@jak.willis

Hi Jak.

First I would say think carefully before you decide to upgrade.

I know my next statement will upset AAProds and some Ryzen users but none-the-less I would not consider this particular upgrade if any of my main components were more than three years old and in the upper half of the specifications for those generations of components.

The new version of the Infusion engine is much more demanding of hardware than the previous release.

So nothing that did not include at least an Intel GPU with at least an inboard HD 630 or at a pinch an HD 620 GPU.

An nvidia card that at least has a Pascal based GPU with at least 4GB of DDR5 or above Vram.

A motherboard with sufficient M2 slots and external USB 3 ports or USB C ports. Make sure both GPUs can be activated and used at UEFI level. (Bios)

At least 16GB of ram, preferably 32GB or more.

The programs will run on less specified components but don't expect stellar performance if dealing the HD material or above. I wish now I had bought at least a 6GB nvidia card rather than the 4GB one I got.

Think of VPX as a refined version of MEP. Some basic tools such as colour correction have additional controls for finer adjustment and has scopes to help with decisions and see problem areas if you know how to use them.

Two internal monitor screens side by side, the second one can be used for real time use of scopes or other purposes.

Basic non third party effects and sound tracks are able to be used for commercial use.

Additional file formats are available even if some of them need to be paid for and additional export possibilities exist. I recommend looking at the specs pages.

Would I recommend one over the other? No. I have no idea of your personal needs or abilities.

With more choice comes more ways to get lost if you can't grasp the basics but if you have a more advanced camera that needs the options VPX has over MEP then you may have no choice.

Ray.

 

 

 

 

Hi Ray,

Thanks for your detailed response and I will certainly take a look at the specs pages.

The version of MEP that I’m currently using is 2018 Premium. So I just wondered whether it would be worth upgrading because what I tend to do is upgrade every few years.

@jak.willis

Hi Jak.

The needed component specs page is the one most to be wary of. It makes it sound like everything will be hunky dory at the minimum specs provided but take heed of the warning above that stating that some advanced effects need higher performing parts. That is their get out clause and warning which to my mind is not specific enough and causing the most complaints we see here on the forums.

Ray.

@jak.willis

can I upgrade for free or do I have to pay?

Kaching. From 2018, you'll have to pay. VPX is around double the price of MEP.

One interesting thing from the recent emails I am being bombarded with: if I upgrade (not subscribe) to MEP 2022, I would get Mercalli Stabiliser 5 included. VPX comes with other inclusions, but not Mercalli.

@CubeAce

I know my next statement will upset AAProds

😊 

@jak.willis

Hi Jak.

The needed component specs page is the one most to be wary of. It makes it sound like everything will be hunky dory at the minimum specs provided but take heed of the warning above that stating that some advanced effects need higher performing parts. That is their get out clause and warning which to my mind is not specific enough and causing the most complaints we see here on the forums.

Ray.

Ok. So really it’s best not to upgrade to the 2022 version of MEP? Or if I do then I need a computer with a faster processor, etc?

@jak.willis

Hi,

See the comparison table - review it carefully. There is a lot more in VPX that Ray did not mention.

Having both but using VPX mostly, I would never go back to MEP.

I use the Temporary Project Folder a lot, 2 screens, 2 monitors, the scopes, occasional nesting and other VPX features.

VPX13, with all of its bugs seems to run fairly well on my Surface Pro 4 with 8GB RAM, Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6300U CPU @ 2.40GHz   2.50 GHz Intel HD Graphics 520. My projects are all full HD even though I use higher resolution video clips occasionally.

I suggest that you download and install the trial of VPX13, update to the latest patch, if possible. Take a good run through and see if it works acceptably to you on your computer. Of course, export will be limited.

John CB

@jak.willis

Hi,

See the comparison table - review it carefully. There is a lot more in VPX that Ray did not mention.

Having both but using VPX mostly, I would never go back to MEP.

I use the Temporary Project Folder a lot, 2 screens, 2 monitors, the scopes, occasional nesting and other VPX features.

VPX13, with all of its bugs seems to run fairly well on my Surface Pro 4 with 8GB RAM, Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-6300U CPU @ 2.40GHz   2.50 GHz Intel HD Graphics 520. My projects are all full HD even though I use higher resolution video clips occasionally.

I suggest that you download and install the trial of VPX13, update to the latest patch, if possible. Take a good run through and see if it works acceptably to you on your computer. Of course, export will be limited.

John CB

Hi,

Well, interestingly, I’ve just looked at the system requirements and noticed that you need at least Windows 8 to run MEP 2022 Plus. I have Windows 7, so perhaps this is a sign that it’s time to also upgrade my computer.

@jak.willis

Hi,

Yes, that is definitely a sign that you need an upgrade. Do not bother with any trial versions until you get a new system, or at least Windows 10.

John CB

@jak.willis

Hi,

Yes, that is definitely a sign that you need an upgrade. Do not bother with any trial versions until you get a new system, or at least Windows 10.

John CB

Yeah, exactly. Can you recommend to me any good computers that are suited to video editing?

@jak.willis

Hi Jak.

Personally no I can't recommend anything as I have built my own computers since around 1990.

Most but not all of us answering questions here either have custom or home made systems. Some people do buy laptops that are off the shelf such as John EB but I think he also has a home built PC. Most pre-built systems will not include a good Intel CPU with a GPU if it also has a high end nvidia card as well. You could find a site that will build you a custom specified computer although they may try to recommend you dropping certain components they deem unnecessary.

Also any new computer now is likely to ship with Windows 11.

Ray.

@jak.willis

Hi,

See this thread.

There are plenty of comments about what to get. You need to understand and order a computer with the right components. Finding a ready-built machine with the right specs is probably very difficult. Most are built for either gaming or general use, not for video editing.

I am still waiting for my new computer. It seems that certain components are difficult for the supplier to get.

John CB

@browj2

Hi John.

The lack of affordable graphics cards at their recommended retail price may go well into the next year. Nvidia and AMD are not really producing the lower end cards at present and releasing a limited amount of the higher end cards although there has been no delay in the delivery of the needed chips from the fabs. They have more than they need. There is a lot of speculation as to why this is happening but I suspect that the inflated costs at present is allowing nvidia and AMD to maintain their predicted profit margins without having to produce extra cards. This may change when Intel release their new line of graphics cards and introduce new competition. One can only hope.

Ray.

@jak.willis

Hi

Whether you are looking for a PC or laptop - see my laptop spec in my signature this is a good starting point for either - I work with 4K video on my Lenovo with smooth preview playback without the need for proxy files and prerformance is as good as and occassionally better than my PC.

HTH

John EB

@jak.willis

Hi,

See this thread.

There are plenty of comments about what to get. You need to understand and order a computer with the right components. Finding a ready-built machine with the right specs is probably very difficult. Most are built for either gaming or general use, not for video editing.

I am still waiting for my new computer. It seems that certain components are difficult for the supplier to get.

John CB

What do you think of this one?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PALICOMP-Gaming-INTEL-Coffee-3-2Ghz/dp/B07B5479ZC/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=2O27DWEQZJ7PS&dchild=1&keywords=video+editing+computer&qid=1634913586&qsid=257-7843293-0530435&sprefix=video+editing+com&sr=8-2&sres=B077GS751Z%2CB07B5479ZC%2CB07YST68J3%2CB0032Y0OH0%2CB093T8R2RK%2CB012AUCJ8I%2CB08NWB9D5D%2CB08F811DLH%2CB01E97IVD2%2CB07MJRL3V6%2CB08YQXLZ6T%2CB07Y27N7Z8%2CB07JNDL2X1%2CB08G4GNR4D&srpt=PERSONAL_COMPUTER

Says it’s suitable for gaming and video editing.

@jak.willis

Hi Jak.

There is no mention of any of the makes of any components other than the i7 processor. Who made the motherboard, HDD drive, SSD, and ram? What is the motherboards internal architecture? Does it have any PCI express slots? How many hard drives could you add to it?

What make is the 500w power supply?

The reviews say it has problems when pushed beyond 90% CPU usage, (probably due to the lack of a decent CPU cooler) can't handle complex games even at 1080p, and plugging in an external drive doesn't work due to poor wiring but I suspect the power supply. There is no card reader and only a dual layer DVD player, not recorder. Even the supplier admits you would need to add an additional graphics card but omits you would also have to upgrade the power supply to do so or if the motherboard has the needed PCie slot to accommodate an additional graphics card. Will it be up-gradable when Windows 10 stops support?

The amount of missing information speaks volumes to me. Personally I would not touch it. It does not even mention the sound chip.

It may work with MEP 2022 but only if you don't edit material with HD and above resolution video or want to add too many effects. While the processor does have an HD 630 graphics chip it will struggle on its own when effects are added.

I think those of us here come off sounding elitist with what we recommend or reject component wise but when people ask about system builds for video editing packages they must be made to realise that will wring out every last ounce and then demand more from any system once you start to add any effects or run parallel video tracks and expect real time playback or faster export speeds.

A lot will depend on your personal needs and expectations. It may work for you but it would not meet my personal demands. Others may have a very different viewpoint.

Ray.

@jak.willis

Also, try to get 32 GB RAM and a 500 GB SSD. I find that the 250 GB disappears quickly.

John CB

@jak.willis

Hi Jak.

There is no mention of any of the makes of any components other than the i7 processor. Who made the motherboard, HDD drive, SSD, and ram? What is the motherboards internal architecture? Does it have any PCI express slots? How many hard drives could you add to it?

What make is the 500w power supply?

The reviews say it has problems when pushed beyond 90% CPU usage, (probably due to the lack of a decent CPU cooler) can't handle complex games even at 1080p, and plugging in an external drive doesn't work due to poor wiring but I suspect the power supply. There is no card reader and only a dual layer DVD player, not recorder. Even the supplier admits you would need to add an additional graphics card but omits you would also have to upgrade the power supply to do so or if the motherboard has the needed PCie slot to accommodate an additional graphics card. Will it be up-gradable when Windows 10 stops support?

The amount of missing information speaks volumes to me. Personally I would not touch it. It does not even mention the sound chip.

It may work with MEP 2022 but only if you don't edit material with HD and above resolution video or want to add too many effects. While the processor does have an HD 630 graphics chip it will struggle on its own when effects are added.

I think those of us here come off sounding elitist with what we recommend or reject component wise but when people ask about system builds for video editing packages they must be made to realise that will wring out every last ounce and then demand more from any system once you start to add any effects or run parallel video tracks and expect real time playback or faster export speeds.

A lot will depend on your personal needs and expectations. It may work for you but it would not meet my personal demands. Others may have a very different viewpoint.

Ray.

Hi Ray,

Well one thing I do know is that I don't need a UHD graphics card as I don't work with UHD and have no plans to do so in the near future. So, to save money, I could go with a non-UHD card perhaps? Also, would you recommend an intel processor or an AMD one? And of what speed?

@jak.willis

Hi Jak.

There is no mention of any of the makes of any components other than the i7 processor. Who made the motherboard, HDD drive, SSD, and ram? What is the motherboards internal architecture? Does it have any PCI express slots? How many hard drives could you add to it?

What make is the 500w power supply?

The reviews say it has problems when pushed beyond 90% CPU usage, (probably due to the lack of a decent CPU cooler) can't handle complex games even at 1080p, and plugging in an external drive doesn't work due to poor wiring but I suspect the power supply. There is no card reader and only a dual layer DVD player, not recorder. Even the supplier admits you would need to add an additional graphics card but omits you would also have to upgrade the power supply to do so or if the motherboard has the needed PCie slot to accommodate an additional graphics card. Will it be up-gradable when Windows 10 stops support?

The amount of missing information speaks volumes to me. Personally I would not touch it. It does not even mention the sound chip.

It may work with MEP 2022 but only if you don't edit material with HD and above resolution video or want to add too many effects. While the processor does have an HD 630 graphics chip it will struggle on its own when effects are added.

I think those of us here come off sounding elitist with what we recommend or reject component wise but when people ask about system builds for video editing packages they must be made to realise that will wring out every last ounce and then demand more from any system once you start to add any effects or run parallel video tracks and expect real time playback or faster export speeds.

A lot will depend on your personal needs and expectations. It may work for you but it would not meet my personal demands. Others may have a very different viewpoint.

Ray.

Hi Ray,

Well one thing I do know is that I don't need a UHD graphics card as I don't work with UHD and have no plans to do so in the near future. So, to save money, I could go with a non-UHD card perhaps? Also, would you recommend an intel processor or an AMD one? And of what speed?

@jak.willis

Also, try to get 32 GB RAM and a 500 GB SSD. I find that the 250 GB disappears quickly.

John CB

Hi John, Thanks for the information there. I have been looking online at different computers but am still a bit stuck on what one to go for. Is there a particular make that you could recommended? Lenovo, Dell, etc. My current make is Zoostorm. But, as I mentioned, it's about 10 years old now and uses Windows 7.

@jak.willis

Well one thing I do know is that I don't need a UHD graphics card as I don't work with UHD and have no plans to do so in the near future.

That's not what the specs page suggests nor our personal experiences. Certainly you can have a computer without one but don't expect the playback to be smooth when the project gets more complex and expect rendering times to be longer than not having one. It will work in combination with the third party GPU to aid playback and rendering times. Again this depends on the complexity of the project and the resolutions and frame rates you work at. I don't work in UHD either yet nor have current plans to do so in the near future.

So, to save money, I could go with a non-UHD card perhaps?

It's not a card but an internal part of some Intel CPUs. It's an addition to a third party GPU and both have to be enabled in the bios.

Also, would you recommend an intel processor or an AMD one? And of what speed?

Intel i7 series or above from ninth generation or upwards with a K suffix especially as you have not budgeted for an additional nvidia graphics card with 4GB of vram that has at least a Pascal or higher architecture. Preferably it should be a Turing based card or higher. Magix suggests you not drop below 3.4GHz but I would strongly suggest 4.7GHz as a minimum top clock speed with a base clock speed of at least 3.7GHz.

If you go for AMD which I personally would not recommend unless you were going for a much higher core count. The additional cost of doubling the cores may work out more expensive than getting an Intel one with less cores.

If you are only going to produce videos or use video material that has resolutions of 768 x 567 pixels or lower then you can aim for a lower specification. If you are doing video at 1080 x 1920 then you may be able to use a 2GB nvidia card but most of those are very old designs now and possibly won't work if they are .Keplar based processors or older as a lot can't handle Direct X 11.1 or higher.

If you skimp on costs now the next release of MEP or VPX could put you in the same position again because new software is always but always tuned to run on the latest gear.

Ray.

@jak.willis

Hi

. . . . Well one thing I do know is that I don't need a UHD graphics card as I don't work with UHD and have no plans to do so in the near future.  . . .

UHD video has nothing to do with having an Intel UHD 630 GPU - hardware acceleration (HWA) does, the fact it can handle 4K UHD video is a bonus.

Two GPUs working in tandem for HWA, ie an Intel processor with UHD 630 and a suitable Nvidia/AMD graphics card will cover all eventualities. Additionally Intel processors have the edge on AMD when comparing like for like in video editing.

As you have quoted Lenovo and Dell - are you looking for laptop?

If so I have already suggested a Lenovo. When I was looking to replace my aging laptop they were the only manufacturer who clearly stated that both the Intel and Nvidia GPUs can work together.

Many of the other brands disable the Intel GPU if an AMD or Nvidia GPU is present and the 3 mainstream brands I enquired about and will not name, did not know the answer or respond.

John EB

@jak.willis

Hi

. . . . Well one thing I do know is that I don't need a UHD graphics card as I don't work with UHD and have no plans to do so in the near future.  . . .

UHD video has nothing to do with having an Intel UHD 630 GPU - hardware acceleration (HWA) does, the fact it can handle 4K UHD video is a bonus.

Two GPUs working in tandem for HWA, ie an Intel processor with UHD 630 and a suitable Nvidia/AMD graphics card will cover all eventualities. Additionally Intel processors have the edge on AMD when comparing like for like in video editing.

As you have quoted Lenovo and Dell - are you looking for laptop?

If so I have already suggested a Lenovo. When I was looking to replace my aging laptop they were the only manufacturer who clearly stated that both the Intel and Nvidia GPUs can work together.

Many of the other brands disable the Intel GPU if an AMD or Nvidia GPU is present and the 3 mainstream brands I enquired about and will not name, did not know the answer or respond.

John EB

Hi John, many thanks for making that clear for me. So if I see a computer that has a UHD graphics card then I should still consider it even though I don't use UHD?