Featuring detailed animated graphics, hundreds of 3D visual effects, plug-ins, masks, and an unlimited number of tracks, Adobe After Effects is a very resource-intensive program, so to get the most out of it, you'll need a powerful computer.
Windows
Minimum specs: Recommended specs: Processor Intel or AMD quad-core processor Intel or AMD 8-core or higher for multi-frame rendering Operating system Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit) V20H2 or later Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit) V20H2 or later RAM16 GB32 GB GPU2 GB4GB or more hard drive space 15GB available hard drive space; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on removable flash storage devices) Use Additional disk space for disk cache (64GB+ recommended) Display resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080 or higher Display resolution Internet stable connection Stable connection
macOS
Minimum specifications: Recommended specifications: Processor Intel, Native Apple Silicon, Rosetta2 supports quad-core processor 8 cores or above for multi-frame rendering OS macOS Big Sur v11.0 or above macOS Monterey v12.0 or above RAM 16 GB 32 GB GPU 2 GB (Draft 3D requires cooperation with Apple Metal 2 compatible discrete GPU) 4GB or more hard drive space 15GB available hard drive space; additional free space required during installation (cannot install on volumes or removable flash devices that use a case-sensitive file system) for disk caching Additional disk space (64GB+ recommended) Monitor resolution 1440x9001440x900 or higher display resolution Internet stable connection Stable connection
How does PC power affect response and rendering speed?
Despite these general Adobe After Effects technical requirements, it is important to understand what editing tasks you will be performing. These factors will directly affect the smooth running of the program. For example, not Each 8-core processor guarantees smooth image preview. Alternatively, an external 4GB graphics card may not be necessary (although it is if you don't have time to study the features of After Effects and build a PC for After Effects from scratch , you may consider purchasing a pre-built computer for video editing, as many of these options are still relevant through Q4 2022.
CPU
The CPU is the most important part of your After Effects computer because it is involved in the active and passive processes of program execution. In other words, the processing power of the CPU will determine how you add animation layers, edit materials, create masks, add third-party effects, Scroll the timeline as well as the speed of rendering or adjust effects (when the program performs tasks on its own). Although Adobe developers have recently added MFR (Multiple Frame Rendering) functionality in After Effects, which means the program can distribute the load efficiently and use it correctly With multi-core processors, the frequency of the processor remains one of the most critical system requirements for After Effects. If you only work in active mode and need fast response from After Effects, choose a high-frequency (high Hertz) processor. I recommend this The model is Intel i9 12900K or AMD Ryzen 9 5900X. For passive work (rendering) - it is recommended to use a processor with the maximum number of cores (to keep the balance). For example, a 32-core processor running at 2.4 GHz will render faster than running on The 16-core Ryzen 9 5950X at 3.4 GHz is slow. For After Effects to work smoothly in both active and passive modes, a mid-range processor such as an Intel Core i7-11700K or an AMD Ryzen 7 5700X (if you're on a budget) will suffice .
RAM
Remember that the entire timeline is temporarily stored in RAM, and its power allows you to quickly synchronize the timeline with the preview. RAM volume, clock frequency and bandwidth will directly affect The quality of your work. If you render video at 1280x720 and run primarily in 8-bit color, your timeline is characterized by simplicity, and you will need 16 GB RAM (for smooth operation). However, when processing Full HD and above For video and when dealing with 16 or 32-bit color, you will need at least 32 GB of RAM. If, in addition to the above, your project also has layered EXR or similar heavy frameworks, I recommend at least 64 GB of RAM. Enable 2 Channel or 4 channel mode is very important. Therefore, PC performance will increase by 30-40 %. For example, you can use 2-4 RAM sticks of 16 GB. Make sure to invest in RAM with high clock speed, such as 3200 MHz or 3600 MHz. Additionally, an equally important indicator of how well a RAM operates is its latency. If your budget allows, go for CL14 or CL16. Your best bet is to buy 2 Kingston Fury Renegade; a similar product at an affordable price is the Kingston ValueRAM. Tip: After In Effect's settings, a limit that defines the amount of RAM used by the program can be used to avoid crashes.
Graphics card
Typically, to get started in After Effects For high-level projects, you don't need a powerful graphics card. In most cases, you can rely on the integrated graphics core. However, if you use complex 3D effects or plug-ins (such as NeatVideo Denoise), a powerful graphics card can significantly improve performance. Especially if you use complex 3D effects or plug-ins (such as NeatVideo Denoise) Yes, this is important if you work on 3D projects and use After Effects ray tracing or the Cineware engine. Additionally, if you frequently use previews and want them to happen on the fly, an advanced graphics card is also one of the recommended specs for After Effects. The most important After Effects GPU characteristics are the number of compute units/stream processors (on AMD cards) or CUDA cores (on Nvidia GPUs). The program can use them when rendering 3D views and speed them up some before applying them to your project Effect calculation. The best choice here is the Nvidia RTX 3060 Ti. Among the budget-friendly options, you should consider the Nvidia GTX 1660 Super or the AMD Radeon RX 5700 XT. The performance increase is actually almost negligible.
Storage Devices
With a large capacity hard drive, programs will access your storage and preview it faster. It is best to avoid HDDs - these disks are mainly used to store old for files that are rarely used (because if your budget is limited, consider a Kingston SSD. If economic factors are not a big factor, I recommend using an NVMe M.2 SSD, such as the Samsung 970 EVO PLUS. If your motherboard lacks NVMe M. .2 slot, you may want to consider a larger capacity external hard drive. Also, keep in mind that in order to avoid program crashes, you need to have enough free space on your hard drive.
FAQ
• Adobe After Effects System Requirements: 2023 Version Yes, you will be able to run this program, but your processor will have to manage a huge workload, which can lead to program crashes and other performance issues.• Edit How much RAM do I need for 4K videos? For smooth importing and rendering of 4K and above videos, Adobe After Effect has a minimum RAM requirement of 16 GB (dual channel mode). However, if you are working with long videos, you will need 32 GB.• I can do this without Can you launch After Effects without a graphics card? Yes. You can color, glue, and even add simple effects. But if you're doing professional-level work, you can't do it without a graphics card.