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Newbie Lookin' for advice on a decent video editing PC

Razor62

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Hey Folks! I'm just getting my feet wet in photography / videography. Getting into drone flying has led me to it. I'm considering purchasing a PC for 4k video editing and I don't know where to begin. There's so much info on the web that my head is spinning.
I don't need a top of the line machine but I don't wanna' find myself regretting my purchase a few months down the road for lack of performance either. Is it possible to find something that'll suit my needs for less than $1,000.00?
 
Hey Folks! I'm just getting my feet wet in photography / videography. Getting into drone flying has led me to it. I'm considering purchasing a PC for 4k video editing and I don't know where to begin. There's so much info on the web that my head is spinning.
I don't need a top of the line machine but I don't wanna' find myself regretting my purchase a few months down the road for lack of performance either. Is it possible to find something that'll suit my needs for less than $1,000.00?

You mentioned 4K resolution. Are you planning on editing h264 or h265? And do you already know what software you plan to use to edit? These can make a big difference regarding what hardware you’ll need to edit.

If you’re just doing basic stuff, some people edit using their phones and tablets. Others go all the way up to super-fancy editing rigs that cost more than my truck did.
 
You mentioned 4K resolution. Are you planning on editing h264 or h265? And do you already know what software you plan to use to edit? These can make a big difference regarding what hardware you’ll need to edit.

If you’re just doing basic stuff, some people edit using their phones and tablets. Others go all the way up to super-fancy editing rigs that cost more than my truck did.
To be honest, I don't know the difference between h264 and h265. I'm currently using a Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 with the Power Director App and I'd most likely upgrade to the professional, PC version as I'm already somewhat familiar with the program. I like the app but I find that I'm looking for features that aren't included with the app version.
 
To be honest, I don't know the difference between h264 and h265. I'm currently using a Samsung Galaxy Tab S4 with the Power Director App and I'd most likely upgrade to the professional, PC version as I'm already somewhat familiar with the program. I like the app but I find that I'm looking for features that aren't included with the app version.
No problem. Looks like CyberLink PowerDirector for Windows has fairly low system requirements. Core processor, 64 bit Windows 7 or later, 128 mb graphics card and 4 gigs of system memory. You should have no problem finding hardware that can run it for under $1k. Remember that these are minimum requirements, so it’ll run better if you feed it better graphics, RAM and processor. But you don’t need to get too crazy. Remember to get plenty of storage for all those videos and photos.

Here’s a link to the full system requirements:

PowerDirector 365

Good luck!
 
The H' are video encoding standards H265 is the most recent taking it up to 4k or 1080P suffice to say if want to record at higher resolution use H 265 as the standard setting

You probably want to use a desktop and a decent software setup
 
The H' are video encoding standards H265 is the most recent taking it up to 4k or 1080P suffice to say if want to record at higher resolution use H 265 as the standard setting

You probably want to use a desktop and a decent software setup
WOW! Thank You ShadowCat! You took the time to do some research for me . That's over and above. I can't thank you folks enough. I'm off to a great start.
 
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Right upfront I am NOT a professional photographer. I use VSDC. There is both a free version and a paid version. There are also a ton of videos on YouTube on all of it's different features. HERE is a link to their web page.
 
Da Vinci Resolve is a great free version in basic form, but that basic form does an awful lot !
I got it for a while, but it was too much of a learning curve for me time wise.
Still battling along with basic DJI Go4 editor and iMovie :)

Definitely check out whatever you get on a Youtube search, usually loads of great tutorials for various editors, and a way to shorten the learning cycle.

One I've downloaded onto my PC is Openshot, which numerous people here have recommended.
Not sure of the capabilities, haven't opened it yet !! . . . but it should do 4k.


From what I've read, h264 / h265 only matters at the very high end of playback, depends what you want from your finished videos.
If just for youtube or average tv / decent computer monitor you should be able to find a free editor ok.
 
C
Da Vinci Resolve is a great free version in basic form, but that basic form does an awful lot !
I got it for a while, but it was too much of a learning curve for me time wise.
Still battling along with basic DJI Go4 editor and iMovie :)

Definitely check out whatever you get on a Youtube search, usually loads of great tutorials for various editors, and a way to shorten the learning cycle.

One I've downloaded onto my PC is Openshot, which numerous people here have recommended.
Not sure of the capabilities, haven't opened it yet !! . . . but it should do 4k.


From what I've read, h264 / h265 only matters at the very high end of playback, depends what you want from your finished videos.
If just for youtube or average tv / decent computer monitor you should be able to find a free editor ok.

Correct about the H' as it is a standard for video compression, and equally correct for playback at higher end playback. hence 4k use.

With regards to editing software there are quite a number of free good quality ones about, personally I would use one that is simple and easy to use don't worry bout the quality of the video, play around with the editing software and see what you can do with it. Keep a master copy of the video before you do anything elsewhere so you don't accidentally overwrite it.
 
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H265 is not required for 4K. H.264 works fine, but with much bigger files. H.265 Requires a much more powerful PC and graphics card.
 
I have also struggled with video editing. You are correct to upgrade your PC. Older PC's just cant handle 4k video. A good chip is an Intel 8th or 10th Gen i5 chip on a new board. 8 gig DDR ram minimum, and minimum 250 gig SSD HD. SSD unit prices have really come down. Recommend 500 gig SSD. 4K takes up a lot of memory. Find a video card that can handle 4K. Of course a 4K screen helps. I use a 32 inch 4K Smart TV as a monitor. Better if you have an HDMI out on that video card for best picture.
I have tried several of the video programs mentioned above, and yes, the learning curve is huge...for me it's easier to fly a plane!
Good luck with the upgrade and have fun with the video editing. The results are worth it.
 
Get the fastest, most powerful chip available within your means, followed by a big graphics card. Increased RAM (not storage) is good for running multiple programs at once, but doesn't help with video rendering. Increased storage is good to accommodate the larger 4K files. I run an i7 chip and 24 GB of RAM, but I principally edit video.
 
I had the same issues, here is the results of my research;

Without a decent video card ( 4 GB ) or higher, your 4 K video playback will likely be very poor. You will also need a case that is capable of supplying the necessary power ( watts ) to run the video card. Also some video cards will need a dedicated power input.

I bought this for abut $160.00 online;

GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 OC 4G Graphics Card, 2X Windforce Fans, 4GB 128-Bit GDDR5, Gv-N1650OC-4GD Video Card

Works well on my 4K monitor and smooth playback of 4k video. Requires 300 watt power supply, but does not need additional dedicated power input. Draws all the power from the PCI slot.

And, I use Pinnacle Studio for editing ( under $100 ) mostly because I already owned the software. A good balance of price/value and ease of use .

Good Luck !
 
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