Best Computer for Video Editing

While selecting a machine for video editing, there are certain configurations that are a must. Before we start discussing them, let us discuss what's the best computer for video editing. Is it a Laptop or Desktop? The greatest advantage of laptop computers over desktops is portability and the less space they occupy. But, trust me if you wish to do some serious editing, then having a setup in a room which is fixed works the best. Why? Because, while editing you would like some quiet and peace, and put the set up in a room where your little brother/sister or pet doesn't disturb it. Also, while rendering videos (which can take hours or even a night) takes time, it is best that you have a setup in a room which doesn't get disturbed.

The biggest advantage of having a desktop computer for video editing is that you can buy a powerful machine (which is required for video editing) for a price which is half or one-third less of a laptop loaded with the same features. Another advantage of a desktop PC over laptop is that you can keep updating the hardware in a desktop, while updating laptop hardware is expensive and has certain limitations. Also, with a laptop you will get a smaller sized screen, but with a desktop you can get a larger screen, that will make the job of video editing easy as you will be able to view the videos minutely. So, yes, a desktop PC is the best computer for video editing. But, if you still wish to go for a laptop (maybe, because portability matters more to you), then there are two laptop models mentioned in the last section, which you can consider.

What Features You Should Look For

There is a difference between configurations required for amateur video editing, and difference between configurations required for professional editing. If you are looking for basic editing, then you can use a basic configuration, but if you think you might need better and faster editing then look for these features in a machine.

• A good RAM is important, so that your machine doesn't slow down when you are installing a heavy editing software. A good RAM will also keep editing and rendering videos faster and smoother. Get a 4GB or more RAM installed. Athlon processors are one of the best choices.
• You will be installing a video editing software, saving editing projects, rendering one project in couple of formats, storing raw videos, etc. For this purpose you need a good hard drive, most computers today come with a basic 160 GB hard drive capacity, which is good enough but if you can get a better deal of a larger hard drive space, then go for it. You can keep a separate partition on the drive to store all your projects.
• Two important features required for video editing are a graphics card and a sound card. You can go for a minimum of 1GB nVidia Quatro or a Geforce graphics card or more if you can afford it. Also, go for a quality sound card and with an ASUS motherboard, which is a preferred choice for CG work and editing.
• A good screen is essential, so that you can keep 2-3 windows open together. Also, the interface of an editing software is large. Having a large size of screen will allow you to edit and preview the video output, without scrolling the interface.
• These were the hardware specs required, now about the software. The best video editing software for beginners are Apple iMovie and Wax. If you are considering professional video editing, then the choices are Pinnacle Studio Ultimate Version 12, Final Cut Pro 7, and Adobe Premiere Pro.

Best Computers for Video Editing

As you must have noticed the above configurations are easier and affordable to get in a desktop, however, if you wish to do basic home video editing then a basic laptop will suffice. Here are some options.

Assembled Machine: This is the best option of desktop PC for video editing, you can buy the individual parts separately and install them yourself or by a professional. This way you can cut down on fancy looking parts, and buy powerful hardware. Wondering, how to build a computer step by step? Just buy the above mentioned parts, and add other basic parts like a cabinet, mouse and keyboard to assemble your machine.

Instead of buying a computer, assembling a powerful machine always pays in the long term. This is because you will be having the freedom to pump-up the computer with the powerful parts of the best brands available. Also, going for higher configurations than the necessary, will ensure that your computer remains a powerful machine for years. So, you don't have to replace it every year with a new machine, which can get very expensive. You will have the freedom to update the individual parts whenever you feel the machine is not sustaining to heavy rendering or latest software. However, if you still feel that instead of building, buying the computer is better than consider the mentioned below computers.

HP Z800 Computer Workstation: Comes with a great sleek design and a large screen. This machine is efficient, and you can customize this machine with a graphics card of nVidia or ATI. It has large hard disk to store your projects, without having to worry about 'running out of space'. All in all a good computer for video editing.

Mac Pro: Many professionals say that Mac Pro is the best machine out there for video editing. However, if you like working with a mac interface or going to use an editing software which is compatible with mac only, then go for a Mac Pro desktop. You can select the RAM size and graphics card of ATI or nVidia.

HP EliteBook 8730w Mobile Workstation: This is a good solution to the HP's desktop workstation, not the perfect replacement though. It comes with many ports, a 17" display, 4GB RAM, and a decent laptop battery life.

Toshiba Qosmio X505-Q880: This is a great looking model that has a red and black color combination. It is a great laptop for HD editing, has good graphics card, powerful processing, and all this in a decent budget.

These were the tips on selecting the best computer for video editing, and some of the best options for laptops and desktops available for video editing. You can buy a computer from the above choices, but from my personal experience I would say, go for an assembled machine, because it has far more advantages. So remember the above tips while shopping for a machine for video editing. Good luck!