Which RAM is best for 4K video editing in Premiere Pro?

Seconding the recommendation above. Honestly, for 4K workflows, capacity is literally everything. I've been tinkering with some builds lately and learned the hard way that high speed doesn't mean much if your pagefile is constantly swapping to the SSD. Unfortunately, DDR5 speeds like 6000MHz sound great on paper, but I had issues where the stability just wasn't there for long renders compared to slightly slower, high-capacity kits.

If you're deciding between speed and size for Premiere, here's how I see it:

* **The High-Capacity Play:** Something like G.Skill Ripjaws S5 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR5-5600 CL36 is basically the sweet spot. It's stable, fits your budget, and actually gives the Mercury Playback Engine enough breathing room for those Lumetri layers.
* **The Stability Pick:** If you're really worried about crashes, I'd go with Kingston FURY Beast 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR5-5200 CL40. It's not as flashy, but lower clock speeds can actually be more reliable during 10-hour export marathons.

Basically, don't overthink the CL latency too much... Premiere isn't as sensitive to it as gaming is. Just get 64GB and you'll actually see that choppy playback disappear. gl!

Respectfully, I'd consider another option before you blow your whole budget on DDR5. Everyone says capacity is king—and it is—but honestly, I think people are sleeping on how much brand-to-brand value varies right now. Ngl, jumping to a whole new platform (DDR5) might require a new mobo/CPU which eats your $400 budget instantly.

If you're staying on DDR4 to save cash, I've had a different experience with market value lately:

* Crucial Pro RAM 64GB Kit (2x32GB) DDR4 3200MHz CP2K32G48C40U5 – This is basically the best bang-for-buck right now at like $110. It’s super stable for long renders.
* Teamgroup T-Create Expert overclocking 10L DDR4 64GB Kit (2x32GB) 3600MHz CL18 – Seriously amazing for Premiere because of the high-quality chips, usually under $130.

Basically, I'd stick to 64GB of high-quality DDR4 and use the extra $250 you saved to buy a dedicated scratch disk. That'll actually fix your choppy playback way faster than 128GB of fancy RAM will. Good luck tho!!

Honestly, I've been in your shoes before where 4K timelines just start crawling, and it's literally the most frustrating thing ever. In my experience, for Premiere Pro and heavy 10-bit footage, capacity is ALWAYS king over speed. If youre hitting a wall right now, jumping from 32GB to 64GB is gonna be the single biggest upgrade you can make for those Lumetri-heavy layers.

I've tried many setups over the years, and while DDR5 is definitely faster on paper, the latency (CL) doesnt actually change the Adobe Mercury Playback Engine as much as just having more room for the cache. Basically, if you run out of RAM, Premiere starts swapping to your drive and that's why everything feels so choppy.

Here's my take on the options:
- **Option A (The Budget King):** 64GB DDR4. If your current board is DDR4, dont waste money on a new motherboard just for DDR5. Grab something like the Corsair Vengeance LPX 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR4 3600MHz CL18. It's super stable and fits your budget easily.
- **Option B (The Pro Move):** 64GB DDR5. If you ARE building a new DDR5 system, go for G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo RGB 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR5-6000 CL30. The 6000MHz speed helps with scrubbing, but the 64GB capacity is what stops the crashing.
- **Option C (Total Overkill):** 128GB. Honestly, unless youre doing 8K or heavy After Effects, 128GB is kinda overkill for most 4K workflows tbh.

Best choice? Go for 64GB of DDR5-6000 if you can swing the new build. It fits perfectly in your $300-$400 range too. Good luck with the edit! 👍

Quick question - what CPU and motherboard are you running exactly?? Honestly, I'm super excited for your build because 4K 10-bit is no joke, but whether you should go DDR4 or DDR5 really depends on your current socket. If you're building fresh, I'd highkey suggest Kingston FURY Beast 64GB (2x32GB) 6000MHz DDR5 CL30 for that sweet spot of stability and speed. It's basically foolproof for Premiere, but let me know your specs so I can be 100% sure!

Bump - same question here

Ugh, I feel your pain so much on this one. Stumbled on this thread today and it just brought back all the trauma lol. I spent basically my whole savings on my current setup thinking it would be the end of my 4K playback issues, but honestly, it was such a huge reality check. I remember trying to edit this 10-bit project last month, and every time I added a single Lumetri layer, the whole thing just turned into a total slideshow. Its so demoralizing when you are trying to be creative but you are just staring at a frozen frame waiting for the cache to catch up or praying it doesnt crash. I learned the hard way that what they say about Premiere being a memory hog is a massive understatement... it is more like a bottomless pit tbh. Even with the high-capacity kit I eventually got, I still get that little spike of anxiety every single time I hit the spacebar to preview. Its just a constant battle with the hardware, ngl.

Saved for later, ty!

I went through this last year. I was basically in the exact same spot trying to cut 10-bit 4K on a budget and honestly, the struggle is so real. I ended up biting the bullet and going with 64GB of DDR5 because I just couldn't deal with the lag anymore. I mean, I was pretty satisfied with the jump... playback actually felt smooth for once!!

I realized that while capacity is huge, I noticed a slight bump in scrub performance when I didn't cheap out on the latency. It's kinda hard to explain, but the timeline just felt more "snappy," you know? But before you drop the cash, I gotta ask:

1. What CPU/motherboard combo are you actually planning to pair this with?
2. Are you mostly doing long-form edits or shorter, high-intensity clips with tons of effects?

I'm super happy I went with the higher capacity tho, it literally changed everything for my workflow... good luck!!