Best Graphics Card For Premiere Pro

Best Graphics Card For Premiere Pro (2021)

This article is all about helping improve your video editing workflow. Having just built my own PC for Video Editing, rendering, and Graphic Design, I’ve done a ton of research on graphics cards. I will summarize my research and recommend five of the best graphics cards for different use cases in Premiere Pro. In addition, answer some frequently asked questions regarding GPUs for video editing.

Scroll down to get right into the recommended cards. If you want to learn more about what should be considered when choosing a graphics card, see the table of contents below. Let’s dive in!

Best Graphics Cards For Premiere Pro 2021

How To Choose The Right Graphics Card For Premiere Pro

In order to choose the right Graphics Card for video editing in Premiere, there a few things to consider. It really comes down to four aspects: operating system, your workflow needs, compatibility, and your budget.

Your Workflow:

It almost goes without saying, the type of content you work with will dictate what kind of card you need. I will cover the benefits of a higher-end GPU, and what type of card is needed for 4K editing, later in the article. 

But high level, if you edit simple HD video you can get away with a card with 4 or 6 GB of VRAM. If you need more of a professional build for 4K editing, effects, and want to leverage GPU acceleration for speeding up render times, I recommend a GPU with a minimum of 8 GB of VRAM. The more heavy and complex your workflow, I highly recommend choosing a card with more VRAM and CUDA Cores.

Operating System:

If you have a Mac computer, you will need to go with an AMD GPU. In addition, your Mac will have to be a 2019 Mac Pro or newer, and the OS needs to Catalina or newer. The reason being, AMDs current GPUs are only supported by new Mac Operating systems.

All the GPUs I recommend for Premiere Pro are Nvidia cards. Generally speaking, Nvidia GPUs perform better in Adobe Apps like Premiere. If you need an AMD GPU for your Mac, the AMD Radeon Pro WX 8200 is an excellent choice.

PC users will inherently have much more flexibility. AMD or NVIDIA cards will both work. However, for video editing in Adobe CC Apps, I recommend NVIDIA GPUs over AMD. Either way, you should make sure your new GPU meets the rest of the criteria. Let’s continue.

Form Factor:

You will need to know who much physical space is available inside your case. Once you take measurements, take a look at the specs for each card we recommend to see if there’s a fit. Generally speaking, higher performance cards are taller and longer due to more internal components and beefier cooling.

Compatibility:

Making sure your other components are compatible, including display ports for monitors, are other considerations that need to be taken into account.

The power supply needs to be able to handle what your GPU needs and the rest of the system. Nowadays GPUs are becoming more power-efficient. Higher-end cards will likely need a 600W PSU, where-as mid-range cards usually need a 450W PSU. Either way, you should always check the power consumption specs depending on the model you go for.

Motherboard compatibility is another box you’ll need to check. Most GPUs are compatible with PCIe 16x data connectors, which almost all modern boards use. So this is likely a non-issue. However, I recommend making sure double-checking motherboard compatibility, so you don’t run into any problems.

You should also look at your monitor setup and the types of connections they feature. Will those be compatible with your GPU ports, is a question to answer. Most GPUs come with multiple DisplayPorts and one HDMI. Some have Mini DisplayPort and USB Type-C. The key here is to assess your current and future monitor setup, to make sure your desired GPU has the right connections.

Budget:

Finally, your budget. This combined with your workflow needs will determine what card you can get. Everyone’s situation is different. So it is hard to give any advice. The only thing I would say here is that when building or upgrading parts for video editing, you need to consider that whole system and not only one part. For example, I would not go all-in on a high-end GPU before I have a capable CPU and enough system RAM. The CPU is the foundation. Where-as, a quality GPU will make your workflow better by assisting the CPU, thus making your editing smoother and more efficient.

What Software Do You Use?

If you are looking for a graphic card for After Effects, chances are this is not the only software you use. For example, a typical motion graphics workflow can include Cinema 4D to After Effects, mixed with a bit of Photoshop, then Premiere Pro. Having a solid GPU to handle the variety of software is important. But what else should be considered?

What Is Your Workflow Like?

Thinking about your workflow and the programs you use is one thing. But how do you use those programs? Do you use GPU accelerated effects or plugins that leverage the GPU for performance gains? Do you work with heavy 3D files that use textures, maps, lighting, etc?

You should also think about what you use your computer for, outside of your profession. If you are a part-time gamer, depending on the kinds of games you play and your monitor setup, having a capable GPU will be critical.

Rendering & Optimization:

Do you render so much that optimizing render times is important? Having a good graphics card will give you the ability to cut down render times by selecting GPU acceleration to aid the CPU when rendering.

Displays & Monitor:

Another important factor is your display/monitor setup. If you are running a 4K monitor or multiple displays, having a quality GPU will keep all the heavy and complex visual data rendered smoothly in the viewport while panning and previewing your designs.

Ports/Connections:

Most GPU’s feature the following ports. DisplayPort, Mini DisplayPort, HDMI, or DVI. How many of each will depend on the specific model. Knowing what connections you need on your graphics card will depend on your current and future monitor set-up.

Future-Proofing:

Software makers are constantly coming out with updates. Also, monitor technology is getting better and more affordable. Future-proofing your PC with a capable GPU for now and in the future is a wise decision in my opinion.

Is Premiere Pro CPU or GPU Intensive?

The CPU, or the processor, is the most important component in a Premiere Pro workstation. In fact, the CPU is the foundation of any PC. Your GPU, or graphics card, is also important. But how important will depend on a number of factors, which we will get into.

First, let’s quickly cover what is a GPU exactly, and what does it do?

The GPU (Graphics Processing Unit, or graphics card) is a programmable processor that generates a feed or output of images rendered to the display (or monitor). The GPU is an important component in a video editing workstation because it can perform additional processing to help the CPU (Central Processing Unit).

A capable GPU offloads processes from the CPU and system RAM so that the graphics processing runs faster, and you will see significant improvements to the computer’s overall performance. But is a good GPU needed for Premiere Pro?

Is A Graphics Card Necessary For Premiere Pro?

To understand if a GPU is necessary for Premiere Pro, we need to look at two aspects. First is the official Adobe system requirements for Premiere Pro. Adobe recommends 4 GB of GPU VRAM. However, if you are working on 4K footage or higher, with effects, I recommend a card with 8 GB VRAM.

Let’s take a look at how GPUs are used when video editing in Premiere Pro.

What Graphics Card Do I Need For 4k Video Editing?

For editing 4K video editing, you should opt for a Graphics Card with a minimum of 8 GB GPU VRAM (such as the RTX 2060 Super). While the graphics card (GPU) isn’t used much if you are editing plain clips in HD, and with no effects. Editing 4K video is more demanding on your computer. This is where a quality GPU can assist the CPU and make your workflow smoother and more efficient.

That said, a CPU is the foundation for any 4K video editing computer. Then, you need to make sure you have, preferably 32 GB, ideally 64 GB, or system RAM. After that, depending on if you work on GPU intensive tasks, a quality GPU with 8 GB of VRAM and above is worth it.

Is Nvidia Quadro good for video editing in Premiere Pro?

NVIDIA Quadro is great for video editing because Quadro GPUs provide reliable high performance paired with software support for enterprise users. However, Quadro cards are quite expensive. Read on to see how Quadro cards compare with GeForce.

Quadro Vs GeForce For Video Editing

When comparing Quadro GPUs at GeForce there are quite a few specific differences technically. But I will explain the differences to you in layman’s terms. 

NIVIDIA Quadro:

Quadro cards have more precision, they are considered to be more reliable, certified by various applications (AutoCAD, DeVinci Resolve, etc), and they come at a price premium. Quadro cards are aimed at business and enterprise users.

Conclusion

On the whole, the type of editing you do should determine what graphics card is right for you. If you know you will make use the all the GPU acceleration features, or you just want the smoothest video editing workflow, the ultra-fast RTX 3090 will transform your workflow. The RTX 3080 offers a high level of performance in the mid-range. If you don’t think you will use GPU accelerated effects or GPU accelerated rendering, the RTX 2060 Super, or the RTX 3060 Ti will both be excellent choices for your video editing needs.

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