Table of Contents
Graphic Design Hardware Specification for Mac – Windows 2022
Your computer should be running either Apple Mac OS X 10.15 or a later version of that operating system or Windows 10. Macs were pioneers of the desktop publishing revolution in the early years, outperforming PC rivals in terms of colour fidelity and typography. Nowadays, the differences between macOS and Windows are less obvious, and file compatibility is generally excellent when utilising cross-platform suites such as Adobe’s Creative Cloud. Despite this, the Mac continues to be popular with the majority of designers.
This is due to several causes, including dependability; outstanding niche applications that are only accessible on Mac (such as Sketch); tradition, and, simply, Macs look a lot prettier than PCs. (While designers are not shallow, they definitely like the style!)
Why do designers prefer Macs?
The further back in time you go, the more distinct and concentrated the creative positions were. However, a designer can now work in a variety of disciplines. That is not to suggest that individuals are not still working exclusively in InDesign to create magazine layouts, but the modern design is just as likely to be dabbling in illustration, interface design, and 3D, all of which may be quite demanding and processor hungry. Blue Sky Graphics online graphic design course can teach you how to create stunning designs using Adobe Photoshop, InDesign and Illustrator.
The extraordinarily quick transition to digital complicates issues further. A decade ago, a designer’s primary priority when purchasing new equipment could have been flawless colour reproduction. However, designers are increasingly likely to work on screen-based design, with their work destined to be viewed on various display types and sizes. The display choice might be critical for a designer, who may go toward 5K or even 6K screens.
Additionally, the nature of their jobs may need them to be more mobile, so where many designers previously preferred a Mac Pro or iMac, the MacBook Pro with a secondary monitor may now appeal.
Two factors that have been constant throughout the years are the tendency for design programmes to be RAM-intensive and the bulk of design projects require a significant quantity of storage. In both situations, caution is advised, as Apple now considers Macs to be sealed systems, which means that, in most cases, more RAM or storage cannot be added later, necessitating configuration at the time of purchase. With that in mind, let us go over our recommendations for CPU speed and cores, RAM, graphics, storage, display quality, and connectors.
RAM
As noted before, design software is notoriously memory intensive. Because the RAM in the majority of Macs cannot be upgraded afterwards, we recommend purchasing the maximum amount of RAM available when purchasing your Mac. Apple allows you to upgrade the RAM in most models at the moment of purchase, so it is a good idea to pick the most RAM you can afford.
Certain Macs allow for subsequent RAM upgrades – the 27in iMac, for example, has a hatch underneath the display that can be opened and fresh RAM installed. Additionally, the RAM in the Mac Pro and 2018 Mac mini may be upgraded. If you want to save money, you may purchase the RAM from a third party rather than Apple – but keep in mind that adding the RAM yourself will void your warranty.
The RAM on Apple’s new M1 Macs launched in November 2020 is not upgradeable due to its integration into the M1 processor. This configuration does offer certain advantages: because the memory, CPU, and GPU are all on the same chip, data transfer is accelerated, and performance is improved. This implies that 8GB RAM in an M1 Mac is not similar to 8GB RAM in an Intel Mac – which means that even if your current Intel Mac struggles with 8GB RAM, an M1 Mac probably won’t.
However, we recommend upgrading to 16GB at the time of purchase, simply because you will not be able to do so later. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that the RAM capacity of the M1 Macs is restricted to 16GB. In contrast, earlier Intel Macs may support significantly more RAM – up to 128GB in the case of the 27in iMac and an astounding 1.5TB in the Mac Pro).
Whichever Mac you choose, our recommendation is to get the most amount of RAM you can afford when you purchase it, even if Apple’s pricing is equivalent to being robbed.
Storage
As a graphic designer, you are likely to work with several large files. You are probably searching for the Mac with the largest SSD available – and it is worth upgrading at the time of sale, as the SSD, like the RAM, cannot be upgraded afterwards.
Certain designers may be unhappy that Apple has discontinued the sale of Macs with Fusion Drives, which combined an SSD with a big hard drive. We believe Apple made the right decision, although it does mean that you receive less storage for your money (entry-level iMacs used to ship with 1TB drives, for example). However, there are significant advantages to solid state storage: they are far faster at retrieving data and are less prone to failure.
If you want additional capacity, you may utilise external discs to store large folders and archives.
Processor
With the M1 Macs scheduled to arrive in November 2020, the issue of which CPU to purchase has become more complex than ever. The M1 chip (also known as an SoC, or system on chip) is Apple’s first silicon processor to replace Intel CPUs, which the firm had utilised since 2006/7. Apple has stated that it would migrate the whole Mac lineup to its own ARM-based processors by the middle of 2022.
The MacBook Air has two Mac mini versions, two MacBook Pro models, and, starting in May 2021, the 24in iMac are the only Macs using Apple-designed CPUs. Apple began with entry-level Macs, but that does not imply they are unsuitable for design work. Not only are the M1 Macs far quicker than the Intel processors they replaced but are also outperforming many of the Intel processors in what were previously considered more capable Macs.
