How to choose a computer

For digital photography, a computer is pretty much essential. But if you're looking to buy a new machine, or upgrade an older one, working out exactly what you need can quickly lead you into a confusing minefield of acronyms and specifications. The aim of this article is to break down some of the confusion by explaining what the various parts of a computer do, and which ones are essential when it comes to having a good computer for photo and video editing.

If you have no interest in delving a little deeper into computers, then the simplest advice I can give is to look for the ‘Minimum System Requirements' of the software that you use for editing your photos, or video. A quick Google search should provide the answer, or lead to the software manufacturer's specification page. Use these minimum requirements as a guide, but try to go higher than these