To make sure the hardware in your computer system will work with their software, Adobe has a list of system requirements for Photoshop. But most "system requirements" lists simply address the bare minimum of hardware needed to run the software—not what will truly perform at its peak. Furthermore, these lists occasionally include terrible hardware on them, are out of date, or display obsolete hardware versions.

One of the most crucial components of a Photoshop workstation is the processor, sometimes known as the CPU. Even though GPU acceleration is becoming more popular, the CPU you choose will still often have a considerably greater influence on system performance at this point. There is a limit to how many cores Photoshop can properly utilize, so keep in mind that a CPU with more theoretical capability is not always preferable. Getting the correct CPU is more crucial than getting a more costly one because, in many circumstances, paying more money might actually result in inferior performance.

Although Adobe has been working to make better use of CPUs with more cores, you will currently only see a slight performance boost if the CPU has more than about eight cores. Generally speaking, the CPU's architecture is frequently more significant than its actual core count.

The size and quantity of photos you will be dealing with will determine how much RAM you actually need; however, for all of our systems, we normally advise at least 16 GB of RAM. 32GB of RAM ought to be sufficient for the majority of users' operations. However, you could want 64GB or more system RAM if you deal with particularly huge photos/catalogs or utilize the computer for additional tasks like editing large photographs.

Photoshop frequently lists two sizes, for example, 20.3M and 60.2M. The number on the right represents the real size of the Photoshop document with all of the layers, while the number on the left is the flat file size. When determining the RAM requirements for your system, the correct number that takes into account all of the layers is usually the most important factor.

Since most operations in Adobe Photoshop don't really require an upgraded video card, we usually advise getting a mid-range GPU to handle the demands of Photoshop and other related apps that do require a GPU. Since Adobe Photoshop does not heavily use the GPU, VRAM is typically not a concern. If you have a 4K display, we recommend having at least 4GB to 6GB of VRAM, although all the video cards we currently offer for Adobe Photoshop have at least 8GB of VRAM.

Primary Drive: OS/Software (SSD/NVMe): Includes your operating system and the base Photoshop installation. An SSD is highly recommended as it will greatly improve how fast the OS and programs startup, but you can also upgrade to a faster NVMe drive for a small performance benefit. The recommended storage for the installation of software is not more than 15 GB. 
Since the primary drive will primarily be used to store Windows and software, including all software (except large games), it doesn't need to be that large for the majority of users; a 500GB SSD will be enough.

Secondary Drive: Project Files (Platter/SSD/NVMe) If possible, it is a good idea to keep your photos and catalogs on a secondary drive. For most users, even a platter drive should be more than fast enough, although an SSD tends to be snappier and will often smooth out your workflow.