Intel or AMD: Best Budget CPUs for Video Editing in 2025

In the world of video editing, the CPU serves as the core engine for timeline playback, rendering, encoding, and multitasking. While premium setups are ideal for studios, content creators working with tight budgets still need responsive performance, especially for 4K editing and effects-heavy workloads.

This guide helps you identify the best budget CPU for editing, comparing AMD vs Intel value options in 2025 for creators, freelancers, students, and hobbyists. We’ll break down real-world performance, thermals, and platform longevity to help you build a cheap editing PC that delivers.

Why Budget CPUs Still Matter in Video Editing

While high-end CPUs accelerate post-production, a well-optimized budget system can still handle modern editing workflows effectively. With the rise of efficient encoding formats like H.265 (HEVC) and smart proxies, even low-cost CPUs can manage:

• 4K timeline editing (with proxies)

• Basic color grading and transitions

• Multi-layer timelines for short-form content

• Faster render/export with GPU acceleration

Intel vs AMD Value Comparison (2025 Edition)

Intel Budget Highlights

• Intel Core i5-14400 / i5-14500: Hybrid architecture, affordable pricing, integrated graphics for Quick Sync encoding

• Intel Core i7-13700F (Previous Gen): Lower price in 2025 with high multicore performance

• Strong support for Intel Quick Sync, a key advantage for real-time H.264/HEVC encoding

• Compatible with DDR4 and DDR5 depending on motherboard

AMD Budget Highlights

• AMD Ryzen 5 7600: 6-core, Zen 4 architecture, excellent single-thread and multicore balance

• AMD Ryzen 7 5700X (AM4): Previous-gen 8-core chip still relevant with affordable AM4 boards

• AMD Ryzen 5 5600G: Integrated Vega graphics; ideal for GPU-less builds

• Great price-to-performance, especially for multitasking and longer renders

Real-World Budget Editing Benchmarks

*Benchmarks based on Adobe Premiere Pro 2024 with 4K H.264 footage using a GTX 3060 for GPU acceleration.

Platform Costs and Upgrade Potential

Choosing the right CPU isn’t just about the chip — the platform it sits on affects total cost.

AMD AM4 (5700X, 5600G)

• Cheapest board and RAM options (DDR4)

• End-of-line platform but great for tight budgets

• Ideal for users not planning future upgrades

AMD AM5 (Ryzen 7600)

• Newer platform with DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 support

• Higher upfront motherboard cost

• Longer upgrade roadmap through 2026+

Intel LGA1700 (i5-14500, i7-13700F)

• DDR4 and DDR5 motherboard options

• Last-gen platform, but great performance with Raptor Lake

• Upgrade path ends with 14th Gen CPUs

Best Budget CPU Choices by Creator Type

• Pair with 32GB DDR4 (or DDR5 if AM5) for faster project loading and timeline responsiveness.

• Use NVMe SSDs (Gen3 or Gen4) as scratch disks for footage and cache.

• Prioritize power supply stability if running longer render sessions.

• GPU pairing still matters — even budget builds benefit from a mid-tier GPU like the RTX 3060 or RX 6700 XT.

• Always ensure adequate airflow, especially with Ryzen chips that tend to hold boost clocks under cooler temps.

Best Budget CPUs for Editing in 2025

While Intel offers superior real-time playback in H.264 and HEVC projects due to Quick Sync, AMD leads in raw value and multicore exports. Your ideal budget CPU depends on workflow:

• For smoother timeline playback and exports on compressed codecs, go Intel (i5-14500 or i7-13700F)

• For longer render tasks and lower cost per core, go AMD (Ryzen 5 7600 or 5700X)

• If no discrete GPU, consider the Ryzen 5 5600G

Whichever you choose, today’s budget CPUs are more than capable of powering fast, reliable editing for creators working with limited budgets but unlimited creativity.