With today's 8K cameras and 8K TVs from RED, Canon, Ikegami, Sony and other companies, many video content producers and filmmakers are seriously considering 8K shooting, editing and post-processing. What kind of system is needed to handle such a massive amount of data?
Central processing unit (CPU)
First, we'll start with the CPU (the brain of the computer), which is arguably the most important part. Why is it the most important? The CPU you use will seriously affect how fast your system is when it comes to video editing and rendering.
A powerful CPU option for 8K editing is the Intel Core I7-12700K processor, which offers 12-core and 20-thread performance. This will cost you approximately $2,000. Another more powerful CPU core is the Intel Core i9-12900K processor, which has 16 cores and 24 threads. It's only a few hundred dollars more expensive than the I7. Both of the aforementioned cores can handle 4K, 6K, and 8K with ease, but require aftermarket cooling to keep them running, as neither comes with a cooler.
Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
The GPU, or graphics processing unit, needs to handle a lot of the heavy workload when editing and playing back 8K video. A high-quality GPU can help offload work from the CPU, resulting in smoother playback, especially when adding effects and filters to your footage.
The latest NVIDIA RTX series and AMD Radeon graphics cards are designed to take on heavy tasks, such as editing and playing 8K video. By offloading most of the CPU's work to the GPU, full-resolution 8K video can be played back without any frame drops, or at least with very few. The right combination of hardware and software is key, so check for driver and firmware updates.
Cooling options
The Noctua NH-U9 is an affordable cooler option, priced at around 300 yuan. The NH-U9 gets the job done affordably, but if you're willing to spend a little more, the Noctua NH-D15 is considered the industry standard and costs just under $600. If you want an alternative option to fan cooling, you can water-cool your computer with the Z Kraken X 63, which fits most computer cases.
motherboard
The next piece of hardware required is the motherboard. As the name suggests, this will connect all the important components needed to build an 8K editing system. The motherboard will connect your CPU, RAM, and graphics card and make them work together. The MSI Pro Z690-A is a good option for $1,800 and has some great features, such as Wi-Fi capabilities so you don't need to buy an external USB Wi-Fi adapter. This motherboard supports DDR4 memory, which is fast, but there is another option that offers faster editing and rendering capabilities, which is DDR5 memory.
memory options
DDR5 memory is only compatible with motherboards made specifically for DDR5 memory, such as the MSI Pro Z690; just make sure it doesn't say DDR4 to make sure it's the DDR5 version.
For the RAM option, you need to buy at least 32 GB, 3,200 MHz memory. With 32 GB of RAM, you can edit 4K, 6K, and 8K, but depending on how big your project is, you may need more memory to get high-resolution footage.
Choose the right memory
To give yourself some headroom when editing 8K footage, a safer bet is to buy a 64 GB Corsair Vengeance with LPX RAM and 3200 MHz. An important note about RAM: If you use a DDR5 motherboard, you need to purchase DDR5-compatible RAM. In this case, using the Corsair Vengeance 32 GB RAM will get the job done, and much faster. Upgrading to 64 GB DDR5 RAM is also an option, but will cost twice as much.
So when considering motherboard and RAM options, the biggest decision you'll face is whether to go with DDR4 or DDR5. The pros and cons are pretty simple: DDR4 RAM is cheaper and gets the job done, but may not be as fast as DDR5. DDR5 RAM is faster, but also twice as expensive as DDR4. Overall, DDR5 RAM will enable more seamless 8K editing and rendering capabilities. If you're producing an 8K feature film or series, you may want to consider DDR5 options for your computer's video needs.
accelerator card
Hardware accelerator cards can help take more of the workload off the CPU and GPU. AJA KONA 5 cards and the new Apple Afterburner cards can significantly help ease the burden of 8K editing and playback.
Afterburner will do as much work as needed to process 8K video, up to three ProRes RAW 8K streams and 12 ProRes RAW 4K streams. Some editors reported that their CPU and GPU usage dropped significantly when the Afterburner card kicked in and took over processing 8K footage.
Storage Solution: Solid State Drive (SSD)
Next, you have the solid-state drive (SSD), which is responsible for storing the operating system and programs you want to use on your computer. The Sabrent 1TB Rocket internal SSD is a good choice. If you want a faster, more powerful SSD, check out the Western Digital Black SN 850, an ultra-fast SSD.
For the best 8K editing experience, one thing to remember is to make sure your internal SSD is only used for running programs, while the other external SSD should be used to store video files. Video files will take up the most storage space on your SSD; you want to keep them separate so that your video editing software program can run at optimal speed.
Graphics card options
Graphics cards are in very high demand as many people stay at home and want to play video games. Due to supply shortages at the time, many graphics cards were resold on eBay for double or triple the price. While reselling has improved, one sure way to ensure you're getting a decent graphics card at a reasonable price is to buy a computer pre-built. Of course, if you're looking to buy external parts to build your own 8K editing machine, here are some affordable suggestions. Try buying a graphics card from a well-known brand such as ASUS, MSI, EVGA, Gigabyte, Zotac or PNY. Some specific graphics card recommendations include the Nvidia RTX 3060 TI, RTX 3070, or RTX 3070 TI, which all perform well for video editing.
High-end graphics options
If you have a bigger budget and want more power, try the Nvidia 3080, 3090 TI, RTX 3090, RX 6800XT, or RX 6900XT.
Choose the right computer case
To complete your super 8K editing computer, you'll need to house all of the above components. Corsair's computer cases do the job. Try the 4000D airflow box, which provides good airflow and costs about 600 yuan. If you need a box with a CD-DVD or Blu-ray burner, try the Corsair 450D.
Housing and power supply
To complete your 8K editing computer, you'll need to accommodate all of the above components. Corsair's computer case will do the job; try the 4000D airflow box, which provides good airflow and costs about $600. If you need a box with a CD-DVD or Blu-ray burner. Finally, you need to power your computer and power your graphics card. EVGA SuperNOVA 850-watt G5 is fully modular, which will save costs.
What it will cost you and alternatives
You'll need to plan for accessories, including key components like a monitor, keyboard, mouse, and speakers, as well as software for your PC's operating system. If you want to avoid building a PC, another viable option is to buy a pre-built computer, such as the Apple Mac Mini with the M1 chip. A Mac Mini with an M1 chip and 32 GB of RAM is about the same price, a MacBook Pro laptop with an M1 Mac chip is also very capable of high-resolution video editing, and the customizable iMac Pro desktop is another option for 8K video editing.
Use cloud solutions : Use Zanqi Cloud Workstation
- Create a cloud production platform through Zanqi Cloud Workstation to achieve permission management, process management, project progress management, and task information synchronization
- Through cloud workstations, software centers, cloud disks, and cloud rendering, cloud rendering opens up material uploading -> cloud production agent provisioning -> design -> special effects synthesis -> post-presentation of the entire process
- Achieve remote collaborative production, while providing secure storage services, effective high-speed transmission of failure reporting data, and avoiding data leakage
Produce files locally, submit them to the Xuanyun Film and Television client for rendering, and send the result files back to the cloud desktop through the Xuanyun Film and Television client at the Zanqi Cloud workstation for post-production synthesis. It supports multiple machines running at the same time, opening files synchronously and loading images for synthesis; finally, the synthesis result file is downloaded locally, saving a lot of time.
- Mobile office: virtualization technology, intelligent mobile office, access data anytime and anywhere, efficient and convenient
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- Flexible payment: The machine can be used on demand, ready to use, reducing the investment cost of purchasing machines.