Joined: 05 Nov 2009
Posts: 1
Location: Sacramento, Ca.
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject: processor speed help/question
I am new hear and I'm posting this for my daughter. She doesn't know it yet(Birthday present)
She is in a digital photography class and she wants to do this some professionally. She needs a new computer. The guy at the BestBuy said that 1,6ghz processor was fast enough. (windows 7,1.6ghz 667Mhz busw/ 3gigs ram, single core processor with 64 bit, ATI radeon HD 3200, w/1919mb video memory)
I get home and see the requirements is 1.8ghz. But, Photoshop elements requires 1.6ghz. Does this make a difference and how much difference is is elements from the full blown program.
If she can use a 1.6ghz processor on a 1.8ghz requirement, what will the consequences be? slower/ crashing, or what?
Her school has the program she can "use". or we can but Elements
For a beginner and needing time to grow, will Elements software work?
BTW, she is shooting with a Sony A200 dslr with a 15-70mm lens as a starter. She is shooting in RAW.
Other than this, I don't know much more
Thank you very much in advance, Brian
sorry about spell check, trying to use new forum...
Joined: 23 Oct 2009
Posts: 6
Location: Washington state
Posted: Thu Nov 05, 2009 8:44 pm Post subject:
The numbers you mention are the processor speeds. The difference is light speed or almost light speed. Much more important is the amount of ram memory (as much as possible) and hard disc space (as much as possible). If the machine will be primarily for image manipulation, and not the business / writing stuff that almost demands microsoft anymore, then take a look at a mac. No virus checker, no stuff running in the system tray, millions of colors, easy, simple and reliable. Also needed eventually will be a backup hardrive or method of saving images to disc at least. Machines get full real quick with photos. New photographers are way ahead to start with easy to use and on the simpler side software, simply because regardless of software talent or capability, good photography starts with the camera. gimp is a freebie and works. As a student though she can get really good deals from adobe.
1.6GHZ is way too slow. It may work - just - however it will give NO room to expand her skills if she later wants to upgrade photoshop or more importantly an image library such as Lightroom. If she is really into photography she will need a decent library and that in itself is almost larger specs than Photoshop.
If you are going with Windows 7 I would recommend minimum of:
2.2GHZ
3G Ram (Nicer to have 4)
SEPARATE GRAPHICS CARD! (otherwise it eats ram)
500G HD (Don't cheap out... I'm only 16 and have just started getting a decent portfolio, however I'm quickly running out of room on my HD... RAW files can be huge.)
(p.s. Many school's/collages around here are only using macintosh computers... Might want to check into that. I totally recommend apple anyways.) _________________ FREE PHOTOSHOP TUTORIALS: http://www.redpixelmedia.com
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