The short answer
- Start with software: DaVinci Resolve (free, or around $295 one time for Studio) or Adobe Premiere Pro (subscription, around $23 a month on an annual plan). Both are professional tools.
- For the computer, prioritize a strong GPU or Apple silicon chip, plenty of memory and a fast internal SSD over a big processor number.
- Split storage into a fast drive for active projects and larger drives for backup and archive. Organization saves more time than hardware.
An editing setup is three decisions: what software you will learn, what computer runs it well, and where your footage lives. Get those right and a modest machine can cut a wedding film or a brand video comfortably. Get them wrong and even an expensive computer feels slow.
Prices below are typical US prices as of late 2026 and change, especially for storage. Check current pricing and system requirements before you buy.
Software: Resolve or Premiere?
Both are in our kit, and both are used on professional productions. The right choice depends on how you like to work and what you need around the edit.
Editing and color
DaVinci Resolve and Resolve Studio In our kit
Best for: editors who want editing, color, audio and finishing in one app.
- Price
- Free version; Studio around $295 one-time
- Free version
- No watermark or time limit
- Studio adds
- AI (Neural Engine) tools, noise reduction, more effects, higher resolutions and frame rates, collaboration
- Industry-leading color tools built in
- Free version is enough to learn and deliver real work
- Includes a checksum Clone Tool for offloading cards
- Leans heavily on the GPU, so weak graphics hurt
- Busy interface for absolute beginners
Editing
Adobe Premiere Pro In our kit
Best for: editors who live in Adobe apps for graphics, photos and motion design.
- Price
- Around $23 a month on an annual plan; more month to month
- Works with
- After Effects, Photoshop, Audition and other Adobe apps
- Smooth handoff to After Effects for motion graphics
- Huge base of tutorials, templates and plugins
- Ongoing subscription cost
- Color tools are less deep than Resolve's
Start with Resolve if...
- You want to pay nothing to learn
- Color grading matters to your work
- You prefer a one-time purchase
Start with Premiere if...
- You already use Photoshop or After Effects
- Your clients or team share Adobe projects
- You want the widest template market
If you pick Resolve, our guide to color grading basics in DaVinci Resolve is a good next step.
The computer: what actually matters
We will not tell you to buy a specific machine, because the right one depends on your cameras, codecs and budget. These are the parts that make the biggest difference for video.
- GPU or chip. Modern editors offload decoding, effects and color to the graphics hardware. On a Mac, that means the Apple silicon tier; on a PC, a capable dedicated graphics card.
- Hardware decoding for your codec. Some chips decode certain camera formats (like many H.265 variants) in hardware and play them smoothly. Check this against what your camera records.
- Memory. More memory keeps long timelines and effects responsive. Plan for more than the minimum the software lists, especially for 4K and above.
- Fast internal SSD. The system, apps and cache should live on fast internal storage.
- Ports. Fast USB-C or Thunderbolt ports matter as much as raw power when your footage lives on external drives.
- A calibrated display. If you grade color, an accurate monitor matters more than a bigger one.
Before upgrading the computer, try proxies. Both Resolve and Premiere can create lightweight edit files from heavy camera footage, which can make an older machine feel new.
Drives: how to lay out storage
| Tier | What lives there | Typical choice |
|---|---|---|
| Internal SSD | Operating system, apps, cache, render files | The fastest storage you can afford |
| Working drive | Active projects and media | A fast external SSD, for example a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 or Thunderbolt model |
| Backup | A second copy of every active project | A separate SSD or hard drive |
| Archive | Finished projects | Large hard drives or a NAS, plus an offsite or cloud copy |
The backup routine that feeds this layout is covered in memory cards and a backup workflow that never loses a wedding.
Monitoring: hear and see what you deliver
Your audience will watch on phones, laptops and TVs, so check your edit on more than one screen. For sound, a pair of closed-back headphones you know well is the minimum; add small studio monitors when your room allows. Check the mix on laptop speakers and a phone before every export, because that is where many viewers will hear it.
For color, work in a room with consistent, dim lighting and avoid a bright window behind or beside the screen. If grading is a big part of your work, a calibrated display and a hardware calibration tool are worth more than an extra few inches of screen.
A folder structure that scales
- One folder per project named with the date and client, so they sort in order.
- Footage by camera and card, for example A-cam card 01, B-cam card 01, audio recorder.
- Separate folders for audio, music, graphics, project files and exports.
- Exports by version, so v1 for review and v2 after notes never overwrite each other.
- Save a template of the empty folder tree and copy it for every new job.
A tidy folder tree is the cheapest upgrade an editor can make.
Practice drill: the 60 second edit
Take ten minutes of footage from any event or outing. Cut a 60 second piece with a beginning, middle and end. Then do it again in the other editor's free trial or free version. You will learn more about which tool suits you from one real edit than from comparison videos. For footage worth cutting, see our guide to shooting B-roll that tells a story.
If you would rather hand off the whole process, from shoot to delivery, that is what our content creation work covers.
Frequently asked questions
Is the free version of DaVinci Resolve good enough for paid work?
For many projects, yes. It has no watermark or time limit. Studio becomes worth it when you need its AI tools, noise reduction, higher resolutions or frame rates, or collaboration.
Mac or PC for video editing?
Both work well. What matters is strong graphics hardware, enough memory, fast storage and good hardware decoding for the formats your cameras record.
Can I edit directly from an external drive?
Yes, if it is fast. A modern external SSD on a fast port handles most editing. Slower hard drives are better for backup and archive.
Should I learn both Resolve and Premiere?
Learn one well first. Once your editing instincts are solid, picking up the second is much faster, and knowing both helps when collaborating.
