The best video editing computer: desktop PCs for video editors

One of the best video editing computers may be what you're looking for to prevent your workflow from being interrupted by painfully slow playback or rendering. Well-specced desktop PCs have the processing and graphical power to run demanding video-editing software like Davinci Resolve Studio and After Effects, avoiding the challenges faced with may laptops. 

Of course, there are laptops today can handle video editing software (see our pick of the best laptops for video editing), but sometimes a desktop PC is still the way to go. Chances are that you'll want an external monitor anyway, since small laptop screens aren't great for viewing long timelines or comparing colour grades. Many desktop PCs also have the benefit of being easier to upgrade, which means they can grow with your needs.

To help you pick the right one, we've applied our experience and expertise in testing and reviewing creative tech to curate a list of the best computers for video editing for different needs and budgets. We ran a series of benchmark tests to assess performance, and also put each machine through its paces with practical, real-world tasks editing footage in different software to assess usability.  

We've aimed to select devices suitable for different needs and budgets, including Macs, Windows, all-in-ones and tower PCs. If you need to upgrade an existing setup, don't miss our roundups of the best graphics cards and best monitors for video editing.

Quick list

We'll start with a quick overview of our picks of the best computers for video editing. Scroll down or use the links to jump to more details on each.

• Back to the top ⤴

The best video editing computers in full

Best overall computer for video editing

Looking like a couple of Mac Minis (more on those below) welded together, the Mac Studio is designed with creative professionals in mind, and we found it to be perfect for complex video editing. With an M2 Max or M2 Ultra processor, it's one of the most powerful computers Apple has made yet and can easily cope with editing high-resolution footage with graphically demanding effects.

In our review of the Mac Studio M2 Ultra, we found it could run multiple processor-intensive programs together without blinking. It performed well across the board in our benchmark tests, including with 8K footage in Final Cut Pro and 3D footage in Houdini, and with near-silent in operation.

If you're not performing such demanding video editing, it's likely to be more computing power than you will need and at a higher price tag than you need to pay. But if your video editing workflow is intensive, and you need to be confident that your computer will keep up, we'd recommend Mac Studio without hesitation. Of course, you'll need to buy a monitor separately, but the ability to choose the screen you want will appeal to  pros with specific needs. It's also worth noting that the built-in speakers could be better, so you'll likely want to invest in headphones or speakers of your own to monitor the audio in your videos. 

Read our Mac Studio (M2 Ultra) review to learn more.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best Windows comptuer for video editing

If you prefer Windows to Mac OS fear not. We found Microsoft Surface Studio 2 to be a solid option as a video editing PC. It scored major points in our review for clever design choices like a hinge that makes it easy to flip the screen all the way down. Its ability to switch colour profiles from sRGB to DCI-P3 is also very useful for high-end video editing.

A big part of the appeal is the 28-inch touchscreen display, which has a resolution of 4,500 x 3000 pixels. Some editors will appreciate the touchscreen and stylus for a more tactile approach to moving clips. The components of the Surface Studio 2 fall a little short of comparable Macs, but we found them to be plenty powerful for most video editing tasks. If you don't want to jump onto the Apple train, this is a fantastic choice of video editing computer. See our full Surface Studio 2 review for more information.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best value Mac for video editing

If you're after a small PC that packs a punch, the entry-level model of the latest Mac mini offers an impressive amount of power and excellent value for money. And the same can be said for the M2 Pro version if you need an even higher level of performance. For the latter, our benchmark tests came back even better than we imagined, with results 10% faster than the M2 Max-powered MacBook Pro while costing half the price (although it requires peripherals).

It's a much more affordable alternative to the Mac Studio but can still handle most video editing tasks. We had no problem running a couple of apps simultaneously when we tried with the likes of Cinema 4D, After Effects, 3DS Max, Premiere Pro. If you have the budget and work with 8K footage, we'd recommend going for the studio, which will also ensured you're future proofed. But for more general video editing, this is an excellent buy, and the compact size makes it handily portable and neat on a desk. See our full Mac mini (M2 Pro, 2023) review for more details.

• Back to the top ⤴

The best tower PC for video editing

If you want to have the convenience of being able to upgrade your video editing computer, it It's well worth looking into gaming PCs. Gaming is an activity that requires a lot of processing and graphics power, and while a lot of gamers build their own computers, there are plenty of options out there for those who have no interest in doing that.

We found the HP Omen 30L to be an excellent example. The glass-heavy tower lets you see the internal components, which may not be to everyone's tastes, but we rather like it. The computing power is excellent for this price point, with a healthy 16GB of RAM. And graphical performance was also outstanding, handling After Effects well. The design of the computer makes it relatively easy to swap out parts, so if you are someone who can get their hands dirty, you'll be able to help the HP Omen 30L keep up for a good few years.

There's only one cooling fan, and be aware that it really does get loud when the computer is performing demanding tasks; you could be forgiven for thinking someone had crammed a jet engine in there. This is hardly a flaw since it means it's doing its job, but it's something to be aware of.

• Back to the top ⤴

Best value all-in-one video editing computer

While this 2020 iMac may not be as stylishly designed as its newer siblings, and it lacks the video enhancements of Apple's own chips, it's a great value all-in-one if you find a good deal, of which there are lots about. It's also the last iMac to have a 24in screen, and the 5120 x 2880 Retina 5K display remains a pleasure to look at today.

It has a discrete graphics card, the AMD Radeon Pro 5700 XT, which makes up for the lack of Apple silicon for graphically demanding tasks. When we reviewed it, we were impressed with how well it could keep up when we deliberately loaded it up with processor-intense tasks. It never seems to overheat, and its fans never seem to run into screaming overdrive. A hat has to be tipped to Apple's clever thermal design here.

The all-in-one design on the iMac 2020 also means it's easy to set up, and it looks smart in any office, home or studio. See our iMac 2020 review for more details.

• Back to the top ⤴

The best video editing computer for looks

The M1 24-inch iMac has recently been superseded by an M3 model which we have yet to test, but we think this 2021 model is a great buy now that there are lots of discounts around.  

We found it capable of running multiple streams of 4K video in editing software, and playback was smooth thanks to the combination of multi-core performance and fast storage. Meanwhile, the 24-inch 4K display was a joy to work on, with thin bezels adding to the attractive aesthetics offered by the range of colour options.

See our iMac M1 review for more details.

• Back to the top ⤴

How to choose the best video editing computer

Choosing the best video-editing computer for your needs involves considering several factors. Firstly, video editing requires significant processing power, so look for a computer with a fast multi-core processor to handle the demands of editing software. An Intel i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processor released in the last few years should suffice; if you can afford to bump up to a full i9 or Ryzen 9 processor, your system will have a much easier time.

Random Access Memory (RAM) is also crucial for video editing. Aim for a minimum of 16GB, but consider 32GB or more for smoother editing, especially with 4K or higher resolutions. Long-term storage is important too. Video files can be large, so consider a computer with ample and fast SSD (solid-state drive) storage. (If you need more space, you can add external hard drives as needed.)

A dedicated graphics card (GPU) can significantly improve video editing performance, especially for rendering and effects. Look for models with GPUs from NVIDIA or AMD. As for the display, look for high resolution (minimum 4K) and good colour accuracy (i.e. high colour gamut and colour calibration options). Our guide to the best monitors for video editing will help.

Connectivity is one more consideration Ensure that the computer has enough ports to connect external devices, such as cameras, storage drives, and peripherals. USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt ports are beneficial for faster data transfer. SD card slots are also useful for getting footage off cameras. Finally, check the system requirements of the video editing software you plan to use and ensure that the computer meets those specifications.

• Back to the top ⤴

How we test the best video editing computers

Creative Bloq's team of hardware experts bring with them many years of experience using, testing and benchmarking computers with a focus on running creative applications. All the computers in this guide have been tested either by using video-editing software or benchmarked to ensure the CPU and GPU are capable of the most intensive video jobs around. We run different benchmark tests on each device depending on its intended use by its maker, but the benchmarks we've run all the computers in this guide through include the following:

• Cinebench R23/2024 - this assesses the performance of a computer's CPU and GPU using real-world 3D rendering tasks

• Handbrake - we use this free and open-source transcoder for digital video files to render a short 4K animated film, using the same file for all our tests

• Geekbench 5/6 - this tests the CPU's processing power, both by using a single core for a single task at a time as well as all the CPU's core to see its ability to multitask

• 3DMark - this assesses a computer's ability to run graphic rendering tasks, which is highly relevant to video editors

• PCMark 10 - this test assesses a computer’s ability to run all everyday tasks from web browsing to digital content creation, testing app launch speeds, video buffering and even battery life 

But perhaps more importantly than benchmarking, we evaluate machines in real-world scenarios, pushing them to the limit with multiple applications running to see how they perform in real project-like conditions. Power, speed, flexibility, and what a computer looks and feels like to use are all criteria in our reviewing process. We do much more than simply unpack a test unit, run some benchmarks and then pack it up again; we have lived and worked with all of the above computers, running them in real-life scenarios and completed projects relevant to the subject of this guide, otherwise we wouldn't recommend these models to you. For more details, see our article on How we test. 

• Back to the top ⤴

FAQs

• Back to the top ⤴