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Graphic Design Computer Requirements for 2022
When you first start out in the realm of graphic design, you may stop to examine the hardware requirements, and you would be correct to do so. Depending on the kind of design software you want to use (as well as the type of graphic design you want to pursue), you will need to make sure you are working with a device that has everything you need. We will go through all of the graphic design computer requirements for each design programme in this article so you can compare them and make an informed buying choice.
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How to Select a Computer
When it comes to selecting the finest laptop for your particular graphic design requirements, keep the following seven considerations in mind:
- Operating System
- Processor Capability (CPU)
- RAM (Random Access Memory)
- Storage of Disks
- Display
- Life of the Battery
- Price
Let us now briefly explain each of them and what they imply in terms of completing graphic design job.
System of Operations (OS)
First and foremost, you must determine if you prefer Windows or contemplate moving to MacOS, or whether a basic ChromeOS installation will suffice.
Processor Capability (CPU)
Clearly, the most essential factor to consider when selecting a laptop is its power.
To perform all of your activities efficiently, any professional graphic design programme will need a strong processor (CPU).
Check out Adobe’s CPU requirements for particular applications like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, After Effects, Premiere Pro, and so on.
For example, if you want to do heavy lifting like 3D rendering and video editing, you should aim for maximum performance—look for a quad-core processor.
RAM (Random Access Memory)
The second factor to consider is RAM, which enables you to run several applications at the same time. What much of RAM do I need for graphic design?— Get at least 8 GB of RAM, preferably 16GB or as much as you can afford.
As a graphic designer, you will often have to move between programmes like Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and others, so you will need that additional energy.
Storage of Disks
Depending on the kind of graphic design job you perform, you will need some storage space to store those often large files.
Graphic design source files (PSD, AI, INDD, AEP, and so on) may be very large, therefore you will need that additional disc space to store them all.
Especially if you work in 3D graphic design, video editing, or just with photographs – these things take up a lot of disc space.
Display
Obviously, a good display selection is critical for every graphic designer. This is due to the fact that as a designer, you need optimum brightness and colour accuracy, and the larger the screen, the better.
When it comes to screen size, a 13-inch screen is a little too little, a 15-inch screen is ideal, and a 16- or 17-inch screen would be much welcomed. You may also consider if you want a touchscreen so that you can use it as a tablet (good for drawing illustrations)
Life of the Battery
If you are looking to purchase a laptop, battery life must be essential to you. Especially if you live a nomadic lifestyle or need to move your laptop often without having to plug it in every time. Dying batter in the midst of a project may be very inconvenient.
Price
And, of course, with all of that said, cost is definitely one of the most significant considerations as well, right? Who wants to invest money just to discover later that a better offer was available?
Set your budget first, and then search for laptops that are both cheap and strong enough to handle your creative job.
Graphic Design Software
Photoshop by Adobe
Photoshop is Adobe’s main software, and it has become a brand in its own right. It enables you to alter and change pictures in a variety of unique and creative ways. You may change the colours, add effects, paint and draw, write text, distort the image, and more. Photoshop has no bounds in terms of what it can do.
Illustrator by Adobe
When it comes to vector design, Illustrator is the industry standard. Vector graphics, as opposed to raster pictures, are composed of coordinate points that govern the characteristics of a graphic on an X and Y axis.
Working with vector graphics has the advantage of being able to be scaled up indefinitely without losing quality. They also produce clear lines and sharp edges, making them perfect for creating logos, app icons, user interface, avatars, cartoons, and other graphics.
Although Adobe Illustrator will not be as taxing on your machine as Photoshop, it is still an Adobe programme, which means the bar is set pretty high in terms of specifications.
After Effects by Adobe
If you want to create basic animations using the vector drawings you produced in Illustrator, you may use Adobe After Effects, a design programme designed for animation.
After Effects may be used to generate video lower thirds, such as the tiny “Subscribe” animations that appear in the bottom corner of a YouTube video you are viewing.
It is also useful for making cartoons and animating figures.
In general, animation software will constantly raise the bar in terms of hardware requirements, which is why it is the most resource-intensive programme on the list.
It should be mentioned that, in contrast to Photo, Affinity Designer has severe restrictions when compared to Illustrator. It does, however, have a lower price tag and less hardware requirements. All of these aspects must be addressed when selecting a computer for graphic design.
PaintShop Pro
PaintShop Pro is a Windows image editing programme comparable to Photoshop and Affinity Photo. It can do many of the same things as Photoshop and, like Affinity Photo, is a one-time purchase that requires much less hardware than Photoshop.
The disadvantage of utilising PaintShop Pro is that it is only accessible for Windows users, so if you prefer Mac or Linux, you will have to seek elsewhere.
