Performance comparison
PhotoCraft vs Photoshop performance: a fair test method
This page provides a test plan, not benchmark results. Measure the tasks and files that matter on your own computer.
Architecture is context, not a result
PhotoCraft documents a native Rust implementation and GPU canvas rendering. These details explain its design, but they do not establish that every edit is faster than Photoshop on every device.
Performance also depends on image dimensions, layer contents, memory pressure, drivers, active effects and the operation being measured. A fast startup is not a measurement of PSD fidelity or export quality.
Official sources: PhotoCraft README (opens a new tab) · PhotoCraft product page (opens a new tab).
Use the same task, file and device
- Record OS, CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, app versions and power mode.
- Use a copy of the same local file and close unrelated heavy applications.
- Time one defined task: open to usable canvas, a specific edit, or export completion.
- Separate first-run timing from repeated runs. Repeat consistently and keep the individual results.
- Inspect the output as well as the elapsed time; a quicker operation with a different result is not an equivalent comparison.
When testing an adjustment or filter, use identical settings where available and state any setting that could not be matched.
Keep a record you can compare later
| Field | Example of what to record |
|---|---|
| Document | Dimensions, file size, layer count and color depth. |
| Operation | Exact command, settings and when timing starts and stops. |
| Run conditions | First or repeated run, power mode and other open apps. |
| Result | Elapsed time, output dimensions and any visible or editable differences. |
| Failure | Warning, crash, unsupported action or incomplete operation. |
Leave a field blank if you did not measure it. This site has not conducted this benchmark, so no speed ranking, GPU result or memory figure is asserted here.
For your broader decision, return to the workflow comparison.