My computer was due for an upgrade. Lightroom was getting slow, and I was getting tired of watching the little thinking circle going round and round as the program tried to catch up to what I was doing. Photo editing and curation is often an intuitive process, and anything that gets in the way takes me out of the flow, making it difficult to continue with my work. So when I returned from a recent long road trip with 4,000+ images, I knew I couldn’t put off an upgrade any longer.
I build a new computer every 4 or 5 years. That’s about how long it takes for Lightroom and Photoshop to advance beyond my computer’s capabilities. Aside from the cost savings and ability to configure my rig to meet my specific needs, I find that building a computer is a rewarding process in and of itself. It’s not difficult. Most of the components are plug and play, and anyone handy with a screwdriver can manage it without much problem. But what I really enjoy is the sense of accomplishment when I press the On button for the first (or second or third …) time and everything works as it is supposed to. Like magic.
Having just finished building my new PC, I thought it might be helpful to share a little bit about my process for anyone out there who may be interested in doing the same. (All you Mac users can feel free to leave now. :-) Anyone who enjoys looking for new photo gear will get a kick out of designing their new computer system. (Just keep in mind that, like new camera gear, a better computer isn’t going to improve your lightroom or photoshop skills or make you a better photographer. It will, however, make you more efficient.)
Computer geeks – like photo-nerds and audiophiles – often share a deep interest in electronics, and love nothing more than debating the importance of esoteric technical specs, many of which have little or no practical impact in the real world. Which means there is a wealth of information out there to help you build your own computer. I’m not going to try to replicate that, much less tell you what to build or how to do it. But I will help you find the information you actually need to configure and build your rig, should you decide to follow me down that rabbit hole.
The first thing you need to do, of course, is pick your components. But there are a ton of parts out there to choose from, and three times as many opinions about which one to buy. So how do you choose? Especially when most of the information out there is geared towards gamers, rather than creatives? You might want to start by deciding on a CPU, which will narrow your choices when it comes to picking a motherboard and other parts. (Think of the CPU as the brain of your system and the motherboard as its nervous system.) When picking a CPU (and other key components) I first consult the hardware recommendations from Puget Labs, which designs rigs for photographers, video editors, animators and other creatives. Puget’s website has free bench test results for CPUs and other components, and includes specific hardware recommendations for both Lightroom and Photoshop users. (While you could just order a box from them and be done with it, their systems can be expensive. The rig I just built cost me $2,200 in parts; a similarly configured system from Puget would have cost north of $5,000.)
Once you have settled on a CPU and motherboard, add in the other components according to your needs – a computer case, power supply, graphics card, data storage devices, a couple memory (RAM) sticks, and a dedicated cooler for your CPU. Those choices aren’t that difficult and can largely be determined by price as you will find many parts with similar specs and reviews. The most fun (and difficulty) I had was in picking a new case, which can be based primarily on aesthetics (but pay attention to ease of use reviews too). My past builds used a case noted more for its silence than its looks; in the latest build I went in the opposite direction, selecting a white case with a glass side panel and light-up RGB fans inside.
As with camera gear, sorting through reviews can be a time-consuming headache. I found two youtube channels to be particularly helpful in researching parts for my new build: Tech Notice (one of the few channels geared towards systems for creatives) and Gamers Nexus (a channel primarily for gamers but with a consumer-oriented focus that provides information that is just as useful for people like us). Once you’ve narrowed your selection, go to Newegg (or Amazon) to check prices and read reviews before finalizing your decision. And don’t forget to check PC-Part-Picker, which will make sure the parts you selected are compatible with one another (or help you find others to use instead).
If you’re interested in the parts I chose, I’ve included a full list at the end of this post. But how you configure your system will depend on your specific workflow and needs, which are probably different from mine. For instance, I needed my motherboard to have lots of m.2 and SATA ports because I use a lot of different storage devices in my rig: fast m2s for the operating system and Lightroom, SSDs for photographs I am currently working on, and larger platter drives (3.5” HDDs) for photos that have already been curated, organized and edited.
Once I had my parts in hand, it only took me a few hours to put them all together. Tom’s Hardware has a nice step-by-step illustrated overview of the build process (and a helpful forum for when you get stuck). If you prefer to watch rather than read, Linus Tech Tips has a detailed, albeit lengthy, tutorial on its youtube channel. A video showing someone building a system inside the specific case you chose can be invaluable when you hit a roadblock; look around youtube and you’re sure to stumble into one.
Downloading the full motherboard manual (which is typically more detailed than the one they ship in the box) can help you identify what to plug in where. And there are always youtube videos showing you exactly how to install other parts (like a CPU cooler) where the included instructions are unclear. Once everything is connected up, just hook up a keyboard and monitor and you’re ready for the moment of truth. Press the button, cross your fingers, and hope the computer boots up.
Then it’s just a matter of getting everything set up. First update the BIOS (“Basic Input Output System”) and install your operating system (Windows 11 for most of us). From there, it’s just like setting up the computer you took out of a box, but with better bang for your buck, and a lot less crapware to deal with.
That’s all there is to it. When your new computer boots up, feel free to crack a beer and give yourself a pat on the back for a job well done.
Then get back to work.
Parts gathered, time to build!
Parts installed on the motherboard, ready to go into the case.
Motherboard installed; just need to put in the hard drives and connect the cables.
Rear of the case, showing cables tidied up after everything is installed.
Build complete. Because hard drives mount behind and below the mobo in this case, there's an empty space where hard drives would ordinarily be found. A perfect place to display an old camera, and a replica Jerry Garcia guitar!