Editing in 8K: minimum system requirements
Today, 8K video is common. Given the availability of 8K TVs and cameras from brands like RED, Canon, Ikegami, Sony, and others, it makes sense that many creators of video content and filmmakers are seriously considering shooting, editing, and finishing in 8K. What kind of system is required to handle this enormous amount of data is the crucial question that must be addressed, though.
There is one crucial detail to keep in mind when editing and playing back 8K video: 8192 4320. Using a proxy workflow is a great alternative to editing with the timeline settings at full resolution. The timeline is then adjusted to its full resolution for the output and final render.
Software
The situation will also be helped by keeping the computer updated with the most recent operating system, software, firmware, and drivers. In addition to enhancing the software, new updates to Final Cut Pro X, Premiere Pro, and VEGAS Pro may also enable the NLEs to better utilize 8K video-capable hardware, such as accelerator cards and GPUs.
Each NLE has different minimum system requirements, and as we will discuss below, having a system that is above those requirements is more optional.
Formats
REDCODE RAW—R3D—XAVC-S, ProRes RAW 5, and other formats are available for 8K video, but there are other shooting choices that can result in larger files. The system's handling of it will be impacted by this, including higher frame rates, a higher level of compression, and HDR.
The majority of those formats can be handled natively by popular NLEs like FCP X, Premiere Pro, and VEGAS Pro. However, it depends on the computer's hardware specifications, as well as whether you're editing with proxies or encoding to a different format.
CPU
Theoretically, the more the merrier when it comes to processing power and 8K video. Editors can purchase an aftermarket 32-processor configuration or upgrade the most recent Mac Pro to a 28-core Intel Xeon W processor.
However, without a good GPU, it'll frequently be for nothing. The high intensity of decoding and debayering 8K can be offloaded to the GPU, which may allow for the use of fewer processor cores—6 and up—to accomplish the task. The best processors are those with 12 cores or more, such as the most recent models from AMD (Ryzen Threadripper, etc.) and Intel (Core i6, i7, i9, Xeon, etc.).
GPU
When editing and playing back 8K video, the GPU, or graphics processing unit, will be responsible for the majority of the demanding workload. When adding effects and filters to the footage, a good GPU can help offload that work from the CPU and smooth out playback.
The most recent AMD Radeon and NVIDIA RTX graphics cards are made to handle demanding tasks like editing and playing back 8K video. Playback of full-resolution 8K video can be achieved without any, or a very small number of, dropped frames by offloading much of the work from the CPU to the GPU. Check for drivers and firmware updates because the ideal software and hardware setup is essential.
Accelerator Card
The workload that the CPU and GPU must handle can be increased with the aid of hardware accelerator cards. The new Apple Afterburner card and AJA's KONA 5 card, both of which are compatible with the new Mac Pro, can significantly lessen the difficulty of 8K editing and playback.
Processing 8K video, up to 3 streams of ProRes RAW 8K, and 12 streams of ProRes RAW 4K will be handled in full by the Afterburner. When the Afterburner card began to process the 8K footage, some editors noticed a significant decrease in CPU and GPU usage.
RAM
Any type of video editing requires the proper amount of computer memory, and the cliche that more memory equals better performance still holds true. Technically speaking, a computer would require up to 1.5 TB of RAM to adequately handle 8K video.
However, having a minimum of 16 GB of RAM will suffice, though 64 GB and higher will be better, as long as you also have a high-quality GPU, CPU, and possibly a hardware accelerator card. On the new 16-inch MacBook Pro with an 8-core Intel Core i9, 16 GB of RAM, and an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M card with 4 GB of VRAM, editors have been editing 8K video with ease in FCP X.
Storage
No matter the format, 8K video has a huge amount of bandwidth. When the frame rate is set to 24p, the resulting files frequently range in size from 10 GB per minute to 20 GB per minute. The file sizes will be pushing the envelope even further if you switch to 60p, HDR, and less compression.
A RAID system with 50 TB of free space is suggested to be on the safe side. You read that right—50 TB—which, again depending on the frame rate, compression ratios, etc., will provide enough space for 50 to 80 hours of 8K video. When filming a narrative project, documentary, or even numerous short-format videos, it's very simple to accumulate that much video.
Cost
Everything depends on price and what you can afford that can play 8K video. A 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,800, while a good Windows laptop might cost up to $2,700. Both should have a good graphics card, such as an AMD Radeon or NVIDIA RTX series.
It's reasonable to pay $3,000 and up for a desktop system that can handle 8K video, whether it's a Mac or a PC (a well-spec'd Mac Pro costs $15,000 without a monitor). The Apple Afterburner hardware accelerator card (only for Mac Pro) costs $2000, and the AJA KONA 5 card costs $3000.
Starting to hit the market are 8K computer monitors, which are also quite pricey. Dell offers UltraSharp options starting at $4,000 and going up to 7680 x 4320.
There is one crucial detail to keep in mind when editing and playing back 8K video: 8192 4320. Using a proxy workflow is a great alternative to editing with the timeline settings at full resolution. The timeline is then adjusted to its full resolution for the output and final render.
Software
The situation will also be helped by keeping the computer updated with the most recent operating system, software, firmware, and drivers. In addition to enhancing the software, new updates to Final Cut Pro X, Premiere Pro, and VEGAS Pro may also enable the NLEs to better utilize 8K video-capable hardware, such as accelerator cards and GPUs.
Each NLE has different minimum system requirements, and as we will discuss below, having a system that is above those requirements is more optional.
Formats
REDCODE RAW—R3D—XAVC-S, ProRes RAW 5, and other formats are available for 8K video, but there are other shooting choices that can result in larger files. The system's handling of it will be impacted by this, including higher frame rates, a higher level of compression, and HDR.
The majority of those formats can be handled natively by popular NLEs like FCP X, Premiere Pro, and VEGAS Pro. However, it depends on the computer's hardware specifications, as well as whether you're editing with proxies or encoding to a different format.
CPU
Theoretically, the more the merrier when it comes to processing power and 8K video. Editors can purchase an aftermarket 32-processor configuration or upgrade the most recent Mac Pro to a 28-core Intel Xeon W processor.
However, without a good GPU, it'll frequently be for nothing. The high intensity of decoding and debayering 8K can be offloaded to the GPU, which may allow for the use of fewer processor cores—6 and up—to accomplish the task. The best processors are those with 12 cores or more, such as the most recent models from AMD (Ryzen Threadripper, etc.) and Intel (Core i6, i7, i9, Xeon, etc.).
GPU
When editing and playing back 8K video, the GPU, or graphics processing unit, will be responsible for the majority of the demanding workload. When adding effects and filters to the footage, a good GPU can help offload that work from the CPU and smooth out playback.
The most recent AMD Radeon and NVIDIA RTX graphics cards are made to handle demanding tasks like editing and playing back 8K video. Playback of full-resolution 8K video can be achieved without any, or a very small number of, dropped frames by offloading much of the work from the CPU to the GPU. Check for drivers and firmware updates because the ideal software and hardware setup is essential.
Accelerator Card
The workload that the CPU and GPU must handle can be increased with the aid of hardware accelerator cards. The new Apple Afterburner card and AJA's KONA 5 card, both of which are compatible with the new Mac Pro, can significantly lessen the difficulty of 8K editing and playback.
Processing 8K video, up to 3 streams of ProRes RAW 8K, and 12 streams of ProRes RAW 4K will be handled in full by the Afterburner. When the Afterburner card began to process the 8K footage, some editors noticed a significant decrease in CPU and GPU usage.
RAM
Any type of video editing requires the proper amount of computer memory, and the cliche that more memory equals better performance still holds true. Technically speaking, a computer would require up to 1.5 TB of RAM to adequately handle 8K video.
However, having a minimum of 16 GB of RAM will suffice, though 64 GB and higher will be better, as long as you also have a high-quality GPU, CPU, and possibly a hardware accelerator card. On the new 16-inch MacBook Pro with an 8-core Intel Core i9, 16 GB of RAM, and an AMD Radeon Pro 5500M card with 4 GB of VRAM, editors have been editing 8K video with ease in FCP X.
Storage
No matter the format, 8K video has a huge amount of bandwidth. When the frame rate is set to 24p, the resulting files frequently range in size from 10 GB per minute to 20 GB per minute. The file sizes will be pushing the envelope even further if you switch to 60p, HDR, and less compression.
A RAID system with 50 TB of free space is suggested to be on the safe side. You read that right—50 TB—which, again depending on the frame rate, compression ratios, etc., will provide enough space for 50 to 80 hours of 8K video. When filming a narrative project, documentary, or even numerous short-format videos, it's very simple to accumulate that much video.
Cost
Everything depends on price and what you can afford that can play 8K video. A 16-inch MacBook Pro starts at $2,800, while a good Windows laptop might cost up to $2,700. Both should have a good graphics card, such as an AMD Radeon or NVIDIA RTX series.
It's reasonable to pay $3,000 and up for a desktop system that can handle 8K video, whether it's a Mac or a PC (a well-spec'd Mac Pro costs $15,000 without a monitor). The Apple Afterburner hardware accelerator card (only for Mac Pro) costs $2000, and the AJA KONA 5 card costs $3000.
Starting to hit the market are 8K computer monitors, which are also quite pricey. Dell offers UltraSharp options starting at $4,000 and going up to 7680 x 4320.
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