We’ve put together this guide to help you answer that burning question – can my PC run it? Here you can double-check the specs of the most demanding software your system could encounter.
This guide will cover a variety of applications that you might need your desktop or laptop computer to run. Some are more demanding than others.
Adobe Photoshop
| Component | Minimum Specs | Recommended Specs |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Processor | Multicore Intel or AMD processor (2 GHz or faster) with 64-bit support | Multicore Intel or AMD processor (2 GHz or faster) with 64-bit support |
| Memory | 8GB RAM | 16GB RAM or more |
| Graphics | 1.5GB of GPU memory | 4GB of GPU memory for 4K displays and greater |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Storage | 4GB of available space | 16GB of available space (SSD recommended) |
As we all know, Photoshop asks a lot of your system. Rather than call out CPUs and graphics cards to use, Adobe’s specs don’t offer specific hardware baselines. You’ve got to know the tech you’re working with to hit these benchmarks comfortably. Fortunately, the OcUK Gaming Rapier knocks those numbers out of the park. It even comes with an SSD for its primary storage, exactly as recommended.
Adobe also recommends you have a 1280 x 800 monitor as a minimum, with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 recommended. We have a complete guide to help you find the best monitor as well as an explanation of the different types.
OcUK Gaming Rapier (FS-122-OG)
Available from £1,624.99*
| Specification |
|---|
| Kolink Unity Meshbay ARGB Mid Tower PC Case |
| B650 WIFI Motherboard |
| AMD Ryzen 5 7600 Six Core Processor with up to 5.1GHz boost |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Super 12GB GDDR6X Graphics Card |
| 32GB DDR4 3600MHz Dual Channel Kit |
Spotify
While Spotify is not a demanding bit of software for your gaming PC, it’s certainly an in-demand application. It’s understandable if you want to check you’ll be able to use it on your desktop, especially if you’re buying a new one. If you’re using Spotify and not multitasking with other software, an entry-level system like the Crimson from our pre-built Refract Gaming PCs range is perfect.
Refract Gaming Crimson (FS-1DL-EP)
Available for £869.99* with next-day delivery
| Specification |
|---|
| Kolink Inspire Series K6 ARGB Micro-ATX Case (Black) |
| AMD A620M (Socket AM5) DDR5 Micro-ATX Motherboard |
| AMD Ryzen 7 8700G APU with RX Vega Graphics |
| 32GB DDR5 5600MHz Dual-Channel Kit |
Adobe After Effects
| Component | Minimum Specs | Recommended Specs |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10 64-bit | Windows 10 64-bit |
| Processor | Intel or AMD Quad-Core Processor | 8-Core or above for Multi-Frame Rendering |
| Memory | 16GB RAM | 32GB RAM |
| Graphics | 2GB of GPU VRAM | 4GB or more of GPU VRAM |
| Storage | 15GB of available space | 64GB+ of additional disk space for disk cache |
If Photoshop was making your PC sweat, then After Effects will threaten to break it. These heavy-hitting benchmarks call for some seriously bleeding-edge tech. We’ve gone to the top shelf and pulled down the Katana for just that reason. With a power 14th generation Intel Core i7 processor and lightning-fast DDR5 RAM at your fingertips, worrying about running After Effects should be an afterthought for you.
OcUK Gaming Katana (FS-1EL-OG)
Available from £2,299.99*
| Specification |
|---|
| Kolink Unity Peak ARGB Mid Tower PC Case |
| B760 ATX DDR5 WIFI Motherboard |
| Intel Core i7-14700KF Twenty Core Processor |
| NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti Super Gaming 16GB GDDR6X Graphics Card |
| Up to 64GB DDR5 Dual Channel Kit |
Office 365
| Component | Minimum Specs |
|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 8.1/10/11 1.6Ghz |
| Processor | 2-core processor |
| Memory | 4GB RAM/2GB RAM (32-bit) |
| DirectX | Version 9 or later |
| Network | Required for online functionalities |
| Storage | 4GB available space |
Another easier-to-manage bit of software, Office 365 is often a must-have for working from home. But like with Spotify, it’s going to be relatively kind to your system. In the same vein, we’ve picked out the entry-level Amber from the Refract Gaming PCs range. Refract has systems at every level, so if you’re planning on demanding even more from your desktop then you will find plenty of more options there.
Refract Gaming Amber (FS-1DK-EP)
Available for £1,199.99* with next-day delivery
| Specification |
|---|
| Kolink Citadel Mesh RGB Micro-ATX Case |
| AMD AM5 DDR5 Micro-ATX Motherboard |
| AMD Ryzen 5 7500F Processor |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Graphics Card |
| 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR5 Dual-Channel Kit |
Adobe Illustrator
| Component | Minimum Specs | Recommended Specs |
|---|---|---|
| Operating System | Windows 10/11 64-bit | Windows 10/11 64-bit |
| Processor | Multicore Intel Processor (with 64-bit support) AMD Athlon 64 processor | Multicore Intel Processor (with 64-bit support) with SSE 4.2 or later AMD Athlon 64 processor with SSE 4.2 or later |
| Memory | 8GB RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Graphics | 1GB VRAM | 4GB VRAM |
| Storage | 2GB available space | 2GB available space (SSD recommended) |
One last bit of Adobe software to close out the trilogy now. While not quite as demanding as After Effects, Illustrator still needs a system that can deliver the goods if you want to get the best performance from this software. We’ve gone for the best our Refract Gaming PC range has to offer with the Indigo. Able to deliver 4K resolution when gaming, it’s got everything you need to run Illustrator and anything else in the Adobe suite.
System
Available for £2,899.98* with next-day delivery
| Specification |
|---|
| Kolink Citadel Mesh ATX PC Case |
| AMD AM5 DDR5 ATX Motherboard |
| AMD Ryzen 9 7900X3D CPU with 3D V-Cache |
| NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 Super Graphics Card |
| 32GB (2 x 16GB) DDR5 Dual-Channel Kit |
We’ve been over demanding software, but what about demanding games? Don’t worry, we got you! Head on over to part one of this series, where we look at the specs of some popular yet tricksy games.
What Else Does Your PC Need to Run?
Is there any other software pushing your hardware past its limits? Maybe there’s some games you need to get running smoothly? Comment below so we can help you answer the question – can my PC run it?
*Prices correct at time of writing and PC specs are subject to change.
- 5 min read
Jacob Smith
Author
Jacob is a passionate gamer, plus a noted Pokemon and LEGO nutjob, who emerges only when doing the words here at Overclockers UK. Since starting at the tail end of 2021, Jacob has gone on to write dozens of blogs on everything from the latest games to whimsical Dickens-inspired poetry. Outside of creating content and being the one person in the office daring to champion Nintendo, he is often found fawning over his Pokemon card collection and his trio of lovely doggos.
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