RAM is one of the most misunderstood specs when building a video editing workstation. More is not always better — but running out is painful. Here's how to think about it.
How Video Editors Use RAM
Your editing software uses RAM for:
- Program cache — keeping the application and project in memory
- Frame buffers — holding decoded frames for playback preview
- Render previews — storing pre-rendered timeline segments
- GPU VRAM overflow — some effects spill from VRAM into system RAM
RAM by Resolution and Workflow
- 1080p editing, single stream: 16GB — just enough, but tight in Premiere with effects
- 1080p / 4K basic editing: 32GB — this is the sweet spot for most editors
- 4K heavy timelines / multicam: 64GB — comfortable, no dropped frames
- 6K / 8K RAW, complex compositing: 128GB — for serious productions
Does RAM Speed Matter?
Yes, but less than RAM capacity. DDR5 at 4800MHz gives a modest improvement over DDR4 at 3200MHz for editing, but going from 16GB to 32GB will give you a much bigger real-world gain than going from DDR4 to DDR5.
DaVinci Resolve vs Premiere Pro
DaVinci Resolve is more RAM-hungry than Premiere Pro because of its full-quality debayer pipeline. If you're on Resolve with RAW footage, add one tier to your RAM requirement. 64GB for 4K RAW, 128GB for anything above.
Our Recommendation for Nigerian Video Editors
Start at 32GB DDR5 and plan for future expansion. All Sephora Systems Creator Series builds come with dual-channel DDR5 memory and are expandable. See Creator Series builds →