What Does a Computer for a Graphic Designer Need

Computer Specification for a Graphic Designer

The utilisation of technology facilitates many advantages. Not only the automation processes that would otherwise take longer manually, reducing the time taken, but increasing effectiveness through the efficiency that is provided. In addition, computer systems may also allow additional task to be undertaken, which would not be viable possible manually. This is particularly true when considering the utilisation of technology to support specific professions, such as the graphic arts. Therefore, when a graphic artist needs a computer they will need to take into account the different specifications of the applications they wish to use (Flynn & Luk, 2011). For a graphic designer there needs to be sufficient power, memory and disk space to contain the different imaging and associated software (Patterson & Hennessy, 2013).

Many software applications utilised by graphic designers, including CAD applications, will require a relatively fast computer system, with a high level of memory due to the level of graphic images that may be contained in memory that any single point (Heller & Vienne, 2015). Examining the minimum requirements for CAD software, it is recommended that there should be at least 6 GB of RAM for the memory, with a relatively fast processor, the minimum standard being an i5 Intel processor, or an AMD quad core processor (Anonymous, 2015). The system should also have a dedicated graphics card, with a minimum specification being either an nVidia or Radeon card (Anonymous, 2015).

The computer system should also have a hard drive that has sufficient space for numerous graphic files, as well as the software applications, which can also be sizeable. Therefore, a 750 GB hard drive is recommended as a minimum (Anonymous, 2015). A hard drive is recommended over solid-state drive due to the longevity associated with this hardware. In order to accommodate the software required to run the Systems effectively, the minimum PC requirement for the system should be a Windows 7 64-bit operating system (Anonymous, 2015).

While the minimum system requirements as a starting point, the ideal requirement should also be identified, as minimum systems are likely to become outdated more rapidly than more advanced systems (Flynn & Luk, 2011). The ideal system should have an Intel i7 processor, capable of multiple threading. While Windows 8 is still popular, this may be seen as potentially viable, but Windows 10 is more likely to provide greater longevity (Anonymous, 2015). The ideal system would have at least 8 GB of RAM, but more would be preferable, and a hard drive of at least 1 TB. Where work is to be safe, additional requirements may include the presence of a DVD writer, as well as USB ports to facilitate transfer files to disc. Additionally, a minimum of 3 to 4 USB three port should also be available for the attachment of other devices. Connectivity will also be required, therefore wireless networking cards, or if reports for wired networks should also be present, as well as relevant security base software.