DSLR Loc: NV

The "speed" of a computer is primarily controlled with the CPU. Other factors contribute the a computer's speed; RAM, CPU and HDD (or the faster SSD) working together determine actual processing speed. Therefore, coupling more RAM to a slow CPU will not increase speed; coupling a fast CPU with insufficient RAM - same result. Running several applications concurrently also affects computer speed.
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Anything over 16gb is likely overkill unless you specifically know you need it (such as for video editing or audio post-production). For most users with a "fast" CPU, 8gb of RAM is usually sufficient, 16gb should suffice, 32gb - 64gb likely not beneficial.
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The only thing that additional RAM does is allow your computer to do more things at once, not actually make it faster.

DWU2 Loc: Phoenix Arizona area

16GB.

rcdovala

I don't understand why you say that "It's like pulling teeth to get them at a later date." First, Adobe Bridge is a free download and always has been. Secondly, if you're enrolled in the Creative Cloud pay as you go program, Photoshop and any updates will be available for download at any time via the CC panel. In fact, the CC panel is how Adobe distributes its updates. And with regard to your recommendation of 64 GB of RAM, most motherboards will not accommodate 64 GB of RAM since most max out at 32 GB of RAM and some at 16 GB.

Jim Plogger Loc: East Tennessee

As much as you can afford! 16 gb is plenty for now but will it be plenty two years from now?

chasgroh Loc: Buena Park, CA

...what he said...

Paul Sr Loc: Colorado Springs, CO

Just a suggestion: go to crucial.com and run the scanner on your system. It will not only tell you what you have, but what you may add to your system.

old man 88 Loc: Palmview, TX when not on road

Nothing less than 32 GB for Adobe PS & LR

Bobspez Loc: Southern NJ, USA

Lets put this in auto terms. Do you want (and want to pay for) a Toyota Camry, a Porsche, or a Lamborghini? 16GB is the Camry, 32GB is the Porsche, and 128GB is the Lamborgini. I drive a Camry and have 16GB, win 10 64 bit, a 2GB video card and an intel i7 processor running at about 3GHz, and a 1TB SATA 7800 rpm drive on my desktop. I back up to a 500GB usb drive that can fit in my shirt pocket. I also don't exceed 80 mph. Photoshop loads in 2 seconds, and Premiere Pro loads in anywhere from 4 to 16 seconds. If they both loaded in 1 second it wouldn't make much difference to me.

markngolf Loc: Bridgewater, NJ

Consider 16 GB RAM, latest generation i7 processor. Two drives - 500 GB SSD for Operating System and 2 TB Sata for data storage, including photos, and 2GB Graphics Processor.
I have this configuration with 32 GB RAM and 1 TB SSD for Operating System. Mine is an older i7 processor. Win 10 Pro, 64 bit.
Enjoy & good luck. You won't go wrong with a Dell or ASUS. Order directly.
Mark

dandi Loc: near Seattle, WA

That's my understanding also.

Peterff Loc: O'er The Hills and Far Away, in Themyscira.

OK Jaimie, please put some facts behind your claim that Dell is "proprietary" when compared with any other PC system, self assembled or otherwise, especially when considering a desktop. Dell conforms to many industry standard formats, so important things like memory, disks, graphics cards, and so on should not be a problem.

Also, Dell has pretty rigorous QA procedures. If you want to do DIY computers you need to know what you are doing. You may know, but most users do not.

BigGWells Loc: Olympia, WA

go the biggest that the new computer will handle. Memory is cheap. My desktop has 64g. Better to have too much and not need it, than have to little and need it.

DSLR Loc: NV

Dell has a huge presence in the business/commercial market, where the cost of computer maintenance may not be a priority matter. Should Dell use proprietary hardware, maintenance of like kind hardware may be less costly than having to use several different sources for components.
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Several years ago I intended to add a component to a Dell computer, for what or for whom I do not recall, which was a Dell priority part the cost of which was about double the cost of typical. I declined. Also, I came into possession of an Acer small factor computer with a bad mother board. The only source of a replacement was from Acer. New motherboard: the price of an identical new Acer. Bye Bye Acer!

suihk

Does anyone use a Mac?

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

I'd say 8GB minimum, 16GB preferred... and the option to expand to 32GB in the future would be nice, but will bring less benefit with current software than going from 8 to 16 does.

Using an SSD as your C: drive, with operating system and your various programs, will also help a lot.

Don't store important data on an SSD, though. Have a secondary standard HDD (and preferably a backup for that), to archive anything you'd find irreplaceable. SSD are nice and fast, fine for anything you can easily reinstall or repair should it be necessary, but still a bit risky for longer term storage of critical files.

Photoshop also likes to have a separate "scratch disk" that it uses for periodic saves, history and such. It's most important that this be a "separate drive" from the one the software resides upon. Ideally, for best performance I'd make it a second, small SSD. It also can be an HDD, though... Optionally it can be a partitioned off, dedicated portion of the HDD mentioned above (100GB or more, I'd suggest), if preferred or running out of room for drives.

Get a graphics accelerator card (or two). This should have it's own separate RAM... min of 1GB and many now have 2GB or more.

Do lots and lots of research before settling on a monitor. If at all possible, spend more for a wide gamut (Adobe RGB close to 100%) graphics quality. The bigger the better, though prices go through the stratosphere for the largest. Prices range from around $400 US and up (I don't know current models, mine is about 6 or 7 years old, so I can't make a specific recommendation).

For post-processing, be sure to get a calibration suite: software and hardware device. Otherwise, even with the best monitor you'll be mis-adjusting everything. Right out of the box, virtually all monitors are too bright (which will cause you to make your images too dark).... and most aren't all that accurate in color rendition. They simply must be calibrated, if you want accurately post-processed images.

PLUS, over time all monitors change, so it's important to re-calibrate them periodically (I run calibration on mine every 60 days). If you do much printing, a calibration device such as a Datacolor Spyder, Pantone Huey, or X-Rite ColorMunki will eventually pay for itself in savings of wasted paper and ink (if you print at home) or reprints (if you outsource your printing).