
Obviously, your video software needs to be compatible with your computer’s operating system, be it Windows, Mac OS, Linux, or others. But you also need to make sure it’s compatible with your system hardware, like the CPU, RAM, and graphics card. This is a two-way street – you can match the software to your hardware, or you can upgrade your computer to match the software you want to use if you need to. It’s better to upgrade your hardware if you can, in order to take advantage of as many cutting-edge software features and video formats as possible, but if an upgrade isn’t in the cards, or you’re working on a laptop, then check the minimum computer system requirements for the software and see if it will run on your machine.
Most of the latest camera recording formats offer extremely high-quality, high-resolution footage suitable for robust video work. While that’s great for quality video, it also means that your computer must process an enormous amount of data per second while the video plays or is rendered into a final file. If your computer’s CPU can’t keep up, then you’ll experience dropped frames when you play or scrub through your timeline, and that results in choppy playback, or really long render times. GPU acceleration takes advantage of the power of your computer’s graphics card to help process the data.


This gives you fewer dropped frames when you play back high-quality video on your timeline. GPU-acceleration also help keep up real-time playback when you add processor-intensive elements like video FX and transitions to your work. GPU-accelerated encoding cuts down render times significantly, so you’ll have finished videos much faster. All this means you’ll spend less time waiting and more time working and being creative. Look for software which offers GPU acceleration, especially if you plan to work with 4K footage!
Much like support for camera formats, you want support for the most common delivery formats, too. Often these are the same formats, but you want to tailor your renders for the way your audience will watch your videos. Will they watch on YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook, or other online video streaming?

Exporting to the right format for any of these has unique requirements. Pick software which can deliver to all of these formats and more. Also, you want software that takes as much of the guesswork out of it as possible, so look for software which has render templates to match the requirements for these sources and formats.

There are a lot of video formats out there! Whether you’ll be working with 1080p, 4K, MP4, AVC/AVCHD, HEVC, H.264, LOG, HLG, or the many other format choices, look for software which supports the format of the footage you’ll use -- but just as importantly, look for support of a broad range of formats. As your work and skill expand, you’ll use many different formats. Also, as you grow in your work, you’ll start to take advantage of advanced aspects of video formats, like High Dynamic Range (HDR). Be sure your software has you covered!
A great video editor puts powerful tools and features at your disposal. Most have common tools like color correction, text generation, chromakey, and other FX. Some feature fully customizable interfaces, so you can lay out your workspace and tools however you want. Others have convenient features like mode-based workflows which arrange the interface for the task at hand and put the tools you need right in front of you, which is great if you’re working on a single screen such as a laptop.
There's an often overlooked, but critically important question you need to answer before you make your final choice of editing software: does it work the way you want to work, or does it make you work the way it wants you to? Look for software which works the way you want, not the other way around! Some software has very set ways of doing everything, and an interface which can only be set up in certain ways.

With beginners in mind, some feature tutorials or assisted worfklows, like the Guided Video Creator in VEGAS Movie Studio. Always keep in mind what you want to do, and make sure the editor you choose has the tools to do it. Also remember that as you do more and more editing, you’ll want to take advantage of more and more features, so choose an editor which can grow with you.

The best software for you gives you the power to decide your own workflow and lets you customize the interface to set it up in a way that feeds your creativity instead of blocking it. When the software really matches your style, it seems intuitive and easy. If it makes you work a certain way, it can seem to get in your way, and that’s no good for productivity or creativity. Get the software which works your way and lets you create freely!
VEGAS Movie Studio has everything you need to get into editing your own great videos. Feature-packed and customizable, VEGAS Movie Studio gives you a Guided Video Creator to help you through your very first video edit. When you’re ready to edit on your own, take advantage of an intuitive interface with mode-based workflows, powerful tools, GPU acceleration, and customizable templates for the most popular export formats. As your projects get more complex, VEGAS Movie Studio offers advanced FX tools like chromakey, motion tracking, Bézier masking, as well as very powerful versions of common tools like color correction and image stabilization. VEGAS Movie Studio has everything a beginning or advanced editor needs to unleash your creativity and produce exciting videos. There’s no better way to jump into video editing than with VEGAS Movie Studio!












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- Color Grading & Correction
- Understanding Color Grading vs. Color Correction
- Guide for Professional Color Grading
- Video Scopes for Accurate Color Correction
- Color Grading Panel for a Powerful Workflow
- Easy and Quick Color Correction & Color Grading with LUT
- Build Atmosphere with Filter & Effect
- How to Fix Image That's Too Dark or Bright
- Get More Details with HDR Color Grading
- Set Your White Balance Right for Effective Color Correction
- Special Effects & Image Editing
- Must-know Video Effects to Add Your Videos
- Guide to Chroma Key & Green Screen
- Types of Transitions & When to Use Them
- How to Add Motion Blur in Video
- Blurry Image Is Not Always Bad. Here's Why!
- 3 Techniques to Help You Have a Clean Key
- Remove Spill and Blocky Artifacts from Green Screen Footage
- Slow Down or Speed Up Video Footage
- 5 Advanced VFX Edit You See in Superhero Movies
- Make a Smooth Slo-Mo Effect with Optical Flow Slow Motion
- Powerful Tools for Compositing
- Video Editing & Workflow
- Get Inspired with Creative Cuts & Transitions
- Video Editing Tips to Edit like a Pro
- Flexible Storyboards for Efficient Workflow
- Motion Tracking and Video Stabilization
- Rescue Unusable Video Footage with Stabilization
- Make & Edit a Killer YouTube Video
- Storyboards: Make it Easy to Build Your Story
- Pro Audio Effects for Pro-level Sound Editing
- Fundamentals of Video Editing for Beginners
- How to Make Your Own Movie in Easy Steps
- How & When to Use Jump Cut Editing
- Record Your Screen for YouTube Video Tutorials
- Make Video Collage and Animate with Track Motion Tool
- Create 3D Moving Poster with Mesh Warp
- Split Screen Video with Crop Effect Tool
- Overlay Image on Video — News-Style
- How to Reverse a Video - It’s Easy, Fast, and Simple
- How Keyframe Helps Creating Stunning VFX
- Combine Multiple Clips Together Into One Video
- Creative Match Cut Examples for Better Storytelling
- Create Fun, Effective Text, Titles & Roll Credits
- Change Video Orientation (Rotate or Flip)
- Convert MOV to MP4
- 25 New Cool Text Animations
- Freeze Part of Your Footage for Dramatic Flair
- Learn Motion Tracking for Endless Possibilities
- Bézier Mask to Create Seamless Composites
- J-Cut vs. L-Cut Editing | How-To with Example
- How Nested Timeline Helps You Keep Organized
- Make Holiday Photos More Lively with Slideshow Creator
- Slideshow Creator Tool for Easy Video Montage
- Advanced Tips & Tricks in VEGAS Pro & Movie Studio — with Videos
- Combine Footages from Different Angles (Multicam)
- Fastest and Easiest Way to Make Edits
- Working with Timeline — Places You Can Add Effects To
- Is It different To Edit Normal Footage or 360° footage?
- Let's Get Familiar with Trimmer Tool
- Record High-Quality Voiceover & Add It in Video
- Choosing your Software
- Find the Best Professional Video Software
- Best Video Editing Solution for Windows
- Best Solutions for Home Users & Aspiring Pros
- The Right Video Software from Beginner to Pro
- Video Editing Software for Beginners & Intermediates
- Video Editing Software for Professionals
- Video Editing & Post-Production Software
- Video Effects Software with Pro Effects
- Video Editor Comparison: VEGAS Movie Studio VS. Filmora9
- Video Editor Comparison: VEGAS Pro VS. Adobe Premiere Pro
- Video Editor Comparison: VEGAS Pro VS. DaVinci Resolve