Best Computers For Drone Video And Photo Editing 2021

Author: Dan

When it comes to editing photos and videos taken from your drone, it is important you have the right equipment otherwise you will have a headache trying to compile everything and get it exported. Each year there is always a new processor, new graphics card and a new computer so it can be costly trying to chase the best of the best. It is important to ensure your purchase is "futureproof", meaning that it will last for over 5 years without upgrading, otherwise you will need to upgrade more frequently. With the advancement of CPU processing power and now the introduction or AI chips, applications have become increasingly powerful and advanced. 

Device (Laptop/Desktop or Tablet)

Choosing what type of device to use is pretty important. Generally speaking, desktops will have a more powerful CPU as they are able to run at a higher power draw compared to a laptop CPU, same applies for GPU (the graphics card). The other advantage of using a desktop is you will generally have greater storage capacity compared to a laptop, which means you will be able to store more 'RAW' or "UNEDITED" files on your device. 

The disadvantage of having a desktop is the inability to carry around and edit on the fly or edit in a different location. For someone who is travelling and needs to edit on the fly, having a laptop is a fantastic solution compared to editing on the phone to upload a video or waiting until you're back at the desktop to edit your video. 

Editing on a tablet, such as the Ipad Pro line, is definitely possible with the new chips and software, however it is limited in how you can access the files on the fly and a tablet is limited where you don't have keyboard shortcuts or the ease to grab sound/pictures from the internet. 

Personally, I prefer to have a laptop to edit on the go and being able to move into different environment to edit photos and videos. Sometimes you may gain different inspiration when editing in a new location. 

Operating System (Windows or Mac)

There are some software that works on either operating system such as the Adobe suite, however there are some software that will only work on specific operating systems such as final cut pro. The adobe suite is a subscription service which may work for some, but for others who don't use the software too often, it can become costly. Alternatively, final cut pro on the max is a once off fee which may be more convenience for some. 

If Adobe or final cut pro isn't your style or are looking for some more professional software, davinci resolve is a fantastic software to download and use. You can have a free trial before you make the once off payment, which is fantastic for those looking to have a trial. 

I personally use windows as I use other applications that are only available on windows. 

CPU (Intel/AMD/M1)

The CPU is heart and soul of a computer and is the most important component when it comes to video editing. There has been a bit of misconception regarding the 

GPU (Graphics Card) 

RAM 

Storage 

Suggestions 

Concluding Comments