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Adobe After Effects

Motion graphics machines that keep your timeline fluid and your RAM previews instant.

Built around the fast single-thread CPUs, large DDR5 memory pools and RTX 50 series GPUs that After Effects genuinely rewards, so scrubbing, RAM previews and Multi-Frame Rendering all stay quick. From £2299.

  • High single-thread CPU
  • 64GB+ DDR5
  • Gen5 NVMe
  • 5-year warranty
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Recommended configurations

Creator

Serious 1080p and light 4K motion graphics

£2,299

CPU
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D (8-core, very high single-thread)
GPU
NVIDIA RTX 5070 Ti 16GB
RAM
64GB DDR5-6000
Storage
1TB Gen5 NVMe SSD
Best for
Freelancers and studios doing template work, lower-thirds, social motion and 1080p compositions who want snappy previews without overspending.
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Most popular

Studio

The sweet spot for full-time motion designers

£3,699

CPU
AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D (16-core) or Intel Core Ultra 9 285K
GPU
NVIDIA RTX 5080 16GB
RAM
96GB DDR5-6000
Storage
2TB Gen5 NVMe SSD + 4TB NVMe scratch/cache
Best for
Daily 4K compositing, heavy expressions and Multi-Frame Rendering where you need both fast scrubbing and plenty of headroom for layered comps.
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Pro

Large comps, 3D and VFX pipelines

£6,499

CPU
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7970X (32-core) or Threadripper 9000
GPU
NVIDIA RTX 5090 32GB
RAM
192GB DDR5 ECC
Storage
2TB Gen5 NVMe OS + 8TB NVMe cache/scratch
Best for
Studios juggling massive projects, layered EXRs, 3D layers and ray-traced effects, or anyone who needs more than 192GB of RAM and the maximum VRAM for VFX.
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How After Effects uses your hardware

After Effects leans on fast single-thread CPU performance and lots of RAM first, with cores and GPU mattering more as projects grow.

How After Effects uses your hardware
 WorkflowRecommended CPUGPU / VRAMRAM
1080p and light 4K motion graphics
Ryzen 7 9800X3D, high single-threadRTX 5070 Ti, 16GB64GB DDR5
Daily 4K compositing and Multi-Frame Rendering
Ryzen 9 9950X3D or Core Ultra 9 285KRTX 5080, 16GB96GB DDR5
Large comps, layered EXRs, 3D and VFX
Threadripper 7970X / 9000, 32-core+RTX 5090, 32GB192GB DDR5 ECC

The honest priority order for After Effects is single-thread CPU speed and RAM first, then cores for Multi-Frame Rendering, then GPU and VRAM. A top GPU will not rescue a slow CPU or starve a comp of memory, so we put the budget where the app actually feels it.

Why CREATE PCs

We spend the budget where After Effects feels it

We prioritise fast single-thread CPUs and generous DDR5 memory before chasing GPU numbers, because that is what keeps your timeline scrubbing and RAM previews instant in real After Effects work.

Memory sized for layered comps

Every build ships with at least 64GB of DDR5 and we recommend 96GB or more for 4K and heavy EXR work, so you are not forced to purge the RAM cache mid-session.

Hand-built in Stevenage, backed for five years

Each workstation is assembled and stress-tested by hand here in the UK and covered by our 5-year warranty, so you can hit deadlines without worrying about the machine.

Adobe After Effects PCs FAQs

How much RAM do I really need for After Effects?

For 1080p and light 4K we fit 64GB as a sensible baseline, since After Effects holds RAM previews and the cache in memory. For full-time 4K, heavy expressions or layered EXRs we recommend 96GB or more, which is in line with Adobe's own recommended performance specification.

Is the CPU or the GPU more important for After Effects?

The CPU matters most. Timeline responsiveness and RAM previews lean on fast single-thread performance, and Multi-Frame Rendering then scales with core count. The GPU accelerates a growing set of effects, but a strong graphics card will not make up for a slow processor.

Do I need a professional or workstation GPU?

For the vast majority of motion designers, no. A consumer NVIDIA RTX 50 series card gives you the CUDA acceleration After Effects uses, with excellent value. Pro GPUs only make sense for very specific certified pipelines, and we are happy to advise honestly if that applies to you.

Does After Effects use more than one GPU?

Not in any meaningful way for everyday work. After Effects does not scale across multiple GPUs the way some 3D renderers do, so a single strong card with plenty of VRAM is the better spend. We would rather put that money into a faster CPU and more RAM.

Do you preinstall After Effects on the PC?

We do not preinstall Adobe software, as After Effects requires your own Creative Cloud subscription and login. We do ship a clean, fully updated Windows install with current drivers and the system tuned, so you simply sign in to Creative Cloud and start working.