{"id":135048,"date":"2020-07-13T12:17:54","date_gmt":"2020-07-13T17:17:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/?p=135048"},"modified":"2020-07-13T12:17:54","modified_gmt":"2020-07-13T17:17:54","slug":"build-video-editing-pc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premiumbeat.com\/blog\/build-video-editing-pc\/","title":{"rendered":"What You Need to Build a Video Editing PC in 2020"},"content":{"rendered":"

The best video editing PC is the one you build yourself. Check out 3 PC builds for all budgets and experience levels.<\/h2>\n

To get the most out of your computer, it\u2019s better if you build it yourself. Computer parts are more affordable than ever, and there are many guides, tutorials, and PC help forums to walk you through any question or issue.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll probably spend more money than you wanted to, but you\u2019ll be proud of something that was built instead of bought. I built my PC a year ago, and, although I\u2019ve had my fair share of issues, I love the performance, look, and knowing that I put it together.<\/p>\n

Apple\u2019s Mac Pro is probably the best video editing\/design\/animation pre-built workstation. Still, you\u2019ll end up paying much more than the individual parts, with the most expensive build costing north of $50,000<\/a>. I know that for some, editing on a Mac is as normal as breathing, but building your own Windows PC does have its advantages. Mostly, it\u2019s the freedom to build the PC you want, not the one that Apple deems worthy.<\/p>\n

If researching and putting it together is too much, you can buy a pre-built PC made for video editing, though they are not as available as ones made for gaming. Pre-built PCs don\u2019t always use the best components, and manufacturers charge a premium for putting it together. There\u2019s no shame in buying a pre-built PC, just know that you won\u2019t always get what you want at the price you want.<\/p>\n

Below, I\u2019ve put together three builds at different price points, which should serve as a guide. Only you know what you need for video editing, but before we dive into selecting parts, it\u2019s important to know what each component does and why you need it.<\/p>\n

\n

Parts Guide: What\u2019s in a PC?<\/h3>\n
\"What\u2019s<\/a>

Computers are incredibly complex, but you only need a handful of parts to build one. Image via Reenya<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

Budget-conscious consumers may not have the luxury to buy the best parts, but it\u2019s essential to know where to spend money and where to save. For video editors, the CPU is where the most significant part of the budget should go, but VFX artists may spend most of their budget on a professional-level GPU. While building the PC is another story altogether, picking the right parts is even more important.<\/p>\n

A later section of this article will go over three different builds, but if you feel comfortable building your PC parts list, check out PC Part Picker<\/a>. You can kit out your PC on this site, and it alerts you when there is a compatibility issue. The site will give you an estimated price, which it calculates by choosing the lowest price from several different retailers. PC Part Picker can help you stay on budget, and, more importantly, you can tweak your build as much as you want until it\u2019s just right.<\/p>\n

\n

Parts Guide: Motherboards<\/h3>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Motherboards may look intimidating with all their ports and sockets, but they’re very simple to understand once you read the manual. Image via Naumov S<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

The motherboard is the foundation of the system, and it will dictate the parts of the build. While GPUs, RAM sticks, and other hardware components are interchangeable across systems, for the most part, motherboards have specific CPU sockets.<\/p>\n

Picking up a motherboard with an Intel CPU socket means you can\u2019t upgrade to an AMD CPU without buying a completely new motherboard. And, while motherboards are not nearly the most expensive component in a PC, they\u2019re still not cheap. For the sake of upgrading the systems listed further down in this article, all the motherboards below use the same AM4 socket, which only supports AMD Ryzen CPUs.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll want to think about the PC you\u2019re building and the types of upgrades you want to make in the future. For budget-conscious shoppers, buying a more affordable motherboard makes sense financially, but going too cheap can limit what you can update in the future, making the computer obsolete much sooner than necessary.<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t afford an M.2 NVMe SSD right now, that\u2019s understandable, but if you want one in the future, make sure you get a motherboard with an M.2 socket that supports NVMe PCIe 3.0 drives. You\u2019ll thank yourself down the line when you can finally afford the upgrade.<\/p>\n

Motherboard Sizes<\/h3>\n

The other thing you have to consider about motherboards is the size. There are three main sizes<\/a> \u2014 ATX, Mini-ATX, and Micro-ITX \u2014 to consider, and each of them has their perks. Larger ATX motherboards are the biggest consumer-grade motherboards, and they also have many features, some of which are not available on smaller motherboards. The downside of buying a larger motherboard is that you\u2019ll also need a larger case, which, depending on the case, can occupy more space than is available.<\/p>\n

Since smaller motherboards are crowded, building on them can be a hassle, but they are sometimes more cost-effective and have the same essential sockets, ports, and connections. Smaller motherboards fit on bigger cases, whereas the same can\u2019t be said about large motherboards and small cases. Small motherboards, such as a Micro-ITX, may not have every feature available, but pricier models use the limited space creatively. Sure, your fingers will have to perform some gymnastics, but the smaller form factor means the PC won\u2019t completely take over the desk.<\/p>\n

Motherboard Chipsets\/BIOS<\/h3>\n

Finally, motherboards have distinct chipsets that vary by manufacturer, and they control many basic features on a computer. Every motherboard is different, but the ports available dictate what components you can use. Hardware such as RAM, PCIe cards, NVMe SSDs, HDDs, and others depend on the motherboard.<\/p>\n

Motherboards operate via the UEFI, or Unified Extensible Firmware Interface, which is commonly referred to as the BIOS (Basic Input\/Output System). The BIOS varies by motherboard and manufacturer, but it\u2019s the control room for your computer. You can adjust fan speeds, RAM clock speeds, lighting, and other highly technical CPU, GPU, and memory settings. You most likely won\u2019t spend too much time in the BIOS, but a good BIOS makes a big difference.<\/p>\n

When purchasing a motherboard, do some research beforehand to make sure the BIOS on the motherboard supports your CPU. Check if the motherboard ships with an updated version of the BIOS that supports your CPU without an update. If you get a motherboard with an outdated BIOS that doesn\u2019t support your CPU, you\u2019ll have to borrow a CPU that does to update the BIOS. Some manufacturers will loan you a CPU to upgrade your BIOS, but that\u2019s not always the case.<\/p>\n

Regardless, do your research. If the motherboard won\u2019t support your CPU out of the box, just look for another one and save yourself the hassle. You\u2019ve been warned. If you ever update your BIOS<\/a>, which you should, please don\u2019t update when there is a possibility of a power outage. Because, well, that\u2019s one mother you won\u2019t want to deal with.<\/p>\n

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Parts Guide: CPU<\/h3>\n
\"CPU<\/a>

Barely larger than a cracker, the CPU is the brains of the operation and the most important piece of hardware for video encoding. Image via weera.otp<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

The CPU, or central processing unit, is responsible for all the computing. Essentially, it\u2019s the brains of the operation, and it\u2019s one of the core components for a fast, reliable video editing PC. Video editing software relies heavily on the CPU \u2014 GPUs, however, are increasingly becoming more important for video encoding \u2014 so you\u2019ll want something fast, powerful, and capable of handling lots of things at once.<\/p>\n

The CPU industry is a duopoly, with the two reigning companies being Intel and AMD. Intel has a more significant share of the market, but AMD has steadily been gaining on its competitor in recent years.<\/p>\n

Video editors tend to stick with Intel because it\u2019s a reliable brand with solid products, and benchmarks show that it does a great job of handling single-core workloads<\/a>. However, Intel chips are expensive, and they reserve their best features for higher-priced CPUs. In an effort to gain market share, AMD is extremely generous, and many of the best features are available on their lower-end CPUs.<\/p>\n

AMD CPUs are more affordable than their Intel counterparts, and the AMD Ryzen line of CPUs, which are direct competitors to Intel\u2019s flagship CPUs, are all unlocked<\/a>. In layman\u2019s terms, an unlocked CPU is capable of overclocking, which is when a CPU runs at a faster frequency than the stock frequency. Some of AMD\u2019s Ryzen chips are factory overclocked, with enough room for users to push the overclock even further.<\/p>\n

Multi-threaded\/Hyper-threaded CPUs<\/h3>\n

Adding fuel to the fire, all Ryzen CPUs use simultaneous multi-threading, which means that there are twice as many threads as there are cores. My CPU is a Ryzen 7 2700X with eight cores and 16 threads, and it\u2019s capable of computing more tasks per second than a CPU that is not multi-threaded. Intel uses the same technology on some of their CPUs, though they call it hyper-threading, and it\u2019s only available on pricier CPUs.<\/p>\n

Multi-threaded CPUs use two threads for every core. Instead of one thread feeding tasks to each core, there are two threads simultaneously tasking each core, which increases efficiency. There are more threads pushing work to the cores, so there is always another task in the queue. Although both manufacturers use similar technology, AMD Ryzen CPUs are multi-threaded at much lower price points than their Intel counterparts. That alone is reason enough to hop on the AMD bandwagon.<\/p>\n

What to Look Out For in a CPU<\/h3>\n
\"\"<\/a>

The CPU fits into the CPU socket on the motherboard in a specific way. Typically, a corner of the CPU has a yellow triangle that aligns with a specific corner of the socket, which is also sometimes marked with a triangle. Installing the CPU is the first thing you should do. Image via Preechar Bowonkitwanchai<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

When researching a CPU, there are several features to analyze. First, you\u2019ll want to know the number of cores and whether the CPU is multi-threaded or not. Then, look for the frequency of the CPU.<\/p>\n

According to PC World<\/a>, CPU frequency \u201crepresents how many times the internal clock inside the CPU ticks in cycles per second.\u201d While factors other than frequency impact a CPUs performance, a higher frequency equates to faster, therefore better, performance.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll also want to know if it\u2019s possible to overclock the CPU, which increases the frequency. Overclocking is a science, though, and overclocking too much can cause the CPU to overheat. The more you overclock, the more you need to think about CPU cooling, which I’ll cover later in this article. Though you might not overclock right away, it\u2019s something you could do in the future to squeeze more performance from the CPU.<\/p>\n

Whatever your budget is, plan on spending at least a quarter of it on your CPU. Be economical, sure, but don\u2019t be a cheapskate, either. More than any other part on this list, the CPU is the component that video editors rely on the most because it\u2019s what allows videos to be rendered. A faster CPU that can handle heavier workloads will decrease the time spent rendering.<\/p>\n

\n

Parts Guide: GPU<\/h3>\n

The graphics processing unit is similar to the CPU in many ways, though it\u2019s physical appearance is decidedly large. Whereas the CPU computes information and tasks for general computing purposes, the GPU processes graphical tasks that vary from watching videos on Youtube to editing special effects to rendering video game graphics in real-time. The CPU handles more data-intensive workloads that require whole cores, while the GPU has hundreds of cores that each handle smaller tasks.<\/p>\n

The frequency of the GPU and the frequency of the GPU’s video RAM, (VRAM) as well as VRAM capacity, are all important units of measurement that you should inspect before purchasing. GPU frequency is much like CPU frequency, which measures how many cycles are happening per second. Higher GPU frequencies mean you can render video faster, since the cores within the GPU are working at a faster pace.<\/p>\n

A GPU\u2019s VRAM holds the instructions that the GPU needs to execute. Having more VRAM is always better since it can hold more instructions, which prevents bottlenecking the GPU. The frequency of the VRAM dictates how often it’s syncing and passing off instructions to the GPU. This thread on Quora<\/a> dives much deeper into GPU and VRAM frequency, if you\u2019re interested.<\/p>\n

For editing video, GPU frequency and VRAM are important, but GPU frequency has a higher impact on rendering times.<\/p>\n

GPUs and Hardware-Accelerated Rendering<\/h3>\n

Video editors each have their preference for video editing software, so it\u2019s tough to pick one GPU for each software, but I\u2019ll use Premiere Pro as a reference since it\u2019s one of the most popular.<\/p>\n

Premiere Pro users recently got some great news regarding hardware-accelerated rendering<\/a>, making the GPU way more important for video than it has ever been. GPUs can now handle the rendering, and they can assist with certain effects in Premiere Pro thanks to the Mercury Playback Engine.<\/p>\n

GPU accelerated promises faster render times, and it\u2019s a feature that should have been added years <\/i>ago. Whereas before the CPU was the most important video editing component, it seems that GPUs are the future. Adobe says that hardware-accelerated features are supported when using a GPU from their recommended list<\/a>, but it\u2019s not clear if that\u2019s a suggestion or a requirement.<\/p>\n

Consumer Vs. Professional GPUs<\/h3>\n
\"Motherboard<\/a>

Modern GPUs are huge, so you’ll want to make sure the case you buy has enough clearance. Image via kvsan<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

There are two kinds of dedicated GPUs out there: consumer-grade GPUs for video games, and professional GPUs used by video game developers, VFX artists, designers, engineers, architects, and video editors. AMD and Nvidia are the two big companies in the GPU space, both offering options for average consumers and creative professionals. Intel<\/a> has recently begun to manufacture GPUs, but they have a long way to go before they’re considered viable options.<\/p>\n

When comparing consumer-grade GPUs, I would outright recommend an Nvidia GPU, mostly because my AMD gaming GPU is a high-priced headache-inducing piece of hardware that has brought me more frustration than the joy it promised. However, the two companies have excellent professional GPUs, each of them suited for different types of creatives.<\/p>\n

Professional-grade video cards are sometimes incredibly expensive, and because their use is niche, there is sometimes not much information available. In an age where consumers look at a dozen reviews for a toaster before purchasing, it\u2019s hard to ask someone to spend a few hundred dollars on a GPU with little to no information available.<\/p>\n

There are upsides to using a professional GPU, however, and that\u2019s because the manufacturers offer more hands-on support for their professional users. Also, the GPU drivers are pushed out at a slower pace to ensure compatibility across many applications. Conversely, AMD\u2019s driver updates for their current flagship consumer GPU, which I own, have been so bad that I frequently find myself wishing I had bought a GPU from Nvidia. Such is life.<\/p>\n

When looking at Adobe\u2019s list of recommended GPUs, none of the AMD GPUs listed are consumer-grade. AMD GPUs such as the AMD Radeon Pro WX 7100<\/a> are excellent for video editing, but they are expensive, niche, and hard to find. On the other hand, there are many consumer-grade video game GPUs from Nvidia.<\/p>\n

While there are affordable options from both AMD and Nvidia, the lack of consumer-grade AMD cards in Adobe\u2019s list is worrisome, especially for those who want a system for video editing and other activities. Hopefully, Adobe will support consumer-grade AMD GPUs in the future.<\/p>\n

With hardware-accelerated rendering on Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve, having a powerful GPU is more important than ever. Hardware-accelerated features are still new to Premiere Pro, but rendering with a GPU is quickly becoming the best option.<\/p>\n

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Parts Guide: RAM<\/h3>\n
\"\"<\/a>

Before inserting the RAM sticks into the DIMM slots, undo the levers. You should hear a loud click as the levers lock up again when the RAM sticks are correctly inserted. Image via Kom_Pornnarong<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

If you\u2019re a veteran video editor, you know the importance of RAM. The amount of available RAM dictates how fast videos load as you\u2019re scrubbing the timeline. Every cut, effect, and transition requires RAM, and more RAM means you can quickly load and view your video without waiting. Trying to edit video on a computer with just four or eight gigabytes of RAM is an exercise in frustration, with tons of crashes, slow scrubbing, freezes, and dropped frames. But what is RAM, and how much do you need?<\/p>\n

What is RAM?<\/h3>\n

Thanks to Cambridge University<\/a>, the first part of the question is easy: Random Access Memory is a type of volatile memory that holds data and program instructions used by the CPU. When there isn\u2019t enough RAM, lesser-used instructions move to virtual memory, where they remain until they are needed again. Switching between RAM and virtual memory slows down the CPU, so it\u2019s crucial to have plenty of RAM. With more RAM available, the CPU can efficiently multitask and continue to operate RAM-heavy programs such as Premiere Pro. There are other factors on a stick of RAM that are important, such as frequency and latency, but capacity is the most important.<\/p>\n

When it comes to how much RAM you need, well, like everything on this list, that depends on what you\u2019re doing, which software you\u2019re using, and your budget. Just know RAM is more expensive per gigabyte than any other type of memory, and you\u2019ll have to pay dearly for a fast system.<\/p>\n

Think of RAM as an incredibly fast and expensive storage device that holds your computer\u2019s instructions \u2014 RAM is a volatile type of memory, meaning that it\u2019s wiped clean on reboot. CGI Director<\/a> explains precisely why you need more RAM for video editing: RAM is responsible for storing the rendered preview of your video, which is cached on the RAM. The more RAM available, the faster you can scrub through the preview timeline, which has effects and other video editing components.<\/p>\n

How Much Ram Should You Use?<\/h3>\n
\"RAM<\/a>

Full-size motherboards typically have four DIMM slots, but you don’t have to use all four. If a motherboard uses dual-channel memory, make sure to insert the RAM sticks into the correct DIMM slots. Image via daniiD<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

If I had to put a number on it, I would say to go with 64GBs of RAM, which would cost, depending on the manufacturer and speed, between $250 to $300. While it\u2019s possible to go even higher, 64GBs of RAM is more than enough for 1080p and 4K video editing, and it\u2019s just enough for 8K video editing. Special effects software, such as After Effects, also benefits from more RAM, and 64GB should be a sweet spot, but that may also depend on the available VRAM on the GPU. Adobe recommends<\/a> up to 128GBs of RAM, but that can cost well over $500.<\/p>\n

Before we move on, one thing to keep in mind is that all CPUs have a RAM limitation. I have a Ryzen 7 2700X<\/a>, which only supports up to 64GBs, so it wouldn\u2019t be possible for me to go any higher unless I bought a better CPU. Just keep that in mind, and try to future proof your PC as much as possible. Better to spend a little more now than spending a lot more later.<\/p>\n

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Parts Guide: Storage<\/h3>\n

There are several storage options these days, as we\u2019ve recently covered<\/a>, but none are better than an M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD. If you want to know more about what each abbreviation means, I recommend taking a look at the article linked in this paragraph. An NVMe SSD is the fastest type of consumer-grade storage currently available, and while it is expensive, it has speeds that are up to 25 times faster than a standard hard disk drive (HDD). Unless you have an exorbitant budget, however, I recommend going with a dual storage system that utilizes an NVMe SSD in conjunction with a slower, though larger-capacity, HDD.<\/p>\n

Using a Dual-Drive System<\/h3>\n
\"Storage<\/a>

Unlike SATA SSDs and HDDs, storage drives with an M.2 key can only connect to an M.2 socket. NVMe SSDs, which are the fastest storage devices, have an M.2 form factor with an “M” key. Check if your motherboard has an “M” key M.2 socket before purchasing an NVMe SSD. Image via Christian Wiediger<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

The NVMe SSD is where you\u2019ll want to install your operating system to improve load times when booting or loading software. You\u2019ll want to store everything else on your HDD. To make editing more manageable, it\u2019s good practice to transfer the related video files from the HDD to the SSD to help with loading and exporting. When you\u2019re done with video files, you can store them on the HDD, which should be the more substantial of the two storage drives. This method saves you from spending hundreds of dollars on high-priced storage while still taking advantage of the speed from an NVMe SSD and the storage capacity of an HDD.<\/p>\n

Video editors need lots of storage, much more than can physically fit on a computer, but there should be enough available storage without having to delete files after every edit. There are solutions for long-term storage, such as a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device, but we won\u2019t get into that. I recommend having at least a 500GB NVMe SSD, and a much larger HDD with at least two terabytes of capacity. While the former costs around $60, the latter should be about the same price for four times the storage.<\/p>\n

The great thing about storage is that you can always upgrade in the future, so long as you buy a decent motherboard. My motherboard, an ASUS Prime X470-Pro<\/a>, has 6 SATA ports for HDDs or SATA SSDs, and it also has two M.2 sockets for NVMe SSDs. Just make sure that whatever motherboard you buy has enough room to upgrade storage, which you will always need.<\/p>\n

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Parts Guide: PSU<\/h3>\n

There\u2019s nothing flashy about a power supply unit (PSU). The power supply unit gives your computer life, and a cheap PSU might end that life prematurely. Never, and I repeat, never<\/i> buy an off-brand PSU from a company you\u2019ve never heard of, and be extremely cautious when purchasing a used PSU. The best-case scenario for buying a cheap PSU is that your computer won\u2019t start; worst case, your computer will catch on fire. I get wanting to save money, but not with a PSU.<\/p>\n

PSU Efficiency Ratings<\/h3>\n

Which PSU you need depends heavily on the system you\u2019re building, with the CPU and GPU being the two most significant power hogs. Luckily, PC Part Picker and Outervision<\/a>, which provides a power supply calculator, can give you a decent estimate of what PSU you will need.<\/p>\n

Apart from the wattage on a PSU, you\u2019ll want to look out for the efficiency rating, which Gizmodo explains in great detail<\/a>. Purchase a PSU with an 80+ rating for the best efficiency. The 80+ rating is split into three tiers: bronze, gold, and platinum. PSUs with better efficiency ratings give off less heat, and they don’t draw as much power. Investing in a high-quality PSU with a good efficiency rating will be more expensive at first, but it won’t drive up the electric bill as much as a less efficient unit.<\/p>\n

Non-Modular, Semi-Modular, or Fully Modular<\/h3>\n
\"The<\/a>

This is the dreaded non-modular PSU, which has all the cables permanently installed to the hardware. Fully modular PSUs, on the other hand, give you the most freedom when building your system. Image via K_attapon<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

You should consider whether to go with a non-modular, semi-modular, or fully modular PSU. The latter is the best choice because it doesn\u2019t come with any cables attached to the PSU, leaving the user with more room for customization. Semi-modular PSUs have some cables pre-attached, which cannot be removed, but there is still some freedom. Lastly, non-modular PSUs are bad, and you shouldn\u2019t get one.<\/p>\n

Semi-modular PSUs are a bit more affordable than their fully modular counterparts, and they\u2019re not entirely bad, but I recommend a fully modular PSU if there is room in the budget.<\/p>\n

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Parts Guide: Case<\/h3>\n

The case is probably the most aesthetic-based purchase you\u2019ll make, and there are tons of case options these days. Cases come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but most of them are black towers with a glass side panel. If you\u2019re not into the traditional gaming case, there are still options, but you\u2019ll have to look harder. And while a PC\u2019s look is important, it\u2019s better to buy something functional and easy to build on. First-time builders should get a spacious case.<\/p>\n

Each case is different, and the number of supported fans, cutouts, and drive bays varies by case. Pick one with good airflow and room for upgrades, and find out if your parts will fit comfortably.<\/p>\n

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Parts Guide: CPU Cooling Options<\/h3>\n

As we\u2019ve already covered, video editing is a CPU-intensive task that takes up a lot of resources, and the harder a CPU works, the more heat it outputs, especially if it’s overclocked. There are two CPU cooling options to choose from, both of which you should consider.<\/p>\n

CPU Cooling Fan or AIO Cooler<\/h3>\n
\"CPU<\/a>

CPU cooling fans don’t look very glamorous, but they get the job done. Apart from being easy to install, CPU cooling fans are affordable. In some cases, however, the cooling fan may have clearance issues caused by the RAM, which is typically located right next to the CPU. If possible, purchase low-profile RAM to prevent any clearance issues. Image via Scharfsinn<\/a>.<\/em><\/p><\/div>\n

CPU cooling fans are the go-to for most builds because they\u2019re affordable, easy to install, and require no maintenance, but they are loud. The other contender is the AIO water cooler, which is not as complicated as it sounds.<\/p>\n

The AIO is an all-in-one (hence the name) cooling solution that includes all the parts needed. The water block connects to the CPU and absorbs the heat, transferring it to the radiator via the coolant in the tubes. When the heat reaches the radiator, the fans blow the heat away from the PC.<\/p>\n

This type of CPU cooler is more expensive than a CPU cooling fan, but it does keep the noise down, and many swear by its cooling properties. If you\u2019re planning to install an AIO water cooler, get a case with air vents at the top of the case, which is the best place for the radiator and fans.<\/p>\n

When the CPU is under a heavy workload, the cooler goes into overdrive to prevent overheating, making tons of noise. Some manufacturers sell cooling fans that operate at much quieter sound levels. Silent CPU coolers are not cheap, but they do help a lot with the noise without losing too much cooling performance.<\/p>\n

For most users, I recommend using the stock cooler included with an AMD Ryzen processor. The stock Ryzen coolers do a decent job, especially when considering it’s bundled in at no extra charge. The stock coolers, however, are no match for overclocked CPUs. Invest in a beefier CPU cooling fan or AIO cooler if you’re overclocking.<\/p>\n

Applying Thermal Paste\/Compound to the CPU<\/h3>\n