Adobe Premiere Pro vs. Adobe Premiere Elements: Which should you buy?

Adobe Premiere on Surface Laptop
Adobe Premiere on Surface Laptop (Image credit: Windows Central)

Premiere Pro and Premiere Elements 2019 are fantastic video editing suites from Adobe. Regardless of which one you choose, you'll be able to create awesome-looking videos in no time at all. However, they're for entirely different customers with different budgets.

And ... action!

When it comes to video editing software, only you can truly decide what's best for your needs. Not everyone needs the most expensive option on the market. Likewise, certain offerings just won't be enough for those who need certain format support and advanced functionality. Premiere Pro and Premiere Elements 2019 are similar in numerous ways, but differ in who Adobe is targeting.

Premiere Pro is the flagship in video editing, relied on by many professionals and enthusiasts. Not only does it offer all the features required by more advanced users, but the software suite also works well for amateurs looking to make it big in the business or produce some short films for YouTube.

The main differences between the two products are pricing, system requirements, supported formats, and advanced features.

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Header Cell - Column 0 Premiere ProPremiere Elements 2019
Share projects-
Video effects-
Direct publishing-
Library support-
Sequences-
TransitionsLimited
VR support-
Advanced toolset-
Closed captions-
Simultaneous projects-
FormatsManyFew
CPU requirementIntel 6th GenAMD FXDual-core 2.0GHz
GPU requirement2 GB VRAM-
Minimum resolution1280x8001024x768
RAM requirement8GB4GB
PriceFrom $21/mo.$99

Sources used: Adobe, Finances Online

If you've yet to select which version of Adobe Premiere you need, think about how you're planning to use the software. If you need to do multiple videos per week and plan to accomplish some fairly intensive tasks, go with Premiere Pro, which will be able to keep up with everything you throw at it. Premiere Elements 2019 is better suited to those who are new to the video editing game or don't need all the magical features.

Rich Edmonds
Senior Editor, PC Build

Rich Edmonds was formerly a Senior Editor of PC hardware at Windows Central, covering everything related to PC components and NAS. He's been involved in technology for more than a decade and knows a thing or two about the magic inside a PC chassis. You can follow him on Twitter at @RichEdmonds.