What is the best CPU for Photoshop?
best CPU for Photoshopwhen working with Photoshop. In such cases, it is necessary to go for a more powerful processor or CPU. Because not only RAM or a powerful graphics card determine the performance of Photoshop; rather, the main center of this operation is the CPU. Now how do we choose the best CPU for Photoshop? A model that has powerful cores, high frequency and sufficient cache memory will increase the speed of Photoshop. In this article, we will examine in detail which CPU models are the best choice for Photoshop users.
Minimum processor requirements for Photoshop
To run Photoshop smoothly on your system, you need to consider a few features. These features will help you know exactly which versions of Photoshop you should install for your operating system:
a For optimal performance, the processor must have 64-bit architecture. Newer versions of Photoshop no longer support 32-bit processors.
- Prioritize your processor for a high base frequency, not more cores. Most Photoshop functions work best with 6 to 8 cores.
- Your processor must support SSE4.1 or SSE4.2 instructions, which are required by newer versions of Photoshop.
- Do not use server or workstation processors such as Xeon/EPYC for Photoshop. Photoshop generally does not take full advantage of their multi-core capabilities.
Minimum processor requirements for different versions of Photoshop (2018 to 2025)
If you want to install and run different versions of Photoshop on Windows or Mac, you must have the processor that corresponds to that version. Based on the previous section, we have listed the minimum processor requirements for each version of Photoshop:
- Photoshop CC 2018
The minimum processor requirement on Windows is an Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD Athlon 64 processor with 64-bit support and a speed of 2 GHz or faster.
For Mac, you need a multi-core Intel processor with 64-bit support and macOS 10.11 or later. - Photoshop CC 2019
According to information from processor manufacturers and the Adobe website, for Photoshop 2019, the processor must be 2 GHz or faster (Intel/AMD) that supports SSE2 instructions.
If you are using a Mac operating system, you need a multi-core Intel processor with 64-bit support, macOS 10.12 or later. - Photoshop 2020
According to the Adobe Official Pagex, this version requires a 64-bit Intel or AMD processor with a frequency of 2 GHz or faster.
For Mac, you’ll need a 64-bit Intel or Apple Silicon multi-core processor. - Photoshop 2021
Windows users will need at least a 64-bit Intel or AMD processor with a 2GHz clock speed and support for SSE4.2 instructions to run this version properly.
Full support for Apple Silicon (M1) also makes this version easy to use on Mac. - Photoshop 2022–2023
According to Adobe’s latest information, Photoshop will run on 6th generation Intel processors (such as Core i5-6xxx and above) or AMD equivalents with SSE4.1 support. This generation will work with 64-bit CPUs with a speed of 2GHz for Windows and 6th generation Intel or Apple Silicon for Mac. - Processor for Photoshop 2024–2025
In the latest versions of Photoshop, you must use a 6th generation Intel processor or later (or AMD equivalent) with a minimum speed of 2 GHz on Windows. Consider SSE4.1/SSE4.2 support in the latest versions.
If you want to run Photoshop on a Mac, your processor must be from the Apple Silicon generation (M1 or later) and the operating system version must be macOS 12 or later.
Does more cores mean faster Photoshop?
In Photoshop, increasing the number of processor cores does not always mean faster performance. According to reliable sources such as Adobe HelpX, most of the main tasks of Photoshop software, such as editing layers and using tools, are more dependent on the speed of a single-core processor.
For example, some heavier tasks, such as processing large files or special filters such as Blur Gallery, involve four to six cores. Specialized tests on the PugetBench site show that increasing the number of cores to six to eight does not have a significant impact on the overall performance of Photoshop.
Considering the above, to achieve the best performance in Photoshop and choose the best CPU for Photoshop, you should pay more attention to single-core speed and more up-to-date processor architecture than to a very large number of cores.
So choosing processors with high frequencies and the appropriate number of cores (4 to 8 cores) is a better choice, and buying a CPU with more cores and spending money on this feature does not make sense.
How to Activate Emergency SOS on Android and iPhone
All the news and rumors about the iPhone 17 series
Affordable Photoshop Processor for Windows Users and Students
For Windows users and students who want to run Photoshop tasks at a reasonable cost, processors with 4 cores and 64-bit architecture, in addition to their economical price, have the ability to run the latest versions of Photoshop smoothly. If budget is a priority for you, it is better to check the price of Intel CPUs to choose the most suitable model according to your needs and cost. The following processors provide the desired features for these users:
Processor Model Series Number of Cores Boost Frequency Integrated Graphics Memory Type Supported RAM
i5-13600K Intel Core 14 (6P + 8E) 5.1 GHz Intel UHD 770 DDR4 / DDR5
i5-12600K Intel Core 10 (6P + 4E) 4.9 GHz Intel UHD 770 DDR4 / DDR5
5 7600X AMD Ryzen 6 5.3 GHz No DDR5
5 9600X AMD Ryzen 6 5.4 GHz No DDR5
Powerful Photoshop Processor for Windows Power Users
A powerful processor for these types of users should have a high single-core frequency (above 5 GHz) and at least 8 cores to ensure fast and smooth performance in heavy projects. The best CPU options for Photoshop this year are:
Processor Model Series Number of Cores Boost Frequency Integrated Graphics Memory Type Supported RAM
i9-14900K Intel Core 24 (8P + 16E) 6.0 GHz Intel UHD 770 DDR4 / DDR5
9 9950X AMD Ryzen 16 5.7 GHz No DDR5
i7-13700K Intel Core 16 (8P + 8E) 5.4 GHz Intel UHD 770 DDR4 / DDR5
9 285K Intel Core Ultra 16 (8P + 8E) 5.1 GHz Intel Arc LPDDR5 / DDR5
A budget processor suitable for Photoshop for regular Mac users and students
For regular users and students who have a Mac operating system, it is better to choose the basic Apple Silicon models such as the Apple M1 or Apple M2. Of course, the multi-core Intel Core i5 processors in older Macs are also sufficient for regular Photoshop tasks, but Apple’s M1 and M2 series are generally more efficient, such as:
Processor Series Model Number of Cores Boost Frequency Integrated Graphics Memory Type Supported RAM
M4 Apple M 12 (4P + 8E) ~4.0 GHz 18-core GPU Unified Memory
M2 Pro Apple M 10 (6P + 4E) ~3.5 GHz 16-core GPU Unified Memory
M1 Pro Apple M 10 (8P + 2E) ~3.2 GHz 16-core GPU Unified Memory
M2 Apple M 8 (4P + 4E) ~3.5 GHz 10-core GPU Unified Memory
A powerful Photoshop processor for professional Mac users
For professional use of Photoshop on a Mac, the best choice is the new processors with Apple Silicon technology. Built on a new architecture, these processors have plenty of cores and powerful single-core performance, allowing you to multitask and run Photoshop tools faster.
The integration of RAM and GPUs allows these processors to transfer data quickly and support Photoshop’s AI capabilities thanks to the Neural Engine. Most importantly, they have low power consumption, optimized thermal management, and are silent.
Accordingly, the following options are the best CPUs for Photoshop for professional Mac users:
Processor Model Series Number of Cores Boost Frequency Integrated Graphics Memory Type Supported RAM
M3 Pro Apple M 12 (6P + 6E) ~3.8 GHz 18-core GPU Unified Memory
M2 Max Apple M 12 (8P + 4E) ~3.7 GHz 30-core GPU Unified Memory
M1 Max Apple M 10 (8P + 2E) ~3.2 GHz 32-core GPU Unified Memory
M3 Ultra Apple M 32 (16P + 16E) ~3.9 GHz 80-core GPU Unified Memory
Best CPU for Photoshop
Choosing the best CPU for Photoshop depends on your workload, Photoshop version, and operating system. As we have seen, more cores do not necessarily mean faster Photoshop, but higher single-core clock speeds and an updated processor architecture are more important than the number of cores. For casual users and students, an Intel Core i5, AMD Ryzen 5 (Windows), or Apple M1/M2 (Mac) processor is more suitable. If you’re a pro who does heavy Photoshop work, you’ll need an Intel Core i7/i9, AMD Ryzen 9, or Apple Silicon Pro/Max for maximum speed and stability.
