# What is the best video editing software? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 14, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955 "2013-03-14T22:45:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2013, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/1 "2013-03-14T22:45:50Z")
I am a starting youtuber. I can not download gigabytes onto my old computer. Can anyone give me advice? ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/2 "2013-03-15T04:42:32Z")
It depends. Best for what? Sony Vegas has a low end package that will probably do anything you need. It has been a while since I checked it out, but even the low end configuration has lots of toys to play with. Doesn’t Microsoft offer a free rudimentary editing package? Windows Movie or somesuch? I know that Mac has something like it. That might be the place to get your feet wet before you plunk down cash. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/3 "2013-03-15T05:32:15Z")
That is, if Sony doesn’t put a [rootkit](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony_BMG_copy_protection_rootkit_scandal) on your system when you install it. :eek: I personally would never buy a Sony product, but Vegas seemed impressive when I saw it. We were doing some greenscreen and it handled it fine. Not bad for a package that at the time was $99, so I guess that impressed me enough to make me mention it here. I am sure others will be along shortly to provide more than my poor knowledge of the low end software. I have used Avid DV (hate) and Final Cut (loved, until they gutted it and pitched it at the amateur market). I currently use Premiere, FWIW, mainly just because I already have CS3, and it does fine. I think there is a consumer version of Premiere as well. Vegas also has some higher end packages if you want to move up later, but I was real impressed with what you got for $99 a few years ago in that line. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/4 "2013-03-15T05:36:51Z")
How old a computer? Make sure it can run the software. Something called “rendering” happens all the time with editing software to make fades and effects, and if your computer is real slow, you will have lots of time to make coffee! And video hogs disk space. You may need an external drive. It is wise to have a separate drive or partition for your videos, so you can keep it defragged, and clean it out when you are done with a project. ---
**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/5 "2013-03-15T05:58:04Z")
It seems Sony is calling their low end editing software [Movie Studio Platinum](http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/moviestudiope) and that page has some pretty stiff hardware requirements, and it needs Vista or better. Perhaps an older version of Vegas would be good, as it will run on XP and needs less hardware. If you can find one. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/6 "2013-03-15T06:06:32Z")
What is it you’re trying to do with video, **CCitizen**? What do you want editing software for? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/7 "2013-03-15T08:24:58Z")
> [@CCitizen](#): > > I am a starting youtuber. I can not download gigabytes onto my old computer. > > Can anyone give me advice? Then you probably shouldn’t use it for video editing. Both because you need space to store uncompressed video imported from your device and because it’s a very painful process to video edit on a slow system. If you absolutely must try it and are willing to pay, give [Adobe Premiere Elements a try](https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere-elements.html). If that doesn’t do enough for you – and it ought to, if you’re just playing around with YouTube – you can pay much more for [Premiere Pro](https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html). If you don’t want to spend any money, [Windows Movie Maker](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/movie-maker-get-started) is free. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/8 "2013-03-15T12:07:17Z")
The XP version of Windows Movie Maker is really good. I use it regularly. I was very disappointed with the newer Windows Movie Maker for Win 7. Totally different and a lot of great features are missing. I have a PC setup with Win 7 and XP. I boot into XP for my video editing because that version of Movie Maker is so much better. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/9 "2013-03-15T13:52:06Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > It depends. Best for what? Sony Vegas has a low end package that will probably do anything you need. It has been a while since I checked it out, but even the low end configuration has lots of toys to play with. Thanks. Can you provide a link? I am totally new. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/10 "2013-03-15T13:53:06Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > How old a computer? 2002 ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/11 "2013-03-15T13:54:14Z")
> [@Stan\_Shmenge](#): > > It seems Sony is calling their low end editing software [Movie Studio Platinum](http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/moviestudiope) and that page has some pretty stiff hardware requirements, and it needs Vista or better. > > Perhaps an older version of Vegas would be good, as it will run on XP and needs less hardware. If you can find one. Thank you very much – I will look into it. ---
**Author:** ![CCitizen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4af34b/32.png) [@CCitizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CCitizen)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/12 "2013-03-15T13:56:38Z")
> [@Reply](#): > > If you absolutely must try it and are willing to pay, give [Adobe Premiere Elements a try](https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere-elements.html). If that doesn’t do enough for you – and it ought to, if you’re just playing around with YouTube – you can pay much more for [Premiere Pro](https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere.html). > > If you don’t want to spend any money, [Windows Movie Maker](http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-live/movie-maker-get-started) is free. Thank you very much – I will look into both programs. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2013, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-best-video-editing-software/652955/13 "2013-03-15T14:38:38Z")
It really depends on what you want to do, how much you are willing to work on it, and how long you are willing to wait for things to happen on your computer. If you are working with big HD videos you may very well find that your existing computer isn’t up to the task. I’d suggest starting with Windows Movie Maker and see what you can do, and what you wish you could do better.