Photoshop CS5: Setting Up for Maximum Performance (Adobe PDF Included)
A comprehensive guide to configuring Photoshop CS5 for optimal performance.
Memory Settings
- Allocate 70-80% of available RAM to Photoshop
- Edit > Preferences > Performance
Scratch Disk
- Use an SSD as primary scratch disk if available
- Avoid using the system drive as scratch disk
- Defragment HDDs used as scratch disks regularly
History & Cache
- Set cache levels to 4-6 for general work
- Reduce history states to 20-30 if working with large files
- Use "Tall and Thin" cache tile size for many-layer documents
GPU Settings
- Enable OpenGL Drawing for hardware acceleration
- Update graphics drivers to latest version
File Handling
- Disable "Maximize PSD and PSB File Compatibility" for faster saves
- Use Camera Raw for RAW file processing
