Welcome to Custom PC Review’s Best Video Editing Computer Builds! Here’s where you’ll find PC hardware recommendations for putting together a video editing build that will help you render.
Whether your own a DSLR or mirrorless camera, video production is rapidly becoming a popular pastime.
If you’re a neophyte or edit videos like a proHow to Edit Videos Like a Pro: 8 Tips You Need to MasterHow to Edit Videos Like a Pro: 8 Tips You Need to MasterIf you're just getting into the editing game, you may be confused as to what to do with the many millions of clips you have.. well, we're here to help.Read More, a powerful machine is almost a prerequisite to producing videos. In this article, I discuss what you need to look out for when assembling a PC build for video editing, along with the best machine you can build right now.
Mac Vs Windows 2018PC Building 101: Choosing Video Editor Parts
Before making any purchasing decision, it’s important to consider your requirements. Is video editing just a hobby right now, or would you like to do it professionally in the future? Will you edit 4K footage from multiple cinema cameras, or will you work on home videos of your family?
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One of the most important factors that determine your editing needs is the codec. The vast majority of consumer camcorders, and even professional level DSLRs like the Canon 5D, record video in a highly compressed format such as H.264. This format is amazing at reducing the size of your files, but it’s very difficult for computers to edit with, as the file has to first be uncompressed on the fly.
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Full Frame Digital SLR Camera BodyCanon EOS 5D Mark IV Full Frame Digital SLR Camera Body Buy Now On Amazon $2,799.00
Professional codecs such as Apple ProRes or Avid DNxHD require far fewer system resources to edit, but the file sizes are much larger, and not many consumer-level cameras can record in this format.
As a general rule, you want to purchase the best processor and graphics card possible. A decent amount of RAMA Quick and Dirty Guide to RAM: What You Need to KnowA Quick and Dirty Guide to RAM: What You Need to KnowRAM is a crucial component of every computer, but it can be confusing. We break it down in easy-to-grasp terms you'll understand.Read More and a fast hard drive are desirable, but they’re not as critical as the CPU and GPU.
The system recommended below is suited to 4K video editing (it’s the future), but you may wish to modify it based on your needs. Our guide to building your own PCHow To Build Your Own PCHow To Build Your Own PCIt's very gratifying to build your own PC; as well as intimidating. But the process itself is actually quite simple. We'll walk you through everything you need to know.Read More may come in handy if you’re out of practice or a beginner to computer assembly.
The Motherboard and Processor for 4K Video
The motherboard is the heart of your computer. While huge performance increases are unlikely to be gained from different models, it’s important to have the right specifications for your requirements, along with an appropriate socket for your processor.
Let’s start with the processor. Once chosen, it’s easy to select a suitable motherboard.
When editing video, more processor cores generally net you a bigger performance increase over faster individual cores. While I’m historically an Intel fanboy, I recommend the AMD Ryzen 5 1500X CPU bundled with an Asus motherboard.
AMD Ryzen 5 1500X Processor with Wraith Spire Cooler Bundle (2 items): CPU and ASUS ROG STRIX B350-F GAMING MotherboardAMD Ryzen 5 1500X Processor with Wraith Spire Cooler Bundle (2 items): CPU and ASUS ROG STRIX B350-F GAMING Motherboard Buy Now On Amazon
While this is not a top of the range CPU, its 4 cores and 8 threads running at 3.5GHz are more than enough for most editing tasks. Throw in the 65-watt power consumption and you’re on to a real winner.
If you feel like splashing out, you can plump for the Ryzen 7, but it’s not necessary for all but the most demanding of tasks. Read our guide to what makes Ryzen so goodWhat Is So Good About the New AMD Ryzen?What Is So Good About the New AMD Ryzen?The AMD Ryzen just landed, and the world of CPUs just got interesting. What is the hype all about, and is it right for you?Read More if you need any more convincing.
The bundled Asus ROG STRIX B350-F motherboard is another solid performer. It can handle up to 64GB of DDR4 RAM, comes with PCIe 3.0 and USB 3.1, and supports M.2 SSDs, for some super fast storage!
RAM for PC Building
Any decent editing rig needs copious amounts of RAMA Quick and Dirty Guide to RAM: What You Need to KnowA Quick and Dirty Guide to RAM: What You Need to KnowRAM is a crucial component of every computer, but it can be confusing. We break it down in easy-to-grasp terms you'll understand.Read More. The motherboard supports DDR4 at speeds of up to 2,666MHz — and that’s before overclocking.
16GB of Corsair Vengeance LPX RAM is suitable. Go ahead and upgrade to 32GB if you can afford it, but don’t drop down to 8GB, especially if you intend on editing 4K video.
Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 2133MHz C13 Desktop Memory Kit - Black (CMK16GX4M2A2133C13)Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4 DRAM 2133MHz C13 Desktop Memory Kit - Black (CMK16GX4M2A2133C13) Buy Now On Amazon $72.99
Hard Drives and SSDs for Storage
A large hard drive is a must-have item for a killer video editing rig. Fast drives are required for heavy editing sessions, but large capacity is also needed. What’s the solution?
Enter: M.2 SSDs.
M.2 NVME SSDsPCIe vs. SATA SSDs: Which Type of Data Drive Is Best for You?PCIe vs. SATA SSDs: Which Type of Data Drive Is Best for You?PCIe SSDs are faster than SATA SSDs. But you may not need one. This article explains how PCIe SSDs differ from SATA SSDs.Read More are some of the fastest SSDs you can buyThe Fastest SSDs You Can Buy in 2017The Fastest SSDs You Can Buy in 2017Solid State Drives, or SSDs, improve performance over mechanical hard drives (HDD). However, if you want the fastest SSD around, you need to know two things: the connector and protocol.Read More. While Samsung 960 series are considered king, they are very expensive, and will really eat into your budget.
The Western Digital 512GB NVME SSD is blazingly fast and doesn’t break the bank either. You can always upgrade later or use a NAS such as the TerraMaster F2-220TerraMaster F2-220 NAS ReviewTerraMaster F2-220 NAS ReviewThe F2-220 2-bay NAS enclosure by TerraMaster is a sub-$200 personal backup and storage solution. It has a dual core Intel CPU, and can handle up to 16TB of storage.Read More if you require more storage.
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Graphics Card for PC Building
The graphics card is a pretty essential part of your editing rig. While you may not notice it when cutting and grading, you’ll really notice it when rendering or when working on compositions in After Effects such as motion tracking text. Autocad 2018 for mac torrent.
The EVGA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti is a solid performer, with 4GB of GDDR5 RAM. Just like the rest of the components, this isn’t the fastest card available — you could splash out on a 1070 or 1080 instead, but those will certainly eat into your $1,000 budget.
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Other Computer Components
Once all the major components are chosen, you’re left with $150 for miscellaneous parts such as the power supply (PSU), case, and operating system.
If you want to be really thrifty, you could install Linux and start editing on Davinci Resolve. While this non-linear editor is a solid performer, it’s still lacking a few features in Linux — but hey, a free OS and professional level video editor is not to be laughed at!
If you’re not a fan of Linux or prefer editing in Adobe products, then Windows 10 Professional Edition is a solid choice — although it consumes a large portion of your remaining budget.
For a power supply, the 600W EVGA B1 is an excellent budget choice and provides more than enough power. If you’re planning on upgrading components later on, or have changed out some parts for higher power components, then make sure you read our guide to buying a PSU first.
EVGA 600 B1, 80+ Bronze 600W, 3 Year Warranty, Includes Free Power On Self Tester, Power Supply 100-B1-0600-KREVGA 600 B1, 80+ Bronze 600W, 3 Year Warranty, Includes Free Power On Self Tester, Power Supply 100-B1-0600-KR Buy Now On Amazon $121.15
Finally, throw in a case such as the Corsair Carbide Series, and you’re good to go!
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![]() What Did You Choose?
These components all add up to a monster editing rig, but on a $1,000 budget! Switching out components for faster or better parts will certainly yield an increase in performance, but it may not always be necessary.
If you need a bit of practice assembling your computer, then don’t forget to watch our handy video guide:
If you’re not into video editing, have you read our guide to building an energy-efficient Ethereum mining rigHow to DIY an Ethereum Mining Rig for BeginnersHow to DIY an Ethereum Mining Rig for BeginnersWant to mine your own Ethereum cryptocurrency? Here's everything you need to know to build your own DIY mining rig.Read More?
Whatever you end up building, let us know in the comments below — and share your finished videos, we’d love to see them!
Explore more about: 4K, Building PCs, PC, Video Editing.
Video editing software ranges from free versions that are pretty bare-bones to feature-packed prosumer versions. Indeed, they vary as much as the reasons why people take up video editing—whether to make home videos, to become YouTube stars, to create VR experiences, and more.
Most video editing software for consumers and mainstream users is best used for one or another of these specific functions, but there are a few generalists out there, too. We look at the full spectrum: Free video editing software; paid consumer video editing programs that cost $80 or less; and 'prosumer' versions that offer deeper feature sets, though usually for high purchase prices.
Links to full reviews of all the video editing software we've tested can be found at the very bottom of this page.
Updated February 20, 2018 to add our reviews of prosumer packages: Apple Final Cut Pro 10.4, Magix Vegas Pro 15, and CyberLink PowerDirector 16 Ultra, our top pick for best prosumer editor overall. PowerDirector 16 Ultra wins for its 360-video features, but all three of these programs offer tons of features—for a price.
Best video editor overall: Adobe Premiere Elements 2018
Adobe Premiere Elements 2018 is perfect for people who want to make home movies to share with friends, but who don’t have much video editing experience. It offers decent functionality for more experienced editors who don’t want to follow the walk-throughs, but other, more robust software might be better if you’re a power user pursuing YouTube stardom. Luminar 2018 for mac and windows..
Adobe Premiere Elements 2018 offers most of the same basic video editing features you’d find in other consumer packages, but it separates itself from the pack with tutorials and automatic curation and content creation features that very nearly (but not quite) do all the work for you, as long as you don’t mind if your videos look generic.
It's this easy access that makes Adobe Premiere Elements our top-rated consumer paid video editor. (Read our full review.)
Runner-up: Corel VideoStudio Ultimate X10.5
At $80 Corel VideoStudio Ultimate X10.5 combines an elegant and professional-feeling interface with high-end specialty features like 3D and 4K Ultra HD, making it one of the most satisfying and versatile consumer-level video editors on the market. It also has an elegant, modern-looking user interface, and can export to YouTube, Facebook, Flickr, and Vimeo with all the options you’d expect. It’s versatile, efficient, and top of its class. (Read our full review.)
Best budget video editor: Nero Video 2017
Nero’s video editor is as good as it gets for ripping, copying, and repackaging existing works. But if you’re more concerned with original content creation, there may be better fits out there.
Nero Video 2017 is slightly cheaper at $50 than many competing video editing suites, but it offers most of the same features, including Ultra HD 4K support and intelligent curation features for your media library. And with H.265 format support for mobile devices and the handy ability to switch between a basic and advanced editing mode, Nero will please a wide range of users. It’s mostly intended for burning physical media, and doesn’t have good social exporting options. But even if you’re not planning to do DVDs, Nero is worth a look if you want a budget option for video editing software. (Read our full review.)
Best free video editor: Shotcut
Shotcut has been around for more than 10 years, but it has been steadily updated by open source developers who have been dedicated to the mission of providing a prosumer-level video editing suite at no cost.
This program supports most audio and video formats you’d need, it allows you to carefully craft most aspects of your video with powerful filters, and it has a highly customizable user interface that can scale based on your needs from the basic to the advanced.
Mac Vs Pc For Video Editing 2018 Calendar
It doesn’t provide as much guidance as some other software, but curious editors can venture to YouTube and elsewhere on the web for support from a still-active community of enthusiasts.
If you’re willing to spend a few hours cracking the eggs, you’ll be rewarded with a video editing program that is every bit as useful as others for which you’d spend $100. Read our full review. And check out our full roundup of the best free video editing software.
Best prosumer video editor: CyberLink PowerDirector 16 UltraMentioned in this article
For a traditional video editor with a ton of features running on a Windows PC, you could hardly ask for better than PowerDirector 16. From multi-cam to motion tracking to H.265, there are very few editing and exporting features you might want that this software doesn’t have.
Cyberlink PowerDirector 16 Ultra is a prosumer video editor that aims to bring every feature under the sun to a video editor that is accessible and affordable. There’s nothing else in this price range that brings you this many well-implemented features, especially in 360 video. Complexity is its one challenge: The user interface is not always self-explanatory, and the inclusion of so many features means it can be difficult to find what you want. Read our full review.
Video editing software: What features to look forThe basics
Word for mac malware 2018. When you shop for video editing software, keep these fundamentals in mind. All the video editors we’ve reviewed can do standard functions like creating clips, transitions, titles, and some effects, though they vary in quality of execution and ease of use.
There are so many different video formats out there, and one device may capture in a different format than another. Furthermore, different devices and platforms need specific file formats for playback—and those formats may be different than what your camera captures! That means you’ll want software that can import from a variety of sources and that will support many file formats for export.
Exporting videos to social media, DVD, or Blu-ray
That’s assuming you’re just exporting files. You may want to burn a DVD or Blu-ray disc, or upload your videos directly to YouTube or Facebook. Each of these comes with its own set of necessary features that some apps have and others don’t. For disc burning, you need not only support for the right formats, but DVD menu authoring tools so viewers can navigate what you’re presenting. On the social side, it’s much easier if the application syncs up directly with your account online and allows you to enter metadata like a description, tags, and privacy settings.
Expanding into VR, 4K, and 3D
You may want to expand into specialty and high-end features like stop-motion video, multi-camera editing, 3D 360 VR, and support for the official Ultra HD 4K format used by most Blu-ray players. You’ll generally find that the most expensive consumer video editors support these features well, and the cheaper ones either don’t support them or produce lackluster results.
Speed and stability
Finally, stability and speed matter—although speed may not be as important if you’re not a professional. Nothing is worse than losing your work when the program crashes to your desktop, so we’ve tested software in a variety of conditions on a typical Windows setup to assess stability.
How we tested
We installed each video editor on a Windows 10 PC running on an Intel Core i5 processor and an Nvidia dedicated graphics card. We used each suite to edit the same two videos: a 4K NASA video from inside the International Space Station, and a 1080p game capture video from Overwatch. We tested most of the filters and transitions in each suite, and cut the same edited versions of each video in each program. We then exported the videos to various file formats and media, as well as web services, to test output quality and speed. Where software offered a notable special feature not supported in the other products, we tested it when our hardware and software setup allowed it.
Video editing software reviews
If you want to learn more about all of the video editing software we’ve reviewed, see the list below. We’ll continue to evaluate more as time goes on—as well as re-evaluate those we’ve already reviewed.
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