The processor’s core count affects your computer’s ability to render files and export final content.

You might do a third pass to color correct, followed by another render. Then you might add a graphics layer and render your project again. For example, you might cut your raw footage together, then render your project. Video project files need to be rendered between each editing pass. If you need to do color correction, work in layers, add special effects, import graphics, or add transitions, having a high-performance processor is key. The more complicated the editing project, the more processing power you need-especially if you’re editing extremely large files from 4K video footage. The higher the frequency, the faster performance you’ll get for running creative applications and making edits to project files. Your computer’s processor frequency, or clock speed, affects your ability to work with your content. Let’s take a closer look at the basic specifications. In general, the faster and more powerful the video editing PC specs, the better-quality output you’ll get. For archiving finished projects and associated raw footage, a good bulk storage system can accommodate large file sizes. You’ll need to transfer working files to a fast storage drive that can act as a high-performance extension of your computer. Larger projects, however, require a lot more storage and processing horsepower. Where video files are relatively small, you can upload footage directly to your computer and edit from there. For small projects shot with a smartphone or for online-only purposes, you may not need an external drive. You should also consider what types of external hard drives you’ll use. You need even more when multitasking with creative applications, such as those used for creating graphics or manipulating still imagery.

For example, video editing software requires a lot of RAM. Your desktop PC should support all of your creative tools seamlessly. If you’re producing professional commercials, you’ll need a fast computer that can help you meet deadlines. Making a how-to vlog series for YouTube requires far less processing power than editing a feature film or creating video for virtual reality. To start with, the best desktop for video editing depends on what type of content you’re creating.

Video editing computer