Hardware - GTX750 yes, GTX760 no

After running the utility 3 times in a row my GTX760 is listed for GPU hardware acceleration... now to do some testing to see if I notice a big difference

"I'm not going to worry about GPU acceleration" 

The Premiere Elements system has a preview generator hidden from the user.  It normally works quite well.  There are a couple setting to help, but usally defaults work fine.   Even with Premiere Pro, I don't see a need for the GPU unless the projects are long and then it may help with output rendering.    Home videos shouldn't be that long.  

You probably already know this, but the project settings are automatic.  You wrote, " the HDV 720P project setting".  Even if you picked this, the first clip on your timeline will set the project for you.  Those choices at the new project dialog are for unusual situations and require you to check a box forcing the settings.  Just be sure that a primary clip is on the timeline first before you do any real work.  

I watched about a dozen YT videos and have started a 1st test project

Using the 1280x720 30fps video from my camera, and the HDV 720P project setting, my timeline is smooth

If the PrE team member ever gets back to me with a way to download the utility to add my card to the supported list (he sent me a Microsoft sharepoint link that doesn't work for me) I will use the utility... if not, I don't plan to ever edit 4k video so I'm not going to worry about GPU acceleration

>pick the only (relative) pricy card from the list

While thinking about replacing my GTX760 I wasn't going to consider a small upgrade, I was only going to consider the best/fastest card in the list (well, not the RTX2060 Super)

I then decided that for my home video work, and creating a DVD from my video, or files sent to me by a relative, I didn't need to spend even $315 just to have smoother playback... since the card is not used at all for exporting to a file or to burn a DVD

If you really need smoother playback, Newegg does have other RTX2060 models in stock

You don't mention your card, but one that is in the supported list is not what I would call low end

https://www.newegg.com/asus-geforce-rtx-2060-ph-rtx2060-6g/p/N82E16814126287

When I looked yesterday is was $315 (Black Friday sale?) and it was in stock... today it is $327 and out of stock, so I guess a lot of people bought while it was on sale

Anyway, fill out the beta form at https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/using/gpu-acceleration.html and someone from Adobe may contact you... I did, and I was contacted, but the file the Adobe PrE person sent me resides on Microsoft sharepoint, and the link doesn't work for me... maybe you'll have a better result

I just can't believe Adobe can:

1. Advertise with the key feature of GPU acceleration:
https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere-elements/features.html#see-effects

2. Don't include the feature in the trial version so no option to test:
https://helpx.adobe.com/premiere-elements/using/gpu-acceleration.html

3. Only support a hand full of cards which (by coincidence?) are all lower-end cards:
Are we supposed to sell our premium cards and buy cheaper versions?

4. Have virtually no option to contact anyone who can clarify anything:
Have spend over an hour chatting to some very slow Indian guy from support who didn't
know anything and was simply googling my questions.

.... and have so little people complain about it!

P.S. I have had several people here say: "It's ONLY for timeline editing/previewing", well
that's exactly where you need it the most isn't it?

I have a pretty powerful machine: 1080p editing is fine, simple 4K editing is fine but
4k projects with multiple layers and color correction (and/or GoPro reframe) is a nightmare. In medium quality mode it's sort of smooth but the image quality is very bad.

Step 1 - fill out the Beta tester form... done

Step 2 - contact from Adobe asking for more information... done

Step 3 - ??? Now I wait again to see if someone will contact me again with further instructions

ADDED

I was sent some information, a link to a "sharepoint" document... but it is on Microsoft, and even though I have a Microsoft account, I am evidently not in the sharepoint directory, so I can't access the document... I've replied asking for futher instructions, so now I wait again

>wait until it has been tested and added to the list

Yes, and that is why I filled out the "Adobe Premiere Elements Beta Tester" form to send my information on... to "maybe" have someone from the Premiere Elements team contact me to test/add my card

I found the prefs file in the "users" path I mentioned above, but changing the "hardware" setting from "false" to "true" didn't seem to do anything, so I copied the original file back over my edit

I'm still reading and watching tutorial videos (which are all for older versions, and some of the video links don't work at all) so I will eventually get to actually doing something... thanks for the info on creating a new project, which I will direct to my temp file drive to keep from cluttering up my C drive

Since GPU acceleration isn't used for output, and I have all SSD for working speed, I won't worry about my video card and playback... I'll just use what I have and spend my time learning the program