If you’re looking to build a custom PC tailored to Adobe Lightroom Classic, our ultimate buyers guide is here to explain the optimal component choices. Optimising your hardware setup ensures seamless performance, faster workflows, and the power to handle demanding tasks like exporting, generating previews, and editing high-resolution images.

Our guide breaks down everything you need to know about choosing the ideal components for your Lightroom Classic workstation, with insights into system requirements, hardware benchmarks, and practical recommendations.

Adobe provides a list of system requirements for running Lightroom Classic, but as is often the case with manufacturer recommended specs, these guidelines often represent the minimum specs, not what’s best for peak performance. Outdated lists or generic recommendations may result in underpowered hardware that slows you down.

At Punch Technology, we take the guesswork out of the equation by rigorously testing and benchmarking hardware to identify the best components for Lightroom Classic. Explore our tailored recommendations to build a system that’s not just functional but optimized for efficiency and speed.

The CPU is the cornerstone of your Lightroom Classic workstation. While Adobe has improved GPU acceleration, the CPU still has the most significant impact on performance. However, it’s not just about buying the most expensive processor—Lightroom performs best with CPUs that balance core count and clock speed.

Intel Core i9 14900K

With a great balance of high clock speeds and core count, the Intel Core i9 14900K is another excellent choice for a Lightroom Classic system. Not only does this CPU offer exceptional single-thread performance for editing tasks, it’s also extremely efficient at multi-threaded tasks such as exporting workflows. With support for DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0, the i9 14900K also represents a great future-proofing option.

AMD Ryzen 9 7900X

The AMD Ryzen 9 7900X also delivers a well balanced setup for Lightroom Classic, with its 12-core architecture and clock speeds of up to 5.6GHz. Excellent single-core performance means editing is fast and smooth, but thanks to the additional cores, multi-threaded processes such as exporting are also a breeze. The Ryzen 9 7900X also offers great energy efficiency and support for next-gen technology like DDR5 memory and PCIe 5.0.

Lightroom Classic benefits from up to 8 cores for most tasks, with diminishing returns beyond that. Focus on single-thread performance for general editing tasks, and consider higher core counts only if exporting or batch processing dominates your workflow.

While Lightroom Classic primarily relies on the CPU, Adobe has steadily integrated GPU acceleration for specific tasks, including AI features like Enhance Details. Investing in a capable GPU can future-proof your system as Adobe continues expanding GPU utilization.

RTX 3050

The RTX 3050 is a great option for anyone looking for a balance between price and performance. It is perfect for handling large RAW files, high resolution images and even multiple 4K monitors and because Lightroom isn’t a particularly GPU intensive application, you will have no problems running through common photography workflows.

Lightroom Classic thrives on adequate RAM, especially when working with large catalogues or high-resolution images.

• How much RAM do you need?
  
  • 16GB: Minimum for basic workflows.
  • 32GB: Ideal for most users and multitasking with other applications.
  • 64GB or More: Recommended for professionals working with large files or extensive batch processing.

Efficient storage is critical for fast file access and smooth workflow. Modern drives like SSDs and NVMe storage ensure Lightroom runs at peak performance.

Optimal Storage Setup

• • Primary Drive (OS & Software): A fast SSD or NVMe drive for your operating system and Lightroom installation.
  • Secondary Drive (Photos & Catalogs): A high-capacity SSD or platter drive for storing projects. NVMe drives offer speed but may not always justify the cost for secondary storage.

External Storage Considerations

While external drives are convenient for backups, they may introduce latency when used directly for editing. For the best experience, work from an internal drive or invest in high-speed NAS systems for shared workflows.