iMac 2017

[Nataliebordenave]

Hi!

So, I Have a 2017 iMac with an 8gb RAM. I contacted a Computer shop and asked if it was possible to upgrade the ram and they said they could! My question is, if I upgrade that and the SSD would it help speed up PS and bridge? 

[Brian]

Bump that sucker up to 64GB. I have a 2017 27” iMac. As long as you have at least a 1TB Drive, and don’t fill it to capacity, PS will run fine with the 64GB. 

Honestly, I’d invest in a 12TB Thunderbolt 3 G-Drive before replacing the internal drive, especially if it’s already a SSD Drive. 
 

Start with upgrading the RAM to 64GB and make an assessment on PS. Then we will talk HDs. 8GB I’m 2022 is like 4GB in 2010. 

[Nataliebordenave]

That’s what the tech guy told me, to upgrade the SSD as well. Perfect I will be doing that instead of building a PC it’s more cost effective than that 😭

[Brian]

Oh, you have one of those blasted "Fusion Drives?" Yes, upgrade the HD to a SSD. I'd go for a 2TB Model, such as this one. You will also need an adapter kit to fool your Mac's internal sensors.

If you are looking for decent storage, I'd invest in a 12TB External HD that is Thunderbolt 3 based. Here is the drive that I use:

SanDisk Professional 12TB G-DRIVE PRO - Enterprise-Class Desktop Hard Drive

Going from 8GB to 64GB and installing a SSD will make a HUGE difference in performance. It will be like you have a brand-new computer. Just be sure to make a Time Machine Backup and bring that along to restore your new HD. Or you can install a fresh OS and install things fresh if you want. In either case, this is way cheaper than spending $5200 on a new iMac. I'm quite happy with my 2017 27" iMac, and it runs Photoshop CC just fine. The only thing that might concern me is if you didn't upgrade the video card at the time of purchase. PS CC utilizes the video card for not only a performance boost, but fancy tools like liquify and content aware.