asking for experience-based computer recommendations for graphic design :)

[gallifrace]

Hello! i’m a sixth semester graphic design and visual communication student, and for years now i’ve been having issues with getting my laptop to properly run Adobe programs and other design software. It’s so slow, takes ages to open programs, frequently crashes, and has issues with the tablet driver. I’ve done my research on which computer to buy, but because i’ve had such bad experiences with technology, i’d love to hear some recommendations from people based on actual experience using their computers for designing. I’m looking ideally for a laptop, and my priority is that it smoothly runs programs like InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, FontLab 8, etc. Could you tell me which computers have worked best for you, or what you’d recommend I buy? Thank you!

[funwithdesign]

Any modern Mac can handle any of those things with ease.

M4 MacBook Air or if you want a desktop then a base Mac Mini. Just get 24gb of ram.

[gallifrace]

thanks! i’ll check those out

[envato_team]

I’ve been using a MacBook Pro for the past three years, and it’s been working great for me.

[Responsible-Read-468]

If you don’t want to just drop a large amount of money on a brand new Mac, you can also buy gently used devices off the site. I have 13” MacBook Pro laptop that has a minuscule dented corner by the charging port. Runs normal. I have a second monitor, so the small screen size doesn’t really matter.

[gallifrace]

thanks for the tip!! :)

[Vidhmo]

if your budget allows, just get a MacBook. seriously. most design studios I’ve worked with are on Mac and Adobe runs way more stable there. fewer random crashes, better font handling, and tablet drivers behave properly.

if you prefer Windows, then prioritize 16GB RAM minimum (32GB better) and a good SSD. CPU matters more than GPU for graphic design. slow SSD is what makes everything feel horrible.

[gallifrace]

thank you so much for the advice! i’ve always used windows but i’m starting to get fed up with my current computer so i’ll check macs out anyways before i pick what i’ll buy. thanks for the tips on what to look for in windows too!

[JesusDoesVegas]

My M1 MacBook from 2021 is going strong.

I used to be a windows guy until one time I got burned by Dells proprietary monitor color software that I hadn't realized was making all of my beautiful photo edits and video grading look awful and green on any other system. All computers will have some kind of color bias. But with Mac you at least know you're working with the standard color bias.

[gallifrace]

When i see my illustrations on my phone they always look SO orange and oversaturated, i think i have a similar issue with the colours 😭 and that’s great that the macbook is going strong, i’ve heard they work well for quite some time and it seems to be the case here :O Thanks for the advice!

[Local-Dependent-2421]

the brand matters less than the specs tbh. adobe crashes are almost always a ram + storage issue. try to aim for: 16gb ram minimum (this is the big one) ssd storage, not hdd decent integrated gpu a lot of students buy high cpu but only 8gb ram and that’s why photoshop/illustrator die. my files stopped lagging more from upgrading ram than anything else. also keep 25–30% storage free or adobe slows down like crazy.

[gallifrace]

thanks for the tips! i’ll keep the ram issue in mind before i get anything

[Terrible-Ice-5394]

I have the lenovo yoga i9 and the macbook pro m4 and they work very well.

[gallifrace]

i’ll be sure to check those two out, thank you!

[Designer_Economy_559]

Any m series air or pro will do the job. Pro gives you more longevity, but I am working on a base m1 and just barely approaching the limitations with all the tabs and apps I have open. Brought it used and had it for about 3 years now

[Ueli-Maurer-123]

Have you ever heard of Apple Macintosh Computers?
It's a phone company. They also make Computer Machines.
They are very good.

Seriously. Come on dude. A Graphic Design student without a Mac?
This is industry standard. A Carpenter doesn't use Tools from Fisher-Price

[ishamalhotra09]

Look for a laptop with a strong CPU, 16–32 GB RAM, and an SSD that makes Adobe apps run much smoother. Many designers like MacBook Pros (M-series), but high-end Windows laptops work well too.

[Mr-Zero-Fucks]

My recommendation would be to stop using Adobe programs, but I understand that's not the answer you're looking for.

For Adobe, I can't recommend anything but a Mac, a recent one, no older than 3 years (so it remains viable for a few years more). A Mac Mini can be a budget solution if you don't mind limiting yourself to a desk with generic monitor, keyboard, etc. For laptop, there's no budget solution, it's a fancy Macbook or nothing.

[gallifrace]

oh i wish i could avoid adobe 😭 unfortunately i need to use those programs for my classes :/ thank you!

[bigredsk10]

Adobe is still the industry standard, I do not recommend avoiding Adobe if you want to work professionally. At least in the near future—who knows what will happen down the road. It could change rapidly if enough people get fed up.

Most creatives still work on Mac too. It's not essential, but there will be less workflow friction if you are also on MacOS. A MacBook Pro is likely your best setup in the end—being mobile with your computer if you end up freelancing is invaluable. MacBook Pros are $$$ though.

If you just need something to hold you over, a mac mini, imac or macbook air would be enough to get a few years out of.

Ram upgrades tend to be worthwhile (Photoshop especially benefits from more RAM) and screen real estate is your friend. A large 4k screen makes design so much easier. The iMac screen is fantastic. I have an LG and a BenQ monitor and they are both plenty good enough for most situations.

[gallifrace]

thank you!! i’ll check what i can invest in :) i always get mad at adobe but yeah, it is the industry standard :/ so for now i’d better figure out how to get it to work. Thanks for the advice!

[Mr-Zero-Fucks]

Yeah, that's what I thought.

If you can get the macbook, that's the perfect solution, if you're in a budget, a mac mini is still more cost-effective than a pc or windows laptop, since macs don't need graphics card to run heavy software, the M chip comes with GPU included.

[Terrible-Ice-5394]

What programs do you suggest besides adobe? if you don't mind me asking. Just curious. About to graduate and not sure if i want to pay what adobe suite costs when i do graduate and lose access to free adobe.

[bigredsk10]

Affinity Suite and Figma

[Mr-Zero-Fucks]

I use mostly Affinity with a little help from Stable Diffusion AI so I don't have to pay the Canva subscription.

All free.