Video editing requires you to have a PC or laptop with good specs. If you don’t have a system that is packed with good hardware, chances are that you won’t be able to get a smooth editing experience. Therefore, it is important to know which components you need for it. And today, we are going to discuss how much RAM you need for video editing.
You need 8 GB of RAM for video editing for the short answer. This is the minimum amount of RAM you should have on your PC or Laptop for video editing. 16 GB RAM is considered good for high-resolution videos, while 32 and 64 GB RAM are meant for more complex projects.
The amount of RAM you need depends on the type of video editing you do. If you’re a beginner and only do small projects, you’re fine with 8 GB. However, you’ll need more RAM for bigger projects to get a smooth experience.
Our guide will mention different RAM sizes and when they should be used.
8 GB RAM for Video Editing
8 GB RAM is the minimum you need if you want to do some video editing. This is the lowest requirement, and you should at least have this much placed in your PC. If you are editing videos that have a 720p or lower resolution and the project you’re working on isn’t huge, you will be fine with using 8 GB RAM. But again, keep in mind that this is the lowest amount of RAM you should be using while editing videos that don’t have a high resolution.
When you open video editing programs, you’ll notice that they will already have used a significant part of your 8 GB RAM. And if you want to make sure you have a smooth editing experience with 8 GB of RAM, you’ll need to close all other applications running on your system.
16 GB RAM for Video Editing
If you are editing 1080p projects, having 16 GB RAM is a must. If you try to edit such videos with 8 GB RAM, your PC will struggle, and your software will most likely crash, making you lose all of your progress. Therefore, if you have learned to edit properly and are ready to take on bigger projects, upgrading your RAM to 16 GB will save you a lot of hassle.
You will be able to edit 1080p projects smoothly without worrying about your system lagging. The best part is that you can even edit 4k footage with 16 GB RAM, but only if you are not planning to use any high-end effects on your footage.
32 GB RAM for Video Editing
32 GB RAM is used when you’re working on 4k projects where you will be using many effects. With this much RAM, you won’t have to worry about your system getting slow while editing, as it will be able to handle anything you throw at it. The best part is that 32 GB RAM allows you to open and use other applications while your editing software is running. This will enable you to multitask without worrying about slowing down your editing software. 32 GB RAM comes on the expensive side, but it is a one-time investment, and you will not regret your decision to upgrade after seeing how good its performance is.
64 GB RAM for Video Editing
If you want the ultimate video editing experience, you must upgrade your RAM to 64 GB. With this much RAM, you won’t need to worry about upgrading it for the years to come. If you’re someone who edits high-end projects that either involve 4k footage with massive effects or 8k footage, it is recommended that you get 64 GB RAM placed in your system.
This is the highest you should go if you’re into video editing, as anything more than 64 GB is currently not required. As you might have already guessed, 64 GB RAM will be pretty expensive, and you should get it only if needed. Otherwise, you will be fine with 32 GB RAM.
The RAM Requirements for Different Video Editing Software
Here are the RAM requirements for some of the most popular video editing software.
Premiere Pro
For Premiere Pro, you will need a minimum of 8 GB of RAM to edit your footage properly. Its recommended specifications are 16 GB of RAM for HD footage and 32 GB for 4k or higher.
Davinci Resolve
Davinci Resolve requires you to have a minimum of 16 GB RAM for HD footage. If you’re planning to edit 4k or higher footage in it, you’ll need a minimum of 32 GB RAM.
Final Cut Pro X
Final Cut Pro X is better optimized for hardware resources than the software mentioned above, so its requirements are low. You need only 4 GB of RAM to edit HD footage on it and 8GB of RAM if you’re planning to edit 4k footage or 360° videos.
These are only a few major video editing software. There are more available, and you can check their RAM requirements on their official websites.
Conclusion
This was all you needed to know regarding how much RAM you need for video editing. As you can see, 8 GB of RAM is the minimum you’ll need, while 64 GB of RAM will put you in the top spot. However, you’ll only need 16 or 32 GB of RAM in most cases. If you are tight on budget, getting 16 GB RAM can also provide a smooth editing experience. However, we recommend you upgrade your RAM as soon as possible if you belong to the 8 GB gang.
