Video Editing Computer
Discussion
I need a computer (laptop or desktop) to be able to edit and create reasonably professional footage for my company website.
It must be able to accommodate 4K video and preferably a bit of future proofing.
Please don’t assume I will understand any jargon. A computer is a tool to me, I don’t understand how it works.
I really just need some recommendations. Budget is up to about £2500+ VAT.
Over to you....
It must be able to accommodate 4K video and preferably a bit of future proofing.
Please don’t assume I will understand any jargon. A computer is a tool to me, I don’t understand how it works.
I really just need some recommendations. Budget is up to about £2500+ VAT.
Over to you....
Seriously, no bulls
t, spend 2 and a half grand on a pc you will be able to create pro videos. That is all you need to know if you don't want jargon.
In order to actually produce pro videos you need an experienced video editor and graphics creator. That's where your money should go.
4K doesn't make a video good. Just like a fancy pen wouldn't make you able to write a decent book.
t, spend 2 and a half grand on a pc you will be able to create pro videos. That is all you need to know if you don't want jargon.In order to actually produce pro videos you need an experienced video editor and graphics creator. That's where your money should go.
4K doesn't make a video good. Just like a fancy pen wouldn't make you able to write a decent book.
I'd be looking at what are commonly known as HEDT (High End DeskTop) machines. First thing to look at is the software you will be using (different setups play better with different software).
But as a starting point I'd probably look at a AMD threadripper ( overclockers) machine as bang for buck you get a lot more for your money then intel (not a fanboi as I have an intel machine myself)
But as a starting point I'd probably look at a AMD threadripper ( overclockers) machine as bang for buck you get a lot more for your money then intel (not a fanboi as I have an intel machine myself)
I know nothing about video editing (but how hard can it be 
)
The videos will be very short ‘how to’ ones. Nothing fancy, just clear GoPro Black7 footage with narrative either as part of the filming or added after.
Maybe with some background music in some.
Computer make is not a problem. I use an IPad and iPhone at present. We have Windows PC’s in the business too.
I am looking at using Davinci Resolve Studio 15 on the new machine. I have tried it on an existing PC but there is not sufficient memory to run it.
I have heard that Mac are supposed to be good for this type of thing but wondered if you got more bangs for you buck with a PC at the same price point.
Having Googled codex I now know what it is! Understanding how to use it’s principles is another matter....
)The videos will be very short ‘how to’ ones. Nothing fancy, just clear GoPro Black7 footage with narrative either as part of the filming or added after.
Maybe with some background music in some.
Computer make is not a problem. I use an IPad and iPhone at present. We have Windows PC’s in the business too.
I am looking at using Davinci Resolve Studio 15 on the new machine. I have tried it on an existing PC but there is not sufficient memory to run it.
I have heard that Mac are supposed to be good for this type of thing but wondered if you got more bangs for you buck with a PC at the same price point.
Having Googled codex I now know what it is! Understanding how to use it’s principles is another matter....
This should help a bit Benchmarks
Quick one from PC partpicker - https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/Bb4qGG
Quick one from PC partpicker - https://uk.pcpartpicker.com/list/Bb4qGG
In years past you should def only go for a Mac (I work in the industry and it was the go to tool). However PCs are much better these days and a lot cheaper than current Macs.
Both will run the same or similar (top spec) software.
You just have to decide if you can work with the laughable Windoze OS or the slightly less laughable Mac OS.
Personally, I'd pay the extra and get a 5k iMac with at least 32 gb ram.
But the PC fans will turn up and give you endless reasons why not. They do that
Just look and consider, what do you want on your desk? Both will work fine.
Both will run the same or similar (top spec) software.
You just have to decide if you can work with the laughable Windoze OS or the slightly less laughable Mac OS.
Personally, I'd pay the extra and get a 5k iMac with at least 32 gb ram.
But the PC fans will turn up and give you endless reasons why not. They do that
Just look and consider, what do you want on your desk? Both will work fine.GetCarter said:
In years past you should def only go for a Mac (I work in the industry and it was the go to tool). However PCs are much better these days and a lot cheaper than current Macs.
Both will run the same or similar (top spec) software.
You just have to decide if you can work with the laughable Windoze OS or the slightly less laughable Mac OS.
Personally, I'd pay the extra and get a 5k iMac with at least 32 gb ram.
But the PC fans will turn up and give you endless reasons why not. They do that Just look and consider, what do you want on your desk? Both will work fine.
Agreed (I'm a PC owner) - since Apple went with Intel the only difference is the OS and price (premium for fruity fans). Both will run the same or similar (top spec) software.
You just have to decide if you can work with the laughable Windoze OS or the slightly less laughable Mac OS.
Personally, I'd pay the extra and get a 5k iMac with at least 32 gb ram.
But the PC fans will turn up and give you endless reasons why not. They do that
Just look and consider, what do you want on your desk? Both will work fine.I would also consider the storage - the machine I specc'd above has 2x1 TB M2 drives with plenty of space for more - I/O can be a bottleneck for 4k processing so the threadripper and intel skylake x with the greater number of PCIE lanes is definitely the choice I would make.
Does the budget include software?
I used to do a lot of video work. I came to the conclusion that you should pick the software for what you do, and not on reviews as to excellence. I ended up with PowerDirector because of its rendering speed. I've tried Studio and MoviePlus and all are up to the job. I've recently tried Premiere Pro and, good though it is, very good in fact, it is also a lot of money. The various interfaces make a difference as well. I'd not necessarily advise PowerDirector because the only reason I bought it was that it fitted my needs.
I videoed rugby matches through the season, using two camcorders for each match.
I had a 2TB HDD, now down to 500gig SSD, together with two 3TB HDDs. It is remarkable how quickly the space goes. I had 2 x 80 mins of HD video, plus the edited version, which also included a highlights bit as well. All this x 26. I used to do end of season videos. These took up lots of space as well as you tend to had Trial 1, Trial 2. You need to work out the footage you will have in a year and work from that after adding 25%
Then there's the cloud/external HD safety net. Premiers Pro CC includes cloud storage.
There's nothing like an SSD to speed things up, but a close second comes more memory. Go for all you can afford. Remarkably, the video card does not have to be massive. I ran with a 2gig for ages and it was ample. I've doubled it because I'm now using 4K but I'm not sure it is worth it. I've only got two screens. If you run more , which isn't a bad idea, then you might want to go for a lot of video RAM. Video seems to eat RAM as well as disc space.
I'd suggest going for advice on bespoke computer sites but be specific as you can.
I used to do a lot of video work. I came to the conclusion that you should pick the software for what you do, and not on reviews as to excellence. I ended up with PowerDirector because of its rendering speed. I've tried Studio and MoviePlus and all are up to the job. I've recently tried Premiere Pro and, good though it is, very good in fact, it is also a lot of money. The various interfaces make a difference as well. I'd not necessarily advise PowerDirector because the only reason I bought it was that it fitted my needs.
I videoed rugby matches through the season, using two camcorders for each match.
I had a 2TB HDD, now down to 500gig SSD, together with two 3TB HDDs. It is remarkable how quickly the space goes. I had 2 x 80 mins of HD video, plus the edited version, which also included a highlights bit as well. All this x 26. I used to do end of season videos. These took up lots of space as well as you tend to had Trial 1, Trial 2. You need to work out the footage you will have in a year and work from that after adding 25%
Then there's the cloud/external HD safety net. Premiers Pro CC includes cloud storage.
There's nothing like an SSD to speed things up, but a close second comes more memory. Go for all you can afford. Remarkably, the video card does not have to be massive. I ran with a 2gig for ages and it was ample. I've doubled it because I'm now using 4K but I'm not sure it is worth it. I've only got two screens. If you run more , which isn't a bad idea, then you might want to go for a lot of video RAM. Video seems to eat RAM as well as disc space.
I'd suggest going for advice on bespoke computer sites but be specific as you can.
Just a thought op: as you don’t know anything about computers, video editing software or video production in general; it might be better to pay a pro to do it. They will have the nice kit inc audio kit and the skills to use it plus you won’t have to shell out for the computer and software.
I edit and render all the videos for my youtube channel on my homebrew 1st gen i7, 16gb of crap ram and an SSD, have done for ages. The editing part is fine, rendering though, a 25 minute 4k video takes about 5 hours to render. I push the button and go to bed and it's ready for the morning.
My mate at work is building me a new PC, based on some mid range AMD. Costing about £700 all in and will munch everything going by the specs and him rendering a 4k project I made on his slightly less powerful AMD rig.
Thought of software? I use an older copy of Sony Vegas but am looking to step up. Got VSCD to play with but it's a bit of a learning curve. I also have dabbled with DaVinci Resolve but my PC won't run it well, and again, massive steep learning curve!
Storage space? My usual videos are 20-30 minutes long. Rendered 1080p output is 2.5gbish, 4k 3.5/4gb. I eep the original footage too which is handy to revisit things, so another 3/4gb a project there. I have a 4tb hard drive for my 'done' stuff, 2.4tb used. My 'pending' drive is a 2tb drive and it's 3/4 full. I also produce step by step refurb guides for the things I film, so that's 150/200 images, another 7/800mb there.
My mate at work is building me a new PC, based on some mid range AMD. Costing about £700 all in and will munch everything going by the specs and him rendering a 4k project I made on his slightly less powerful AMD rig.
Thought of software? I use an older copy of Sony Vegas but am looking to step up. Got VSCD to play with but it's a bit of a learning curve. I also have dabbled with DaVinci Resolve but my PC won't run it well, and again, massive steep learning curve!
Storage space? My usual videos are 20-30 minutes long. Rendered 1080p output is 2.5gbish, 4k 3.5/4gb. I eep the original footage too which is handy to revisit things, so another 3/4gb a project there. I have a 4tb hard drive for my 'done' stuff, 2.4tb used. My 'pending' drive is a 2tb drive and it's 3/4 full. I also produce step by step refurb guides for the things I film, so that's 150/200 images, another 7/800mb there.
beko1987 said:
I edit and render all the videos for my youtube channel on my homebrew 1st gen i7, 16gb of crap ram and an SSD, have done for ages. The editing part is fine, rendering though, a 25 minute 4k video takes about 5 hours to render. I push the button and go to bed and it's ready for the morning.
My mate at work is building me a new PC, based on some mid range AMD. Costing about £700 all in and will munch everything going by the specs and him rendering a 4k project I made on his slightly less powerful AMD rig.
Thought of software? I use an older copy of Sony Vegas but am looking to step up. Got VSCD to play with but it's a bit of a learning curve. I also have dabbled with DaVinci Resolve but my PC won't run it well, and again, massive steep learning curve!
Storage space? My usual videos are 20-30 minutes long. Rendered 1080p output is 2.5gbish, 4k 3.5/4gb. I eep the original footage too which is handy to revisit things, so another 3/4gb a project there. I have a 4tb hard drive for my 'done' stuff, 2.4tb used. My 'pending' drive is a 2tb drive and it's 3/4 full. I also produce step by step refurb guides for the things I film, so that's 150/200 images, another 7/800mb there.
You can always update storage away from the computer. I have three external HDDs - I have a lot of photos as well - with a total of 8TB, 6 was enough but I had a spare 2TB after it was replaced by an SSD. Seemed criminal not to use it.My mate at work is building me a new PC, based on some mid range AMD. Costing about £700 all in and will munch everything going by the specs and him rendering a 4k project I made on his slightly less powerful AMD rig.
Thought of software? I use an older copy of Sony Vegas but am looking to step up. Got VSCD to play with but it's a bit of a learning curve. I also have dabbled with DaVinci Resolve but my PC won't run it well, and again, massive steep learning curve!
Storage space? My usual videos are 20-30 minutes long. Rendered 1080p output is 2.5gbish, 4k 3.5/4gb. I eep the original footage too which is handy to revisit things, so another 3/4gb a project there. I have a 4tb hard drive for my 'done' stuff, 2.4tb used. My 'pending' drive is a 2tb drive and it's 3/4 full. I also produce step by step refurb guides for the things I film, so that's 150/200 images, another 7/800mb there.
As for software, go on YT for the How To videos of various bits of software. However, I'd say I'm no nerd with software but can crack any UI enough to get going in short time and then gradually get to know all the features.
Some of the prosumer software, about midprice, is the easiest to get to know. I have MoviePlus, lower end price. It is quick and easy to use, I've got it on a laptop, but it was difficult to learn, even after years of video editing. I started with Studio 4(?), that was when I used it professionally, and the last one I bought was 17, some five years ago, so that's a while. I think there's probably a 'free' download to try the latest, or just replaced, version. Have a go. Give them you email address and you'll get offers when the trial period runs out. There used to be one for PowerDirector. Try them all, but go on the forums as well to see what users say. All have stability problems for a few - the loudest few - but in general, if people like it, they'll say so.
PD has a very active user base and I went to it in my early days with the software. Extremely helpful.
Rendering is not only down to computer power. PowerDirector is considerably faster at rendering than the equivalent Studio and especially MoviePlus.
I've played with Avid in a TV editing studio. I was bemused. Not for me, and from what you say, probably not you either.
My favourite was Studio, especially 17, and I went with PD because I didn't get much of a price cut from Pinnacle for an upgrade. I'll probably go back once PD gets too old.
I still say your biggest problem will be making them look professional.
"How hard can it be?"
Very hard actually. Yeah anyone can cut a clip and add an iTunes track over it but it can still look st rendered on a 10k machine.
FACT: Anything you buy for 2.5k will do exactly what you want. You need to work out what software you find easiest to use first, then base your machine around it. If you like iMovie, just buy an iMac. Premiere Pro, buy a PC.
Have you tried producing a basic video in 1080 yet on your "ancient" PCs you have now? Try it, and ask some strangers how professional it looks. 4K doesn't make a video pro.
"How hard can it be?"
Very hard actually. Yeah anyone can cut a clip and add an iTunes track over it but it can still look s
t rendered on a 10k machine.FACT: Anything you buy for 2.5k will do exactly what you want. You need to work out what software you find easiest to use first, then base your machine around it. If you like iMovie, just buy an iMac. Premiere Pro, buy a PC.
Have you tried producing a basic video in 1080 yet on your "ancient" PCs you have now? Try it, and ask some strangers how professional it looks. 4K doesn't make a video pro.
I am relatively new to video editing also, tried a few different platforms and software.
Devinci Resolve yes its good but a pain to use but it is free.
Final Cut pro is for me more logical to use in how its laid out.
I run mine just on an older Macbook pro but use an external graphics processor to speed things up for 4K
If I were stinging out it would be a 5k imac and final cut pro, loads of online tutorials
There is another option and that is not to buy another computer at all and use a cloud based system online if you have good internet speeds in the office.
There are more out there but here is first one off google
https://www.wevideo.com/sign-up?compare
Devinci Resolve yes its good but a pain to use but it is free.
Final Cut pro is for me more logical to use in how its laid out.
I run mine just on an older Macbook pro but use an external graphics processor to speed things up for 4K
If I were stinging out it would be a 5k imac and final cut pro, loads of online tutorials
There is another option and that is not to buy another computer at all and use a cloud based system online if you have good internet speeds in the office.
There are more out there but here is first one off google
https://www.wevideo.com/sign-up?compare
Personally given this brief, I would suggest a refurbished "cheese-grater" Mac Pro 5.1, beefed up with RAM and SSD storage, and Final Cut Pro
I built my own 12-core from parts off eBay and specialist vendors, within your budget. 3 SSDs incl. a PCIe card, 3 huge spinning disks, 128GB RAM, decent gaming card to accelerate rendering
Let's of companies are now offering refurbished Mac Pro's, this is one example off Google: https://macbank.co.uk/product-category/mac-pro/mac...
Just make sure that whatever graphics card they supply is both flashed for Mac (shows the apple logo on boot-up) and compatible with OS-X Mojave (there aren't many....)
There's a new Mac Pro imminent, no idea on cost, but Apple were never cheap. That may lower the cost of buying a refurb...
I built my own 12-core from parts off eBay and specialist vendors, within your budget. 3 SSDs incl. a PCIe card, 3 huge spinning disks, 128GB RAM, decent gaming card to accelerate rendering
Let's of companies are now offering refurbished Mac Pro's, this is one example off Google: https://macbank.co.uk/product-category/mac-pro/mac...
Just make sure that whatever graphics card they supply is both flashed for Mac (shows the apple logo on boot-up) and compatible with OS-X Mojave (there aren't many....)
There's a new Mac Pro imminent, no idea on cost, but Apple were never cheap. That may lower the cost of buying a refurb...
Look at something with 16GB +, fast CPU, good SSD and a good GPU.
Most of editing apps, colour correction or effects apps are now GPU accelerated, meaning you can do your work far faster on a good GPU than on CPU alone.
Take a look at NVIDIA new stuido stuff, you will find a good spec system with your laptop. Plus you could also game if needed.
Most of editing apps, colour correction or effects apps are now GPU accelerated, meaning you can do your work far faster on a good GPU than on CPU alone.
Take a look at NVIDIA new stuido stuff, you will find a good spec system with your laptop. Plus you could also game if needed.
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