Computer specsAdvice for After Effects

#1

Hi all,

I’ve been a designer for a good few years now, but using a tired old Mac that can’t really handle the newer stuff… I’m currently trying to get more experience with After Effects and have been learning what I can at work but would like to dedicate some time in the evenings to doing more tutorials and tinkering etc…

I’ve seen a pc tower advertised with the following specs, it was built in 2015, but do you think it would be a viable option/ any feedback on the below?

Intel i7-5820K (3.3GHz) 15MB Cache
Motherboard ASUS X99-S: ATX, HSW-E CPU, USB 3.0, SATA 6 GB/s
Memory (RAM) 32GB KINGSTON HYPER-X PREDATOR QUAD-DDR4 2666MHz X.M.P (4 x 8GB)
Graphics Card 4GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 970 - 1 DVI, 1 mHDMI, 3 mDP - 3D Vision Ready
1st M.2 SSD Drive Plextor PX-G128M6e 128GB M.2 SSD (upto 770MB/sR | 625MB/sW)
1st Storage Drive 500GB Samsung 850 EVO SSD, SATA 6Gb/s (upto 540MB/sR | 520MB/sW)

I don’t need something that’s all bells and whistles, but just something that won’t grind to a halt as I start to improve,

Any advice or tips welcome, thanks,

#2

That’s a pretty dated setup that won’t run Windows 11 without some workarounds. That’s because Win11 requires TPM (Trusted Platform Module) 2.0, Secure Boot and a DirecX 12-compatible GPU.

For video editing, you certainly should get an Intel CPU with an integrated GPU that supports QuickSync.

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#3

Thankyou for the advice Jacob. I’m finding the process of looking for a good secondhand computer that will run it a bit overwhelming

#4

It shouldn’t be that hard. Determine your budget, then find the newest machine with at least 16GB of memory, a good-sized hard drive, and a good graphics card (GPU). Make sure it’s compatible with whatever monitor you use and has whatever ports you need.

After you’ve found something, check to see if it will run a current or recent operating system and if Adobe lists it as having the necessary specs to run the current version of After Effects.

If you’re considering staying with Macs, the choices are narrower (and simpler). Even if you’re looking at a Windows machine, looking for the relevant specs is not that hard. Some will disagree, but the huge array of Windows machines makes it easier, not harder, to choose. They’re all about the same as long as the minimum specs I’ve mentioned exist.

Also, remember that the older the machine is, the greater its chances of failing to run the next operating system or the next After Effects upgrade.

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