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October 21, 2017
Question

Trying to buy a budget computer for Premiere Pro

  • October 21, 2017
  • 4 replies
  • 13006 views

First off: I'm an idiot.

I've tried to understand computer specs, processors, graphic cards, etc. but it's over my head. So I'm just looking for a thumbs up, thumbs down, or another suggestion of a computer to buy to edit movies on Premiere Pro. I'll be editing a feature, with some colour correction, stabilization, and minimal effects. It's C100 footage, i.e., 1080HD.

I don't need a super-computer and I'm on a budget, so I'm just trying to find something that will work. I'm trying to spend less than $800USD.

Here is one computer that I'm thinking about purchasing. Here are the specs:

Processor: Intel Core 7th Generation i7-7700 Processor (Quad Core, up to 4.20 GHz, 8MB Cache, 65W)

Memory : 16GB DDR4

Hard Drive : 2TB 7200 rpm SATA 6Gb/s Hard Drive

Operating System : Windows 10 Pro (64-Bit)

Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce GT 730 2GB GDDR3

I know the graphics card is a budget one. But I am on a budget!

Here is a second option. Here are the specs:

Processor Intel Core i7-6700 Quad-Core

Memory: 16GB DDR4 Non- ECC 2133MHz

Graphics Card NVIDIA GeForce GTX 750Ti 2GB GDDR5

Please help me. And remember: I am a stupid stupid newb.

If you help, I may name my first-born child after you.

With Love,

Sean

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    4 replies

    Peru Bob
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    October 28, 2019

    "Does that look better?"

    No:

    -Only 8 GB RAM (you want 32 GB)

    -Weak video card

    -You need 2 fast SSDs...you specified only one slow SSD and an HDD

     

     

    October 23, 2017

    I found a suggestion for a custom built computer here.

    These are the specs for the budget computer (around $750):

    CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 1600

    Graphics Card: GTX 1050

    Motherboard: MSI B350 PC Mate

    RAM: 8 GB DDR4

    Storage 1: Crucial MX300 275GB SSD

    Storage 2: Seagate 2 TB hard drive

    Power Supply: EVGA 500 B

    CPU Cooler (optional): DeepCool Gammaxx 400

    Case: Corsair Carbide 270R or Corsair Carbide 100R

    Operating System: Windows 10

    Does that look better?

    Peru Bob
    Community Expert
    Community Expert
    October 22, 2017

    With that kind of budget for hardware, I would consider using Premiere Elements rather than Premiere Pro.

    October 23, 2017

    Yeah, I am pretty set on using PP. Surely there must be a way to edit using PP on SOME system for around $800? Again, the system doesn't have to be the best in the world.

    Legend
    October 22, 2017

    Unfortunately, I cannot recommend either one of those configurations for the following reasons:

    1) Both systems use slow, mechanically spinning hard drives and no SSDs (which are far faster than even the fastest spinning hard drive).

    2) The first system uses a very outdated GPU with abysmally slow graphics memory - combining for a GPU performance that's actually slower than the integrated Intel HD Graphics 630 that's on that i7-7700 CPU, even after accounting for the differences in performance between Premiere's CUDA renderer and its OpenCL counterpart. In fact, there have been two versions of that really lousy DDR3 version of that GT 730 - and you might end up with a really crummy one that's based on a GPU that's now more than seven years old (with only 96 CUDA cores)!

    3) The second system uses a now outdated GPU that was fairly reasonable when it was first introduced back in 2014, but now doesn't support some of the more modern features that Adobe software is now beginning to make some use of.

    4) Both systems have CPUs that have only four physical cores. What's worse, you chose quad-core CPUs that are still relatively expensive compared to other alternative CPUs and platforms that have more CPU cores and/or deliver superior performance-per-dollar.

    I will leave it up to others what hardware is suggested since I'm on a smartphone on the road.

    Randall

    Oh, by the way, since you're considering a prebuilt PC for such a low price rather than a build-it-yourself PC or a custom-built one, you're pretty much stuck between a rock and a hard place at that price point: You either get a system with a substandard-performing CPU or a system that's lopsided in its CPU/GPU balance (a decent CPU but a woefully inadequate GPU).

    October 23, 2017

    I'm not opposed to building a PC myself. My problem has just been a lack of knowledge, and all the information I've found online has been for people who already seem to know what they're doing. It's hard to find a beginners tutorial for building a PC for yourself for PP.