Short Answer: Yes, you can. If you change a few settings & follow the 7 easy tips below, you can easily run Adobe After Effects with 8GB of RAM. While 16GB of RAM is the minimum requirement for After Effects, 8GB of RAM can be enough for everyday use and smaller projects.
Many of you don’t have a high-end PC but still want to use After Effects to create VFX and motion graphics. Adobe After Effects is one of the most popular VFX, motion graphics, and compositing applications in 2024. You can easily run After Effects on your low-end PC for entry-level projects. However, using 8GB RAM to run Adobe After Effects may cause you to run into several issues if you are working on more complex projects with several layers, effects, and high-quality footage. The more RAM you have, the better.
Therefore, today, we’ll learn how to run After Effects on 8GB RAM smoothly with a few system tweaks and take your videos to the next level.
Why Is RAM Important to Run Adobe After Effects?
RAM is essential for storing quick data and accessing the data your program needs to process and render tasks. It’s important to remember that the complexity of the tasks you are working on may impact how much RAM is required.
RAM is like a bookshelf where you place all the books you want direct access to at any time. In contrast, think of your hard drive as a storage room where you store books that you don’t need immediate access to but want to keep for later use. So when you need those data from that cardboard box, RAM will access them quickly and manage them like your application’s bookshelf.
RAM enables After Effects to work smoothly with larger timelines and more complex projects. It allows for faster previewing, editing, and rendering. More RAM can allow you to do multitasking without significant slowdowns. It also gives you real-time playback of your compositions without lag. Advanced effects and high-resolution footage require more memory to process efficiently. More RAM helps manage these demands without crashing or freezing.
Minimum System Requirements for After Effects
For Windows:
| Operating System | Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit) V20H2 or later |
| Processor | Intel or AMD Quad-Core Processor |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| Graphics Card | GPU with DirectX 12 support and 2 GB of GPU VRAM |
| Hard Disk Space | 15 GB of available hard disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation |
| Monitor | 1920 x 1080 |
For Mac:
| Operating System | macOS Big Sur v11.0 or later |
| Processor | Intel, Native Apple Silicon, Rosetta2 Supported Quad-Core Processor |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| Graphics Card | 2 GB of GPU VRAM (Draft 3D requires discrete GPUs that are compatible with Apple Metal 2) |
| Hard Disk Space | 15 GB of available hard disk space for installation; additional free space required during installation |
| Monitor | 1440×900 |
Check Out Our Blog on Adobe After Effects System Requirements And Specs: Read More
Performance Optimization with 8GB RAM (7 Easy Steps):
1. Previews in Lower Resolution:
To lighten the memory strain, limit the resolution of your composition preview to half or a quarter. This can help you to improve playback performance. NEVER USE FULL PLAYBACK RESOLUTION if you are using a low-end PC. You Can Lower the playback resolution even further if you go to Edit > Preferences > Previews > Adaptive Resolution Limit = 1/16. And also change the zoom quality to faster.
2. Purge Memory:
Regularly purge memory and disk cache via Edit > Purge > All Memory & Disk Cache to free up resources.
3. Close Unnecessary Applications:
Closing all unnecessary applications frees up more memory for After Effects. Even if you are not using any app, it can eat up your RAM in the background. Every application needs RAM, so to get the best performance out of After Effects, close background apps like browsers or video players. If you do this, you will prevent other crash problems and save a lot of time.
4. Enable Disk Cache & Clean up your PC:
To enhance performance, ensure your disk cache is configured on a quick drive, ideally an SSD. Cleaning up your PC also helps your Apps run faster and optimize system performance. So, Delete any files you don’t need and uninstall any software you don’t currently use. This will free up your disk space, which can be used to accommodate temporary files and cached data. You can do it manually or use Windows disk cleanup or software like CCleaner to do it automatically.
5. Use Fast Storage Solutions (SSD, NVMe):
NVMe SSDs provide superior read and write speeds compared to traditional HDDs and even SATA SSDs. This reduces your project’s loading time, and VFX increases overall responsiveness. So, you should consider buying a SATA SSD or an NVMe SSD if your Motherboard supports it. It will instantly 10X your application speed. It’s a must-have!
6. Optimize Project Settings:
- For high-resolution video, use proxy files.
- Where possible, simplify compositions.
- Pre-render complex layers and effects.
7. Old is Gold (Install Older Version Of After Effects):
The Final tip that worked for me and many others is to Install an older version of Adobe After Effects. If you are using the latest version of After Effects and facing problems, it is better for you to install an older version of the app from Creative Cloud. You may not be able to use the latest features and tools, but you can definitely use them more hassle-free.
Learn How to install older versions of Adobe apps: Learn More
In Conclusion, if you follow the 7 steps we showed you today, you can run After Effects on your low-end PC more smoothly and lag-free. RAM plays an important role in Adobe After Effects’ functionality, but it’s not everything. More RAM makes it possible for the software to store and retrieve data fast, which is necessary for processing, rendering activities, and multitasking effectively.
Make sure you have enough RAM to take advantage of lag-free real-time playback. Adding additional RAM can greatly increase your workflow, handle larger files, and render projects faster.
Even though Adobe After Effects may technically run on 8GB of RAM, upgrading to 16GB or more of RAM is advised if you’re a professional or working on more demanding projects. This will allow you to enjoy a better experience and better performance.
