Let’s say you open a large TIFF in Photoshop (loaded into the RAM). Opening and editing high-resolution photos in a program such as Photoshop requires an enormous amount of CPU power and if your CPU isn’t up to the task, your workflow will grind to a halt. Essentials will provide the basic needs for the advanced amateur-not the pro-while Options covers those who use their camera to record video and their computer to edit it.Įverything your computer does from the moment it powers on until it shuts down is handled, at some point, by the CPU. You can look at these suggestions as being divided into two categories: Essentials and Options. In this article, I’ll take a look at some of the features you should look for when considering a new computer.

The computer needs of a digital photographer are different from someone who just wants to check e-mail and surf the Web.