As a professional photographer, I can tell you a hard truth. Your computer is the most important piece of gear you own, right after your camera and lenses. You can have the best glass in the world, but if your computer chokes every time you try to cull a wedding, you have a serious bottleneck. That lag costs you time, and time is money.

Finding the “best computer for Lightroom” feels overwhelming. You have to sort through a storm of acronyms like CPU, GPU, RAM, and NVMe. Should you get a Mac or a PC? A laptop or a desktop? This guide will cut through the noise. I’ll explain what really matters for a fast, smooth Lightroom workflow, based on years of professional experience.

Key Takeaways

  • Prioritize Your Parts: For Lightroom, your spending priority should be: 1) CPU (processor), 2) RAM (memory), 3) Storage (SSD), and 4) GPU (graphics card).
  • CPU is King: Lightroom’s most common tasks, like importing, generating previews, and exporting, depend heavily on your processor’s speed (clock speed) and core count.
  • RAM is Your Workspace: 32GB of RAM is the new standard for professional photographers. 16GB is the absolute minimum, but you will feel the pinch. 64GB is great for high-megapixel (45MP+) bodies and heavy multitasking.
  • Go All-SSD: Do not use spinning hard disk drives (HDDs) for your operating system, Lightroom catalog, or active projects. An NVMe SSD is a non-negotiable for a modern editing machine.
  • The GPU is (Mostly) Secondary: Lightroom uses the GPU for some tasks, like AI masking and driving 4K/5K displays. But you should not sacrifice your CPU or RAM budget to buy a top-of-the-line gaming graphics card.
  • Cloud AI Changes Things: Tools like Imagen use cloud processing for the heavy AI editing. This means your local computer doesn’t have to do all the work, potentially saving you money on hardware.
  • Mac vs. PC: Both are fantastic. Apple’s M-series chips are incredibly efficient, while PCs offer more choice and upgradability. Pick the ecosystem you enjoy using.

Why Your Computer is the Most Important Tool (After Your Camera)

We’ve all been there. You’re trying to cull a 3,000-image wedding. You hit the right arrow key. You wait. The “Loading…” spinner appears. You wait some more. The image finally sharpens. You hit the ‘P’ key to pick it. You wait again.

This is “Lightroom Lag.” It’s the single biggest productivity killer for a professional photographer. It’s not just annoying. It’s a business problem.

Let’s say a slow computer adds just one second of lag to every photo you cull. For a 3,000-photo wedding, that’s 50 minutes of your life just… waiting. If you shoot 30 weddings a year, that’s 25 hours—a full day of work—lost to a loading spinner.

A slow computer doesn’t just cost you time. It breaks your creative flow. Culling and editing should be a fluid, rhythmic process. Lag turns it into a frustrating, stop-and-start chore.

What Does Lightroom Really Need?

To fix this, we need to understand what Lightroom cares about. Unlike a video game that relies almost entirely on the graphics card (GPU), Lightroom is a multi-part beast.

  1. CPU (Processor): This is the brain. It handles most active tasks: building previews, culling, applying presets, and exporting files. It is the most important component.
  2. RAM (Memory): This is your active workspace or “desk.” Lightroom loads your catalog and the photos you’re currently working on into RAM for fast access. If you run out of “desk space,” your computer has to shuffle things back to your slow “filing cabinet” (your hard drive), and everything grinds to a halt.
  3. Storage (SSD/HDD): This is your filing cabinet. It’s where your operating system, Lightroom itself, your catalog, and all your photo files live. The speed of this storage is critical.
  4. GPU (Graphics Card): This is a specialized helper. Lightroom uses it for some tasks, like running AI masks (Subject, Sky, Background), using the “Enhance Details” feature, and powering your high-resolution monitor. It helps, but it’s not the primary engine.

Now, let’s break down each component.

The Core Components That Make Lightroom Fly

This is the most important section of this guide. Understanding these four parts will make you a smart buyer.

The Brain: Central Processing Unit (CPU)

Why the CPU is King for Lightroom If you only have budget to spare for one high-end component, make it the CPU. Most of what you feel as “speed” in Lightroom comes from the processor.

  • Importing: The CPU creates your previews.
  • Culling: A fast CPU loads the next 1:1 preview instantly.
  • Editing: Every slider you move is a calculation handled by the CPU.
  • Exporting: The CPU (with help from its multiple “cores”) crunches your RAW files into JPEGs.

Cores vs. Clock Speed: What’s More Important? You will see two main specs for a CPU:

  1. Clock Speed (measured in GHz): Think of this as how fast a single worker can do a task. A high clock speed (e.g., 5.0 GHz) is great for “active” tasks like moving sliders and culling. Lightroom loves fast clock speeds.
  2. Core Count (e.g., 8-core, 16-core): Think of this as how many workers you have. More cores are great for “parallel” tasks, where the job can be split up. Exporting 100 photos at once is a parallel task.

The verdict? You need a balance, but for Lightroom, prioritize high clock speed first. A 6-core CPU at 5.0 GHz will often feel faster in general use than a 12-core CPU at 3.5 GHz. For exporting, the 12-core will win. Since you spend more time culling and editing than exporting, a fast “single-core” speed is key.

Intel vs. AMD vs. Apple

  • PC (Intel/AMD): In 2025, both brands are amazing. You can’t go wrong.
    • Intel: Look for Core i5 (good), Core i7 (better), or Core i9 (best) from the latest 13th or 14th generation.
    • AMD: Look for Ryzen 5 (good), Ryzen 7 (better), or Ryzen 9 (best) from the 7000 series or newer.
  • Mac (Apple Silicon): Apple’s M-series chips (M1, M2, M3) are a different ballgame. They are “Systems on a Chip” (SoC) that have the CPU, GPU, and RAM all in one package. This makes them incredibly fast and efficient. For Lightroom, an M2 Pro or M3 Pro chip is the sweet spot for performance and price.

Pro Recommendations:

  • Good: Intel Core i5 / AMD Ryzen 5 / Apple M2
  • Better (The Sweet Spot): Intel Core i7 / AMD Ryzen 7 / Apple M3 Pro
  • Best (High-End Pro): Intel Core i9 / AMD Ryzen 9 / Apple M3 Max

The Workspace: Random Access Memory (RAM)

What is RAM and Why Does Lightroom Devour It? RAM is your computer’s short-term memory. It’s a super-fast workspace. When you open a Lightroom catalog, the computer loads the database into RAM. When you start editing photos, it pulls those photos and their previews into RAM.

If you have 50 browser tabs open, Spotify playing, and Lightroom running, you are using a lot of RAM. When you run out, your computer slows to a crawl. This is the number one reason for a sluggish-feeling system.

How Much RAM Do You Really Need?

  • 16GB: This is the absolute minimum for a new computer in 2025. You can run Lightroom, but you will need to close other programs. If you shoot with a high-megapixel camera (45MP+), you will feel the pain.
  • 32GB: This is the pro standard and the sweet spot. It gives you enough headroom to run Lightroom, Photoshop, and a web browser without your computer breaking a sweat. For 90% of professional photographers, 32GB is the perfect amount.
  • 64GB or More: This is for extreme power users. Do you stitch massive panoramas? Do you regularly have 100+ layers in a Photoshop file? Do you shoot with a 100MP medium format camera? If so, 64GB is a worthwhile investment. For everyone else, it’s overkill.

A note on Apple’s Unified Memory: Apple’s M-series chips use “Unified Memory.” This means the CPU and GPU share the same pool of memory. It is extremely efficient. An Apple machine with 18GB of Unified Memory can feel as fast as a PC with 32GB of regular RAM. My recommendation is similar: 16GB/18GB is the minimum, and 36GB is the pro standard for the new M3 Pro/Max chips.

The Filing Cabinet: Storage (SSDs are Non-Negotiable)

The End of Hard Disk Drives (HDDs) This is simple. Do not, under any circumstances, buy a new computer in 2025 that uses an old-fashioned spinning hard drive (HDD) as its main “C:” drive. They are too slow. Your computer will feel sluggish from the moment you turn it on.

You need a Solid State Drive (SSD). They have no moving parts and are dramatically faster. This is not optional.

NVMe, SATA, and External: Decoding the SSD Alphabet Not all SSDs are created equal.

  • NVMe M.2 SSD: This is the best and fastest. It looks like a little stick of RAM and plugs directly into the motherboard. Your operating system (Windows or macOS) and your applications (Lightroom, Photoshop) must be on an NVMe drive. Your Lightroom catalog should also live here.
  • SATA SSD: This is an older, slightly slower (but still very fast!) SSD. They often look like a 2.5-inch rectangle. These are fantastic for your “active projects” folder or as a secondary internal drive.
  • External SSD: These connect via a cable, usually USB-C or Thunderbolt. These are perfect for transferring files from your camera and for working on active projects on the go. A fast external SSD (like a Samsung T7 or T9) is a key part of a pro’s workflow.

The Perfect Storage Strategy (The 3-Drive Setup) This is the setup most pros use for maximum speed and safety.

  1. Drive 1 (Internal NVMe SSD): Operating System, Applications (Lightroom, etc.), and your Lightroom Catalog. Keeping the catalog on your fastest drive makes culling and browsing your library snap. (Size: 1TB – 2TB)
  2. Drive 2 (Internal/External SSD): Your “Active Projects.” When you import a new shoot, put the RAW files here. (Size: 1TB – 4TB)
  3. Drive 3 (Large HDD or NAS): Your “Archive.” Once a project is finished and delivered, move the folder from your SSD to this large, slower drive for long-term storage. (Size: 8TB – 20TB+). This drive should then be backed up to the cloud.

The Visual Muscle: Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

Lightroom’s Love/Hate Relationship with the GPU For years, the GPU did almost nothing in Lightroom. That has changed, but it’s still not the most critical part.

Lightroom does use the GPU (also called a graphics card) for:

  • AI Masking: “Select Subject,” “Select Sky,” and “Select Background” are handled by the GPU. A better GPU makes these masks appear faster.
  • Enhance Details: This AI-powered feature uses the GPU heavily.
  • Display: Driving high-resolution 4K and 5K monitors.

Is a “Gaming” Card Overkill? Yes, usually. You will get a much bigger performance boost by spending an extra $300 on a better CPU or more RAM than on a high-end GPU. A solid mid-range card is more than enough.

Look at the VRAM (the GPU’s own built-in memory). This is more important than the card’s raw speed.

  • 4GB VRAM: Minimum.
  • 8GB VRAM: The sweet spot. This is more than enough for 4K/5K monitors and all of Lightroom’s AI features.

On Apple Silicon, this is all handled by the unified chip. The 14-core or 18-core GPU on an M3 Pro chip is more than powerful enough for all Lightroom tasks.

A Note on AI Editing and Your Hardware

The rise of AI editing tools is changing our hardware needs. This is where we need to talk about a “local” vs. “cloud” workflow.

How AI Editing Tools Change the Game

Many new AI tools, like AI noise reduction and masking, run locally on your computer. This means they rely heavily on your GPU and CPU. If you use these tools, having a more powerful machine is a big help.

But there’s another way to work.

Imagen: Editing on Your Desktop, Powered by the Cloud

image

This is where my own workflow has changed. I use Imagen, which works as a desktop app that integrates directly with my Lightroom Classic catalog. But it handles the most intensive part of the process—the AI-powered edit—in the cloud.

Here’s how it works:

  1. I cull my photos in Lightroom Classic as usual. My local computer just needs to be fast enough for culling.
  2. I send the selected photos to Imagen. The app uploads them (or just Smart Previews) to its powerful cloud servers.
  3. Imagen’s AI edits the photos in the cloud using my Personal AI Profile, which I trained with my own previous edits. This process is incredibly fast (under 0.5 seconds per photo).
  4. The app downloads the edits right back into my Lightroom catalog. The sliders on each photo are moved just as I would have done, only it took minutes instead of hours.

The hardware benefit here is huge. I don’t need a $5,000 computer with a top-of-the-line GPU to get thousands of photos edited with AI. My local machine just needs to be good at culling and managing files. The heavy lifting is offloaded to the cloud. This means you can save money on your computer build and invest it in other parts of your business, like better lenses or that new backup system.

Imagen’s desktop app works with Lightroom Classic, Lightroom, Photoshop, and Bridge, so it fits right into a standard pro workflow.

Other AI Editing Tools (A “Dry” Comparison)

To be fair, there are other tools, but they work differently and have different hardware demands.

  • Aftershoot: This is a desktop application for AI culling and editing. Because it runs locally on your machine, it relies on your computer’s CPU and GPU to analyze and edit your photos. This can be resource-intensive during the culling and editing process.
  • Luminar Neo: This is a standalone editor or a plugin for Lightroom. Its AI features, like “Sky AI” or “Portrait AI,” run locally. It is known to require a strong local CPU and especially GPU to run smoothly, as applying multiple AI effects can be demanding on your system.
  • Topaz Labs: This is a popular suite of tools for noise reduction, sharpening, and upscaling. These are powerful but are well-known for being very intensive. They rely almost entirely on your local GPU. You need a powerful graphics card with a good amount of VRAM to use them without long wait times.

The key difference is local processing vs. cloud processing. Local tools demand more from your machine. Cloud tools like Imagen free your machine up to do other things.

Laptop vs. Desktop: The Great Debate for Photographers

This choice comes down to one question: Where do you do your work?

The Case for the Desktop (Power and Value)

  • Pros:
    • Better Performance per Dollar: You get a faster CPU and better GPU for the same money.
    • Upgradability: This is a big one. Need more RAM? Add more. Need a new GPU? Swap it out. Need more storage? Add another drive.
    • Better Cooling: Big fans and open space mean the components run cooler and quieter. They don’t slow down (“throttle”) under a heavy export.
    • More Ports: All the USB, Thunderbolt, and display ports you could ever need.
  • Cons:
    • It’s stuck in your office.

The Case for the Laptop (Freedom and Flexibility)

  • Pros:
    • Portability: Edit on-site, at a coffee shop, while traveling, or on your couch.
    • All-in-One: The screen, keyboard, and trackpad are all built-in.
  • Cons:
    • More Expensive: You pay a premium for the small size.
    • Limited Upgrades: You usually can’t upgrade the CPU or GPU. RAM and storage are often soldered to the board (especially on Macs).
    • Heat and Noise: Under a heavy export, the fans will get loud. The machine can get hot and slow itself down to protect its components (this is called thermal throttling).

The “Best of Both Worlds” Setup

This is what many pros, including myself, have adopted.

  1. Buy a powerful laptop (like a MacBook Pro 14″ or a Dell XPS 15).
  2. At your desk, plug it into a Thunderbolt dock.
  3. This single cable connects your laptop to your big 4K monitor, your archive hard drive, your wired internet, and your keyboard/mouse.

You get the portability of a laptop with the comfort and screen real-estate of a desktop.

Mac vs. PC: Which Ecosystem is Right for Lightroom?

Let’s get this out of the way: the “Macs are for creatives” thing is dead. Both platforms are incredibly powerful and fully capable of running a professional photography business.

The right choice is the one you prefer to use.

The Case for Mac (Apple Silicon)

  • The M-Series Revolution: Apple’s M1, M2, and M3 chips are technical marvels. They are unbelievably fast and power-efficient. A MacBook Pro can export a whole wedding on battery power and barely get warm.
  • Unified Memory: As mentioned, Apple’s shared memory is extremely efficient. An M3 Pro chip with 18GB of memory feels like a 32GB PC.
  • The Ecosystem: If you already use an iPhone and iPad, the way everything “just works” (AirDrop, Continuity) is a real-time-saver.
  • The Downsides:
    • Price: You pay a premium (the “Apple Tax”).
    • Storage Costs: Apple’s internal SSD upgrades are very expensive.
    • No Upgrades: You cannot upgrade the RAM or internal SSD after you buy it. You must buy what you need for the life of the machine.

The Case for PC (Windows)

  • The Power of Choice: You can get a PC from hundreds of brands (Dell, Lenovo, HP, ASUS) or build one yourself. You can get a 2-in-1, a gaming beast, or a silent workstation.
  • Upgradability: This is the huge advantage for desktops. Your computer can grow with you.
  • Cost: You get more performance for your money, period. A $2,000 PC build will almost always be more powerful than a $2,000 Mac.
  • The Downsides:
    • The Ecosystem: It’s not as seamless as Apple’s.
    • Stability: Windows is very stable, but you can (rarely) run into driver issues or other quirks since so many different companies make the parts.
    • Resale Value: PCs tend to lose their value faster than Macs.

The Verdict: Pick the one that makes you want to work. Both will run Lightroom beautifully.

Putting It All Together: A Buyer’s Guide

Here is a simple, step-by-step guide to choosing your machine.

Step 1: Define Your Budget

  • Entry-Level (Sub-$1,500): Good for hobbyists or a new pro just starting out. You will have to make compromises. Focus on getting 16GB-32GB of RAM and a good i5/Ryzen 5/M2 CPU.
  • Prosumer ($1,500 – $2,500): This is the sweet spot. You can get a fantastic machine that will last you 4-5 years. This budget gets you a 32GB/i7/Ryzen 7 build or a 14″ MacBook Pro M3 Pro.
  • High-End ($2,500+): You are a high-volume pro on a deadline. You’re buying a Mac Studio or a high-end i9/Ryzen 9 desktop. You need every second you can get.

Step 2: Pick Your Form Factor (Laptop or Desktop)

Be honest with yourself. How often will you really edit on the road?

  • 90% at a desk: Get a desktop. It’s a better value. A Mac Mini Pro or a PC tower.
  • 50/50 desk and road: Get a laptop and a dock.
  • 90% on the road: Get a high-end 14″ or 16″ laptop.

Step 3: Pick Your Ecosystem (Mac or PC)

What is your phone? What did you use in school? What do you like? There is no wrong answer.

Step 4: Prioritize Your Components (The Shopping List)

When you’re looking at a specific model, prioritize in this order:

  1. RAM: Get 32GB (or 18GB/36GB on Apple). Do not compromise on this.
  2. CPU: Get the best one your budget allows after RAM. (M3 Pro / Core i7 / Ryzen 7).
  3. Storage: Get at least a 1TB internal NVMe SSD. You can always add external drives later.
  4. GPU: Take whatever the machine comes with after you’ve secured the first three.

Recommended Setups for Lightroom (2025)

Here are a few great “builds” to look for.

The Ultimate Desktop Build (PC)

  • CPU: Intel Core i7-14700K or AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
  • RAM: 32GB DDR5 (6000MHz)
  • Storage: 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD (e.g., Samsung 990 Pro)
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 8GB
  • This is a workhorse. It will handle anything Lightroom or Photoshop can throw at it for years.

The Ultimate Desktop (Mac)

  • Model: Mac Studio
  • CPU/GPU: M3 Max
  • RAM: 64GB Unified Memory
  • Storage: 2TB SSD
  • This is a silent, compact powerhouse. It’s expensive but will be incredibly fast and last a very long time.

The “Workhorse” Laptop (PC)

  • Model: Dell XPS 15 or Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
  • CPU: Intel Core Ultra 7 or 9
  • RAM: 32GB
  • Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
  • GPU: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 or 4060
  • This is a perfect “dockable” laptop. Great screen, great performance.

The “Workhorse” Laptop (Mac)

  • Model: MacBook Pro 14-inch
  • CPU/GPU: M3 Pro (11-core CPU, 14-core GPU)
  • RAM: 36GB Unified Memory
  • Storage: 1TB SSD
  • This is arguably the best all-around laptop for a photographer. The power, battery life, and screen are unmatched.

The Smart-Budget Option

  • Model: Mac Mini
  • CPU/GPU: M2 Pro
  • RAM: 32GB Unified Memory
  • Storage: 1TB SSD
  • This is the hidden gem. You get the power of a MacBook Pro for a fraction of the price. You just have to bring your own monitor and keyboard. A fantastic value.

Don’t Forget the “Other” Hardware

Your computer is just one piece. Don’t forget these.

  • Monitors: Look for an IPS panel for the best color. You want a monitor that covers at least 99% sRGB. If you print a lot, look for 95%+ Adobe RGB coverage. A 4K monitor (or 5K on a Mac) gives you a ton of space to work.
  • Calibration: Your monitor is lying to you. You must buy a monitor calibration tool like a SpyderX Pro or Calibrite i1Display. This is not optional for a professional.
  • Ports & Docks: Look for Thunderbolt 4 or USB4 ports. These are the fastest and most versatile, allowing you to connect docks, fast external drives, and 4K monitors with a single cable.
  • Backup Solutions: Your work is not safe on one drive. You need a 3-2-1 Backup Strategy: 3 copies of your data, on 2 different types of media, with 1 copy off-site (in the cloud).

Conclusion: Stop Waiting, Start Creating

Your computer is an investment in your business and your sanity. A slow computer is a constant source of friction that keeps you from doing what you love.

Use this guide to make a smart, informed choice. Prioritize the parts that matter for Lightroom: CPU and RAM first, then a fast SSD. Don’t overspend on a gaming GPU. And consider how cloud-based AI tools like Imagen can lighten the load on your local machine, saving you money.

Stop waiting for that “Loading…” spinner. Invest in a tool that works for you, and get back to creating.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is 32GB of RAM really necessary for Lightroom? Yes. In 2025, I consider 32GB the new standard for a professional. 16GB is the minimum, but with today’s high-megapixel cameras and the desire to multitask, 32GB gives you the breathing room you need for a smooth, lag-free experience.

2. Will a “gaming laptop” be good for Lightroom? Yes, a gaming laptop (like an ASUS ROG or Lenovo Legion) can be a great value. They often have powerful CPUs, 32GB+ of RAM, and good GPUs for a reasonable price. The downsides are that they are often heavy, have poor battery life, and can look unprofessional.

3. How much does the GPU really matter for Lightroom? It matters, but less than you think. It helps with AI masks, “Enhance Details,” and driving 4K/5K screens. But your CPU and RAM are far more important for 90% of Lightroom’s tasks. Don’t buy a weak CPU just to get a strong GPU.

4. What’s the single most important component to upgrade for Lightroom? If your computer feels slow all the time, your bottleneck is likely RAM. If you have 16GB or less, upgrading to 32GB will feel like a brand new machine. If you already have 32GB of RAM, the next-best upgrade is a faster CPU.

5. Is a Mac Mini powerful enough for a professional photographer? Absolutely. A Mac Mini with an M2 Pro or M3 Pro chip and 32GB of RAM is an incredible powerhouse for photo editing. It’s often faster than laptops that cost twice as much. It is one of the best values in computing today.

6. Should my Lightroom Catalog be on an internal or external drive? Your catalog should be on your fastest drive. In almost all cases, this is your internal NVMe SSD. You can keep your photo files (your RAWs) on an external SSD, but keep the catalog (.lrcat file) internal.

7. How does Imagen’s cloud editing affect my computer choice? It lets you spend less on your local machine. Because Imagen does the heavy AI-editing work in the cloud, you don’t need a top-of-the-line GPU and CPU to edit thousands of photos. Your computer just needs to be fast enough for culling and file management, which is a much lower bar.

8. What’s the difference between Apple’s Unified Memory and PC RAM? PC RAM is a separate component the CPU has to access. Apple’s Unified Memory is built right into the chip package, shared by the CPU and GPU. It’s like having your desk and filing cabinet in the same tiny, super-fast room. It’s much more efficient, which is why 18GB of Unified Memory can feel as fast as 32GB of PC RAM.

9. Do I need a 4K monitor for photo editing? You don’t need one, but it’s a huge quality-of-life improvement. The extra “retina” sharpness makes your photos look amazing, and the extra screen real estate lets you see more of your tools and thumbnails. A good 27-inch 4K or 32-inch 4K monitor is a great investment.

10. How often should I replace my editing computer? Most professionals get on a 4-5 year upgrade cycle. After 4-5 years, the performance gains from new CPUs and faster connections (like new Thunderbolt or USB standards) are significant enough to justify the cost.

11. Is it better to have more storage or faster storage? Faster storage. Always. You can always add more external storage later. You can’t easily make a slow internal drive faster. Buy the fastest 1TB SSD you can afford, rather than the slowest 2TB SSD.

12. What is a “bottleneck” and how do I find it? A bottleneck is the one component that’s holding your whole system back. In Lightroom, open your Task Manager (PC) or Activity Monitor (Mac) while you export 100 photos.

  • Is your CPU at 100%? That’s your bottleneck.
  • Is your RAM at 100%? That’s your bottleneck.
  • Is your “Disk” usage at 100%? Your storage is the bottleneck.

13. Can I just use an iPad Pro for Lightroom? You can, but I wouldn’t recommend it as your only machine. Lightroom on iPad is powerful for on-the-go editing. However, file management, backing up, and managing a large catalog of 100,000+ photos is still much, much easier on a desktop or laptop. Think of it as a great satellite, not the main hub.