Without enough RAM to handle such files, your computer will slow to a crawl. A single RAW-image file can take up 100 MB, and 4K video files can be multi-gigabyte monsters. If you're editing 4K videos or RAW 42-megapixel photos, storage space and RAM are paramount. So what do you need to rein in all that power? The demands of photo and video editingĪfter installing a photo or video app, you may find it's by far the most resource-hungry thing on your computer. Here's how to pick gear for photo and video creation, whether you've got $500 or $5,000.
Luckily, we've already done a good chunk of the homework for you. Whichever app you choose, it's crucial to do some hardware research to ensure that your equipment will work with the app rather than against it. Adobe is planning a full version of Photoshop for the iPad, and it's developing an all-in-one video tool, Project Rush, that will work across platforms. And you may miss a deadline if your machine can't render the final product quickly enough. Meanwhile, a subpar monitor or laptop display could yield videos that look shockingly different than what you saw during production. A slow or badly equipped PC, laptop or tablet will be a drag on your creative process. If you do a lot of video or photo editing, the one thing you want to avoid when buying equipment is nasty surprises.
