–16 GB.

The frequency of RAM also affects the speed of operation in general: the faster the processor receives data from memory, the faster the system runs, but this influence is exaggerated. For example, the difference in system speed when using DDR3 1333 MHz and DDR3 2133 MHz memory modules, depending on the application, will be from 0 to 15%.

RAM can also affect the graphics component of the system. For example, when the RAM frequency increases from 1333 MHz to 1866 MHz, the performance of the integrated video card increases by an average of 25%. Although the video cards in modern hybrid processors have decent power, at any RAM frequency they will lose to discrete video cards. Thus, discrete video memory will always provide better performance than integrated video memory.

To increase RAM performance, you need to use dual-channel mode - install two memory sticks working together. Using dual-channel RAM mode allows you to increase the performance of the built-in video card. This must be taken into account when choosing a monoblock.

With a hard drive, everything is simple: if you have a lot of files, take a large HDD. If high speed is important and you plan to store data on external drives, take an all-in-one PC with a built-in SSD drive. Let's list the main advantages of an SSD drive:

• High speed of reading/writing information: average read and write speed ranges from 200–600 MB/s;
• Silent operation (no moving parts);
• Low power consumption;
• High reliability: Since these drives have no moving parts, they are much more reliable than HDDs. They are not afraid of shocks and shocks.

But they are not without their drawbacks:

• High price: SSD technology is relatively new, therefore, the price of disks is growing in proportion to their capacity and is not going to decrease in the near future;
• Small capacity: the maximum capacity of this disk at the moment (2015) is only 512 GB;
• Sensitivity to voltage changes. In a regular HDD, only the controller can burn out if there is a voltage drop; by replacing it, you can restore all the information. For an SSD drive, the controller is located on the same board with the information - data loss is inevitable.

There are also so-called hybrid hard drives. This is a type of drive that combines a traditional hard drive and a small SSD. They are used as a second level cache. The operating principle of hybrid drives is to analyze frequently used data located on the HDD and transfer it to the memory of the built-in SSD to increase the reading speed the next time the user accesses it. For example, Apple iMac computers use hybrid drives with Fusion Drive technology.

Optical drive

Today the need for an optical drive is almost zero. This is due to the fact that files are transferred either through paid and free online data storage services or through flash drives - flash cards and external drives. Almost no one uses optical discs these days. You yourself have probably forgotten the last time you used a CD. From this we can assume that the presence or absence of an optical drive in an all-in-one PC is not so important. Therefore, we will not dwell on this.

Additional options

The need for additional options is determined by the presence of certain built-in interfaces. For example, it is desirable that the all-in-one computer has its own card reader. This way you get rid of connecting an external memory card reader. This is important, because all-in-one computers usually have few USB ports.

To connect your computer to a TV (projector, additional monitor), you will need a video output. The most common port for video output at the moment is HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface). It allows transmission of high-definition digital video data and multi-channel digital audio signals. However, there are other ports, for example, Thunderbolt, DVI, TV-out (S-Video), DisplayPort.

As a rule, all monoblocks are equipped with a built-in Bluetooth module for wireless connection of devices. To get rid of wires, you can wirelessly connect a keyboard, mouse, graphics tablet and other accessories. Bluetooth is also a necessary option when choosing an all-in-one for a photographer.

Let's sum it up

It's time to briefly summarize the technical characteristics that will be optimal for working with graphics.

Our all-in-one for a photographer is a computer with a monitor with a diagonal of 24 inches, made using IPS technology. It must have a fairly powerful processor, for example, Intel Core i5 or its “big brother” - Intel Core i7. These processors have 2 or 4 cores depending on the generation. RAM must be at least 4 GB, operating in parallel (dual-channel) mode. The all-in-one PC must have a discrete video card installed. The capabilities of the GT or GTX series from NVIDIA are quite sufficient. Most monoblocks are now equipped with such video chipsets. There are also other built-in video adapters.

The latest generation of Apple iMac all-in-one PCs with 5K displays feature an integrated AMD Radeon R9 M290X graphics processor with 2GB of GDDR5 memory. These characteristics are quite sufficient for comfortable photo processing. Interfaces such as Bluetooth and HDMI are also highly desirable in a monoblock. And a memory card reader slot is extremely necessary.

All-in-one computers from Apple iMac have long been considered the generally accepted standard for an all-in-one computer. They are available in two versions - with a 21.5 and 27-inch screen. Perhaps the only drawback of these solutions is the price. It remains at a fairly high level.

A good solution for a photographer could be Dell's model 0151, the Dell XPS One 2720 monoblock. This is a 27-inch IPS screen, inside of which there is a powerful fourth-generation Intel Core i5-4440S central processor with a clock frequency of 2.8 GHz. The NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M video card with 2048 MB of video memory is responsible for graphics output. There is also enough RAM - 8 GB DDR3! The built-in card reader will allow reading information from SD/SDHC/SDXC/MS/MS Pro/MMC memory cards. As a bonus, this candy bar has a touch screen that can make working with photos much easier.

Also a good choice would be the HP ENVY All-in-One - 27-k401ur. This is a 27-inch all-in-one based on an NVIDIA GeForce 830A video card (2 GB of dedicated DDR3 memory) and a 4-core Intel Core ii7-4790T central processor with an Intel HD 4600 graphics card. The all-in-one is equipped with a card reader and four USB ports.

In addition, it has an HDMI port for video output. A 256 GB solid-state drive is provided as a hard drive, which will give a significant increase in speed when working with graphics.

The profession of a photographer in itself is very interesting, but at the same time difficult. Here you don’t just need to take a shot, but adjust the light, background, and so on. If you are doing a fashion shoot, then you have to hire a model and do her hair and makeup. There may be at least a hundred shots, but only a couple of them turn out to be of the highest quality.

But the photographer needs not only to photograph objects or models, but also to process the photographs. After all, half of what we end up seeing is Photoshop. The photo must be perfect. Therefore, you can’t do without photo editors. And in order for them to work efficiently, it is necessary to collect the correct PC characteristics.

CPU

It would be a sin to save on this. After all, thanks to the processor, we can see the processing of all information, so the speed of operation will depend on its speed. Graphic editors are very demanding of PC resources. So it is better to spend a large amount of money on a processor. But it’s better not to shell out huge amounts of money for top models either. It's best to stick with the middle option.

How much RAM should there be?

Memory also affects the speed of tasks you do simultaneously. For our work, the minimum volume should be 8 GB, but if possible, then buy a better memory with 16 GB, then the operation of the gadget will be accelerated. You should also pay attention to the fact that not all motherboards can support large amounts of RAM. So if you want to upgrade, then you need to pay attention to these functions.

Best video card

There is no need to save money here either. In their work, graphic editors actively use the resources of the video adapter. And if you take into account some filters, they do not work at all without using the GPU. So, if you take a video card, then choose a powerful one so that it can cope with all tasks. You don’t have to buy a top-end gaming card; you won’t need a lot of overclocking or a huge amount of memory. A mid-range model will do just fine. Such devices include Radeon R9 270 or GeForce 660 cards. But the built-in video adapter will not suit you, because it will not be able to perform all the tasks when working with graphic editors. You will also definitely need DVI and HDMI digital connectors.

Don't forget about the motherboard

But you won’t have to overpay for such a component. The motherboard has almost no effect on the speed of operation, so you can safely take a budget model. And if there is extra money left, it is better to add it to the purchase for the amount of RAM or simply buy a more powerful video card. There is also one important condition: the motherboard must be compatible with the processor model that you have chosen.

Disk drives

Among all the models, there are the most profitable ones, and this includes the SSD + HDD combination. An SSD drive is needed to install the operating system on it, as well as other programs that you will need for work. This drive is characterized by high operating speed. But the second drive is needed to store data - processed photos, source files, videos and other things. And there are a lot of such things in our computer.

The monitor is your eyes

But choosing a monitor will be much more difficult, because manufacturers offer so many options that you don’t know which one to grab. The first thing you need to look at is the price. If you don’t care, then you can safely spend 30 thousand rubles for any monitor that you like. But if you have a limited budget, then this is something worth thinking about. If you take a monitor up to 10 thousand rubles, then they are considered the cheapest, and do not differ much in characteristics from those you are currently sitting behind. A specialized monitor can cost you from 10 to 20 thousand rubles. It will suit you not only for work, but also just for home.

When choosing a monitor, first of all you need to pay attention to the brightness, contrast and matrix type. The most popular diagonal can be from 19 to 24 inches. Response time for a photographer may not be important, because you are an editor, not a gamer. To work with photos, it is best to choose the IPS matrix type. This is the best type that exists today. But the TN type is absolutely not suitable for you, you will not be able to see the colors as they are, and the viewing angle will be worse than ever. When processing photos, lighting should also be an important factor. There should be no glare at the edges of the display.

The monitor should show deep blacks. So in this regard, you can look at devices with LED backlighting. If we talk about the surface of the monitor, then each person makes this choice individually. After all, a glossy surface gives a more contrasting image, but there are glares. But the matte surface can provide great ease of use and there is no glare.

At the time of publishing my first article about building an uncompromisingly powerful PC for a photographer, Intel had not yet announced the release of its sixth-generation processors with the Skylake microarchitecture. At that time, I opted for the Haswell architecture with a powerful and proven Intel Core i7-4790K processor (known as Devil’s Canyon). But since then there have been some changes in the computer hardware market, so I decided to update the article, this time focusing on a very powerful build based on Skylake. Such a machine would need to be able to process anything you can imagine, including 4K video.

As before, I will present two build options: the first is based on a full-size case, which will give greater flexibility in terms of space and the prospect of upgrading the system, and the second is based on a compact mini-ITX case that takes up a minimum of your work space. Although I have always used full-size cases, recently I have begun to lean towards choosing a more compact option - primarily because now it is possible to assemble a small but powerful system.

Architecture

Comparing Intel to AMD can sometimes create heated debates among PC users, similar to what we see when comparing Nikon to Canon. For a number of reasons, most of them based on performance and compatibility, I chose Intel for my build. I have never regretted my choice, since Intel has been very reliable in all my previous builds. A quick glance at this processor performance chart is enough to understand why millions of users choose Intel over AMD - Intel dominates the top half of the chart and has been that way for some time. Intel dominates both PC and Apple, so you can find benchmarks like this in many places on the Internet. If I offended AMD fans with this, I apologize in advance!

Chipset and processor

The release of the Skylake microarchitecture makes it pointless to consider the possibility of using previous generations of architectures. So we can immediately move on to the issue of choosing a processor for our system. As of early November 2015, Intel's flagship desktop processor is i7-6700K, and that is what we will use. With a base clock of 4.0 GHz, 4 cores, 8 threads, and turbo boost capability of up to 4.2 GHz, it's an insanely fast processor for your photography and video needs. It is based on the FCLGA1151 socket, which means that we will be dealing with a chipset Intel Z170. Now, having decided on the processor and chipset, we can move on to choosing a motherboard.

One of Skylake's biggest advantages over Broadwell and Haswell is the increased maximum RAM capacity - you can now use up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM!

Motherboard

Choosing a motherboard is quite difficult, since the market offers many options, even though Skylake is a relatively new architecture. Different manufacturers offer a variety of models - from affordable to not so much. When assembling a system for my needs, I am not bothered by choosing a budget or expensive motherboard, since the best solutions are usually located somewhere in the middle of the price range. However, I have a certain criterion by which I will make a choice - I want a motherboard with two M.2 slots, as you will see below, this is crucial. In terms of brand choice, I have tried many brands including ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, ASRock, Intel and SuperMicro and always come back to ASUS. However, when putting together this system, I was a little upset with ASUS, since this manufacturer does not have mid-priced motherboards with two M.2 slots. ASUS Z170 Deluxe is, of course, good, but it is quite expensive, and support for the secondary M.2 slot is provided by installing a separate PCIe card. So, the smarter choice in this case, in my opinion, was the Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 7, which comes with two latest-generation Gen3 x4 M.2 slots that support data transfer rates of up to 32 Gbps.

So, based on the above, the main candidates for my builds were:

• • For full size case: Gigabyte Z170X Gaming 7– a solid motherboard with new USB-3.1 Type-C ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, excellent sound, SATA Express and WiFi.

• For compact case: ASUS Maximus VIII Impact– the choice of this particular mother card is also due to its rich set of functionality. With it you get high-quality audio, USB 3.1 (both Type-A and Type-C), WiFi, Bluetooth and much more. Overall, this is a great motherboard, although a bit pricey!

M.2 slot: faster than SSD

If you have experience using SSD drives and have been impressed with their performance, then you have only scratched the surface of the extreme performance storage space. The new generation of M.2 SSD drives offer speeds of up to 32 Gb/s, which is significantly faster than the 6 Gb/s that is limited to the SATA interface through which standard SSD drives are mounted. Thus, SSDs cannot be compared with M.2 SSDs - the best M.2 SSD drives today can offer the user read speeds of up to 1600 MB/s, while the best SSD drives are limited to 500 MB/s, then Yes, when using M.2 you get a performance increase of more than 3 times! Now you know where to place your Lightroom catalog!

But there is something you should keep in mind - not all M.2 drives are created equal! There are many cheap M.2 drives that perform no different from regular SSD drives. They are only externally made in the M.2 form factor, but in terms of performance they are still the same SATA SSDs. When purchasing M.2 drives, you must ensure that you are purchasing NVMe or AHCI, not SATA.

As for choosing an M.2 SSD drive directly, a new one would be an excellent choice Samsung 950 Pro series PCIe NVMe M.2. With an impressive 2500 MB/s read speed and 1500 MB/s write speed, it's one of the fastest drives available under $400.

Storage capacity is very important, so don't settle for anything less than 512GB. Yes, it's expensive, but 256GB isn't enough for large catalogs, especially if you plan to save full-size JPEGs as previews.

On the second slot, I would like to install another 950 PRO M.2, but obviously it will be quite expensive. Just imagine combining them in a RAID 0 configuration! (Note: Your motherboard's BIOS must support RAID in order for you to be able to combine an M.2 pair into RAID 0). Absolute madness! Currently, the 256GB version of the Samsung 950 PRO M.2 sells for less than $200, but you guys will lose a bit of write speed if you go for it. So, today, I would opt for a system with two 950 PRO M.2 512 GB.

SSD/HDD drives

In addition to the M.2 drive(s) that will house your Lightroom catalog, I would recommend purchasing fast SSDs for storing your photos. I know that many of our readers will disagree with this, since photos can be saved on a regular hard drive. However, once you start using SSD drives to store RAW files, it is extremely difficult to go back to hard drives. Keep in mind that whenever you open and edit your DNG/RAW files, Lightroom still needs access to them. And if you put these RAW files on fast media, you can reduce the access time to them, which will significantly increase productivity. If the high price tag doesn’t scare you, then I would suggest opting for a 1 TB SSD drive Samsung 850 EVO. This drive still offers great performance for under $400 apiece. If your budget allows, you can purchase the 2TB version for around $750.

If you don't have too many photos, you can purchase the 500 GB version, which will be slightly cheaper. Why not choose the 850 Pro Series for storage? Because, in my opinion, for a drive used to store photos, this is already overkill. However, if you are on a budget, you can opt for the 850 Pro series drives as they offer better performance. If you find SSD drives from other brands with similar performance, then you should pay attention to them. Crucial, Intel, SanDisk and other SSD manufacturers sometimes offer very good prices. Regardless of what manufacturer’s disk and what capacity you choose, make sure to buy two identical disks. Although SSDs are much more reliable than HDDs, I would still recommend combining them in RAID 1/mirror mode in case you forget to back up your data regularly. Another advantage of SSDs is their lower heat dissipation compared to HDDs.

For many, switching to SSD-only storage is an unaffordable luxury. Plus, you certainly won't be able to get the same amount of storage as you could with regular HDDs. And this is another drawback. So, if you have a lot of photos and don't want to buy expensive 1-2 TB SSD drives, buy 2 4+ TB HDDs. Just make sure you don't buy one of the green drives - go for the black Western Digital 4TB 7200 RPM drives with massive cache. For the full-size case option, I would recommend combining 4 of these drives into RAID 1 or RAID 5.

Now I store all my photos for the year (which I actively edit) on an SSD drive, and then move them to my network storage based on Synology DS1815+, which does an excellent job as a home media server.

RAM

If you choose Skylake, forget about DDR3 - you will have to buy DDR4 memory, which is faster and more energy efficient compared to DDR3. Additionally, by upgrading to DDR4, you can double your system's maximum RAM capacity to 64 GB by installing it in the motherboard's 4 slots.

I'd go with 32GB of RAM because that's plenty for my needs, but if you're building a system with an eye toward the future, or if you're working with huge panoramas, then you should probably go with 64GB.

Here are some good options I've found:

• • Option for full size case: Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR 4 PC4-19200 32 GB Kit(4x8 GB) or 2x Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 PC4-21300.

• For compact: Crucial Ballistix Sport 16 GB Kit(2 × 8 GB).

Although the mini-ITX build allows the use of up to 32 GB of RAM, finding reliable 16 GB sticks compatible with Maximus Impact VIII is currently quite difficult. The above Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 should work for this build, but I can't be 100% sure because it's not on the official list of supported memory boards.

Video card

Now that Lightroom and many other applications use GPU rendering, graphics card performance of course plays a role in how quickly applications render and process images and videos. If you want to get extra performance, then you should choose a high-end graphics card that can easily handle the load. Deep pockets looking to run a 30-bit desktop environment should look to NVIDIA's Quadro series of graphics cards (which can cost up to $10,000), but I'd recommend the GTX series of graphics cards for most photographers instead. I opted for a video card NVIDIA GTX 970, which quickly and easily copes with any load. Currently, I don't see the point in using a 30-bit desktop environment for my needs, and I can't justify spending over $1,000 on a graphics card, which is why I chose the above graphics card.

• • For full size case: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 SuperSC.

• For compact case: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 970 Mini ITX.

For a compact build, I used a smaller profile graphics card as it leaves a lot of space for cooling and cables.

power unit

Of course, among the large number of options offered by the market, you would like to choose a reliable power supply, and it certainly needs to be modular. The modular power supply allows you to connect as many cables as you need, freeing the inside of your case from a jungle of unused cables. My favorites are power supplies Corsair series CX And R.M., providing high performance.

• • For full-size case: modular power supply Corsair RM650. If you plan to add more than two hard drives or upgrade your system, choose a larger power supply.

• For a compact case: modular power supply Corsair RM450.

Frame

Now that we've chosen the motherboard, processor, power supply, RAM, storage, and graphics card, it's time to choose a case for each build option. The selection of cases below is, again, based on my personal preferences. If you would like to suggest using other models and other manufacturers, please share your opinion in the comments.

• • Assembly with full-size case: Cooler Master HAF X 942. I've been using Cooler Master HAF cases for some time now and really like them. Plenty of space, plenty of cooling, and plenty of ways to install lots of storage. If you don't like a tall tower, you can opt for the HAF 912 Mid-Tower, which is a very good case at a more affordable price.

• Compact body assembly: Cooler Master Elite 130 Mini-ITX. Before making this choice, I went through many options. So far I have not been able to find a better case than this one, and I have already built 3-4 of my work computers based on it. In my opinion, for the price this is the best offer among Mini-ITX cases.

Monitor

While it's not necessary to buy a new monitor and you can use the one you already have, for a build this powerful, it's a good idea to have a good 4K IPS monitor. For the past few years I have been favoring Dell IPS monitors. Yes, there are excellent monitors offered by HP and Eizo, but they will only suit you if you are willing to pay more than $1,000 for a monitor. My choice is based on the fact that I can build a dual monitor setup for under $1,000. If you want a monitor with the best calibration options then Dell UP2414Q- it's your choice (it comes with a built-in LUT, so you don't have to download calibration software every time you reboot). If you want a larger diagonal monitor, you can choose Dell P2715Q(27" vs 24", more suitable for 4K content. If you don't see the need for 4K yet and want a reliable 24" display, you can follow my lead: my current build includes two monitors Dell U2413, calibrated in hardware.

Cost Estimation

Let's take a look at both builds and estimate our costs for them:

Obviously, if you add additional drives and two monitors, the price will be higher. And by replacing one or a couple of components, you, on the contrary, can reduce the price of your build, especially if you find a cheaper M.2 drive, the price of which makes up the lion's share of the total cost of the system.

If you're wondering how this build will stack up against a Mac, it's head and shoulders above almost any Mac except some Mac Pro models - and that's only in terms of pure processing power, where dedicated software can make use of everything. cores (Xeon vs Core i7). Overall, even the best Mac Pros won't stand a chance against the above configuration (and don't forget that you'll need to shell out over $5,000 for top-end Mac Pros).

Now let's take a look at our compact configuration:

As well as being built in a full-size case, this compact computer is capable of outperforming almost all competitors, including top-end machines that cost significantly more. Apple has nothing to oppose to this build. The compact version is almost identical to the full-size version, except that it is assembled on a more compact motherboard, has a smaller amount of maximum RAM and potentially smaller storage capacity.

On the Internet you can now find a lot of information on how to assemble a computer for a photographer to work with the most popular image processing programs - Photoshop and Lightroom. The advice is very different, for example, many advise assembling a RAID 0 array, others recommend assembling the entire disk subsystem on SSD drives, and still others write that it is better to buy an iMac or MacBook Pro and forget about everything.

In fact, for the money you spend on an iMac or MacBook Pro, you can build two personal computers that will run Photoshop significantly faster. In addition, upgrading Apple devices will cost a tidy sum and is not always possible due to the company’s marketing reasons.

In this article we will not touch on the choice of monitor and peripherals, but will focus on what determines the speed of programs.

In order to understand this issue, let's proceed from the system requirements of the developers of the Adobe Photoshop program. They are as follows:

• Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor (2 GHz or higher)
• Microsoft® Windows® 7 Service Pack 1 or Windows 8
• 1 GB RAM
• 2.5 GB of free hard disk space for installation; additional free space required for installation (not installed on removable flash storage devices)
• Monitor resolution 1024 x 768 (1280 x 800 recommended), OpenGL® 2.0 graphics card, 16-bit color, 512 MB VRAM (1 GB recommended)

• Multi-core Intel processor with 64-bit support
• Operating system Mac OS X versions 10.7 or 10.8
• 1 GB RAM
• 3.2 GB of free hard disk space for installation; additional free space required for installation (does not install on a drive that uses a case-sensitive file system or on flash-based removable storage devices)
• Monitor with 1024 x 768 resolution (1280 x 800 recommended), graphics card supporting OpenGL 2.0, 16-bit colors, 512 MB VRAM (1 GB recommended)
• An Internet connection and registration are required to activate the software, confirm enrollment in the program, and access online services.

The developers have specified the minimum requirements. They are clearly not enough for comfortable work with RAW files from modern cameras.

Computer configuration for a photographer

In order for Photoshop and Lightroom to work quickly, when choosing or independently assembling a computer from components, you need to pay special attention to the following things that directly affect the speed of work:

Powerful processor

The processor is the heart of your computer. Almost all operations in Photoshop, especially heavy filters such as Surface Blur, use mainly processor resources, therefore, the more powerful it is, the faster the processing speed.

It is best to choose an Intel processor as its performance for graphics applications is better than AMD. Well, of course, the processor must be multi-core. I will not recommend a specific model, since it is quite possible that in a month or two the data will become outdated and more advanced and productive processors will appear. I will only say that for comfortable work it is better to choose processors that cost at least 10,000 rubles ($300).

RAM

The more RAM, the better. The required minimum now is 8 GB, but it is better if you install 16 GB or more. At the same time, the speed of work increases significantly. In order to install the required amount of RAM on the motherboard, it must support work with this amount. There have been cases when people, without looking at the documentation for their motherboard (this can be done on the manufacturers' websites), tried to increase the amount of RAM by installing memory modules with a larger capacity. As a result, the system simply did not boot. So, if you want to upgrade your old computer, pay special attention to this point. The operating frequency of memory modules must be at least 1333 MHz

Disk drives

Many people recommend using a RAID 0 array, however, if you do not have enough knowledge on this topic (like me, for example), it is better to use another alternative - SSD drives or high-speed hard drives (10,000 rpm or higher).

In this case, you need to divide the disks by function. For example, to install the operating system, programs and temporary Photoshop files, use an SSD or high-speed hard drive, for temporary storage of photos you are currently working with - a high-speed hard drive, and for permanent storage of large volumes - slower drives, which cost much more cheaper.

The big disadvantage of SSD drives is their low reliability compared to traditional hard drives, so you should not store important information on them, only the OS and programs. It’s all easy to reinstall, but recovering data from an SSD costs about 1.5-2 times more than from regular hard drives, and the success rate is much lower.

Discrete graphics card

Photoshop actively uses GPU resources to speed up work; individual filters are generally impossible to work without GPU support. For example, I disabled GPU support in the settings. On the menu screen you can see that many filters have become inactive (displayed in light gray).

For comfortable work, it is advisable to purchase a video card with a memory capacity of at least 1 GB and DDR5 memory type. There is no point in purchasing an expensive and sophisticated video card - you will not get a big increase in performance. Models like NVIDIA GeForce GT 6xx or Radeon 6xxx and higher are more than enough.

Motherboard

The motherboard does not have a big impact on the operating speed, so there is no point in buying an expensive model. The main thing is that it matches the dimensions of the system unit case and supports the required amount of RAM (from 16 GB, and preferably 32 GB). You should also pay attention to the type of chipset. It is better to use a board with a Z77 type or another that supports image output from a video card built into the processor and a RAM frequency above 1600 MHz.

Attention! If your experience and knowledge are not enough to complete and assemble the system unit yourself, it is better to consult with specialists and entrust them with the assembly work. Otherwise, if the connections are made incorrectly or incompatible components are selected, the computer may fail the first time you turn it on!

I hope that my advice will be useful to you.

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to china2010 - RAID 5 cannot be created from two disks. Yes, and this is not necessary. For Video - yes, for photos in 90% of cases - no. The remaining 10% is for the artisans for whom this is work.

If you create a Raid5 from two SSD M2 drives, Samsung 128, 256 EVO or Pro are best suited. under the system. The disks have overheating protection. And they all heat up well, which affects their service life. It is desirable that the components be from ASUS. Reliability is time-tested. But with RAM, you need to approach it extremely carefully. A lot of incompatibility has been noticed, especially with motherboards based on the X99 series. If everything is done correctly, it will bring you happiness for many years.

Hello! I have a question: through which port is it better to connect a monitor for hdmi, dvi processing, or a display port?

Hello. Tell me, is it suitable for working in Photoshop? Laptop HP 17-y021ur A8 7410/4Gb/500Gb/DVD-RW/AMD Radeon R7 2Gb/17.3"/FHD (1920x1080)/Windows 10/black/WiFi/BT/Cam/2700mAh, or better Laptop Acer Extensa EX2520G-52HS Core i5 6200U/4Gb/500Gb/DVD-RW/nVidia GeForce 920M 2Gb/15.6"/HD (1366x768)/Windows 10/black/WiFi/BT/Cam. Budget is limited! Thank you.

Hello Evgeniy. It's just wonderful, thank you. A question has arisen, there are big discounts now, I would like to buy myself an iMac 27" 5K. But the problem is that I am new to this business, and I don’t know all the intricacies, is it worth getting such a computer for myself? I’m trying to learn good photography, it’s hard - but it seems to work. And where can I store all the photos? The iMac has only a 1TB SSD, as I understand it, you need a NAS, but which one? Thanks?

I read the comments and smiled) Some people shout indignantly that Photoshop doesn’t need more than 16 GB of RAM. So I’ll tell them that I have a very powerful computer at work - 8 AMD cores + 12Gb RAM + SSD + GTX760 and very often the computer slows down due to a lack of RAM. All 12 GB of RAM are constantly busy when working with large documents. So I think that even 16 will not be enough.

I had an i3 and decided to change it to an i5. The difference is obvious, but an even greater difference was when installing 24 GB of memory instead of 16. For working with a large number of layers, 32 GB is better. It is impossible to work with the built-in video card, as one writes here. Let me clarify: work, not move a brush over the picture. Do not mislead people. I use a discrete card only for a second monitor for an average preview on a plasma (calibrated).

Good afternoon/evening!
The article stipulates that the choice of monitor will not be considered! So what to do with the choice of monitor, because this is no less sensitive topic! Will there be articles? It seems like there are no similar ones on the site or I missed it somewhere!
Sincerely!

1. About the video card is nonsense. I had a 7970 sold and sat on the built-in 4600 percent, I didn’t notice the difference at all!
2. Why write that a discrete video card is not needed and then write that you need to use a discrete one.
3. Why 16GB of RAM memory, how will you load it??? Are you involved in rendering or photography? Memory above 1600Mhz, are you doing overclocking? 1333-1600 is the limit, Photoshop doesn’t need anything anymore and there won’t be any problems in games.
4. Where do you conclude that AMD will be worse??? AMD will quickly translate your photos from RAV, archive them, Intel has other advantages, there is no leader here!!!
5. I only agree about the screw for the system.

Hello! Help me please. I want to buy a candy bar to work in Photoshop. Tell me the specific model. Because in stores they don’t really understand this.

Good afternoon Evgeniy, very good article. I want to build a system unit for myself, at the moment I don’t have much luck getting it according to the parameters you recommend. I work with RAW files in lightroom and only retouch in Photoshop. Will a computer with these characteristics be able to handle work without brakes:
Processor Core i3-4150 3.5 Ghz
RAM DDR3 8Gb. 1600 mhz
HDD 500Gb 5900 rpm
SDD 60Gb
Is it possible to do without a video card?
I want to save on the video card for now in order to buy a good one in the near future. I will be grateful for your answer

Hello!
I want P
buy a candy bar for learning beautiful photo processing. From the insane number of offers on the market, I chose something like this: CHARACTERISTICS:
Computer type
HP ProOne 600 G1 (F3X05EA)all-in-one
Display
Display 21.5" IPS
CPU
Type Intel Core i7
Model 4770S
Clock frequency GHz 3.1GHz
RAM
Memory type DDR3
Memory capacity 8GB
Video card
Video card type ATI
Video card model HD7650A
Video memory capacity 2048 MB
HDD
Hard disk capacity 1000 GB
Disk drives
DVD+\-RW optical drive

I was thinking about buying an external SSD for it.
But I want your opinion, I started to doubt myself.
I don’t want a laptop, not one with such a large screen, but there’s no one to assemble a company))
Best regards to you.

Evegniy, please write an article about organizing archive storage for a photographer.

NAS or Time Capsule. RAID.
Multiplatform.
Automatic “merging” of RAW files from the memory card to storage, automatic backup of the archive. Access files in the storage from different devices within the home (studio, office) and access them via the Internet. Working with archives, for example, from vacation, photo tour, etc.
Organization of cataloging and work with storage files in FS and LR. Location of the LR catalog.
Storing and working with a RAW-JPG pair.
Cloud storages - dropbox, yandex, google, flickr etc - are they suitable for the archive? Again, automatic synchronization.
Archive security from a technical point of view, theft and other things.

Hello,

I have a monitor, I plan to take a mac mini md 388 for it.

Characteristics:

Operating system: Mac OS X Mountain Lion
Processor: Quad-core Intel Core i7 2.3 GHz (L3 cache 6 MB)
RAM: 4 GB DDR3 SDRAM 1600 MHz
Hard drive: 1 TB, 5400 rpm
Video card: Intel HD Graphics 4000
Network: Built-in 10/100/1000BASE-T (Gigabit)

The RAM will be upgraded to 16GB, but the video card is confusing... is it worth getting this mac mini?

You need a computer to use Photoshop and Lightroom.

Hello. I'm going to buy a computer that supports 10 bits per channel. According to store prices, your configuration costs 40-45 thousand. I read on the forums that only the AMD FirePro and Nvidia Quadro line of video cards support 30-bit color in software. A system unit with these entry-level video cards costs 50-55 thousand. Question: is there any point in using 30-bit color for photo processing, what is your opinion? Push; There is an opportunity to do photo processing and graphics professionally, I’ll find out how much the equipment will cost

"You should also pay attention to the type of chipset. It is better to use a board with a Z77 type or another that supports image output from the video card built into the processor"

This post just killed me. Tell me, have you been interested in computer components for a long time? That's what you need a motherboard for gamers? Chim z77 is needed to overclock the processor at the BIOS level. And why do you need an output to the monitor from the motherboard if the video card has it? Processor at least 10TP? An i5 will be enough. I didn’t see adequate justification for this in the article.
And yes. A discrete video card is quite enough, and motherboards starting from 1,700 rubles and a b85 chip DISPLAY THE IMAGE ON THE SCREEN.

Good day everyone)
Great article, exactly what I needed.
It feels like I found a needle in a haystack.
I recently started getting involved in photography and video hobbies, so I want to shoot a timelapse and a couple of short films.
Please tell me, based on the characteristics of this laptop, Asus N750JK, is it suitable for working with Adobe Primiere, Photoshop, Lightroom?

[ Processor
Intel® Core™ i7 4700HQ
Processor frequency (MHz)
2400
Number of processor cores
4
L2 cache (KB)
1024
L3 cache (KB)
6144
RAM type
DDR3
RAM (MB)
12288
Max. amount of RAM (MB)
16384
RAM frequency (MHz)
1600
Number of RAM slots
2
Spindle speed (rpm)
5400
HDD capacity (GB)
2000
Display diagonal (inch)
17.3
Display resolution (pix)
1920x1080
Video adapter type
discrete
Video card
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 850M
Video memory (MB)
4096
Blu-ray/CD/DVD-RW
Number of USB ports
4
Including USB 3.0
4
HDMI port
Bluetooth
4.0
Wi-Fi (802.11)
b, g, n
Built-in card reader
Eat
Software
operating system
Microsoft Windows 8.1 x64]

I bought myself a new computer, intending to take up photography, but, judging by the advice, I have a budget device that is useless for anything... Photoshop slows down on simple tasks, and complex ones are yet to come. But we will upgrade, that means!

Thank you Evgeniy vam bolshoe za takie prekrasnie soveti uspex vam

An extremely dubious article, some things are just pure nonsense.
"The more RAM, the better. The minimum required now is 8 GB, but it is better if you install 16 GB or more."
Well, yes, well, yes, it’s better to set it to 64 right away... and it doesn’t matter that the majority of software will not work with more than 2 GB (although 64-bit Photoshop will take more, but where does it need that much for an image?). For the majority of people, 4-8GB of RAM is enough, this is enough to work in 3-4 programs at the same time (there will still be 50% of free memory left).
Using an SSD is also not particularly justified, because... the price is much higher, the volumes are smaller, and we will not get an adequate increase in productivity (for photo processing).
“or incompatible components are selected, the computer may fail the first time it is turned on” - yeah, and viruses can also burn it... I wonder what incompatible components we are talking about? Should I push the processor into the motherboard under a different socket? =)
In general, don’t bother - take any system unit for 15-25t. (or a 20-30t laptop) this is enough for 99% of tasks at the moment.

Hello! Just don’t attack me please)) Tell me, is the Lenovo a520 monoblock suitable for photo processing?

Hello. I would like to know about a laptop for a photographer. What should it be like, what are the requirements? I would be very grateful for such information.

The article is interesting, but this is my experience. three years ago I bought an imac in the simplest configuration (i3 processor), the cost was comparable to buying a win-based computer. The computer still works without failures or slowdowns. At work I have a new laptop (i5 processor), whose hardware characteristics are superior to my imac. But this working laptop with photoshop and ligthroom works much worse and slower. I understand that the issue is most likely in the settings, cleaning and optimization that need to be done. But for a home computer, no cleaning was required for three years for normal operation. For backup storage, a regular external screw is used, the timemachine does the rest. To begin with, I can also advise you to build a computer based on a mac mini, eventually install a good monitor, in this case the upgrade will not be costly, and the old mini can be used as a multimedia station by connecting it to a TV.

Evgeniy, in your “video card” section you are looking at gaming GTs. I would also like to hear something about prof. FirePro and Quadro cards. They may not be faster in photo processing, but they provide 10-bit color per channel.

System, instead of the installed 4 GB of RAM. sees 3.19 GB. I took the advice from the Internet and switched the Memory remar Feature parameter in the BIOS, in the chipset settings. The entire RAM is now visible, but there is a feeling that the operation of the system as a whole has become somewhat stable. Although this is probably a purely psychological aspect, because bios is something terrible and scary. Question: What consequences (if any) can there be and how does this affect the work in graphic editors (Ps. Lr)?

The article is useful and necessary. Thank you. But as for laptops... Recommend a specific model for trouble-free work: 6th Photoshop + Bridge + Camera Rav + 5th Lightroom... because the system requirements in the recommended configuration are the priority of computers. p.s. the wife asks))))))

Dear, what are these ridiculous attacks on the author of the article? An excellent article for people who don’t know anything about hardware and don’t want to waste time on it, in short, “for dummies.” Just advice from a person who, I think, deserves respect in the main topic of the site.
And then they started to compare themselves and organize a holivar Mac vs Win vs Intel vs AMD.
Why Mac? I have a connection with GIMP, DarkTable, Hugin, LuminanceHDR and that’s enough for me. And who is hitting on Lin? That's right - the true "dummies" are in the axes.

Buy a poppy and don't worry!!!

Overall, a good, and most importantly, necessary article. Let me insert my nickel. For budget-conscious users, I recommend processors from AMD, in particular for the FM2 connector. The 8000-series graphics built into it will allow you to save on a discrete graphics card. The processor must be quad-core. Be sure to install an SSD for the operating system and programs. The smallest 60 gig is enough. Rumors about their low reliability are highly exaggerated. Plus, many of them come with a three-year warranty. And for data, use a large-volume, but “green”, low-speed mechanical screw. External "storage" is desirable. Well, it’s better to use x64 windows for more efficient RAM operation.

Benefits from experience as a system administrator. To store the archive, it is good to have an external “storage” (for example, D-Link DNS-325 or something similar) running over a local network. Even if the main working computer crashes (pah-pah-pah), the data lying on the storage will not go anywhere. On the same storage you can also keep a periodically updated system image (created, for example, by Acronis) for quick recovery in case of failure. Rather than spending a couple of hours reinstalling Windows and installing and configuring all the software, it is better to spend 30-40 minutes restoring from the image. The main thing is to ensure good uninterrupted power supply so that the neighbor, turning on the drill, does not “kill” both the computer and the storage unit.

Good article overall. But there is no such “nonsense” in the characteristics of a video card as bus width (bits). But the speed of video processing depends on it, and the price of the card is almost directly proportional.

Evgeniy, don’t get into arguments with people who came here to assert themselves at your expense, you won’t prove anything to them anyway. Friends, it’s just unpleasant to read insults and obscenities.

I will add on my own behalf.
I support quality nutrition. And I consider it necessary to use the money for Expensive processors and UPS for a second HDD (advice about UPS for those who do not have any special problems with the network). I'm not talking about RAID arrays. Backup your work on other devices. Over the past 2 months, my friends have lost 3 hard drives, and it doesn’t matter who the manufacturer is. For many, the cloud comes to the rescue.
Expensive and powerful computers are for professionals, i.e. for large volumes of work. In the meantime, some of us will become such, it will be time to change the system unit, and it will be cheaper in the long run.. In a couple of years you will buy a computer 2 times faster for the same money.
For beginner Photoshoppers, I consider the cost of a system unit to be 30 thousand rubles. very much so.. And as things go, you can always buy something more.
A laptop will not replace a system unit (at a comparable cost)

The monitor is very important. The most budget-friendly 22-inch TFT IPS matrix 1920X1080 with a dot size of 0.247X0247mm costs only $160.

"Better than MAC - only MAC"
But I’ve been using Linux for 12 years....how do I feel?)))))

Better than MAC - only MAC
You can bother with configurations and so on... My previous iMAC has been working for me since 2007 without significant interventions in the system and hardware. Only when, poor fellow, I started to completely give up, I changed it to the latest generation i5 27" work and the absence of glitches of the UNIXoid MAC OS and the “human” hardware of the iMAC. It’s like with a car - if you want to tinker with the hardware, master a course in repair work, buy a Zhiguli. You need to drive a lot and not delve into the design features of the “iron horse”. a normal foreign car...

Scheme of a reliable, convenient and powerful computer for Photoshop and Lightroom - i7/32Gb RAM/SSD/OS X 10.8-10.9/27"" monitor with a resolution of 2560x1440, which is the iMac 27" computer.

Something is wrong with me. Disabling GPU support resulted in an increase(!) in operating speed. In this case, all filters work. I was forced to do this because of strong brakes when using brushes on large files. Only the anti-aliasing suffered a little, but the speed increased noticeably. At the same time, occasional Photoshop crashes have completely stopped. From practice, I brought out the most important components for myself: processor, RAM (capacity + speed characteristics), motherboard chipset, SSD. Installing an SSD significantly increased the operating speed. Of course, a second SSD for the files that are currently being worked on would be useful. The cheapest video card will do: when replacing it with a more expensive one, I did not notice any gain, but various technical problems arose, which were resolved with the help of AMD support service. And judging by Adobe’s recommendations, the real gains will come from video cards costing $500-$1000.
In general, I agree with the recommendations in the article.

Competent article. Everything is on topic, but for AMD lovers I will say that you have slightly confused God’s gift with scrambled eggs! Scrambled eggs in this case are AMD. A stupid stone, compared to Intel, this manufacturer is constantly catching up with Intel. I remember a few years ago, AMD almost went bankrupt, with their cheap prices, and Intel, as advanced as it was, remained so. I've been using AMD for several years and I can say that other than as a gaming machine and a heater for the home, it is of no use. I have been doing 3D graphics and photography for many years, and there is no better Intel for this! That's for sure!

To increase the speed of your computer, you need all the processor cores to work. The default is one. You need to go into the settings and set the number of cores that you may have. I have four. Here is a link to watch a video of instructions on how to increase computer speed. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqSddUWbYiQ

Good article.

But I would add it for those who will use the Windows 8 system. If you want to use all the functionality of this operating system, then the screen resolution must be at least 1366 x 768 pixels, otherwise you will not be able to attach applications, unless of course you need it.

Now the bottleneck is the disk subsystem. If you have regular HDDs, neither the most powerful processor nor the large amount of fast RAM will help much.
RAID0 gives good speed, but if one of the disks fails, all information is lost without the possibility of recovery.

Experimented with different configurations:
Maximum increase in speed and reliability - 2 SAS disks 15000 rpm in RAID1 for the system, a small but extremely fast SSD (32-64Gb) for caches, temp, Lightroom database and etc., RAID6 of 2Tb disks for storing edits and finished material. And of course a little tuning of the OS and editors.
This, of course, should be accompanied by a very good motherboard, and ideally a separate raid controller.
The downside is that without good IT knowledge, it’s impossible to set it up yourself.
A more budget-friendly one - a motherboard with support for Intel caching technology on SSD and very fast drives for the system, at least one SAS.

It’s not worth using SSDs purely, even despite their increasing reliability. It can fail quite unexpectedly and even reinstall the OS, and therefore the entire prof. software, can take an prohibitively long time.

And note: one of the most common reasons for hardware failure, especially disks, is poor quality nutrition. You should never skimp on it and, in addition to a top-end power supply, take Smart UPC (with stabilizer and filter), but not Back UPS (works only when power is lost).

And most importantly, if you have a 32-bit system, then it will not see more than 3.2 gigs of RAM (RAM), you need a 64-bit OS