Photoshop version suggestions

[Deleted User]

Hello to everyone.
Recently, I've been taking personal projects that requires to load and modify .ai and .psd files (Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop files) and I'm hesitating on which PS version to pirate.
I have a decent laptop, not so powerful, and not so old.
But, I've tested 4 versions of Photoshop so far:

-CS6: This was horrible to use on my laptop. Slow as fuck.
-CS2: The supposed "free" version. I think it's way too outdated for my projects (lacks "Smart Tools" like Content Awareness)
-Photoshop CC 2018: This was so-so, but I hate the fact that Creative Cloud eats my resources.
-Photoshop CC 2019: I had this version, not so long ago. But I formatted my laptop, and now I can't install it again.

Which version of photoshop is not too outdated to use, and at the same time powerful enough with its tools?

On a side note: I'm a huge fan of GIMP, but it has problems with the .psd format. And it's slow when charging .ai files. And of course, it lacks some features that Photoshop has better covered when it comes to editing pictures.

 

[FAST6191]

Virtual machine and/or https://www.sandboxie.com/ not an option? The latter is about as light as it comes and if you have a vaguely decent amount of RAM, don't have the absolute lowest tier processors (the really low end stuff often missed virtualisation bits/extensions) and set your OS up properly (aka disable background stuff) a virtual machine should not be too hard on computers these days.

Afraid I don't know how well illustrator and photoshop versions handle backwards and forwards compatible stuff these days.

Also why would you do AI in Gimp? Surely Inkscape would be the weapon of choice there.

Option 3. Conversion. A client might send me one format and require it send back in either said same or another. The work in the middle is largely up to me though. Unless they require the layers-version history thing Photoshop does (possible, similar to tracked changes in text) then what about rendering it in a pet install of photoshop somewhere, copying the relevant layers over to your chosen program and going from there before porting it all back when it is done?

 

[Lacius]

Your best bet is probably CC 2019. It works well with your computer, has the most features, and is the latest version.

 

[Deleted User]

Your best bet is probably CC 2019. It works well with your computer, has the most features, and is the latest version.

I've just pirated that version of Photoshop...
I can't believe that GIMP opens the required files while Photoshop fails miserably at opening their own files.
Not sure why but whatever

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Virtual machine and/or https://www.sandboxie.com/ not an option? The latter is about as light as it comes and if you have a vaguely decent amount of RAM, don't have the absolute lowest tier processors (the really low end stuff often missed virtualisation bits/extensions) and set your OS up properly (aka disable background stuff) a virtual machine should not be too hard on computers these days.

Afraid I don't know how well illustrator and photoshop versions handle backwards and forwards compatible stuff these days.

Also why would you do AI in Gimp? Surely Inkscape would be the weapon of choice there.

Option 3. Conversion. A client might send me one format and require it send back in either said same or another. The work in the middle is largely up to me though. Unless they require the layers-version history thing Photoshop does (possible, similar to tracked changes in text) then what about rendering it in a pet install of photoshop somewhere, copying the relevant layers over to your chosen program and going from there before porting it all back when it is done?

Well, I didn't knew that Inkscape could open Adobe Illustrator files (I understand they're vectors) and honestly, ve'never tried to open them with Inkscape.
I thought that Photoshop could open these .ai and .psd files faster... but no!

 

[The Real Jdbye]

Hello to everyone.
Recently, I've been taking personal projects that requires to load and modify .ai and .psd files (Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop files) and I'm hesitating on which PS version to pirate.
I have a decent laptop, not so powerful, and not so old.
But, I've tested 4 versions of Photoshop so far:

-CS6: This was horrible to use on my laptop. Slow as fuck.
-CS2: The supposed "free" version. I think it's way too outdated for my projects (lacks "Smart Tools" like Content Awareness)
-Photoshop CC 2018: This was so-so, but I hate the fact that Creative Cloud eats my resources.
-Photoshop CC 2019: I had this version, not so long ago. But I formatted my laptop, and now I can't install it again.

Which version of photoshop is not too outdated to use, and at the same time powerful enough with its tools?

On a side note: I'm a huge fan of GIMP, but it has problems with the .psd format. And it's slow when charging .ai files. And of course, it lacks some features that Photoshop has better covered when it comes to editing pictures.

CC is your best bet. I still have Photoshop CC 2015 and don't feel the need to upgrade, so whatever version works for you is fine. In theory newer is better but I'm having a hard time even spotting the difference between more recent Photoshop versions (CS6 and any CC version)