Requirements of Design Work

Anybody worth their salt with computer technology will agree that video editing and design is one of the most demanding tasks that one could tax their system with. The costs and requirements of a gaming rig are much-discussed in a day and age where video gaming is prevalent, but the professional side of the matter — be it video design, website building or game development — is less-known to the general public. In this article, we're going to explain the technical needs of a system tasked with encoding and compiling high-definition video and why it's important to invest in a quality computer for this purpose.

A fact that every to-be video designer must accept is that your run-of-the-mill Sandy Bridge Core i3 or dual-core Pentium clunker with two to four gigs of DDR3, a cardboard-box IGP and a single 5,400 RPM hard drive isn't going to cut it. While one could technically still design and edit high-quality video with this setup, hardware that scores low marks across the board will prove extremely limiting on a regular basis and make certain high-demand tasks impossible altogether. As the adage goes, "Your machine is only as fast as your smallest bottleneck."

Regular design work generally requires a computer that hits a modestly high note with its core components. Unless you're investing in an Apple computer, it's recommended to use Windows and have your system custom-built for the job. Be prepared to spend a relatively high dollar on the following parts:

CPU — the latest generation of Intel's Core i7 line is recommended, but a quad Core i5 will suffice

RAM — aim for at least eight gigabytes of DDR3

Storage — a 250 gigabyte solid state drive (SSD) and at least a terabyte of HDD is preferred

GPU — an Nvidia GeForce GTX 10xx with no less than two gigabytes of VRAM is ideal

PSU — expect at least 750 watts to keep things running

A motherboard (mobo) that supports the above hardware (this is important)

An effective cooling system to keep your rig healthy and speedy

An HD display monitor is the minimum, but QHD (2K) to UHD (4K) is ideal, as every detail counts

Why Do These Specifications Matter?

1. Processor

Your chosen CPU will benefit greatly from a quality encoder and multiple cores. The encoder is a more complex detail of higher-end CPU architectures, like the Core i7; meanwhile, the cores you'll need can usually be found on middle-of-the-road CPUs, such as the Core i5. A slow CPU is like a video designer's brain without caffeine — every step of the process suffers. Bear in mind that clock frequency alone is not an accurate screenshot of a CPU's actual performance.

2. Memory

You'll need spacious amounts of high-speed RAM to handle huge video files efficiently. DDR4 is currently the newest class of RAM, offering exactly what a video design-centric system needs. Unlike the CPU, RAM's limitation is less about bandwidth and more about space — once you run out, you risk the whole shebang of crashes and other errors that can completely obstruct your power to handle video editing altogether.

3. Storage

High-definition videos, especially in raw formats, require immense disk space for storage and input-output (I/O) specifications (such as HDD RPM or SSD read and write bandwidths) to handle high-volume data transfer. A RAID 0 setup with two solid state drives (SSDs) is considered an ideal setup for disk-intensive tasks, but also having one or two HDDs will add a great deal of much-needed storage to complement the performance of your SSDs. Falling short in this area will result in space shortages and slow load times when reading or writing high-quality video.

4. Graphics Processing

A gamer's GPU is considered essential to handle not only the sheer resolution of UHD video playback but also any 3D graphics that go into the rendering of the final product. Because video editing and design can encompass a wide spectrum of sources for graphical content, it's pretty much an unquestionable requirement that you have a robust fulcrum for handling every step of the process. The key number to look for in a GPU is VRAM, also identified as "GDDR5", which describes the type of VRAM used. You want no less than two gigabytes of this.

5. Motherboard

Unfortunately, putting together a computer that's suited for professional-looking video manipulation isn't always as simple as replacing what's already plugged into whatever rig you might currently be using. The motherboard has to be able to support the technology — CPU, GPU, RAM, and even SSDs past a certain speed. Without a motherboard that supports everything in even keel, you may run into problems such as not having enough sockets or ports, the sockets or ports being notched wrong, or the system just not being capable of recognizing or using all of the RAM or bandwidth available.

6. Power Supply and Cooling

Powerful hardware tends to require a powerful PSU to keep the lights on. Skimping out on your power supply means certain parts can spontaneously fail when their voltage demands ramp up under pressure, resulting in sudden outages or fatal system-wide crashes. Equally as important is your cooling setup, which needs to keep everything within operable temperatures to prevent throttling, which severely impacts your computer's performance and longevity.

Choosing Your Rig

The first question to ask is, do you want to build your video editing computer, or would you rather buy it already assembled out of the box? Typically, it's cheaper to buy the individual components and then put it together yourself. On the other hand, a pre-assembled machine has the guarantee of all hardware components playing nicely together, a factor that you have to carefully weigh out when picking what you want to build your rig with. Keep in mind that laptops are never going to user-built — these have to be assembled beforehand.

In either case, it's more often recommended that you stick to Intel and Nvidia, since their hardware is considered more robust for the job. However, AMD and their GPUs offer good performance at a lower dollar. Whichever way you prefer to do it, remember that it's better to pair Intel hardware with Nvidia and AMD with their own GPUs — it's a compatibility and optimization thing.

However, for those who feel that a prebuilt machine is the better option, you may want to think about whether Windows is right for you or if an Apple setup would make more sense. Windows rigs offer customization and freedom, while Apple computers run on a closed ecosystem that sacrifices user choice for a very smooth and integrated experience. However, due to the seamless "just works" principle, some prefer to use Apple systems instead. Just remember that they cost considerably more than their Windows counterparts.

Another question worth asking is whether you should choose a laptop over a desktop computer. Laptops have the benefit of portability, but they're often much more expensive and usually aren't as reparable or modifiable as a desktop tower. They're also far more prone to overheating and won't offer quite as much performance on the high end. If you're settling for a mid-grade laptop aimed at handling video editing and design tasks, these caveats are less noticeable.

There's no true recommendation here — would you prefer convenience at a higher dollar or peace of mind for a smaller price tag? If you do opt for the laptop route, a good place to start is this brief guide to choosing a laptop for video editing.

Finally, you may be wondering where you should go to acquire your video editing computer. Some sites, like CyberPowerPC, offer an extensive array of brand new customization options for laptops and PCs alongside many prebuilt systems that are sorted by the specific purpose you're pursuing. Others, like NewEgg, are widely acclaimed sources for resale parts at a very low dollar. For those who are less privy to the ways of building their own computer, you do always have the option of hopping over to a Best Buy or Staples to pick one up; however, this is a more expensive option because of the retail overheads associated with this convenience.

Conclusion

The good news is that a video editing and design system doesn't have to cost thousands, contrary to popular belief. Like gaming PCs (which, all considered, are very similar), you can assemble a system that fluently handles UHD out of brand new parts for as little as $700. Keep in mind that the extra fancy frills aren't needed — 18-key macro mice, wireless gamer-esque keyboards and a surround sound speaker setup are all for pomp and bluster at best.

Choosing components that are designed to handle high-intensity tasks combined with an effective cooling system will ensure that your video editing computer operates within safe parameters and lasts well into the next time you decide to upgrade.

If you plan for the future and go for a motherboard that offers more than you currently need, then you can simply upgrade your components when the next best thing comes out instead of replacing the entire system. Also, if you're on a tight schedule, keep in mind that compiling quality-heavy videos can take hours, so a proper system that's designed to handle it for extensive periods of time is essential for the job.