Best computer specs for Photoshop 2020???

[nola1587]

I'm currently using photoshop 22.0 and it's slow and laggy.... I can't work like this.

i have previously been using CS5 which was quick, fast and efficient.

Im guessing this latest version is much heavier and needs more processing power than my computer has... 

I'm currently using a GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, i7 9th gen processor with 8GB Ram... it's not terrible but it's not quick, fast and responsive like CS5 was... and it crashes if it's worked too fast.

I need it to be and want it to be even faster and as reliable as CS5.

Can anyone out there who has this version of photoshop working in this manner tell me what their system setup is?

i obviously have to buy a better computer but don't want to waste money on something that still isn't enough and also don't want to waste money on overkill either.

thanks 

[davescm]

No issues with v22 Photoshop here on an old PC, which is due for a replacement driven by 3D applications not Photoshop

i7-3930K

64GB RAM

GPU NVidia RTX2080ti

Apps installed on SSD drive along with operating system (Windows 10)

1TB free scratch disk space on separate disk

Wacom Intuos Pro

Minimum and recommended system requirements are here: https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/photoshop/system-requirements.html

The biggest bang for buck on Photoshop is a scratch disk on a fast drive with lots of free space.

Dave

[nola1587]

Thanks Dave,

that's good to know... maybe than it's more about my current system not having enough space and a scratch disk?

when I'm looking to buy something what am I looking for in regards to specs of RAM and scratch disk?

thanks in advance.

[KevinMByers]

I would just start with testing the hard drive to make sure it isn't failing, then adding more memory. That processor should just chew through Photoshop tasks without ever even touching your GPU (unless you're working in 3D) but that memory is gone the second you open another program with Photoshop.

You can get 32GB of RAM (GSkill Ripjaws V DDR4 SDram) on NewEgg for less than $150 right now.

[davescm]

Whilst it was true in the past that very few functions used the GPU, that is becoming less true going forward as the compositing engine is updated and new functionality added. Several filters and functions now use the GPU for calculation and some functions will be disabled without it. See link below

https://helpx.adobe.com/uk/photoshop/kb/photoshop-cc-gpu-card-faq.html

Dave

[KevinMByers]

Great.

Our builds are similar and I have a 7th Gen i7, and often run fairly large documents at 300DPI, and don't come across GPU spikes often, and when I do: it's rarely enough to bog the program.

This person should run a check on their hard drive, first, and add more RAM before entertaining the idea of spending an additional $1000+ on a new machine.

[nola1587]

Thanks for reply... looks like you're saying the same thing as Dave.... needs more memory and scratch disk space?

[KevinMByers]

Not quite.

You definitely need more memory, but I'm doubtful it's a scratch disk issue.

How big is your hard drive?

When it's too low on space for the program it will give you a warning that the scratch disk is full.. sometimes as soon as you start Photoshop.

A bad sector in your hard drive/a failing drive can cause slow performance for a good long while before the drive itself crashes. I've had this happen to a few external HDDs.

[davescm]

Just for clarity - there are two things at play that give a big return on scratch disk. First enough space, scratch disks space can grow to 100s of GB even with large RAM available. I have 64GB RAM and whilst that is rarely used, the scratch disk grows as I use Photosop.  The second is scratch disk speed. Photoshop will swap RAM and scratch memory many times as it processes images. A fast scratch disk such as an SSD will speed up Photoshop.

Dave

[D Fosse]

It's a common misunderstanding that if you have "enough" RAM, the scratch disk doesn't matter. But this misses on several counts. First of all, the sheer size of a normal scratch file. Each history state can potentially add the full size of the original file. Plus overhead. And then maybe a number of files open at the same time, each with history states.

500GB or more can be eaten up in no time at all.

Secondly, Photoshop memory management is a dynamic process. Scratch disk space is allocated and filled immediately when you open the file. It's not a simple "overflow" mechanism where RAM is filled first and then spills over to the scratch disk. Instead, think of RAM as a fast access cache to the scratch disk's main memory.

In fact RAM isn't as important as most people think. As long as you have an efficient scratch disk, Photoshop will work splendidly even in low RAM conditions. It's just a matter of speed. Traditionally, RAM was so much faster than a hard drive that having large amounts always paid off. Today, with crazy fast NVMe drives, that gap is almost closed. RAM is still technically faster, but the point is that you no longer sit around and wait for the disks to do their thing, as you did before. For all practical purposes, an NVMe scratch disk is virtually instant.