MS teams AND photoshop

[Svrider]

My DD who is 16 is struggling with ms teams on her phone. They show presentations whilst in the lessons which are different to see on the phone. The sound quality is not great either.

But

She is also doing art GCSE and probably A level next year so needs photoshop (strongly advised by teacher in preparation for the GCSE)

Budget is very tight

Any suggestions for any technology that i could buy ( would need to support word and emails) one computer between 3 kids (school shut) and me (WFH) isn't going well!

Hopeful bump

Can she get it through school? Lots of programmes are available in education formats where they offer a free (or very cheap version) to students at school. I had a quick google and it looks like photoshop mainly offer education discounts via the school eg the school buys licenses on behalf of their students

No, laptops only available from school if on benefits
I'm not sure what to buy that can do both MS teams (which is a laptop type thing)and photoshop (more of a PC type thing)
Also need word for other homework
and email

And be cheap ggaaaa

Also thanks chrysanthemums for replying

Cheap laptop will run Teams,
Photoshop and word processing easily.

Photoshop isn’t cheap and is sold on a subscription basis.
The ‘cheapest’ subscription is probably the Photography subscription which gives Photoshop and Lightroom for less than just Photoshop alone
If the school has a licence then they may be able to provide it for free (while she is in education)
There are also free trials available, but that would run out and need payment to continue
There are student discounts and a Black Friday sale this week, but it’s still a subscription (and has a minimum of a year unless you pay double the price on the monthly rate)

www.adobe.com/uk/creativecloud/buy/students.html

(Note that there are free photoshop & Lightroom apps etc for iPhones etc, but they don’t have the full functionality of the computer editions)

Teams will work on a phone, but as you’ve said is hard to use for viewing presentations etc

A reasonable laptop or computer will run Teams and other Office software, but she would need some power for Photoshop

There is the option of other graphic design software, but Photoshop is the ‘standard’
(It’s also frustrating as with so many options you pretty much need to learn each individual thing you are doing in photoshop)

Note that photoshop doesn’t have to be on a classic ‘PC’, whether you mean desktop PC or Windows based

It can be run on both Windows and Mac and both desktop and laptop.

Personally I'd go that Mac route, photoshop can be crazy expensive but Mac have affinity which is very similar. It can also run teams and do the usual word processing etc. Can also link up to an iPad with Apple pencil with ease for hand drawing directly in to affinty.

Mac is a bit pricy but I've had my Mac book for 9 years now and just with the regular updates Apple automatically does I've never had any problems and battery life is just as it was when I got it!

I'm a photographer. You definitely don't need a Mac to run photoshop and Lightroom just a bog standard PC is fine- better to spend extra on upping the RAM (memory that it needs to run) than a hugely expensive MAC.
School should be able to provide her with software under their license as there are special schools ones.

Initially speak to her IT teacher/dept as they may be aware of any local initiatives to help in all these things - reconditioned computers from local businesses etc

Thanks all
Looks like it's quite complicated!
I didn't know photoshop was a subscription ( I was hoping she could use her Xmas money!)
Thanks so much for everyone,s knowledge very much appreciated

She really wants an iPad
Would that be any good?

Last question, I'm a bit clearer about what to get now
How much RAM would a lap top need to run photoshop properly?

iPads aren't up to using the intricacies of photoshop really, there is a basic version you get as a subscriber for editing on the road but it's not got much to it - certainly not enough for any qualifications.

I have at least 8gb ram in my PCs running it. You don't have to buy a computer specifically with that amount as you can usually get a second cheaper RAM card to install but you need someone comfortable with opening up computers to do it

You don't need to get the Photoshop subscription you can buy Photoshop elements as a one off payment, my son does GCSE photography and this is what they use. You can usually get it cheapish in the black Friday sales.

Can she not use Google docs which is free rather than MS word?

I would also recommend Photoshop Elements if she's only doing GCSE Art. If she's doing photography she could probably still get away with that unless she's worked on it before. You would pay for a lot of stuff on the full version that she might not use.

By saving on those two programs you could put the extra money into a laptop.

Elements is good too but a reduced version of photoshop- perhaps check with school if they need full photoshop or if photoshop elements is adequate. Something to bear in mind though is where she intends to go with this. If her eventual intention is in graphic design/ advertising- it would be better to start and familiarise herself with the full version. It's a huge program that needs a lot of learning to get successfully accomplished if you want this kind of work.

You can buy reconditioned laptops quite cheaply and you will get more for your money - we bought from a company in Coventry, they get them from big orgs that frequently replace. Main issue was battery life wasn't as good as a new one but otherwise it was great. A desk top can run teams and word btw and often are cheaper for the spec.

Thanks so much everyone
I really appreciate your advice
It's so difficult to know what's best, and avoid making an expensive mistake
I thought an iPad wouldn't be suitable, so thank you for that information
Regarding word, I just use a dodgy copy on my ailing PC, so would use something similar on the laptop top, it's literally just for homework

I'll make sure the laptop is at least 8 RAM's for photoshop

You could also buy a secondhand older version of Photoshop. My daughter used CS3 at home, which has to be at least 10 years old.

I would also ask if locally there are any schemes to help students further their education - our next door parish has a grant scheme that has been going for years, and seems to regularly contribute awards to students for equipment for A level such as computers, or sports equipment, or pay a grant to help with Uni. accommodation/subsistence. Seems to help 4 or 5 per year.

There are two free alternatives to Photoshop that may be worth looking at. The first is Paint.Net and the second is the awkwardly named GIMP (just make sure you Google 'gimp image software'!). They should both do what your DD needs. The only problem may be that the teacher is only familiar with Photoshop and is less able to help with the other packages.

I also recommend Gimp- it's completely free, and does everything she's going to want up to GCSE for sure. Another one (which actually is better than gimp, but I'm used to gimp so still use it!) is Krita.

Yikes
The 8gb RAM laptops in Argos start at £350 !!
Am I looking at the right ones?

Have a look on CEX for a secondhand one- it will come with a guarantee. Our only windows machine came from them about four years ago.and it's been absolutely fine.

@Svrider

Yikes The 8gb RAM laptops in Argos start at £350 !! Am I looking at the right ones?

8gb is now the minimum, and more if possible but it would comfortably run photoshop

helpx.adobe.com/uk/photoshop/system-requirements.html

JL and Curry’s are doing great low priced laptops for reasonable prices. For her needs I would reccomend 8gb ram at the minimum, processor of i3 or i5 if possible or Ryzen 3 (cheaper processor) and above and storage (SSD) of however much you can afford. Minimum would be 256gb since she is going to be using photoshop but you can always increase memory with memory sticks. iPad wouldn’t be appropriate because currently iPads operating system (iOS) is not supporting Microsoft Teams fully. If you want her to Contribute fully to the class lesson and chats that feature is severely lacking in MS Teams current version for iOS. Also same applies to macOS (Apple) and chromebook.

The easiest way to find laptop is to look at your budget and start from there.