- February 10, 2020
- 32 min to read
- Full list of the top Digital Photo Software apps that are similar to Adobe Photoshop, including IrfanView, Paint.NET, GIMP, IrfanView (64-bit), XnView, ACDSee Photo Studio Home 2021, FastStone.
- Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 is the best easy photo editing software for beginners, designed to facilitate photo editing and create even small video projects. It provides access to the core functions, intuitive systematization, and step-by-step image post editing instructions.
Modern digital photography goes hand in hand with post-processing software. Although today the photo editing software market offers an unlimited number of options for photographers of all levels, most of the community sticks to tried-and-true Adobe Photoshop. It indeed is a universal app equipped with tools that a professional photographer would wish for, but it’s time to make way for the new.
For the past decades, a lot of new and worthy photo editors entered the market bringing revolutionary technologies into the mundane editing process making even the most complex editing tasks doable for novices and streamlined for pros. Here we listed some of the best photo editing apps on the market including both old and new for photographers of different needs and skill levels.
1. Luminar 4
Photoshop for PC is an ideal design software for image editing, video editing, and comes with various tutorials for beginners. Though the features can be overwhelming for beginners, the program doesn’t have a steep learning curve. If you’re a graphic designer or photographer, Photoshop is one of the most powerful photo editors that you can use. Over time it can be quite expensive. This is hands down the best alternative to Photoshop out there right now. It makes for an easy transition since it uses many of the same keystroke shortcuts and provides many of the same editing.
Completely revamped Luminar 4 is finally here to shake up the world of photo-editing software. Improved to be even more intuitive, Luminar 4 also brings a ton of brand-new AI editing tools designed to speed up the photo editing workflow.
- AI Sky Replacement automatically changes the sky and relights and recolors the entire photo to match the new sky.
![Photo Photo](https://imag.malavida.com/mvimgbig/download-fs/gimp-829-2.jpg)
- AI Skin Enhancer & Portrait Enhancer do all the retouching for you with just one click.
- AI Enhance automatically enhances your photo by making numerous adjustments of different complexity.
- AI Structure brings details up or down depending on your needs.
- Sunrays adds realistic sun rays to your photo that you’re free to tweak as you please.
- Smart Contrast was improved to produce a more detailed and textured image.
Luminar 4 can not only be used as a stand-alone app but also as a plug-in for Adobe’s Photoshop and Lightroom to make the best of your tools.
✅ Pros:
- Non-destructive editing
- Intuitive interface
- Improved performance
- In-depth customization
- Available as a plug-in as well
✖️ Cons:
- Mediocre library functions
- Limited exporting options
2. Adobe Lightroom
Adobe Lightroom has been the app of choice for professional and amateur photographers alike for many years now. It offers a well-thought-out set of features for managing, organizing, processing, and exporting your photos. With the advanced library features, like labels, keywords, collections, and search filters, the app makes it easy for you to keep track of large numbers of photos. Lightroom comes with a good selection of RAW profiles to define colors in your photos for more precise editing. Tweak your photos to perfection with adjustment sliders, perspective and lens correction tools, retouching tools, filters, profiles, and presets to speed up your workflow.
✅ Pros:
- Built-in file management system
- Face detection and tagging
- Color and luminosity masking
- Plug-in support
✖️ Cons:
- Not the best choice for beginners
- A bit too taxing for Windows
- No auto-tagging
- Comparatively slow importing
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What photo editing software do you use and why? Let us know in the comments, we’d be very interested to know!
What photo editing software do you use and why? Let us know in the comments, we’d be very interested to know!
3. ACDSee PHOTO STUDIO ULTIMATE 2020
Photo Studio Ultimate 2020 is a one-stop photo management and post-processing tool for Windows. It comes with everything you need to handle your files, like categories, keywords, face detection, ratings, color labels, metadata, geolocation, and more. It’s quite powerful when it comes to photo editing, too, offering a broad set of tools for a variety of different purposes. It allows you to process your RAW, JPEG and other types of files in a non-destructive way in Develop Mode and perfect them in Edit Mode by adjusting color and lighting, bringing out details, removing flaws, and adding final touches. The user interface is completely customizable to suit your preferences.
✅ Pros:
- Excellent built-in file management system
- Powerful post-processing features
- Fully customizable interface
✖️ Cons:
- Available only for Windows
- Too overwhelming for beginners
- Subscription-based online storage gallery
4. GIMP
GIMP is a free and open-source photo-editing tool that has been around for more than 20 years. It boasts a limitless number of state-of-the-art features that you wouldn’t expect to see in a free photo-editing app. The interface has been recently updated to be easier to use, however it still can be quite confusing for novices. GIMP offers a broad set of tools suitable not only for basic but for advanced editing, too. Here you can enhance colors, adjust hue and saturation, fix composition, adjust sharpness, reduce graininess, remove unwanted objects, work with masks, layers, and more.
✅ Pros:
- 100% free
- Open access to the source code
- Has a broad selection of tools for different purposes
- Plug-in support
- Available for the main operating systems
✖️ Cons:
- Non-intuitive workflow
- Difficult to get the hang of
- Lack of HDR support
5. Aurora HDR
Aurora HDR is a powerful HDR tool that brings innovation and simplicity together. The most recent update introduced a new Quantum HDR engine with AI-powered tone mapping technology which allows for more intelligent photo merging to produce vivid yet natural-looking photos. Whether you’re creating an HDR photo from bracketed shots or a single image, the app’s neural network enhances the photo and makes sure that no halos or ghosting spoils the final result. The brand-new Smart HDR Structure feature boosts details and sharpness without creating undesired artifacts that can make a photo look unrealistic. With over 80 distinctive Looks, you can make your photo look stunning in just one click.
✅ Pros:
- One of the best HDR photo editors
- Swift performance
- Corrects badly taken single shots
- Doesn’t create artifacts, halos, or noise
- Available as a stand-alone app and plug-in
- Plug-in support
✖️ Cons:
- None worth mentioning
6. Adobe Photoshop Elements
Developed for beginner and hobbyist photographers, Photoshop Elements’ functions are naturally more limited than Photoshop’s but it has all the essentials for achieving astonishing results. It offers three editing modes:
The Quick mode includes the simplest tools for straightening and cropping photos, removing unwanted objects, enhancing portraits, and applying filters.
The Guided mode uses step-by-step wizards to take you through more complex edits like removing objects, replacing the background, merging multiple photos, creating double exposures, and more.
The Expert mode gives you access to more complex Photoshop-like features including layers, masks, and filters.
✅ Pros:
- Excellent for entry-level photographers
- Simple and straightforward interface
- One-time purchase
- A bunch of Photoshop-like features simplified for nonprofessionals
- Dozens of clear guides
✖️ Cons:
- Too limited functionality
Best Free Photo Editing Software
Are you a Lightroom, Luminar, or Photoshop user? Then you'd probably want to see our collection of the best free and paid presets for them.
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Exposure X5 looks like a refined version of Lightroom that inherited only the features that photographers liked and used the most. Some of the most hated features were eliminated or improved. Thus, there’s no time-consuming import process in Exposure X5 - you can get straight to editing by adding a folder with your photos in a few clicks. The interface is very well-organized and can be customized to suit your editing purposes. Besides non-destructive layer-based editing and cutting-edge tools that are crucial for the professional photo-manipulating process, Exposure X5 offers a mind-blowing collection of over 500 presets that you can customize to your liking.
✅ Pros:
- Beginner-friendly
- Well-organized and customizable interface
- No power-draining import process
- Non-destructive layer-based editing
- A broad selection of free presets
- No subscription
✖️ Cons: All audio converter 2 4 0.
- The interface design looks a bit outdated
- Lack of panorama and HDR tools
8. Capture One Pro
Capture One Pro is a full-fledged pro photo editor created for experienced photographers and serious hobbyists. Originally designed for tethered shooting, Capture One Pro is the fastest and most flexible tethering tool for photographers of all genres. It also offers top-notch RAW photo-editing functionality, smart photo organization tools, layer support, powerful adjustment tools, and plenty of other features you’re looking for in professional-grade photo software.
✅ Pros:
- Exceptional rendering of RAW files
- Numerous adjustment tools for different needs;
- Layer-based editing
- Industry-leading tethering features
- Fast and smooth spot removal
- Annotations feature
✖️ Cons:
- Lack of third-party plug-in support;
- Lack of panorama and HDR tools
- Limited organization features;
- Absence of history panel
9. Affinity Photo
Even though Affinity Photo can’t boast any organization or management tools, it’s well-packed with all kinds of editing features for photographers of all levels. The workflow includes several Personas, or modes, focused on different editing stages. Develop Persona focuses on RAW file processing, Photo Persona is used for boosting your photos using layers, lighting and color adjustments, curves, LUTs, etc. Tone Mapping Persona is for HDR editing, Liquify Persona for bending photos, and Export Persona for exporting finished photos.
✅ Pros:
- Layer-based editing
- RAW editing tools
- Panorama, HDR, and focus stack merging tools
- No subscription
✖️ Cons:
- No lens-based corrections
- Lack of organization tools
- No ability to save custom workspaces
- Poor noise reduction
10. Pixlr
One of the most powerful online photo tools, Pixlr has become a popular choice when it comes to making quick photo corrections. Since it’s a web app, it doesn’t take up any room on your computer and is compatible with all operational systems. Pixlr features a clean and intuitive interface with many tools for cropping, selecting, transforming, removing objects, retouching and adjusting your photos using numerous sliders for brightness, contrast, vibrance, saturation, shadows, and more. It also offers a vast collection of filters and effects that will enhance your photos in a snap!
✅ Pros:
- Beginner-friendly
- Great for quick editing
- Online
- 100% free
- Has a clean interface
- Offers a nice collection of filters and effects
- Mobile version available
✖️ Cons:
- Limited functionality
- Advertising can be annoying
- Can be laggy sometimes
11. Paint.NET
Developed to replace the iconic Microsoft Paint, Paint.NET has grown into a full-featured yet simple photo-editing tool for WIndows. The app offers a user-friendly interface that’s very easy to navigate. Paint.NET is packed with a nice set of tools for making your photos look beautiful in the most effortless way. Here you can play around with various adjustments, such as levels, curves, contrast, brightness, saturation, and more, selecting and removing objects, resize and crop your photos, and so much more!
✅ Pros:
- 100% free
- Unlimited history
- Layer-based editing
- Tons of creative filters and effects
- Suitable for beginner and intermediate users
- User-friendly interface
- Plug-in support
✖️ Cons:
- Only for Windows
- Interface design looks a bit outdated
- Limited functionality
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Do you agree with our opinion in this article? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
Do you agree with our opinion in this article? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
FAQ:
Q: Which one is the best photo editing software?
A: Luminar 4 is the best photo editing software because it offers the most powerful collection of features and tools for different editing needs.
Q: What is the easiest free photo editing software?
A: Paint.NET is the easiest free photo editing software, however, it has a very limited number of features suitable only for basic editing.
Q: Which photo editing software is the best for HDR photo editing?
A: Aurora HDR is the best HDR photo editing software with a broad set of tools for creating and correcting HDR images.
Q: How can I edit pictures on my computer for free?
A: GIMP free photo editor is the best way to edit pictures on your computer for free. It’s well-packed with features and is suitable for beginners and pros alike.
Q: Which photo editing software can be used as a plug-in for Photoshop/ Lightroom?
A: Luminar 4 is the best Photoshop/ Lightroom plug-in that allows you to use its unique features in your go-to photo editor.
Whether you take photos for fun or business, it’s not an easy task to find a photo editing software that can best fit your photo editing needs with so many different options on the market. We believe that it’s easier to find something when you know what you’re looking for, so we came up with three criteria that you should take into account when looking for your one and only photo app. So, we recommend you to make your choice based on the features you want your app to have, the platform you’re going to use it on, and the price that you’re ready (or not) to pay for it. This will help you to filter out the irrelevant options and narrow your choices down to a few most suitable ones.
Features
We believe that all photo editing apps can be divided into several categories based on what they have to offer to users of different levels and needs. These categories are:
- Photo editing software for beginners. If you’re just starting out in photography or need to apply quick corrections to your photos once in a while, you should opt for a beginner-friendly photo editor like Paint.NET or Pixlr. Such editors usually have a clean and straightforward interface without too many tabs and icons, and a decent set of tools for applying basic corrections.
- Professional photo editing apps are designed for professional photographers and advanced hobbyists and give more control over photo processing and editing. Their use requires more specialized knowledge of photography and high photo-editing skill. Pro-grade photo editors like Adobe Lightroom or Capture One Pro often come with an in-build photo management system, provide support for RAW files, tethered shooting, and presets.
- Software for creating and editing vector graphics. As you probably know, there are two types of graphics: raster and vector. Raster graphics represent images as a pixel grid, while vector graphics use lines and curves. Vector software can’t change pixels and thus is ineffective for photo correction. However, you can use vector software to add graphics to your photo such as text, shapes, lines. Many raster photo editors include a handful of vector tools, like GIMP or Photoshop.
- AI photo software uses AI-based technology that allows reducing manual photo editing to a minimum - even the most complex editing tasks such as retouching or removing objects can be done with just a few clicks. Such apps are a popular choice among beginners and pros alike as they substantially speed up the editing process without affecting the quality. Luminar 4 is one of a few decent AI photo editing tools on the market.
- Open source photo editing apps are apps for which the source code can be viewed and changed by any user, like GIMP. It means that any user can interact with the program code to correct bugs, improve the exciting features and add new ones. Open-source software is usually completely free and for this reason much beloved by users of different levels of expertise.
Platform
There is another thing you should take into account when looking for your perfect photo-editing app - the platform you’re going to use it on. If you’re a Mac or Windows user, you’ve got a wider choice of options unlike, for example, Chrome OS users, who have a much more limited choice. Let’s take a closer look at what we have here.
- Windows is the most compatible with most of the photo software you're going to want to use. If you’re a Windows user, you have a great number of options to choose from including most widely-used apps like GIMP, Luminar 4, Lightroom, Paint.NET, and more.
- As Mac is the second most popular operating system, you won’t have any troubles finding a photo app compatible with it. Here you still have a vast number of options including Lightroom, Aurora HDR, Luminar 4, etc. The popular GIMP, however, isn’t compatible with Mac.
- If you’re a Chromebook user, your choice is limited to Google Play apps. Those, however, include a pretty good number of options, such as GIMP, Photoshop, Lightroom, and others. If you have strong programming skills, you could try installing external apps as well.
It doesn’t matter what platform you’re using if you choose to work in an online photo editor. It runs in a browser and doesn’t need installing.
If you’re looking for an app for your Android or iOS device, you should check what your app store has to offer. Some web and desktop apps, like Pixlr or Lightroom, however, have mobile versions.
Price
No matter how good the software is, its price can be a real dealbreaker. Luckily, not all photo editing software is paid for. There are such apps as GIMP and Paint.NET that are completely free. Paid options include subscription-based (Photo Studio Ultimate 2020, Lightroom) and one-time-fee (Luminar 4, Photoshop Elements, Affinity Photo) software. Some paid apps though have free trial versions, so you can test an app for free for several days to see if it’s worth the money.
Best Laptops for Photoshop 2020
Acer Aspire 5 A515-55
Acer Aspire 5 A515 is the most affordable and under budget good laptop for Photoshop which also can handle almost all Adobe software such as Lightroom, Illustrator, etc. Unlike many other computers mentioned in this list, Aspire A515 is not the luxurious one like Dell XPS laptops but looks professional due to minimalistic and sober design. The overall built quality is quite premium; sturdy chassis shell can bear shocks hence prevents internal damage while traveling and unexpected falls.
Even though demands a few hundreds of dollars but packs with the latest 10th generation Intel Core i5-1035G1 quad-core processor coupled with the Intel UHD graphics unit to process CPU intensive projects supremely. For enhanced performance, you can make use of Turbo Boost feature to clock it at up to 3.6 GHz to get raw power. Regarding the memory side, it comes with 8GB dual channel RAM which yields effortless multitasking.
Instead of massive space, you get 256GB SSD which is not a bad deal in this price range. The 15.6″ full HD wide panel backed by IPS display that delivers a vibrant and immersive on-screen experience. It also multiple ports (USB 3.1, Reversible type-C connector, USB 3.0, HDMI, RJ-45) to connect peripherals making your life much easier compared to a laptop having fewer ports. The most fantastic thing about Aspire A515-55 is its 8 hours of battery life.
Aspire 5 provides ultimate browsing speed, high speed downloading, and smooth streaming through its Wifi 6 module which is built on 802.11ax standard. You will notice a major difference between the older Wifi module 802.11 and Wifi 6.
Note: You can buy an external portable hard disk for plenty of storage or upgrade the internal drive. There are many variants available with different configurations so you can pick the suitable one.
HP Zbook 15 G5
On its rugged chassis, the HP Zbook G5 packs immensely powerful Intel Core i7-8550U 1.8 GHz to 4.0GHz processor, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD Storage, and impressive full HD anti-glare display backed by AMD Radeon Pro WX 3100 GPU. Fit for office use and field alike, the laptop’s versatility is further aided by its lightweight. It can ably withstand destructive vibrations and shocks, handling explosive atmospheres equally well.
Coming with factory-calibrated 15.6” displays, Zbook 15 G5 offers impeccable color quality. The popping colors are a sight to behold; they can be enhanced further to achieve magnificent effects with built-in 2GB AMD Radeon Pro graphics card. Compared to other laptops for Photoshop, the brightness and color sharpness remains enviable. The touchscreen feature is another perk for seamless and fluid editing
Like all flagship HP machines, Zbook comes with built-in Bang & Olufsen speakers. The bass and stereo are surprisingly good, surpassing expectations even as they remain highly customizable. You will hardly want to turn off the rich sound. When typing on its full-size keyboard, you experience a great deal of comfort. All individual keys are back-lit to make it easier when working in a dark environment. If you accidentally spill your beverage, the keyboard’s spill-resistant design prevents further harm.
If you frequently handle intense workloads like Adobe PS, Lightroom, AutoCAD, etc. this handy laptop for photo and video editing will prove invaluable in many ways. This mid-level machine boasts of exquisite hardware and software installations. You can perform a variety of tasks and load multiple softwares at the same time flawlessly. There are multiple versions also available with a broad range of specifications.
ASUS VivoBook S
Asus VivoBook S comes with all the premium perks and potent hardwares which makes it the best laptop for Photoshop. It has 8th generation Intel Core i7 4.0 GHz (Turbo Boost) processor and 8GB Ram to execute photo and video editing tasks at lightning fast speeds. RAW images and videos take a lot of space, so hybrid storage system combines the M.2 256GB SSD and 1TB HDD to store all of your files.
Its 15.6” screen lit with the most diverse color combination and offer wide viewing angle of up to 178°. The panel, however, could have been a bit brighter for more comfortable use. The 1920 x 1080p resolution is quite crisp when editing photos or multi-media.
A simple colorimeter test places this laptop at 82% in the sRGB spectrum. Regarding brightness, the panel has 238 nits making it highly suitable for indoor works as well as outdoor. Graphics are further enhanced through NVIDIA GeForce MX150 2GB graphics (discrete), enabling video viewing 4K resolution.
At 3.7 pounds, it is slightly beyond the Asus ZenBook Flip which only has 3.3 pounds but not a big deal. The developer makes up for this by having several USB ports including Type-C, Ethernet port, and an SD card reader all on the left and right side. To keep all these features running, VivoBook S also has fast charging technology allowing up to 60% charging under 49 minutes.
Dell Inspiron i5577
Dell is a well-reputed and famous brand when it comes to laptop and desktop computers for personal and business use. They offer a wide range of devices for all users as well as companies such as enterprise level servers etc. Inspiron is a renowned series by Dell and laptops in this category usually costs less money than XPS flagship series. Inspiron i5577 also budget-friendly and affordable machine packed with potent specs to handle daily tasks like a charm.
The excellent blend of 7th generation Intel Core i5 7300HQ Quad-Core processor with 8GB DDR4 RAM alongside 256GB SSD makes it a powerhouse for photography and drawing projects. The ultra-fast CPU clocks at 2.5 GHz (3.5 GHz with Turbo Boost) which is quite enough for multitasking and simultaneous editing tasks without any lag. Its RAM can be upgraded to the max. of 32GB, however, going with 16GB memory would also be fine.
The immersive 15.6″ FHD anti-glare TN panel has LED-Backlit display technology making it handy-to-use in daylight as well as indoor. With 1920×1080 resolution, you can either watch high definition movies, play games, or edit your photos precisely. Furthermore, built-in NVIDIA 4GB GDDR5 GeForce GTX 1050 GPU provides an incredibly clear view and captivating display. Users having a limited budget must consider checking this laptop.
Apple MacBook Pro
This MacBook is unlike any other, running super-efficiently thanks to its 9th gen. Intel Core i7 2.6 GHz processor, 512GB SSD, and latest 16GB RAM module. Regardless of the intensity of your projects, the 2.6 GHz can be boosted to 4.5 GHz with Turbocharge technology for incredible accuracy while using power hungry applications like Illustrator, etc.
A convenient fingerprint Touch ID is in place giving the Touch Bar an invaluable security feature. Touch Bar offers quick navigation according to the software you use and allow access to various functions. For instance; when you use Adobe Photoshop’s brush, it’ll show other brush formats like soft, hard, round curve, etc. on the Touch bar. It looks especially nice alongside the symmetrical speaker grills.
In this model, Apple went deep into upgrading the interior and overall performance. Running on the 9th generation Coffee Lake chips, you can now accomplish much more in virtually no time. The DDR4 RAM tops up at 16GB with 2666MHz frequency, one of the highest in the market currently. Furthermore, its AMD Radeon Pro 5300M with 4GB GDDR6 memory will get you through the most demanding projects and games.
At 16″ LED-Lit panel with 3072×1920 pixels resolution, this Photoshop laptop offers exemplary multi-window use. The excellent trackpad only makes things better through its wide 159x99mm dimensions. A Force Touch feature is in place, maintaining Apple’s stature as a class leader.
When using the innumerable iOS apps, multi-touch gestures are extremely useful. By applying different levels of pressure to the trackpad, it is now possible to accomplish previously challenging tasks. Though much expensive than other devices but highly recommended for professionals photo and video editors.
ASUS ZenBook Flip
ZenBook Flip is primarily defined through its incredibly lightweight and thin outlook. Its touchscreen is versatile though 360°, meaning you can work in any space. An 8th gen. Intel Core i7 quad-core processor and massive 16GB Ram is perfect for on-the-go creativity, Photoshop, and Illustrator users. The manufacturer relies on NVIDIA GeForce MX150 2GB graphics chipset to keep graphics in a smooth state when working on high-resolution images.
An ultra-fast 512GB PCle SSD never keeps you waiting especially when handling the most demanding processes or heavy rendering. By accomplishing your tasks quickly, you will end up achieving a lot more. The combination of highly efficient CPU and memory along with lightning fast SSD, it can handle editing videos and retouching photos like a charm. It comes with a sensitive stylus, detecting up to 1,024 pressure levels. So, you can also use ZenBook Flip as a drawing tablet.
Talking about the display front, it comes with 14″ full HD wideview display that is touch sensitive. The 10 point multi-touch feature delivers the finest-precision and accuracy – good for artists. Aesthetically, you’ll love the elegant looking design and built quality. For hassle-free connectivity and data transfer, Bluetooth 4.2 and 802.11ac Wi-Fi also included. The best part? At just 3.3 lbs, it’s super portable.
LG Gram 8th Gen
LG Gram is a newcomer laptop packed with the latest 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor having 1.8 GHz clock speed that further can be boosted to 4.0 GHz with Turbo Boost technology. Don’t worry due to under 2 GHz speed; it’s a beast to run your Photoshop and editing tasks effortlessly along with multitasking. The CPU is capable enough to stream 4k and even 5k videos on the 15.6″ IPS ready panel.
On top of that, the touch-enabled display is another advantage for editors and photographers to navigate between different brushes or options quickly. It response blazing fast as soon as you touch the screen thus deliver incredible experience just like any high-end device. With 16GB dual channel DDR4 RAM and 1TB ultra-fast SSD, you’ll get the lag-free performance and quick files rendering.
Just at 2.5 pounds, LG Gram’s body built with premium Nano Carbon Magnesium but still lightweight, passed seven durability tests, and offers extreme portability alongside hours of battery time. The latest 72Wh battery empowers the laptop to keep running for up to 16.5 hours so you can complete all of your designing and graphical work with a single recharge.
Even though LG Gram has a sleek and slim design but the availability of a bunch of ports such as HDMI, USB 3.0, headphone jack, Thunderbolt 3, card reader slot, and fingerprint sensor enhance more usability. If you write blogs frequently then ergonomically designed keyboard with backlit feature will help you keep working in low light. In a nutshell, it’s the best Photoshop laptop for professionals and passionate users.
Acer Predator Helios
While most Photoshop laptop models claim to offer the best deal, this Acer model is indeed authentic, especially for editors and gamer as well. The 6GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 GPU is VR-ready, making your gaming experience more realistic along with advanced 3d space modeling. Armed with an impressive 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 processor coupled with 16GB RAM, nothing can get this laptop overworked. However, 256GB SSD feels insufficient for professionals photographers and video composers, but you can upgrade to a higher capacity.
During testing and use, the 6GB VRAM and GTX 1060 graphics processor show great resilience and incredible performance. When gaming, it runs at 70 to 80 frames per second. During interactive cut-scenes, this can drop slightly to 64 fps. But, no matter you’re a passionate gamer or professional editor, this laptop is an all-in-one option for both users. On SteamVR Performance Testing, Acer Predator ramps up an excellent 7.1 rating. Its 15.6″ IPS ready full HD display screen yields 1920×1080 resolution which is good for photo editing and video composing.
The overall design looks stunning and marvelous, a lovely logo surrounds the bezel, adding even more allure to this masterpiece. You can easily open multiple browser tabs and apps without worrying about the chic execution of tasks. At 188.5 MB per second data transfer rate, your computer will render heavy and raw files without hanging or slowing down the speed. When continually using the Internet and watching media, its battery will last approximately 7 hours which is quite awesome.
ASUS P2440
If you are in business, the ASUS P-Series is built just for you. During cross country flights, when outdoors, or in the office, this laptop for photoshop keeps all your commitments in check. It packs an Intel Core i7 7500U Kaby Lake CPU that clock at 2.7 GHz while turbo charge further boosts the speed to 3.5 GHz. Along with a powerful processor, it paired with a 12GB DDR4 RAM which is more than enough to manage all of your photography projects.
Beyond that, the 512 GB SSD is double than the above Acer Helios laptop so users can choose this machine for extra storage space. On the other, ASUS P’s built quality is much stronger than many devices available in the market thanks to its sturdy exterior shell and scratch resistant surface. Specially made for professionals who love to have a simple yet beautiful looking laptop with hassle free maintenance and portability. It also includes a fingerprint reader for added security so no one else can unlock your computer.
Adobe Photoshop users can take maximum outcome by utilizing P 2440UQ’s 14″ full HD screen to edit large resolution images and multimedia files. Plus, instead of a glassy panel, it has an anti-glare screen which prevents reflection and offers a much clear view. So, you can work outside or inside the house/office efficiently. The inclusion of a dedicated graphics card by NVIDIA GeForce 940MX comes handy to render 3d models, animations, and huge snapshots at startling speeds.
Accomplishing multiple tasks is now within your grasp. Without depreciating its purchase cost, it can serve you anywhere between 4 to 8 years with incredible consistency. There are 3 USB 3.0 ports and 1 USB 2.0, allowing multiple connectivity and use. A VGA and HDMI port can be used to connect external displays for personalized use. ASUS Business manager and Windows 10 are preinstalled to help you manage updates and other settings on the go.
MSI GL62M
From its stunning look, you would hardly acknowledge this laptop’s incredible power. The screen has uniquely vivid colors and RGB keyboard backlit making this a rare experience at redefining your personality. MSI GL62M performs excellently running on the 2.8 GHz Intel Core i7 processor (7700HQ) with 8GB of DDR4 RAM. This Photoshop computer’s CPU can be boosted to 3.8 GHz by Turbo Boost technology to run resource intensive programs and complicated modeling drawings.
Primarily best suit for gamers due to flashy outlook and robust GPU unit but professionals also can buy this laptop for groundbreaking performance to handle all kinds of daily tasks. The NVIDIA GTX 1050Ti with 4GB VRAM adds ample graphical power allowing hardcore gaming, 4k videos as well as images editing. The highly efficient hardware used in this beast will never slowdowns the speed while multitasking hence improves productivity.
A blazing-fast SSD combined with mechanical drive loads your photo in Photoshop or any other visual tool way faster and fluidly. Two drives are fulfilling its storage need; 128GB M.2 SSD and 1TB HDD so that you can save a lot of data including raw snaps and video shoots. The 15.6″ full HD panel delivers 94% NTSC color range for a realistic and striking display.
Apart from that, the battery capacity might be the deal breaker as MSI GL62M only lasts 3 hours when fully charged. Keep in mind; gaming rigs usually deliver a similar uptime due to dedicated hardware.
Best Desktop Computer for Photoshop, Lightroom, and Illustrator in 2020
Now, let’s talk about some of the great desktop PCs for photographers and video editors. You might know that desktops work much faster compared to laptops, but due to less portability, most of the users like to buy a laptop. But, you should not take it deliberately to decide which machine you choose, if portability matters don’t hesitate to pick a laptop. With the latest innovations and chipsets, chances are you won’t notice a significant difference regarding performance.
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Dell XPS 8930
Dell never disappoints when it comes to manufacturing high-end business desktops, much as was the case with Dell XPS 8930. The 9th gen. Intel Core i7-9700k 8-Core CPU works excellently to expedite with the heaviest tasks.
The turbo boost pushes speeds to 4.90 GHz, a figure which can be increased further with additional inputs. Its onboard Intel UHD 630 graphics unit refines your view, making out the tiniest details in the most complex documents.
For demanding tasks to run efficiently especially heavy Photoshop files, Intel UHD 630 graphics card combined with 32GB of Ram performs seamlessly. The sleek shape only makes this powerful desktop all-the-more attractive and invaluable for Photoshop projects.
Users can either use Bluetooth v4.2 or 802.11ac Wi-Fi to keep their business connections in place. Dell XPS 8930 comes with 2 storage devices, a 512GB SSD and a 2TB hard disk drive for storing massive data.
A quick scan through the desktop’s build clearly speaks of the developer’s sharpness. Even for a desktop, t is surprisingly lightweight and can be moved to new workstations with ease. You are free to upgrade or replace the installed Windows 10 Home.
HP Slimline 270
Setting up an office calls for a powerful but sleek desktop which you won’t have to move around. The 2018 version of HP Slimline 270 performs well beyond expectations, thanks to the incredible 16GB DDR4 RAM running at full capacity.
A Quad-Core Intel Core i7 processor is arguably the fastest for all business needs, running sleekly without generating too much heat. The max turbo boost ramps up the speed from 2.9 GHz to 3.8 GHz. A 1TB SATA storage drives can turn your desktop into a mini-server.
There is also a super-slim Multi DVD room available to help you read/write DVD’s as well as CDs. All the ports for connectivity and sound output are neatly arranged for quick accessibility. The unmistakable feel of flawlessness and adherence to strict design standards is a definite compelling factor.
All types of connectivity are highly versatile, allowing you to connect to networks and monitor all business activities easily. Coming with pre-installed Windows 10 Home edition, so you can start working right away as soon as you receive this computer for Photoshop. You also get a Mouse and USB keyboard at no additional costs.
Acer Inspire AIO
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Even as we embrace the versatility brought about by laptops, this All-in-one PC is the best computer for Photoshop and photo editing. Its 7th generation Intel Core i5 processor has 2.4GHz speed which can be enhanced to 3.0Ghz for CPU intensive projects. The 23.8″ display offers realistic and vibrant colors for explicit images re-touching. However, the i5 processor is slightly behind the current best rates, but will still handle enormous business obligations.
In addition to presenting you with a sleek touch display, the keyboard and mouse are wireless which makes your space less messy. All other connectivity ports such as USB 3.0 and HDMI are conveniently hidden in the rear. Bluetooth 4.0 and WLAN make wireless connectivity a breeze. Even over long distances, it will still maintain super-fast connections.
You can make use of the 12GB RAM and 1 TB storage to store and manage most of your business files locally. The latest games will play flawlessly as long as you keep the RAM free from unnecessary tasks. Users can open multiple browser tabs and various concurrent softwares without facing any lags.
Conclusion – What’s the Best Laptop for Photoshop
Deciding which one would be the perfect one for you is entirely depends on your necessities. If you’re a professional who doesn’t like to play games, then Acer Aspire E and ASUS VivoBook S are the good choices. For hardcore gamers who want to have an all-in-one rig, buying MSI GL62M can’t be wrong.
Apple MacBook Pro is also an excellent option for professionals if money doesn’t matter. It’s the most versatile and gorgeous looking device in the market which comes with breathtaking specifications but unfortunately too much expensive. Now, it’s your turn to pick the best Photoshop laptop according to your requirements but don’t hesitate to share feedback on these computers in the comments section below.