[Leni0328]

I want to buy a new computer that will allow me to edit HD videos. I am considering the one included below.

HP Black Pavilion h8-1320t Desktop PC
Price: $648
Processor: Intel Core i5-2320 Quad-Core Processor
Memory: 6GB
Hard Drive: 1TB
3.0GHz, 6MB Shared Cache
Operating system: Windows 7 Home Premium with Windows 8 Pro Upgrade Option (Monitor Not Included)
Store up to: 395 hours of HD video
Graphic Card: AMD Radeon HD 7450 Graphics; With 1GB DDR3 dedicated graphics memory

Walmart link: http://www.walmart.c...indows/21863272

The specifications for this computer mention that this computer has 1 GB DDR3 dedicated graphics memory. I want to know if this is the same thing as a dedicated video card. In the future if I ever need to upgrade I want to be able to upgrade the video card and not have to buy a new computer so I want something with a dedicated video card that i can simply change. I'm just not sure of what they mean by dedicated graphic memory. Please help I do not know anything about computers and I need to start editing my videos soon. Is this computer good for what I want to do?

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Leni0328

The PC at the link is not a bad price for what you get however it is not up to your intended use.

Do you intend editing videos professionally as a business say as this will have a bearing on what you should aim for with your new computer.

Will you play games on the computer and if so give us some examples of the games as this will influence the video card you should go for as in a work station card or an all rounder capable of doing both with ease.

Some pointers for you regarding features that you should include in your new computer;

CPU: Choose either an 8 core AMD or Intel i7 that has HyperThreading technology.
Ram: 16GB will ensure that you have enough now and into the future, as software progresses it is typically requiring more memory.
MB: It goes without saying that it must be compatible with the CPU and Ram but it should be capable of holding 32GB of Ram for the same reasons that I have mentioned above.
Video card: This depends on the answer to the questions that I have asked above.
HDD: 1TB, 7200rpm, 64MB of Cache and 6Gb/s would be fine.
Optical drive: DVD/RW drive, pretty standard and can cost less than $20.
Case: Needs plenty of additional expansion bays for adding further HDDs and must have an excellent cooling system.
PSU: Must be able to provide enough clean and stable power now + allow for adding more HDDs in the future, a minimum 80% efficiency rating is a must.
OS: Depending on what you choose W7 or W8 it will dictate the version you should choose because of the memory limitations.

You will get more bang for your buck by building your own PC and we will be happy to help you with this.

In answer to the dedicated graphics question, the computer at the link has a video chip that is integrated into the MB, they are not even vey good for gaming let alone editing videos, you could fit an add on video card into the computer but you would also need to upgrade the PSU first.

[phillpower2]

Leni0328

The PC at the link is not a bad price for what you get however it is not up to your intended use.

Do you intend editing videos professionally as a business say as this will have a bearing on what you should aim for with your new computer.

Will you play games on the computer and if so give us some examples of the games as this will influence the video card you should go for as in a work station card or an all rounder capable of doing both with ease.

Some pointers for you regarding features that you should include in your new computer;

CPU: Choose either an 8 core AMD or Intel i7 that has HyperThreading technology.
Ram: 16GB will ensure that you have enough now and into the future, as software progresses it is typically requiring more memory.
MB: It goes without saying that it must be compatible with the CPU and Ram but it should be capable of holding 32GB of Ram for the same reasons that I have mentioned above.
Video card: This depends on the answer to the questions that I have asked above.
HDD: 1TB, 7200rpm, 64MB of Cache and 6Gb/s would be fine.
Optical drive: DVD/RW drive, pretty standard and can cost less than $20.
Case: Needs plenty of additional expansion bays for adding further HDDs and must have an excellent cooling system.
PSU: Must be able to provide enough clean and stable power now + allow for adding more HDDs in the future, a minimum 80% efficiency rating is a must.
OS: Depending on what you choose W7 or W8 it will dictate the version you should choose because of the memory limitations.

You will get more bang for your buck by building your own PC and we will be happy to help you with this.

In answer to the dedicated graphics question, the computer at the link has a video chip that is integrated into the MB, they are not even vey good for gaming let alone editing videos, you could fit an add on video card into the computer but you would also need to upgrade the PSU first.

[Leni0328]

Thank you so much for replying to my post. I really appreciate it. I need a computer only to do HD videos. I do not paly games and I do not do videos for a living. I simply have a channel on Youtube and I record my videos with an HD camera. I do videos about 2 or 3 times a week and they are about 10 to 15 minutes long.

Do you think the laptop included in the link below will be a good option for me?

http://www.walmart.c...dows-8/21666188

Also, do you know if this laptop comes with a dedicated memory card? If I get this laptop will I be able to upgrade the graphics card in the future?

[phillpower2]

As you are only uploading videos and not rendering or editing them professionally the desktop in the first link or the notebook in the second link will both be more than adequate.

Regarding upgrading a notebooks video chip, this is not possible with most notebooks and it is normally only the high end - high priced gaming models that allow this, the upgrades are also expensive, notebooks are notorious for their limited upgrade potential with fitting more memory and larger capacity/faster HDDs or an SSD about as far as you can go so if future upgrade potential is your priority go with a desktop computer.

You are welcome BTW

[Leni0328]

Hi again! I do edit my videos. I use the Windows live movie maker editing program. When I try using this program with my Gateway NV53 laptop the program crashes after a few minutes of using it. If I get the hp laptop I sent you in the last post do u think I will not have any problems?

Everyone keeps telling me to get a Mac Pro but they are so expensive. : /

Sorry I keep asking questions but I really don't know anything about computers.

[phillpower2]

Hello Leni0328

Unlike the Gateway NV53 laptop the HP Envy video chip does not rely on system memory to support it, this allows both types of memory to function independently which makes both more efficient, the 2GB of video memory will allow you to do your video work, it will not be as fast as a desktop video card though due to the fact that it uses less power.

Please ask as many questions as you feel you need to, it is why we are here.

[Leni0328]

Thank you so much!

[Leni0328]

Hi it's me again! : ) Thanks for adding me as a friend.

I changed my mind again about the laptop I want to get. Now i decided to get a Dell laptop but it's more expensive. It's $879. This is the link to view the laptop.

http://www.bestbuy.c...=specifications

Specifications for the latptop I am considering getting

Processor: Intel® 3rd Generation Core™ i7
Processor Speed 2.4GHz (with Turbo Boost up to 3.4GHz)
System Memory (RAM: 8GB
Computer Hard Drive Size: 1TB
Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M
Video Memory: 2GB (dedicated)
Operating System: Windows 8

Is this laptop worth almost $900 and will it be good for me to edit my HD videos on Movie Maker without having it crash, lag or freeze on me? I would have considered a desktop but stores don't really have a lot of options when it comes to desktops. Also, I'm not sure if Dell computers are good.

[phillpower2]

You are welcome

The Dell has a good spec that is ideal for your intended use, I would however ask that you read the customer reviews at the link as it will help you make a more informed decision http://www.bestbuy.c...664#tab=reviews

Dell are a good brand but unfortunately they cannot get everything 100% correct all of the time and when you need their assistance it appears that it is sometimes not the best.

NB: One point that I would make is that I do not understand why some reviewers have said the notebook is no good for gaming, it is not intended as a gaming machine but more for business and office use.