Advice on building a new editing PC?

[Rastus]

The high end laptop I'm using is just not powerful enough to edit P3Pro and Osmo X3 footage at 1080P 30fps. I currently use Adobe Premiere CS6 and Avid Media Composer 8.4.2 but I'd like to start using Davinci Resolve.

Anyone have PC specs recommendations that would allow me to successfully edit and grade footage in 1080P and 4K?
Thanks!

 

[SnoozeDoggyDog]

Eh? I'm using a 2012 macbook to edit 1080 60fps. Runs like a dream using final cut X. Granted it won't run Davinci but final cut get the job done

 

[RadRich]

I bought a refurbished HP ENVY 4th Gen I7 with 16GB RAM for ~ $700 back in March 2015. I also upgraded the HDD to SSD. I use Premiere CC 2015 and have no issues editing 1080p 60fps video. Really fast and sufficient.

CPU & RAM
Processor: 4th generation Intel Quad Core i7-4710HQ, 2.5GHz with Turbo Boost up to 3.5GHz
RAM: 16GB DDR3 1600MHz

Graphics & Audio
Graphics: Intel HD graphics 4600 with up to 1792MB total graphics memory
Audio: Beats Audio quad speakers and two subwoofers

Here's on one Ebay now:
HP Envy 15T-K000 15.6" FHD Touch i7-4710HQ 2.50GHz 1TB 16GB BLURAY WEBCAM W10

 

[RadRich]

I attempted to install the free version and opted out of installing QT for Windows, due to a known security issue. Because of this, Resolve will not import any videos, so I'm going to uninstall it. Oh well. I have plenty of video editors. Cyberlink Power Director 14 is my usual go to editor, but since I'm paying a yearly fee for Adobe, I've been trying to use Premier CC.

Apple stops patching QuickTime for Windows despite 2 active vulnerabilities

Tried a 2nd attempt this time checking the option for QT 7 install. Still gets the same error:

 

[Reed L]

Personally I stick to laptops with an HDMI port because I can take it anywhere with me traveling and use the HDMI to plug into any TV. So at home you can plug it into your big screen and coupled with a wireless mouse and keyboard, you can sit in your easy chair and get the most out of it. Or when camping, it easily goes with you for editing or whatever.
For the Laptop -
ROG G701VO - Overview

For the Screen -
LG 65EF9500: The best high-end TV gets flat-out better

 

[RadRich]

Yeah, but he's saying his laptop doesn't have enough power to run a certain editing software. How does HDMI output resolve that?

 

[m0j0]

Here is where you should start.My advice is ... if you want to just buy a system get a MacBook Pro and be done with it. I have never used them for editing but I read that they are great turnkey systems. The downsize is they are very expensive and do not offer much flexibility for upgrading.

If you don't want to spend double buy the parts and build it yourself. I did, I had never worked with computers before. Here is a link to the videoguys website. They have instructions on building a purpose built editing system. The current system can be built for around 1100 and it edit and render 4K easily.

DIY 11: Videoguys' DIY 11: How to Build an Affordable Editing & Streaming Workstation with Balanced Components for the Best Performance - Videoguys Blog

More system selections:
Videoguys' System Recommendations for Video Editing (April 2015 update) - Videoguys Blog


I have DIY 9 that I built 6 years ago. It is still very powerful I can edit 4K with it but.. the render times are slow. I have a 920 processor (which is old and slow). What I have learned is that Processor is important... More cores = faster rendering. More memory is also critical. Another key is video card... Premiere optimizes the use of CUDA on your video card so... more CUDA cores is better. Use the link and read up there is great information on that site.

 

[Reed L]

Yeah, but he's saying his laptop doesn't have enough power to run a certain editing software. How does HDMI output resolve that?

Just because he has a slow laptop now doesn't mean that they are all slow... HDMI comes with almost all laptops and has for many years. The Laptop that I posted above will run any 4K editing program he can come up with.

 

[m0j0]

Just because he has a slow laptop now doesn't mean that they are all slow... HDMI comes with almost all laptops and has for many years. The Laptop that I posted above will run any 4K editing program he can come up with.

That laptop should work. The problem with it will not be editing the video. The render times will be really long because it is a quad core processor. So run the program yes. Render the video not so much. You need processing power (more cores the better), memory and CUDA video cores to really be able to work with 4k video. To get that in a laptop is $$$ ---- i can build a desktop for less than half the price that will edit and render faster. That laptop is listing somewhere north of 3500 I bet I could build a system for 1500.

 

[m0j0]

Like I said if you are going to go with a turnkey system macbook pro is the way I would go.

 

[Volantis]

It is one thing to have a computer that will edit in 4K, but you also need a monitor that can show 4K. My system is a 64 bit, 16 GB RAM, AMD Quad Core with a GEForce GTS 450 video card, but my monitor is only 720p. I run Linux and can process the video in 4K, but I can't see the 4K results.

My computer desk can only take up to a 32" screen, which is the size I prefer, and I cannot find a 32" 4K monitor or TV anywhere. Start with the monitor you will be using and build your system around that.

 

[Reed L]

That laptop should work. The problem with it will not be editing the video. The render times will be really long because it is a quad core processor. So run the program yes. Render the video not so much. You need processing power (more cores the better), memory and CUDA video cores to really be able to work with 4k video. To get that in a laptop is $$$ ---- i can build a desktop for less than half the price that will edit and render faster. That laptop is listing somewhere north of 3500 I bet I could build a system for 1500.

Yes, you can always build a pc for less but you lose the portability. I used to build all of my pc's but found out long ago that a laptop can't be beat for portability. I have the same i7 processor in my laptop and can render 4K videos at around 2 to 1, so a 10 minute video takes 5 minutes to render and process into h264 give or take depending on the amount of slo-mo and other added effects that I put in. Plus I can take it anywhere with its own screen or use it at home with the 55" screen that I have here. I haven't bought a monitor in this decade and don't need one with a laptop. Man I hate pc's and I just don't see a need for them at all anymore My ASUS Laptop was well under $1000 at Fry's and everything is right here at my fingertips, wherever I go and... I'm not stuck carrying around a box and a tv screen...

 

[m0j0]

It is one thing to have a computer that will edit in 4K, but you also need a monitor that can show 4K. My system is a 64 bit, 16 GB RAM, AMD Quad Core with a GEForce GTS 450 video card, but my monitor is only 720p. I run Linux and can process the video in 4K, but I can't see the 4K results.

My computer desk can only take up to a 32" screen, which is the size I prefer, and I cannot find a 32" 4K monitor or TV anywhere. Start with the monitor you will be using and build your system around that.

I'm going to say the monitor is the last thing I worry about... last. Most of my work is 1080p. I always film in 4K and then output to customers in 1080p. Quad core is not enough unless you aren't planning on doing much rendering. The system I run now is old 3.2 ghz processor running 8 cores.. I run 24 GB of ripsaw highspeed ram. Im using a Nvidia Card 680 series (4GB ram).

Two efficently render you need storage setup properly - this is a basic setup
Operating system has it SSD 1TB
Raw video only 2TB Gtech Raid
Output - 5GB SSD

For now I use dual monitors neither are 4K

 

[m0j0]

Yes, you can always build a pc for less but you lose the portability. I used to build all of my pc's but found out long ago that a laptop can't be beat for portability. I have the same i7 processor in my laptop and can render 4K videos at around 2 to 1, so a 10 minute video takes 5 minutes to render and process into h264 give or take depending on the amount of slo-mo and other added effects that I put in. Plus I can take it anywhere with its own screen or use it at home with the 55" screen that I have here. I haven't bought a monitor in this decade and don't need one with a laptop. Man I hate pc's and I just don't see a need for them at all anymore My ASUS Laptop was well under $1000 at Fry's and everything is right here at my fingertips, wherever I go and... I'm not stuck carrying around a box and a tv screen...

Sounds like it works for you. I am on the other side. I would love the portability of a laptop but that comes with a huge downside. Cost to performance... I am a professional event videographer. I render tons and tons of video and have TB's of raw footage that I archive. A laptop would be great except for the fact that to stay efficient and be able to keep up with clients I need power. In two years that laptop will be obsolete for me. A desktop not so much. I have upgraded my PC twice since I built it in 2007. Major upgrades that you cant do with a laptop. So yeah if you are a weekend guy that edits his own stuff and occasionally does a little side work the laptop will work just fine today. I have different needs though and will portability is a great feature ... it comes at the sacrifice of upgradablilty.

So I agree with you in respect to a laptop will work for your needs. It won't for mine. I'll add I hate laptops... they are underpowered and $$$$... upgrading is limited and it cost more to do it. I edit all my stuff in my office anyway.

Best of luck to the OP. I'll say it again. If you are serious about building an editing machine go with one of the custom builds from the Videoguys. its a year old but you get the idea. Research your MB make certain that it will allow you to upgrade to the upcoming chips. You wont regret it. Pay close attention to Processing cores and processing speed that is what brings your rendering time down. Additionally, you can speed up editing, rendering by optimizing your storage space. Separate drives for system, storage, raw video and output.

 

[BarryP]

I have the most powerful, loaded MacBook Pro and it does a great job with Premier Pro and 4K video.

It has 2 gb of video ram

Here are your priorities, in order:

With Davinci, you need, minimally 4 gb of video ram

Get SSD drive for your program and footage

Make sure you have plenty of Ram.

 

[Volantis]

I'm going to say the monitor is the last thing I worry about... last.

That's silly. The original poster wants to edit with 4K output. I would imagine it is important to be able to see the output in the target resolution.

You have a nice machine, my windows 7 machine is close to that in memory, although it, too, is a quad core. Both my main desktops can edit 4K video and process it easy enough. And yes, it is nice working with dual monitors, however, the whole point of processing a 4K video is to see 4K video. If you haven't got the monitor, you will not know if your finished product meets your expectations, or not. Neither will you be able to enjoy it in 4K. So what would be the point of editing in time consuming 4K when 1080 is all you can see anyway?

 

[Martin Smith]

Lenovo Thinkserver... Not Kidding. Best pc I'v ever owned. fast as Sh#t I kid you not.... renders videos before you can name the file Amazon.com: Lenovo ThinkServer TS140 70A4001MUX Intel Quad Core Xeon E3-1225v3 4GB RAM 500GB HDD Desktop Server PC: Computers & Accessories

 

[Reed L]

Lenovo Thinkserver... Not Kidding. Best pc I'v ever owned. fast as Sh#t I kid you not.... renders videos before you can name the file Amazon.com: Lenovo ThinkServer TS140 70A4001MUX Intel Quad Core Xeon E3-1225v3 4GB RAM 500GB HDD Desktop Server PC: Computers & Accessories

So it will edit 4K with only 4 gigs of ram?

 

[ryanmanchester]

Custom build is so much cheaper, I'm running a i7 6700, 64gb ddr4 ram, 3 X 750 evos, GTX 980 and 4K monitor. Runs apcc like a dream and renders in no time. Only issue is I'm confined to the kitchen [emoji85][emoji85][emoji51]


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[ElGuapo]

The high end laptop I'm using is just not powerful enough to edit P3Pro and Osmo X3 footage at 1080P 30fps. I currently use Adobe Premiere CS6 and Avid Media Composer 8.4.2 but I'd like to start using Davinci Resolve.

Anyone have PC specs recommendations that would allow me to successfully edit and grade footage in 1080P and 4K?
Thanks!

Personally I use a Macbook Pro, iMovie is fully capable to edit 4K video. Don't have to buy additional software. However I also like the flexibility Adobe Premier Pro CC offers, which you can use on a monthly plan.

I am an Information Technology Manager I know Macs are a bit expensive but by the time you are done building a Windows machine with editing capabilities you are going to come close to the cost of an Apple Mac. In addition to that OSX comes with iMovie fully capable to edit 4K videos, at no extra charge. Do not get me wrong I like windows machine, they are budget machines but you also have to think from the practical stand point.
You can buy refurbished from the Apple store with a 1 year warranty. Not long ago I purchased a Refurbished Macbook Pro for my daughter directly from the Apple store. Out the door was close to $1,000. If your budge is tight you can apply for financing and make monthly payments.