Discuss Consumer Video Editing Software

[davlow06]

I have an i7 6700 quad core PC with 16 gb RAM and a 2 tb HDD, AMD Radeon RX 480 8GB video card. Shouldn't have issues with lagging or choppy video when editing the time line, but from time to time, I do get lag, chop, skipping in my video editing which makes it hard to be precise when editing videos.

So I wanted to hear from all of you that have used many different brands of software. I'm not in the market to buy software over $100, so am I just wasting my time and have to live with the lag? If not, give me some thoughts on some software that is in the top 10 at this site - http://www.toptenreviews.com/software/multimedia/best-video-editing-software/

I have heard good and bad things about ALL of these software titles! Laggy/choppy video, crashing the computer, adware on purchased software (like Filmora), etc.

Thanks

[smrpix]

Based on those specs, the lagging is more likely due to the types of files you are using than the software or hardware.

If you're trying to make fine, fast edits with AVCHD or 4K files you are going to bog down quickly. A good solution is to use low-resolution iframe-only proxy files for your creative editing and then link your timeline back to your original files for output.

Vegas can certainly do this. I believe Premiere elements can, pretty sure Pinnacle can as well.

Most of the stuff on that site is crap -- but you got my click.

[davlow06]

smrpix, thank you! I will give that a try. I've never done that before. I've strictly just dropped my video files from my GoPro or DJI Phantom into the timeline and started editing them. I'm not ready to learn a new video editing software just yet, and I know that what I use isn't considered a great editor, but I've learned on it and am familiar with Magix Movie Edit Pro. However, if creating proxy files works for me in Magix, I may go ahead and upgrade to either Premier Elements or Vegas.

[smrpix]

GoPro tends to be especially problematic. I keep telling myself I'll sit down and figure out why, but haven't done it yet.

[pepegot1]

Videostudio Pro X10. Easy to use and powerful. Vegas has a longer learning curve and is more complex.

[larioso]

I depends on what you are editing - some editors don't pre-render before playback it seems to me.
I'm testing and experimenting a bit with time lapse photo as well as video - in video - and keeping rather high resolution on photos - and can see that all editors do not pre-render.
Even photos resized to same as video lag some as I discovered and camera photos as 5000-6000 pixels in width get maybe 1-2 fps in PowerDirector. Rendered video is fine though.

Premiere elements have a render button on timeline, and it goes a bit better. But read not recommended photos larger than about 2500 pixels wide.

And when doing effects and transitions also effect and you can see lag.

I have i7-860, 2.8 Ghz, 16G ram, Geforce GT 730 graphics, windows 7.

And most editors also has quality setting for playback to adjust to your system as you see fit better.

I've have license for and been using Nero Video 2017, Premiere Elements 15 and PowerDirector 15 Ultimate - and I think they are all good.
Still evaluating if there is a winner in the end.

Current standings
1. PowerDirector - very easy to use, stable and also find support good.
2. Premiere Elements - crashes a bit in between, no real support to contact about bugs - if you are lucky they contact you if posting on forum. No burn to usb/sdhc cards.
3. Nero Video - not sure if final video quality is up to par with others. some quirks in how you cannot swap and work in simple editor and advanced back and forth.

All these above do not require quicktime installed, if you are on windows. They all handle MOV files if H264 inside, without quicktime which my cameras record.
One reason I did not go for Corel products like videostudio or pinnacle yet - seem to be lacking ambition in keeping a safe product since quicktime is deprecated on windows since a year back.