Best PC For Video Editing in 2021

So you’ve just started editing videos and are running into bottlenecks with your current laptop? No worries ‘cause we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’re gonna be talking about the best PC for video editing depending on your budget.

What do I need to start editing videos?

You will need recording and editing software that can record and edit videos. Secondly, you’ll need a computer that can handle your workload. 

Video editing is a graphics-intensive operation as you might have guessed and hence a PC with a dedicated graphics card is very important. 

RAM wise 8GB of RAM is the minimum in my opinion anything below that could very easily bottleneck your PC. 

Moving onto the main processor aka the CPU you should try to get one that has multiple threads since editing videos revolves around performing multiple tasks simultaneously. For example when a video is being played, the audio and video both need to be read from the storage and played simultaneously.

A number of ports are another very important consideration when getting a PC for video editing. You need to have at least one HDMI out, audio jack, and a generous number of USB ports. Keep in mind that USB-c and normal USBs are not the same.

ALSO READ: Top 3 Best Audio Mixing Software For Streaming Free Download

Building vs Buying

While building a PC can help you cherry-pick the components you want your PC to have, it can be difficult to build and can also end up being costlier than buying a similar PC off the shelf.

In case you are well versed with technology and none of the PC’s in the list below satisfy your need, you should go ahead and build yourself a custom PC.

If you have a smaller budget building a PC could be a better option since you can buy cheaper parts and focus your budget on parts of your PC that are essential for video editing such as the graphics card and the processor aka CPU.

If you’re thinking of building a PC in the mid-range I’d advise you to buy a premade PC since they tend to be cheaper and you don’t have to worry about messing up your PC.

Most commercial PC’s nowadays have adapted a sleek design to be more appealing to the customer but this might hamper your performance. These PCs or all-in-one’s as they are marketed, use laptop-style cooling fans to cool your CPU which isn’t the best way to cool off your CPU. Hence when buying a PC choose a boxy PC that has room for ventilation as opposed to sleeker all-in-one PCs.

Overall I do speak in favor of custom building PC’s but there are quite a few good options within commercial PC’s too which I want to discuss first. 

In case you decide to custom build your PC from scratch make sure to read till the end.

Commercial PC’s suited for video editing

Let’s divide our list into 3 categories :

1. Under 50k
2. Under 1 lac
3. Over 1lac

ALSO READ: 7 Best Scanner App Made In India 2021

Under 50K INR

Sub 50K is the perfect range for beginners and hobbyists. In this price range, you’ll see most PCs lacking decent graphics while some might not even have one. You can get better deals with some refurbished PC’s but I won’t be getting into that right now. So without further ado here are my top picks for best PC’s video editing in under 50K INR:

SYNTRONIC Desktop PC Computer

At ₹ 29,499 (at the time of writing this article) this PC sounds like a steal. You can get your basic video editing done on this but nothing more.

With a 3rd generation, i7 paired with a 2GB NVIDIA GT 710 graphics card this PC barely qualifies for video editing. The hardware is extremely outdated and I would recommend you build one rather than buy this one.

FEATURES:

1. Intel i7 3rd generation (3.1Ghz clock speed)
2. 2GB Nvidia GT 710
3. 16GB DDR3 RAM
4. 1TB hard drive
5. 5 USB 2.0 Ports
6. 3 USB 3.0 Port
7. Dual display support ( VGA and HDMI ports available )

PROS:

1. It comes with a graphics card
2. 1 TB storage
3. 8 USB ports overall means great connectivity
4. HDMI and VGA outputs allow you to connect multiple monitors
5. 2 year warranty

CONS:

1. Very outdated hardware (the cpu was released back in 2012)
2. The graphics card cannot handle anything other than basic video editing
3. Lack of an SSD means that boot times will be higher and you might see some lag when playing back video
4. The amazon page seems intentionally vague which makes me question the listing’s legitimacy

REO Desktop

At ₹ 42,600 ( at the time of writing this article ) this would be my choice for video editing in the sub 50K range as it hits all the right notes with its hardware.

A 9th generation intel i7 along with a 2GB NVIDIA GTX 1030 makes this PC ideal for both beginners and hobbyists.

It comes preinstalled with 8 GB of RAM but can be expanded up to 32 GB of RAM later. 6 cores and 6 threads would offer a great video editing experience.

The PC comes with a 120GB SSD which can be used to store the operating systems and a few programs as well, reducing loading times significantly.

FEATURES :

1. Intel i7 9400f ( 6 threads and 6 cores )
2. 8 GB of RAM ( expandable upto 32 GB )
3. 120 GB SSD
4. 1 TB HDD
5. 4 high speed SATA ports ( on motherboard )
6. 2 GB NVIDIA GT 1030 graphics card
7. 2 years warranty
8. Comes with a wifi dongle

PROS :

1. NVIDIA GT 1030 is an amazing graphics card at this price point. It should be able to handle medium to low editing loads very well
2. Having the option to expand your RAM upto 32 Gb ensures that the RAM is never the bottleneck
3. A 120 GB SSD lets you be quick and on your tips
4. Great value for money
5. HDMI support
6. Comes with windows 10 pro installed

CONS :

1. Unknown brand, hence might not have good customer care
2. Smaller cabinet, hence greater chance of heating up the processor

Under ₹ 1 lac

This is the price segment where you won’t have to compromise on any of the features and are sure to get a workhorse of a PC. This segment is perfect for those who edit VFX or are just tired of using slower hardware and want to up their hardware game.

Zebronics RGB Gaming Desktop Computer

Knowing Zebronics and being a frequent user of their products I can testify that this Indian company has some of the best products when it comes to PCs.

At ₹ 62,199 ( at the time of writing this article ) this PC is a beast, it can easily take care of most of your video editing needs and much more. It is capable of some light VFX and even some 3D modeling and animation.

Along with some extremely powerful hardware, this PC also boasts some cool looks with its RGB theme and lights.

With about 1.5 TB of storage in all this PC has definitely got your back. A 480 GB SSD ensures that everything loads up quickly. Giving you a boost in your productivity.

FEATURES :

1. Intel i5 6th generation ( 3.2 GHz clock speed )
2. 4 GB NVIDIA GeForece GTX 1050Ti graphics card
3. 480 GB SSD
4. 16 GB DDR3 RAM
5. 1 TB hard drive
6. Inbuilt support for WiFi
7. RGB fans and light
8. Comes with an RGB backlit keyboard and a premium USB mouse
9. Comes with windows 10 preinstalled

PROS :

1. The graphics card is more than enough for most video editing applications
2. 480 GB SSD endures that you can boot up faster and load faster.
3. VGA support means that you can use your older monitor with this PC as well
4. Stylish looking case with dust filters helping you keep your PC parts dust free
5. Supports 160mm cooler hence allowing for better cooling which helps with efficiency and longevity of your PC
6. Great value for money

CONS :

1. The CPU is slightly old hence might not be able to perform as well
2. The RAM is DDR3 which is one version behind most other PC’s which use DDR4 and with DDR5 rumored to release in a few years, DDR3 RAM might feel tedious slow
3. No information about warranty is given, leading me to believe that there is no warranty on this product.

ASUS ROG Strix GL10CS

ASUS ROG has now become a name synonymous with gaming and content creation. With a 6 GB GTX 1660, it’s not going to disappoint you.

Even though this configuration comes with 8 GBs of RAM out of the box you can later add more DIMMs and expand the RAM up to 32 GBs. Even though the RAM is just 8 GBs it has a higher than average clock speed at 2666 MHz which helps you in the event of overclocking your CPU.

The entire unit is housed in a minimalistic RGB case with the ROG logo slapped on its face. The tempered glass on the sideshows of the inner parts of the PC.

FEATURES :

1. 6 GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660
2. Intel i5 9400F ( 9th generation 4.1 GHz clock speed 6 cores 6 threads)
3. 8 GB DDR4 RAM ( 2666 MHz clock speed )
4. 512 GB SSD
5. 1 TB Hard Drive
6. Intel B360 motherboard
7. 4 USB 3.0 ports
8. 2 USB 2.0 ports
9. Bluetooth and WiFi chipset onboard
10. RGB PC cabinet with adjustable colours
11. Windows 10 home preinstalled
12. HDMI and DVI out available

PROS :

1. A 6 GB DDR6 GTX 1660 can easily handle your content creation needs.
2. Expandable DDR4 RAM slots ensure that RAM is never the bottleneck
3. 512 GB SSD helps you load up faster.
4. Adjustable lights on the case helps you stand out from the crowd
5. ASUS is known to have good customer support

CONS :

1. Slightly old CPU
2. 8 GB’s of RAM out of the box might not be for heavy editing loads

Over ₹ 1 lac

At this price range, you don’t want to be holding back on anything, you want buttery smooth performance no matter what you’re throwing at your PC. This category is where I expect experienced users to be choosing from. At this stage, it makes sense to build out your own PC but for those not interested in building their own PC here are a few options.

ROG Strix GT35

With this build, I can firmly say that you won’t be running into issues with performance any time soon.

With a 10th gen i7 and an 8 GB GDDR6 graphics card, you can cruise through VFX, editing and modeling without much difficulty.

FEATURES :

1. Intel i7 10th gen ( 8 cores 16 threads 5 GHz clock speed )
2. 8 GB GDDR6 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 super
3. 16 GB DDR4 RAM clocked at 2933 MHz ( expandable upto 64 GB )
4. 512 GB SSD
5. 1 TB Hard Drive
6. 10 USB 3.0 ports
7. 2 USB 2.0 ports
8. Inbuilt Bluetooth and WiFi support
9. Windows 10 home preinstalled
10. Comes with keyboard and mouse

PROS :

1. With an RTX 2070 super your videos will be exporting in minutes and your experience will be seamless
2. With 8 cores and 16 threads you can never run out of computing power
3. Expandable DDR4 storage allows you to upgrade as you need go
4. Very good support
5. Comes in a stylish RGB case with customisable lighting

CONS :

1. It is expensive

ASUS ROG Strix GA35

Finally coming down to the last PC on our list. This PC is the creme de la creme in terms of what money can get. With 32 GBs of RAM and an RTX 2080 super, this PC beats most others on any benchmark you pick.

FEATURES :

1. AMD Ryzen 7 3800X (8 cores 16 threads upto 4.9 GHz clock speed )
2. 8 GB GDDR6 NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 super
3. 32 GB ( 2 x 16 GB sticks ) DDR4 3200 Mhz RAM
4. 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 SSD
5. 2 TB Hard Drive
6. AMD X570 Motherboard
7. Liquid cooling
8. Comes with backlit RGB keyboard and mouse
9. Comes preinstalled with windows 10 home
10. 12 USB 3.0 Ports
11. 1 HDMI port, 2 DP ports and 1 USB type C port

PROS :

1. It can handle pretty much anything
2. You can hot swap SSDs without having to open the cabinet
3. Liquid cooling ensures optimum temperature for CPU

CONS :

1. Very expensive

Tips for Building Best PC For Video Editing

In case you’re on a very tight budget, try getting an AMD Ryzen CPU since they have the best-inbuilt graphics, and then pair that with a very fast RAM ( something above 2800Mhz ) so that your inbuilt graphics can work up to its potential.

If you’re buying an overclockable CPU make sure to get a higher-end motherboard so that you don’t fry your capacitors while overclocking. Also, consider investing in water cooling in case of frequent overclocking.

Prefer AMD Ryzen processors over others as while upgrading you will have more options as most of the Ryzen CPUs have the same socket.

In case you’re building a PC with a powerful graphics card ( say 1080 Ti ) in that case go for an intel CPU that does not have inbuilt graphics so that there is no wasted core.

Comparison of Best Video Editing PC

	SYNTRONIC Desktop PC Computer	REO desktop	Zebronics RGB gaming desktop	ASUS ROG Strix GL10CS	ROG Strix GT35	ROG Strix GA35
Price	29,499*	42,600*	62,199*	82,990*	1,75,999*	2,23,999*
Rating	3.5	4.5	–	2.5	–	1
Number of reviews	15	43	–	3	–	2
Graphics card	GT 710	GTX 1030	GTX 1050 Ti	GTX 1660	RTX 2070 Super	RTX 2080 super
Processor	Intel i7 3770s	Intel i5 9400f	Intel i5 6500	Intel i5 9400F	Intel i7 10700KF	Ryzen 7 3800X
RAM	16 GB	8 GB	16 GB	8 GB	16 GB	32 GB
RAM type	DDR3	DDR4	DDR3	DDR4	DDR4	DDR4

*All prices are in INR and are accurate at the time of writing of this article

Final thoughts on best PC for video editing

In my opinion building, your own PC is the best option as you can cherry-pick the parts and suit the PC to your needs but otherwise, I would recommend the second listing in every category.

FAQs