What should I buy/look for in a new computer?

Mashburn · Feb 4, 2015

I have a all-in-one desktop PC now. It is about 10 years old and very slow. I am unable to upgrade the video card and even the memory. So I am buying a new computer.

Basically I just need to to run and edit Photoshop/Lightroom very very smoothly. Sometimes I take up to a few thousand pictures that I do a quick edit on, and then a hundred or so that I want to edit a lot on.

So should I be looking at processor speed first, then memory space, then grafix card, then video card?

and is there any recommended places you suggest for customizing or a good computer.

I will not spend over 2,000$. I think I would like to be around 1,000-1,500

Tabe · Feb 4, 2015

Any computer you buy today will have a processor that's more than fast enough.

What you really want is a lot of RAM, especially if you're going to be working with a thousand or more photos at one time. 16 gigs would be good.

But, really, anything you buy will be plenty suitable.

alv · Feb 4, 2015

this is the one i got it seems to be ok for my needs ,lightroom5.element13 al
HP ENVY 700-216 Desktop

alv · Feb 4, 2015

the price was 499 us.al

chuasam · Feb 4, 2015

Don't be cheap.
Spend more and get a better computer.
Have lots of RAM, a SSD if possible (7200rpm minimum). A good screen and an i7 or better.

snerd · Feb 4, 2015

chuasam said:
Don't be cheap.
Spend more and get a better computer.
Have lots of RAM, a SSD if possible (7200rpm minimum). A good screen and an i7 or better.

I don't think SSD's have a moveable drive that rates at rpm's, that's what HDD's are. The spinning seek access times. Anyhoo, yes, the solid states drives would be great! I can't wait to get one on next desktop.

Ron Smith · Feb 4, 2015

If you are going with a notebook - look at the screen quality as well. There are a few ASUS models with near retina quality LCDs ( I know I have iMac pro and the Asus) You can find fast processors and upgrade to the SSD for @ $1200 with a very good screen with them. Google good notebooks for PS and LR and see what is hot now also...

Mashburn · Feb 4, 2015

Processor: Intel Core 4th Generation i7-4790 processor (8M Cache, up to 4.0 GHz)
Windows 8.1
256 GB Solid State Drive
2TB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive 6.0 Gb/s
16 GB DDR3 Memory (4X4GB) 1600MHz
8X Blu-Ray BD Combo (Blu-ray ROM + DVD+/- RW)
NVIDIA GeForce GT 720 1GB DDR3
Dell Outlet XPS 8700

What is y'alls thoughts on this? would that be more then enough? I can get it refurbished for 1200$

Mashburn · Feb 4, 2015

chuasam said:
Don't be cheap.
Spend more and get a better computer.
Have lots of RAM, a SSD if possible (7200rpm minimum). A good screen and an i7 or better.

Yeah that is my problem. I am trying to stay cheap as possible. but getting to where it is really good. and I can upgrade letter if need be.

Ron Smith said:
If you are going with a notebook - look at the screen quality as well. There are a few ASUS models with near retina quality LCDs ( I know I have iMac pro and the Asus) You can find fast processors and upgrade to the SSD for @ $1200 with a very good screen with them. Google good notebooks for PS and LR and see what is hot now also...

thank you. But I am not looking a laptops.

chuasam · Feb 5, 2015

snerd said:
chuasam said:

Don't be cheap.
Spend more and get a better computer.
Have lots of RAM, a SSD if possible (7200rpm minimum). A good screen and an i7 or better.

Click to expand...

I don't think SSD's have a moveable drive that rates at rpm's, that's what HDD's are. The spinning seek access times. Anyhoo, yes, the solid states drives would be great! I can't wait to get one on next desktop.

I meant a ssd but if you can't afford a 7200rpm hd

sashbar · Feb 5, 2015

I would say that your priority should be a reference quality display. You can live with a less powerful processor or a slower drive, all that you lose in that case is several seconds. I doubt you will process thousands images at a time on a regular basis. A wrong display on the other hand can completely ruin your editing.
Make sure you have a good quality IPS (in plane switching) type monitor with wide colour gamut. Standard TN display shows different colours and brightness with different viewing angles and this is nightmare, you will never be sure if your brightness/contrasts is spot on. IPS monitors have a very wide and consistent viewing angle.

akiratheoni · Feb 5, 2015

SSD + good monitor should be a priority. I don't believe Lightroom utilizes graphics cards so unless you're gonna play games you can probably cheap out a bit on the graphics card.

KmH · Feb 5, 2015

Photoshop does utilize various features on a good graphics card, and the OP wants to use both Photoshop and Lightroom.

snerd · Feb 5, 2015

KmH said:
Photoshop does utilize various features on a good graphics card, and the OP wants to use both Photoshop and Lightroom.

Agree! Get a good video card with 2-4gb and all the ram you can afford! Plus as good a monitor as you can get, and calibrate it!!

Sent from my iPhone 6+ using Tapatalk Pro

Village Idiot · Feb 6, 2015

Tabe said:
Any computer you buy today will have a processor that's more than fast enough.

What you really want is a lot of RAM, especially if you're going to be working with a thousand or more photos at one time. 16 gigs would be good.

But, really, anything you buy will be plenty suitable.

When batch editing photos, having a faster processor with more cores (should your program utilize them) will make a noticeable difference. Memory is good to a point, but after having so much, it's gets to where you just don't use it unless you have a ton of windows open or you're doing so etching truly memory intensive. I don't think I've ever run into memory being the bottleneck with 16gb, but I have a Mac mini that has the i5 and is noticeably slower when batch processing images and shows noticeable lag on the 30" monitor it's connected to because of the GPU in it.