What is the Minimum number of CPU Cores we need for Video Editing #videoediting #filmmaking

The answer to this age-old question is not as straightforward as you might think. The minimum number of CPU cores needed for video editing depends on

- The resolution

- Bit rate

- Frame rate

Having said that, there are other factors that are present that can make the edit harder such as codec, and color compression. There are some video codecs that are more edit-friendly compared to other codecs, Such as Apple Pro Res is very edit-friendly compared to XAVC-S. Color compression is important to keep in mind when doing color correction and exporting. If your footage has 4:4:4 chroma sub-sampling, that means it has high color data, and you lose much less color quality after the export, and it can be a bit more demanding on your PC.

In the old days, a minimum of four cores was required to handle Video editing, because intel limited the consumer-grade products. So the i3, i5, and i7 to 4 cores. There were core i7’s with 6,8,10 cores, but they were substantially pricier and required a pricier motherboard. But that changed after AMD launched Ryzen 1000 series processors with up to 8 cores. The Ryzen 7 1800x had 8 cores and cost ($499) at launch. intel i7 6900k was over $1000 but was only 10% faster than the 1800x which was less than 50% of the i7-6900k. That’s why 4 cores these days is a pretty bare minimum at this point.

The answer to the question is a bit complex, so I will tabulate the answer with some reasonable assumptions about the edit.

Some of you will have a project with mixed frame rates. However, the project was primarily shot in 24 FPS and you have 60/120Fps B Roll. Now the suggested configuration changes.

Keep in mind that, these suggestions are made for a premiere pro editor who is going to work with footage from the Sony a7s3 or the Sony FX 3. (Essentially the same cameras, but the FX 3 is Netflix-approved). You can use these suggestions as a guide if you are thinking about working on Davinci Resolve. If you go for some other camera, like RED, ARRI, or Sony Venice, or move to a higher resolution, then it’s a completely different story. One that I am not fully aware of because I haven’t worked with those cameras and resolutions higher than 4k… yet.

Written by: Ambar Chakrabarti (Post-Production Head Camera7 Productions)