If the originals are supported and healthy, proxies are normally the lighter solution. They exist for responsive editing while final conform/export returns to the originals.

A full transcode makes sense when the source has timing problems, an unsupported profile, broken metadata, or a workflow standardized on an intermediate. It is not automatically necessary for heavy media.

For Windows, VSDC's proxy workflow is worth testing alongside other editors: use one clip end-to-end and verify the final render really returns to the original before generating hundreds of proxies.

I prefer that route if relinking is automatic. I will test one clip from import through final render, then scale the proxy job only if the conform is correct.