It’s no secret that the best Video Editing Software has made it easier to become a movie-maker. Simply instal a tool on your laptop or smartphone, and you’ve instantly got the means to splice together footage.
What’s more, these tools have levelled the playing field. Anyone – no matter what their experience or budget is, or what kind of equipment they have has the ability to make eye-catching videos. And the tools that are on offer these days are getting better all the time, offering functions and features that wouldn’t have been possible only a few years ago.
However, with the sheer amount of video editing software out there, it can be difficult to choose what the best video editing software is for your needs – and that’s where we come in.
What To Consider When Buying A Computer For Video Editing
When you look at the product description for a regular desktop computer, the terms that are being used can get a bit overwhelming, to say the least. Now, if you’re looking for a computer for video editing, that overwhelming feeling can increase.
Don’t worry though, we have your back and let’s look at what you should consider when buying a computer or video editing.
Resolution
While not every computer for video editing will be available packaged with a monitor (see our best monitors post), but for those that come with a monitor, having the right one can make everything look amazing.
The most widely available resolution at the moment is 4K, which is also known as Ultra-High Definition. These monitors have a resolution of 3,840 by 2,160 pixels which is double the number of pixels that are found in a 1080p display. Choosing a monitor of this type can really help the image quality of your videos while editing and could make all the difference between two similar computers.
Graphics Card
Depending on the type of video editing you are doing, the need for a good graphics card can help any graphics or animation explode from the screen. Before you decide on a computer, you want to make sure that you make sure you pay attention to the recommended system setting for whatever editing software you’re using so that you know you’ll get the best results from it.
Storage
Every video editor has clips and snippets of video that may not have fit in the project they’re currently working on but might be perfect for something later on. These little clips can add up very quickly and take up a lot of memory in your computer. Finding one that starts with at least 1TB of memory is a good place to start.
SSD/HDD
Speaking of storage, there are primarily two types of storage drives out there for you to choose from SSD or Solid State Drives and HDD which stands for Hard Disk Drive. An SSD will provide you with a better overall performance when compared to HDD. Typically you should only use SSD’s in your computer. The best configuration would be to have multiple Solid state drives within your computer, each being delegated specific tasks.
RAM
Most video editing software that is available today uses a lot of RAM. A good rule of thumb is that the higher the resolution of the footage, the more RAM will be useful. With the onset of 4K displays and footage being taken in 4K, consider finding a PC with at least 32GB. Higher than that is obviously better, but only if you can afford it.
Processor (CPU)
Also knowns as the CPU or the “brain” of your computer, having a good processor is crucial in having a video editing computer that allows you to complete tasks without annoying lag time. For example, if you’re using Adobe Premier, the CPU that you have will determine how fast you can get the editing done on your footage.
The computing power from a CPU is generally used in two ways when it comes to video editing. During the editing process, it will help generate video previews and also comes into play when you are encoding and exporting a video.
Having a good CPU is one part of your computer you should not cut corners on. It is that important.
Price
No matter what other aspects of the specification you should consider are, it always comes down to price. In all honesty, many of the best computers for video editing do not come cheap. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t affordable options out there, but you want to make sure that the money you end up spending is worth it in the long run and that you make sure you get your money’s worth.
OpenShot (Windows, Mac, and Linux)