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Which computer would be best?


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MarkyMarc

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I'm looking to get Photoshop CS5 or CS6, but am held up by what computer to buy. I want to ensure that it will be able to handle the Photoshop software smoothly and effortlessly. I'd like to not spend more than $1,000 if possible on it. I will not be using the extended version of Photoshop. Whatever I buy will almost be used purely for Photoshop. I appreciate any and all help.
 
personally, i think that if you know enough about computers and know hwat you want, you should build you own, people mistake it for being REALLY hard, the hardest bit is finding the parts. the rest is dead simple and these days the motherboards are fool proof, so all you have to worry about is static charge or pressing down too hard when slotting parts in, even then they make a loud click when you've slotted it in correctly

But if you still don't feel comfortable, my laptop running no more than 1gb RAM a 1.6ghz processor and an Intel generic graphic card at 251MB runs CS5 alright. it's slow but usable.

but seeing as you want smooth running, something like this should be sufficient, it will cost around $700-800 in your country i believe ;)

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/gbuk/asus-essentio-cm1740-uk003o-desktop-pc-12567135-pdt.html
 
Sort of disagree with you there zee

If you are going pc and not Mac you will want at least 3 gig of ram and for what it costs these days you can easily get 8 gig for less than $50 more than 4 gig especially if you are running windows and want cs6. Linux has not managed to run cs6 yet.

Photoshop is not very power hungry compared to some of the applications in the creative suit.

honestly though if you have approx $1000

http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/barebones/bb-37704d.html

That would be the starting kit for me the rest can be built as cheap or as expensive as you want

If this was my setup my priority would be an extra 4 gig of ram

A solid state primary drive (trust me with the cost of normal drives at the moment you are better off getting an 80 gig to 120 gig solid state for the same price as a 500Gb normal drive.
this alone will make your system instantly 50 - 75% faster

+ a 500 GB or 1TB, 2TB o 3 TB secondary div for storage this all depends on how much space you need

this will probably be around $700 so far for these upgrades.

Only because you are on a budget this would be the Graphics card I would get unless I could afford more
http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/...idiagtx550tifermiseries/engtx550tidi1gd5.html

Primarily because Adobe is optimised for nvidia GTX range so works best with them

total $800 approx

A DVD drive or 2 add $40 for reasonable

and that is the basic system built now the rip off part is buying windows 7 64 bit very soon windows 8 will be out but man I hate that already after the developer preview I would stick to windows 7 pro or Ultimate and adobe cs5 onwards really takes advantage of the 64 bit stuff.


If your like me and you get excited and feel you can stretch your budget

Here is the starting kit I have just built for a friend who is a hard core gamer

But adding some super power supply, none standard corsair cooling and overclocked everything.
Total cost would have been just over your budget but I have a good contact that gets me components dirt cheap and at trade aand you have just missed the Nvidia annual promo of 50% off cards.

bit over kill for your needs but always get the best you can afford

You can upgrade your main bundle to a package like this
http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/motherboardbundles/mbb-i73930.html

bit over kill for your needs but always get the best you can afford

Upgrade your graphics card
http://www.novatech.co.uk/products/...vidiagtx680keplerseries/gtx680-dc2t-2gd5.html
 
Well...I built my bare bones kit...from Tiger Direct...I did mine on line rather than the store, knew what I wanted and looked..AMD quad Core, 8 gig RAM, 1 360mb 7200 rpm hard drive !1 1T hard drive ...made portable DVD burner, card reader, 2 extra 120mm case fans , 1G video card and a legal DVD of windows 7...Took 4 hours to build (my first one) tested and loaded Win 7 onto the 360 drive and then MS office and CS5 Extended. A HDR Image takes 30 seconds to combine the exposures thru Bridge....All my research shows that RAM and a 7200 HD will fly. I just cannot accept the BIG PRICE on SS drives TODAY. I suspect in a couple more years they will be quite reasonably priced . Oh I spent $600. for the whole thing, including rebates. Tiger has many kits ...do your research and you have to watch, BUT the sales are always changing...READ CLOSE! MY 2 cents worth.:rocker:

I do use it in 64 bit....:mrgreen:
 
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I guess you have not seen the prices of standard hard drives now the shortage is really kicking in you can get 60 Gig Solid states for less than $70

from switiching on a computer from cold you can be in photoshop in less than 20 seconds they make a big difference however

if you are running creative suite microsoft office and windows 7 you do need to be looking at 80 - 120 Gbs Minimum.
 
The fact you said runs ok on your laptop which isnt taking into consideration that you are running linux so can get away with a lower specced machine.

and the link to that tower I am very dissapointed in ASUS lately they are going for cheaper systems to get more customers.

AMD top of the range 8 core bulldozer struggle to out perform intels quad q9650 and Amd does not really like Adobe.

Yes if you are unexperienced in intel vs AMD you may get away with it but there is a reason Intel are more expensive than AMD and that is because AMD like for like against intel are almost half the speed of intel.

Also with a prebuilt machine from somewhere like pc world ASUS or not at that value you can guarentee is going to be built with cheap poor quality parts I havent looked at it but I Know Asus and that is 1 of there budget ranges.


But I 100% agree with building your own. especially if you want to go down the lines of using more resourceful software like after effects the best intel chip you can afford as you need it. but finally CS6 is tapping into graphics cards more.
 
true, but the damn thing runs like it's using windows XD but point taken.

AMD top of the range 8 core bulldozer struggle to out perform intels quad q9650 and Amd does not really like Adobe.
Click to expand...
tbh i've always liked AMD simply because their prices are good, unlike intel, wich costs an arm and a leg XD

for photoshop, I don't think it matters so long as it's above a Tri-core. the AMD vs. Intel Competition comes in most for gaming, but if you look at AMD's design budget compared to Intel's there is a Huge difference, and intel has more money to spend as AMD do pretty amazingly looking at the budget differences.

i can't remember where i saw it, but i think it's something like $15 million against $2 million

I agree with building, because you know what you are putting in and you are less likely to get nasty surprises ;)
 
I think AMD does a good job for Gaming as you dont need high speed cores for that

as I said for photoshop it does not need to be so high but more things liike after effects etc that uses all the cores available intel are far superior.

Dont get me wrong if you are on a budget and you are not using things like 3d applications that use every bit of power your cpu can offer same as after effects then AMD is Good Value. But they have tried recently to push out new stuff at a budget and they are just not stable.


However they have released a new range of CPUs that has potential not yet for people that need high end graphics but they have built in graphics to there cpu so they are thinking ahead. But dont let this make you feel like you can settle for that for gaming and graphics because you cant the technology is not up to speed yet.

I also like the fact AMD tend to stick to same chipsets usually sell a quad core cheaper than a 6 core and yet with a bit of bios tweaking you can unlock the extra 2 cores on the quad core to make it a 6 core etc because they are just a locked down chip of the 6 core to begin with.
 
Hoogle said:
I guess you have not seen the prices of standard hard drives now the shortage is really kicking in you can get 60 Gig Solid states for less than $70

from switiching on a computer from cold you can be in photoshop in less than 20 seconds they make a big difference however

if you are running creative suite microsoft office and windows 7 you do need to be looking at 80 - 120 Gbs Minimum.
Click to expand...

I just looked....same price 7200 2T internal priced the same as a 120gb SSD....I don't know about you...I need the SPACE!

and I built on a budget and do not game
 
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Oh yes definately need the storage space but cant beat a SSD primary drive just to run things instantly I still have my 5 spinpoint TB storage drives I was merely suggesting performance wise you cant beat a good primary drive that is SSD over here we can buy a 120 GB solid state drive for around £60 and A 1 TB regular drive is about £140 depending where you go we are so short of them that they are charging more for ram to balance out the extra costs of hard drives.
 
they are good for not masting money, the dual core Phenoms are defective quad core phenoms with locked cores and a reduced price as you said and you can unlock the cores at your own risk.

@mikeMC, go with whatever you feel is worth your money ;)
 
I didn't realize your shortage!...Guess we are spoiled. Thats why I am running a small HD in my tower and my storage in a portable It keebs things running smoothly. I am quite happy with this AMD...as I do not do 3D, I can save a $100. s Intel, as I have used in the past
 
It should be a world wide shortage the factory flooded last year but as Usual things like this never effect America lol
 
yep due to reopen this summer new location there SSD factory was not harmed But western Digital also make many other branded hard drives as well so it isnt just the 1 make we are loosing out on
 
Yes i agree with this i also like AMD that is best in price for those hav some budget and those who love to play games in their free time.
 
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