Choosing RAM for video editing: 64 or 128 units, and 3200MHz versus 3600MHz speeds.
Choosing RAM for video editing: 64 or 128 units, and 3200MHz versus 3600MHz speeds.
During the weekend I recorded some video and made edits. I didn’t realize my resolution was in 4K, which affected how it played in Premiere. Until I lowered the quality to 1/8 or 1/16, the playback was choppy. Now I have 32GB of DDR4 RAM, but switching programs often causes a 30-40 second delay before it works properly again. Online advice suggests 32GB for 1080p, 64GB for 4K, and 128GB for 6K or higher. I’m hoping upgrading to 64GB will fix the lag when switching between programs on a 1080p timeline. Going further to 128GB could improve both speed and quality at 1080p and 4K. As for RAM speeds, a 3200MHz would help more than a 3600MHz at these higher capacities.
Low RAM and frequent swapping might cause the delay you notice. Review Task Manager to monitor your memory usage; if it approaches full capacity, adding more RAM could help. The optimal amount is hard to determine, but having extra is better than nothing. If your system uses dual channels, be cautious—switching at higher speeds can increase failure risk, especially with dual-rank RAM. A 3600 MHz might not be suitable, so try reducing it until stability returns.
I enjoyed handling the 4K video clips. When I enter close-ups, I appreciate maintaining all the details during the export to 1080p. It also let me apply some extra visual effects that looked better in higher resolution. Now I’m aiming for a workflow entirely in 4K and exporting to 1080p, but this was my first real experience with 4K editing and I realized my system wasn’t ready for it.
From a performance standpoint, I’d initially opt for 64GB of RAM at 3600MHz since video editing involves extra overhead. If you discover you still need more speed, add another 64GB. Only then, if performance isn’t satisfactory, consider upgrading to a faster processor. Going this route offers two advantages: RAM is costly, and if you don’t need the extra capacity, it’s better to avoid unnecessary spending. And if you do require it, RAM is more affordable than a processor.