Computer Harware

RAM - it is essential for the computer system to have a large ammount of RAM, perhaps 2GB DDR2 minimum. This would be needed when using large graphics files (which are usually large as standard) in software used to edit and manipulate such files. A system with poor ram, for example, 512KB of standard DDR would struggle to run such programmes and would crash often, as well as increasing loading times drastically.

PROCESSOR - the processor is what performs the desired tasks and calculations so it is very important that it is of a good specification. Core components to look out for when chosing a processor include, a high amount of cache (prefferably, 2mb L2), and the amount of cores the processor has, if it has more than one, and finally the clocking speed ( at least 2.0ghz if using a dual core, or a high 3.6ghz HT single core).

GRAPHICS CARD - this component is also an essential when using a computer system for graphics design or similar applications. firstly it is important the graphics card is dedicated and of a good memory size, for example a nvidia 8800 gt (512mb GDDR3) would be adequate. Also when looking for a suitable graphics card make sure to take attention of the speed of the card and not just the memory, as a card which can produce visually stunning graphics can also have a slow transfer speed, which can result in lag. Intergrated graphics ( sometimes called "shared") are not advised as they use the systems RAM because they tend to not hold enough memory to produce desired modern day graphics.

HARD DRIVE - graphics files tend to be very large in size so it is essential that the hard drive is of a large size too. Alongside the actual files being large, you also need space to store install graphic applications and software. It is also important that the hard drive is of a fast speed so that files can be recalled quickly and efficiently.