So you want to build a PC for Adobe Creative Suite? I’m going to take you step by step on what you need to know such as the specific hardware you must get, and how to put them together. We are also going to look at the different apps included in the Adobe Creative Suite, and their specific hardware requirements.
By the way, Adobe Creative Suite is now known as Adobe Creative Cloud and is now a subscription-based service. There are different tiers of subscription for both professionals and students, and you can also download trials for select apps for a period of time.
Adobe Creative Suite encompasses a wide range of applications for the media, entertainment, and advertising industries. The suite of applications targets different industries such as printing and publishing, new media, photography, video production, and others.
But before we get to it, please understand that this page may contain affiliate links. We may earn commissions for qualifying purchases made through this page, at no extra cost to you. This is to support our work.
- How to get Adobe Creative Cloud (formerly Creative Suite)
- PC Builds for Adobe Creative Cloud
- AMD Builds for Adobe Creative Cloud
- Intel Builds for Adobe Creative Cloud
- Hardware Requirements for Adobe Creative Suite PC Build
- Putting it together
- Frequently asked questions on PC build for Adobe Creative Suite
- Concluding thoughts
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How to get Adobe Creative Cloud (formerly Creative Suite)
Adobe Creative Cloud is available for individuals and teams in the creative, media and entertainment, publishing, design, film & video, web services, and other related industries. Most of the apps have trials that allow you to test-run before you commit.
PC Builds for Adobe Creative Cloud
All the builds featured on this page have been vetted for compatibility. There may be minor issues such as updating your motherboard BIOS which is expected. However, in any case, feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
You’ll find 3 categories of builds for budget, mid-range and high-end, on both AMD and Intel platforms. This is quite necessary to accommodate every budget.
AMD Builds for Adobe Creative Cloud
Budget AMD Build
AMD Budget PC Build for Creative Cloud
Choose this build if you want a budget PC based on the AMD platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
This build is geared towards DESIGN/PUBLISHING Creative Cloud Apps. It will run most of the Adobe Creative Cloud apps easily. These include apps such as Dreamweaver, Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, most of the cloud-based apps, and most of the design apps. However, don’t expect it to run demanding apps like Premiere Pro and After Effects satisfactorily. If you want to run Premiere Pro, After Effects, or Adobe Dimension, please choose a higher build below.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600G (with Vega 7 graphics – fine for 2D and light Premiere work)
- CPU Cooler: Wraith Stealth (included)
- Motherboard: MSI B550M PRO-VDH WiFi
- GPU: Integrated Radeon Graphics
- RAM: 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4-3200
- Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
- PSU: 500W 80+ Bronze
- Case: Montech AIR 100 / NZXT H510
- OS: Windows 11 Home
1080p workspace, photo editing, light video work, basic multitasking
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Mid-Range AMD Build
AMD Mid-Range PC Build for Creative Cloud
Choose this build if you want a Mid-Range PC based on the AMD platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
This build is geared towards DESIGN/PUBLISHING/MULTIMEDIA Creative Cloud Apps. It will run most of the Adobe Creative Cloud apps easily. These include apps such as Dreamweaver, Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and all of the cloud-based apps. It will also run demanding apps like Premiere Pro and After Effects. Please refer to the app hardware specifications for more information.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 7700
- CPU Cooler: Thermalright Phantom Spirit or DeepCool LT520
- Motherboard: MSI B650 Tomahawk WiFi
- GPU: AMD Radeon RX 7600 XT / NVIDIA RTX 4060
- RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
- Storage: 1TB Gen4 NVMe SSD
- PSU: 650W 80+ Gold
- Case: Phanteks G360A / Lian Li Lancool 215
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
High-End AMD Build
AMD High-End PC Build for Creative Cloud
Choose this build if you want a high-end PC based on the AM4 platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
This build is geared towards DESIGN/PUBLISHING/MULTIMEDIA Creative Cloud Apps. It will run all of the Adobe Creative Cloud apps easily. Please refer to the app hardware specifications for more information.
- CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 7900X / 7950X
- CPU Cooler: DeepCool Assassin IV / Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360
- Motherboard: ASUS ProArt X670E-Creator WiFi
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super / AMD Radeon RX 7900 XTX (Blender & Adobe favor NVIDIA for CUDA)
- RAM: 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
- Storage: 2TB Gen4 NVMe SSD + 2TB SATA SSD
- PSU: 850W – 1000W 80+ Gold
- Case: Phanteks NV9 / NZXT H9 Flow
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
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Intel Builds for Adobe Creative Cloud
Budget Intel Build
Intel Budget PC Build for Creative Cloud
Choose this build if you want a budget PC based on the Intel platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
This build is geared towards DESIGN/PUBLISHING Creative Cloud Apps. It will run most of the Adobe Creative Cloud apps easily. These include apps such as Dreamweaver, Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, most of the cloud-based apps, and most of the design apps. However, don’t expect it to run demanding apps like Premiere Pro and After Effects satisfactorily. If you want to run Premiere Pro, After Effects, or Adobe Dimension, please choose a higher build below.
- CPU: Intel Core i5-12400
- CPU Cooler: Intel Laminar RM1 (included)
- Motherboard: ASRock B660M Pro RS DDR4
- GPU: Intel UHD 730 (integrated; or add GTX 1650 / Arc A380 for Premiere acceleration)
- RAM: 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4-3200
- Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD (WD Blue SN570 / Crucial P3)
- PSU: 500W 80+ Bronze (EVGA 500 W1 / Thermaltake Smart BX1)
- Case: DeepCool Matrexx 30 / Cooler Master Q300L
- OS: Windows 11 Home
1080p workspace, photo editing, light video work, basic multitasking
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Mid-Range Intel Build
Intel Mid-Range PC Build for Creative Cloud
Choose this build if you want a mid-range PC based on the Intel platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
This build is geared towards DESIGN/PUBLISHING/MULTIMEDIA Creative Cloud Apps. It will run most of the Adobe Creative Cloud apps easily. These include apps such as Dreamweaver, Acrobat, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, and all of the cloud-based apps. It will also run demanding apps like Premiere Pro and After Effects. Please refer to the app hardware specifications for more information.
- CPU: Intel Core i5-13600K (14-core: 6P + 8E)
- CPU Cooler: DeepCool AK400 / Thermalright Peerless Assassin 120 SE
- Motherboard: MSI Z690-A PRO DDR4
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4060 / Arc A770 (GPU acceleration for Premiere & AE)
- RAM: 32GB (2x16GB) DDR4-3600
- Storage: 1TB Gen4 NVMe SSD (Samsung 980 Pro / WD Black SN850X)
- PSU: 650W 80+ Gold (Corsair RM650e / Seasonic Focus GX)
- Case: NZXT H510 Flow / Fractal Design Pop Air
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
High-End Intel Build
Intel High-End PC Build for Creative Cloud
Choose this build if you want a high-end PC based on the Intel platform. All parts are vetted for compatibility.
This build is geared towards DESIGN/PUBLISHING/MULTIMEDIA Creative Cloud Apps. It will run all of the Adobe Creative Cloud apps easily. Please refer to the app hardware specifications for more information.
- CPU: Intel Core i9-14900K (24-core: 8P + 16E)
- CPU Cooler: Noctua NH-D15 / Lian Li Galahad II 360 AIO
- Motherboard: ASUS Z790 ProArt Creator WiFi
- GPU: NVIDIA RTX 4070 Super / 4080 Super (excellent for GPU-accelerated exports)
- RAM: 64GB (2x32GB) DDR5-6000 CL30
- Storage: 2TB Gen4 NVMe SSD + 2TB SATA SSD
- PSU: 850W 80+ Gold (Corsair RM850x / Seasonic Vertex)
- Case: Lian Li O11 Dynamic EVO / Fractal Design Define 7
- OS: Windows 11 Pro
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Hardware Requirements for Adobe Creative Suite PC Build
Adobe Creative Suite is available as a SaaS (Software as a Service), hosted on the cloud. There are different tiers of subscription for the different applications. If you are looking to build a PC for Adobe Creative Suite, you must take into account the hardware requirements of these apps. We will look at the unique hardware requirements for each application below.
Table of Adobe Creative Cloud Applications and unique hardware requirements
Here is a selection of Creative Cloud apps and further details which might interest you.
| Platform | RAM (Minimum) | CPU | Capabilities | Industry | |
| Acrobat Pro | Desktop/Mobile | 2GB | Intel/AMD, 1.5GHz + | The complete PDF solution for today’s multi-device world. | Diverse |
| Acrobat Pro 2020 | Desktop/Mobile | 2GB | Intel/AMD, 1.5GHz + | Create, edit, sign, and protect all of your PDFs with the industry-leading PDF desktop solution. For Windows and Mac | Diverse |
| Acrobat Pro DC | Desktop/Mobile/Web | 2GB | Intel/AMD, 1.5GHz + | The complete PDF solution to get your work done faster on desktop, web, or mobile. For Mac and Windows | Diverse |
| Acrobat Reader DC | Desktop | 2GB | Intel/AMD, 1.5GHz + | View, fill, sign, and comment on PDFs for free | Diverse |
| Adobe Connect | Desktop/Mobile | 512MB | Intel/AMD, 1.5GHz + | Go beyond web conferencing | Diverse |
| Adobe Fresco | Desktop/Tablet/Mobile | 8GB | Any modern CPU | Rediscover the joy of drawing and painting anywhere | Design/Publishing |
| Adobe Presenter Video Express | Desktop | 4GB | Intel® Core™2 Duo or AMD Phenom® II processor | Personal video studio right on your desktop | Media/Entertainment |
| Adobe Scan | Mobile (Android & iOS) | 2GB | 1.5GHz + mobile processor | Go from paper to digital fast. Scan notes, documents, receipts, and more to PDF | Diverse |
| Adobe Sign | Web/Mobile | 2GB | 1.5GHz + mobile processor | Send documents for signature, track e-signing progress, and get real-time updates all on your mobile device | Diverse |
| Aero | Mobile | 3GB | A11 ARM chip or higher | Design and share immersive augmented reality experiences, no coding required | Media/Entertainment |
| After Effects 2020 | Desktop | 8GB | Intel Core2 Duo or AMD Phenom II processor with 64-bit support | Cinematic visual effects and motion graphics | Media/Entertainment |
| Animate | Desktop | 2GB | Intel Pentium 4 or Intel Centrino, Intel Xeon, or Intel Core Duo (or compatible) processor (2GHz+) | A new age for animation. Any platform, device, and style | Media/Entertainment |
| Audition | Desktop | 4GB | 64-bit CPU | Bring stories to life with audio | Media/Entertainment |
| Behance | Web | NA | NA | Showcase and discover creative work | Design/Publishing |
| Bridge | Desktop | 2GB | Intel®, AMD, or ARM processor with 64-bit support | Centralize and manage your creative assets | Diverse |
| Captivate Prime | Desktop | 2GB | Intel®, AMD, or ARM processor with 64-bit support | Deliver personalized learning experiences across multiple devices | Learning/Education |
| Capture | Mobile | 2GB | Intel®, AMD, or ARM processor with 64-bit support | Turn any image on your phone into a color theme, graphic, brush, pattern, or texture | Diverse |
| Character Animator | Desktop | 8GB | Multicore Intel processor with 64-bit support. | Animate your 2D characters in real-time | Media/Entertainment |
| ColdFusion Enterprise (2021) | Desktop | 2GB | 64-bit CPU | Rapidly develop robust, scalable, secure enterprise applications | Web Services/Programming |
| Comp | Mobile | 2GB | A11 ARM chip or higher | Create design comps using your real assets and fonts | Design/Publishing |
| Design to Print | Desktop | 2GB | Intel®, AMD processor with 64-bit support | Make art, make money with Adobe Design to Print | Design/Publishing |
| Dimension | Desktop | 2GB | Intel® or AMD processor with 64-bit support | Create photorealistic images for branding, product shots, and package design | Design/Publishing/Multimedia |
| Dreamweaver | Desktop | 2gb | Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Athlon 64 processor | Design and develop modern, responsive websites | Web Services/Design |
| Fill & Sign | Mobile (Android, iOS) | 512MB | A11 ARM chip or higher | Fill and sign any form. Even snap a picture of a paper form to fill out | Diverse |
| FrameMaker | Desktop | 4GB | Core i5 or faster processor | Automated publishing. Exceptionally fast | Design/Publishing |
| Illustrator | Desktop | 1GB | Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor | Create beautiful vector art and illustrations on desktop and iPad | Design/Publishing |
| Illustrator Draw | Mobile (Android, iOS) | 2GB | A11 ARM chip or higher | Create vector art and designs on your mobile device. | Diverse |
| InCopy | Desktop | 4GB | Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor | Collaborate with copywriters and editors. | Design/Publishing |
| InDesign | Desktop | 4GB | Intel® Pentium® 4 or AMD Athlon® 64 processor (dual-core and faster) | Design and publish elegant layouts for print and digital. | Design/Publishing |
| Lightroom (1TB) | Desktop, Mobile, Web | 8GB | Intel®, AMD, or ARM processor with 64-bit support; 2 GHz or faster processor | Edit, organize, store, and share photos from anywhere. | Design/Publishing/Photography |
| Lightroom Classic | Desktop | 8GB | Intel®, AMD, or ARM processor with 64-bit support; 2 GHz or faster processor | Photo editing optimized for desktop. | Design/Publishing/Photography |
| Media Encoder | Desktop | 8GB | Multicore processor with 64-bit support required. | Quickly output video files for virtually any screen. | Multimedia/Media & Entertainment |
| Mixamo | Web | 4GB | Intel Dual Core processor or later | Rapidly create, rig, and animate unique characters for design projects. | Media & Entertainment |
| Photoshop | Desktop | 2GB | Intel or AMD processor with 64-bit support; 2GHz or faster | Edit, composite, and create beautiful images, graphics, and art on desktop and iPad | Design/Publishing/Photography/Web Services |
| Photoshop Camera | Mobile (Android, iOS) | 1GB | A11 ARM chip or higher | Easily capture and share brilliant photos | Diverse |
| Photoshop Elements 2021 | Desktop | 8GB | Intel 6th Generation or newer processor or AMD equivalent with SSE4 support | Organize, edit, create, and share your photos | Photography/Design/Multimedia |
| Photoshop Express | Tablet, Mobile (Android/iOS) | 8GB | Intel® or AMD processor with 64-bit support; 2 GHz or faster processor with SSE 4.2 or later | Edit and transform your photos on the go | Photography/Design/Multimedia |
| Photoshop Fix | Mobile (Android, iOS) | 2GB | A11 ARM chip or higher | Retouch, restore, and share your photos on the go | Diverse |
| Photoshop Mix | Mobile (Android, iOS) | 2GB | A11 ARM chip or higher | Combine and enhance images on your mobile device | Diverse |
| Portfolio | Web | 2GB | Any compatible 64-bit CPU | Create your own personalized website | Web Services |
| Prelude | Desktop | 4GB | Intel® Core™2 Duo or AMD Phenom® II processor; 64-bit support required | Metadata ingest, logging, and rough cuts | Media & Entertainment/Multimedia |
| Premiere Elements 2021 | Desktop | 16GB of RAM for HD media. 32GB or more of RAM for 4K media | Intel 7th Generation or newer processor or AMD equivalent with SSE4 and AVX support | Organize, edit, create, and share your videos | Media & Entertainment/Multimedia |
| Premiere Pro | Desktop | 16GB of RAM for HD media. 32GB or more of RAM for 4K media | Intel 7th Generation or newer processor or AMD equivalent with SSE4 and AVX support | Industry-standard pro video and film editing | Media & Entertainment/Multimedia |
| Premiere Rush | Desktop, Mobile (Android/iOS) | 8GB | Multicore processor with 64-bit support (Recommended: Intel Core i5 or i7, or equivalent) | Create and share online videos anywhere | Media & Entertainment/Multimedia |
| RoboHelp | Desktop | 4GB | 64-bit 4 CPU Core i5 or faster processor | Next-generation software for authoring and publishing Help, policy, and knowledgebase content. For Windows and Mac | Diverse |
| Spark | Mobile | 2GB | Any recent mobile CPU | Create graphics, web pages, and video stories in no time. | Diverse |
| Substance by Adobe | Desktop | 8GB | Any 64-bit processor | The industry standard for 3D painting and texturing | Media & Entertainment/Multimedia |
| Technical Communication Suite | Desktop | 4GB | 64-bit processor, i3 or higher | Five market-leading tools for your technical, eLearning, and business content. One value-for-money suite | Diverse |
| XD | Desktop, Mobile | 4GB | 64-bit processor, i3 or higher | Design, prototype, and share user experiences for web, mobile, voice, and more | Diverse |
| XML Documentation for Adobe Experience Manager | Desktop | 4GB | 64-bit processor, i3 or higher | An enterprise-class CCMS to manage documentation from creation to delivery | Diverse |
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Putting it together
Building a PC for Creative Suite basically involves putting the components together and firing it up. We’ve put together a guide on how to do that, step by step. Do well to check it out.
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Concluding thoughts
We think it’s more advantageous to go for a high-end PC for Adobe Creative Suite. This is because the apps become more resource-intensive as newer updates emerge. So essentially you should build a future-proof PC that will be able to run the apps for like 5 years from now.
Let us hear from you how you did it. Was it fun building your PC? You can use the comments section below.
Frequently asked questions on PC build for Adobe Creative Suite
You basically need a computer with an Intel Core i5, i7, or Core i9 CPU with high clock speed (or an AMD equivalent), lot’s of RAM (at least 16GB, preferably 32GB). For graphics cards, a recent card from GTX 1660 upwards should do. Adobe recommends that such a computer have a minimum of 8 GB RAM and a graphics card with 2 GB VRAM.
Adobe recommends that a minimum of 8 GB RAM and a graphics card with 2 GB VRAM. However, due to most of the app’s RAM-hungry nature, you should go for at least 16GB of RAM. 32GB is ideal.
Adobe specifies at least 8GB of RAM. However, install at least 16GB of RAM or better still 32GB for maximum performance.
Adobe apps work great on both platforms, unlike popular feelings that Adobe apps work better on Macs. The major factor here is hardware specifications. Any recent PC should run Adobe apps satisfactorily.
Yes. However, it depends on the kind of workloads you take on. If you are going to be editing heavy RAW images, and need to run other software in the background, like video rendering, then we recommend 32GB of RAM.
No. As of January 9, 2017, Creative Suite is no longer available for purchase. All Apps in the suite are now available on Creative Cloud subscription.
Adobe has changed its subscription plans some time ago, so you can’t buy Adobe Creative Suite outright. Creative Suite is now Creative Cloud, and there are free downloads (trial) for most of the apps. You may also take a closer look at the best and most affordable paid plans that suit your needs.
Any recent laptop with a high clock speed processor, and at least 8GB of RAM can run Adobe Creative Suite satisfactorily, although it is recommended to go for a model with 16GB of RAM.
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