In my personal experience, I have found that having 12GB of RAM for video editing can be sufficient for basic editing tasks. However, it may not provide the best performance when working with more demanding projects.
When it comes to video editing, RAM plays a crucial role in the overall performance of your system. It determines how much data your computer can process and store at any given time. Having an adequate amount of RAM is important, especially when dealing with high-resolution videos and complex editing tasks.
With 12GB of RAM, you can definitely edit videos, but you may encounter some limitations. For example, if you are working with 4K footage or using multiple video tracks, effects, and transitions, you may notice some lag or slow rendering times. This is because your computer needs to constantly access and process a large amount of data, and with only 12GB of RAM, it may struggle to keep up.
Additionally, if you are working with higher bit-depths, such as 10-bit or 12-bit color, you may find that 12GB of RAM is not sufficient. These higher bit-depths require more memory to process and store the additional color information, and insufficient RAM may lead to performance issues or even crashes.
That being said, if you are primarily editing videos at a lower resolution, such as 1080p, and using minimal effects or transitions, 12GB of RAM can be adequate. It should allow you to perform basic editing tasks without significant performance issues.
However, if you are serious about video editing and plan to work with higher resolutions, more complex projects, or utilize advanced effects, I would highly recommend considering upgrading your RAM. Ideally, for editing 4K video projects at 8-bit color, you should have at least 16GB of RAM. This will provide a more seamless editing experience and reduce the likelihood of encountering performance issues.
If you frequently work with lots of effects, higher bit-depths, or large projects, you may want to consider going even higher and opting for 32GB or even 64GB of RAM. This will ensure that your computer can handle the demanding requirements of your editing workflow and provide the best possible performance.
While 12GB of RAM can be sufficient for basic video editing tasks, it may not provide the optimal performance for more demanding projects or higher bit-depths. Upgrading to at least 16GB of RAM is recommended for editing 4K video projects at 8-bit color, and if you often work with lots of effects or higher bit-depths, consider 32GB or 64GB for the best performance.