Help with Recommending PC Specs

DIYMark wrote on 4/22/2025, 10:28 AM

Hello, I have been using Movie Studio Platinum V15.0 for several years. I recently
upgraded my video camera to a 4K system (was using 1080) and now my system is slow
using the larger files. Movie Studio often freezes the video during playback
(audio keeps going). My current editing PC is a Windows 10 machine running on an
8th gen I5 CPU (I5-8400), 16GB ram, with an Nvidia Geforce GTX 1050 video card,
driving 2 monitors. Windows/Movie Studio are on SSD.  Project media resides on
HDD.
I realize my system/software is pretty old. What guidance can you recommend for
building a new PC that will easily handle the larger 4K files? Is there reason to change editing software?

Thanks for your help!

Comments

Marc-Goder wrote on 4/22/2025, 11:16 AM

@DIYMark

Before I recommend anything, I need more information.
What camera are you using now?
What are the recording options?

UHD 3840 x 2160 8-bit 4:2:0?
UHD 3840 x 2160 10-bit 4:2:0?
UHD 3840 x 2160 10-bit 4:2:2?

HEVC (H265), AVCHD (H264), ProRes in the MOV Container, or an INTRA Codec ?

Magix Video Deluxe 2022 Premium (2.138)

Rechner: MSI Leopard GP76 , Intel I7-10870H,

NVidia RTX 3060 Mobile (TDP=130 Watt) (6GB),
Treiber-Version: 32.0.15.6636

Arbeitsspeicher RAM 16GB,

Intel HD 630 On-Board I-GPU= deaktiviert.

Windows 10 (Auto-Update + Manuell)

Weitere Video Software: Pinnacle Studio 25
Konverter: XMedia-Recode (Jan. 2025) , Handbrake

Since 03.02.2024 experementil successfull with K-Lite-Codec Pack.
( Zum Import von ProRes Material mit Bild und Ton auch in 4:2:2 )

( Windows 11 kann ich nicht. Krieg ich Blähungen und Bluthochdruck von )

 

DIYMark wrote on 4/22/2025, 2:14 PM

Thanks for your help. I am now using the Sony FX-30. And I'll be the first to say I have a lot to learn. I believe the camera supports all those settings. I goofed around with 10 bit....thinking 10 bit is better than 8. But the MP4 wasn't recognized by any windows tools, so I changed to 8 bit. But I recognize that I'm just naïve.

johnebaker wrote on 4/22/2025, 3:32 PM

@DIYMark

Hi

IMHO the minimum you need to do is upgrade the Nvidia graphics card graphics card, the Intel CPU has a UHD 630 iGPU and as a minimum I would recommend a RTX2060 minimum, which is capable of handling the 4K UHD video from the Sony camera.

I am also editing 4K UHD 50fps HEVC 10 bit video, from my DJI sports cam, this a much more demanding format and works fine on both my systems, no proxy files required!

See my signature for the full PC and Laptop specs.

Do be aware that if you are making Blu-ray discs, then the RTX series do not support encoding of the video to the standard BD interlaceed format.

HTH

John EB
Forum Moderator

VPX 16, Movie Studio 2025, and earlier versions 2015 and 2016, Music Maker Premium 2024.

PC - running Windows 11 23H2 Professional on Intel i7-8700K 3.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, RTX 2060 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, 1 x 1Tb Sabrent NVME SSD (OS and programs), 2 x 4TB (Data) internal HDD + 1TB internal SSD (Work disc), + 6 ext backup HDDs.

Laptop - Lenovo Legion 5i Phantom - running Windows 11 24H2 on Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4-SDRAM, 512GB SSD, 43.9 cm screen Full HD 1920 x 1080, Intel UHD 630 iGPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)

Sony FDR-AX53e Video camera, DJI Osmo Action 3 and Sony HDR-AS30V Sports cams.