Do I need a GPU to make PMVs?
You don't need a dedicated GPU. Here's the realistic breakdown
For everything (analysis, cuts, effects, rendering): a modern CPU (Intel i5 10th gen / Ryzen 3000 or newer) handles it. 8GB RAM minimum, 16GB comfortable. The effects (face-aware cropping, cutout pop, depth parallax, film halation, etc.) render on the CPU on every machine.
What a GPU speeds up: an NVIDIA GTX 16-series / RTX 20-series or newer runs the AI analysis of your clips, beat detection and depth effects on the GPU, and NVENC makes exports faster. Older NVIDIA cards (GTX 10-series and earlier) still get NVENC, but the AI analysis runs on the CPU. AMD cards get hardware export (AMF), with AI analysis on the CPU.
Storage: SSD recommended for faster import scanning. Enough space for your clip library plus exports.
If you have a 5-year-old laptop without a dedicated GPU, you can still make great PMVs - importing and rendering just take longer.
Do I need a GPU to make PMVs — check for yourself
The free demo runs the full pipeline on your own clips, which settles "do i need a gpu to make pmvs" faster than any answer I can write here.
Try Onset Engine or try the free demo first - no credit card needed