Creating in Adobe After Effects calls for a desktop PC that can handle demanding motion graphics, VFX, and compositing without choking under heavy timelines.
This guide is for video editors, motion designers, animators, and creative professionals who need speed, smooth previews, and stability when working on complex After Effects projects.
After Effects is notorious for pushing hardware. It uses both CPU and GPU for different tasks. The CPU drives most effects calculations and timeline playback, while the GPU accelerates specific effects, rendering, and preview generation. Insufficient hardware can result in dropped frames, sluggish scrubbing, endless RAM previews, or crashes when projects get complex.
The challenge is balancing CPU performance, GPU acceleration, RAM capacity, and storage speed to keep your creative process flowing. If one component falls short, the whole system feels slow.
The solution is to choose a desktop with strong single-core and multi-core CPU performance, a capable GPU, abundant RAM, and ultra-fast storage. We evaluate these PCs based on processor power, GPU performance, memory capacity, storage type and configuration, cooling efficiency, expandability, and display connectivity. After Effects also benefits from a system that remains responsive even when other creative tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, or Premiere Pro are open alongside it.
For optimal performance, we recommend at least a 6-core Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7 CPU, a mid-to-high-tier GPU such as NVIDIA RTX 3060 or higher, 32 gigabytes of RAM, and a 1-terabyte NVMe SSD.
Processor power directly impacts how quickly After Effects processes effects and renders previews. A CPU with strong single-core speed ensures snappy timeline interaction, while multiple cores help with rendering and multitasking. The advantage is smoother playback and faster output; the problem it prevents is long wait times between edits and final renders.
GPU performance accelerates many effects, especially with GPU-based rendering engines and third-party plugins. An NVIDIA RTX card with CUDA support delivers faster previews, real-time effects, and shorter export times for GPU-accelerated formats.
Memory capacity is critical because After Effects stores frames in RAM for smooth previews. With 32 gigabytes, you can preview longer sections without rendering them repeatedly. Heavy compositions or 4K+ projects benefit from 64 gigabytes, preventing the system from offloading to slower storage.
Storage type and configuration affect how fast you can load media, projects, and caches. An NVMe SSD ensures quick startup, instant media loading, and fast disk cache performance. Having a secondary drive for cache files can further speed up previews and renders.
Display connectivity is essential for connecting high-resolution monitors or multiple displays for timeline and preview separation. HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.4, or USB-C video output supports 4K and higher, giving you accurate previews of your work.
By meeting these specifications, you can expect fast previews, responsive editing, stable renders, and a smooth multitasking experience even when working on multiple creative tools at once.
List of the Best Desktop Computers for Adobe After Effects:
Contents
- MSI Aegis RS Gaming Desktop Intel Core i7-13700KF, RTX 4070, 32GB DDR5, 2TB
- CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme Liquid Cool Gaming PC, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2GHz, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB, 32GB DDR5, 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD
- Corsair Vengeance i8200 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i9 14900KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU - 64GB
- Corsair Vengeance i7500 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i9 14900KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090
- iBUYPOWER Y40 White Gaming PC Computer Desktop Y40WI7N46T02 (Intel Core i7 14700KF, RTX 4060Ti 8GB, 32GB
- MSI Codex R3 Gaming Desktop Intel Core i5-14400F, Geforce RTX 4060, 16GB DDR5, 2TB
- Skytech Gaming Azure Gaming PC Desktop – AMD Ryzen 7 7700X 4.5 GHz, NVIDIA RTX 4070, 1TB NVME SSD
- Skytech Gaming Nebula Gaming PC Desktop – Intel Core i5 13400F 2.5 GHz, NVIDIA RTX 4060, 1TB NVME SSD
- Corsair Vengeance i7500 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i7 14700KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070Ti GPU - 32GB
- HP OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop, AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB Solid State Drive, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Graphics
- CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR Liquid Cool Gaming PC, Intel Core i7-14700KF 3.4GHz, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB, 32GB DDR5, 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD
- Lenovo 24 inch All-in-One Ideacentre A540 Desktop
- Acer Predator Orion 3000 PO3-600-UR13 Desktop pc
- Alienware PC Desktop Aurora R7
- ROG Strix GL10DH Desktop - Ryzen 7 - GTX 1660 Ti
MSI Aegis RS Gaming Desktop Intel Core i7-13700KF, RTX 4070, 32GB DDR5, 2TB |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i7-13700KF |
| Processor Speed | 2.5 GHz |
| GPU | RTX 4070 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 12 GB |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 2TB M.2 NVMe |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 25 x 23.25 x 12.4 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance, Price, Storage |
| Disadvantages | n/a |
CyberPowerPC Gamer Supreme Liquid Cool Gaming PC, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 4.2GHz, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB, 32GB DDR5, 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D |
| Processor Speed | 4.2GHz |
| GPU | GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super |
| Graphics Card Memory | 16GB |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 23.2 x 22 x 13 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Design, Build quality, Performance |
| Disadvantages | N.A |
Corsair Vengeance i8200 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i9 14900KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 GPU - 64GB |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i9 14900KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.2 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 24 GB |
| RAM | 64GB |
| Storage Space | 2TB M.2 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 25.63 x 24.25 x 13.86 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Very good performance, large storage |
| Disadvantages | n/a |
Corsair Vengeance i7500 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i9 14900KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i9 14900KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.2 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 24 GB |
| RAM | 64GB |
| Storage Space | 2TB M.2 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 17.8 x 9.1 x 18.3 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance |
| Disadvantages | n/a |
iBUYPOWER Y40 White Gaming PC Computer Desktop Y40WI7N46T02 (Intel Core i7 14700KF, RTX 4060Ti 8GB, 32GB |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i7 14700KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.4Ghz |
| GPU | RTX 4060Ti |
| Graphics Card Memory | 8GB |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 2TB NVMe |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 21.6 x 21.6 x 14 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance, Storage |
| Disadvantages | n/a |
MSI Codex R3 Gaming Desktop Intel Core i5-14400F, Geforce RTX 4060, 16GB DDR5, 2TB |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i5-14400F |
| Processor Speed | 2.5 GHz |
| GPU | Geforce RTX 4060 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 8 GB |
| RAM | 16GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 2TB m.2 NVMe SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 8.5 x 17.09 x 19.65 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Price, Performance, Storage |
| Disadvantages | N/A |
Skytech Gaming Azure Gaming PC Desktop – AMD Ryzen 7 7700X 4.5 GHz, NVIDIA RTX 4070, 1TB NVME SSD |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 7700X |
| Processor Speed | 4.5 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA RTX 4070 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 12 GB |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 1TB NVME SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 23.25 x 20.25 x 12.5 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Value |
| Disadvantages | Storage |
Skytech Gaming Nebula Gaming PC Desktop – Intel Core i5 13400F 2.5 GHz, NVIDIA RTX 4060, 1TB NVME SSD |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i5 13400F |
| Processor Speed | 2.5 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA RTX 4060 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 8 GB |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage Space | 1TB NVME SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 22.5 x 20.5 x 13.5 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Design and Build |
| Disadvantages | Storage |
Corsair Vengeance i7500 Series Gaming PC - Liquid Cooled Intel Core i7 14700KF CPU - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070Ti GPU - 32GB |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i7 14700KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.4 GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070Ti |
| Graphics Card Memory | 12 GB |
| RAM | 32GB |
| Storage Space | 1TB M.2 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 17.8 x 9.1 x 18.3 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | design and performance |
| Disadvantages | Storage |
HP OMEN 45L Gaming Desktop, AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, 32 GB RAM, 1 TB Solid State Drive, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Graphics |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | AMD Ryzen 9 5900X, |
| Processor Speed | 4.8 |
| GPU | GeForce RTX 3080 Ti |
| Graphics Card Memory | 12 GB |
| RAM | 32 GB DDR4 |
| Storage Space | 1 TB Solid State Drive |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Dimensions | 8.03 x 18.5 x 21.85 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Very good performance, Value, Compact |
| Disadvantages | N/A |
CyberPowerPC Gamer Xtreme VR Liquid Cool Gaming PC, Intel Core i7-14700KF 3.4GHz, GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super 16GB, 32GB DDR5, 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i7-14700KF |
| Processor Speed | 3.4GHz |
| GPU | GeForce RTX 4070 Ti Super |
| Graphics Card Memory | 16GB |
| RAM | 32GB DDR5 |
| Storage Space | 2TB PCIe Gen4 SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 11 |
| Dimensions | 22.5 x 22.5 x 13.25 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Good performance |
| Disadvantages | None |
Lenovo 24 inch All-in-One Ideacentre A540 Desktop |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel 8 Core i7-9700T Processor |
| Processor Speed | Intel 630 Graphics |
| GPU | Intel |
| Graphics Card Memory | NA |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage Space | 512GB PCIe SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Dimensions | 25.7 x 22 x 9.2 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance |
| Disadvantages | Storage |
Acer Predator Orion 3000 PO3-600-UR13 Desktop pc |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8700 Processor |
| Processor Speed | Up to 4.6GHz |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Graphics |
| Graphics Card Memory | 6GB GDDR5 Video Memory |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 2666MHz RAM (expandable to 64GB) |
| Storage Space | 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD & 1TB 7200RPM HDD |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Dimensions | 13.78 x 6.42 x 13.39 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Good Performance, Large Storage |
| Disadvantages | None |
Alienware PC Desktop Aurora R7 |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | Intel Core i7 8700 |
| Processor Speed | (6-Core/12-Thread, 12MB Cache, up to 4.6GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology) |
| GPU | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 |
| Graphics Card Memory | 8GB GDDR5X |
| RAM | 16GB 2666MHz DDR4 up to [64GB], Dual Channel (additional memory sold separately) |
| Storage Space | 2TB 7200 RPM [SATA] (HDD) + 32GB Intel Optane |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Dimensions | 14.19 x 8.35 x 18.6 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Sold Separately |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Performance, Storage |
| Disadvantages | NA |
ROG Strix GL10DH Desktop - Ryzen 7 - GTX 1660 Ti |
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|---|---|
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| CPU | AMD Ryzen 7 3700X |
| Processor Speed | 4.4 GHz |
| GPU | GeForce GTX 1660 Ti |
| Graphics Card Memory | 6GB |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage Space | 512GB SSD |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Dimensions | 16.9 x 7.1 x 16.9 inches |
| Keyboard & Mouse | Not Included |
| Computer Monitor | Sold Separately |
| Advantages | Perfornance, Design |
| Disadvantages | Storage |
Also see: The best desktop computers for Adobe Photoshop
