Choosing the best laptop for video editing can be a daunting task sometimes for videographers. When it comes to graphics and images, you need a laptop that provides vibrant results with no lag performance. As video editing task requires a lot of heavy software and applications so you need to consider a laptop with a high-resolution display, powerful discrete graphics, and fast processors.
There are a lot of options available in the market with the best laptops for video editing, all you need is to choose wisely. To find the best video editing laptop, make sure that you’re getting the right amount of RAM, storage, and processor which is capable of editing large video files.
To help you out in finding the best video editing laptop, we have gone through deep reviews and compiled a list of the best laptops for video editing in 2021. Let’s find it out…
Things to Consider Before Buying a Video Editing Laptop
There is a lot more to consider before buying a laptop for video editing. It may sound easy to you, but it requires some effort to find the best. If you are looking for a good quality laptop for video editing, then you need to understand the major requirements such as powerful processors, RAM, sufficient storage, graphics, HD display, and resolution. So, have a look at them…
Processor
Video editing laptop requires a powerful CPU so that programs can run smoothly. To handle hardcore video editing software such as Adobe Premiere and Sony Vegas require hyperthreading. Hence you will need to buy a laptop with a hardcore processor such as Core i5 or Core i7 with hyperthreading capabilities for video editing.
For a good video editing laptop, a laptop running Intel Quad Core i7 processor would be the best choice for you. If your budget is limited, then laptops powered by the quad-core Intel i5 processor will be the best options.
Graphics
For light video editing work, a laptop with integrated graphics on newer generation processors is enough to get the work done. But if you are in a serious profession and looking for a powerful machine, then NVIDIA RTX 10-Series GPUs is the best choice not only for video editing purposes but for gaming as well.
RAM
Aside from processor and graphics, RAM plays a vital role in how fast a laptop running. The more RAM you have, the faster your computer performs anything including video editing. If you are working on motion graphics, you need a large RAM size having at least 8GB. To edit 4K videos, we strongly recommend not less than 8GB.
Screen Resolution
The display is another important factor to consider while looking for a laptop for video editing. To edit 4K videos, a laptop with 1920×1080 resolution is a good choice whereas the resolution of 3840 x 2160 would be an added advantage for editing videos in 4K.
Storage Space
Video files and software takes a lot of space. Having a large hard drive can influence your effectiveness in your work. If you are involving in serious motion graphics editing, we’d recommend an SSD instead of the hard disk. Also, a laptop with a combined storage of SSD and hard disk drive would better choose from performance perspectives.
These were the several important things you should consider before buying a laptop for video editing. The bottom line is that to get a good laptop for video editing, you need to balance out the processor, RAM, display, storage, and graphics so that you can perform your task efficiently.
Now, let’s proceed towards the list of the top 10 best laptops for video editing with their performance and hardware specifications.
Top 10 Best Laptops for Video Editing
1. Dell XPS 9500 Ultrabook
Dell XPS 9500 is an ultra-thin and lightweight video editing laptop that comes with a powerful Intel Core i7 10th gen processor. The laptop weighs only 4 pounds and featured NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650Ti graphics. It comes with a 15.6 inches full HD display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 which is more than enough to highlight the best in your motion pictures. With 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage, this laptop is quite fast and performs exceptionally well.
With 1080p resolution and lightweight design, this laptop is a perfect blend of performance and portability. Combining its all strong specifications, we can say that Dell XPS 9500 is one of the best laptops for video editing in 2021.
| Hardware Specifications of Dell XPS 9500 Ultrabook | |
| Processor | 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H Processor (Up to 5.0GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6-inch full HD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge Non-Touch Anti-Glare 500-Nit display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650Ti with 4GB GDDR6 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 10-hours |
| Weight | 4.0 pounds |
2. ASUS VivoBook K571
ASUS VivoBook K571 laptop is popular for the most demanding task including video and photo editing. If we consider its powerful specifications, we can say Asus K571 VivoBook is the best budget video editing laptop. The laptop is powered by a 9th generation Intel Core i7 processor paired with 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD storage.
There is a 15.6-inch display of InfinityEdge that maximizes the space on the screen. With 4GB NVIDIA GTX 1650 graphics, ASUS VivoBook K571 is the video editing champion to beat. Its multi-use thunderbolt port lets you connect to a different device and charge your laptop. It’s easily the fastest, efficient, and premium looking laptop with great features you can use for video editing work.
| Hardware Specifications of ASUS VivoBook K571 Ultrabook | |
| Processor | 9th Generation Intel Core i7-9750H Processor (Turbo up to 4.5GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD |
| Display | 15.6” Full HD (1920×1080) IPS Display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB |
| Operating System | Windows 10 |
| Battery Life | Up to 9 hours |
| Weight | 4.3 lbs |
3. Apple 15″ MacBook Pro (Newest Version)
Apple MacBook Pro is the most demanding notebook for professional works like video and image processing, and graphics designing, etc. You will struggle to find a more powerful laptop for your video editing task than this one. The highest-end 15-inch configuration comes with Intel Core i7 2.2GHz Processor paired with 16GB RAM a 256GB solid-state drive.
It’s 15.6 inches full HD LED-backlit retina display will let you take even more advantage of the boosts in 4K video compression. It supports wide colors for even more vibrant greens and reds than with sRGB which is essential for graphic design, video, and photo editing tasks.
For connectivity, the laptop comes with four Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) ports for data transfer, charging, and video output. Based on these powerful specifications the Apple MacBook Pro is one of the most powerful and advanced laptops for video editing.
| Hardware Specifications of Apple 15″ MacBook Pro, 256GB SSD | |
| Processor | 9th-Generation Intel Core i7 6-core Processor 2.2GHz |
| RAM | 16GB 2133MHz LPDDR3 |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 15.4″ FHD Retina (2880×1800) Display |
| Graphics | Radeon Pro 555X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory |
| Operating System | macOS Sierra |
| Battery Life | Up to 10-hours |
| Weight | 4.0 pounds |
4. Acer Predator Helios 300
If you are on a tight budget but require a powerful machine then you don’t need to worry about it because Acer Predator Helios 300 is the best budget laptop for video editing as well as for gaming geeks. The laptop comes with a 15.6-inch full HD IPS display which provides clear and wide viewing angle images. It is actually a gaming laptop having high-end specifications that make it suitable for video editing. The laptop is featured with 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, and a 6GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card.
The Helios 300 sports a 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard that lets you do your work even in low light conditions. To keep the performance up and maintain cooling during intense gaming sessions, the Helios 300 features a 4th Gen AeroBlade 3D fan technology. The laptop weighs 5-pounds which is a bit heavy as compared to other laptops on this list. But if we see its high-end specifications, this laptop stands along with other high priced laptops for video editing purposes.
| Hardware Specifications of Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop | |
| Processor | 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core Processor (Up to 5.0GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) Display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 6GB dedicated GDDR6 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 7-hours |
| Weight | 5.0 lbs |
You may like to check out : Best Intel Core i7 Processor Laptops
5. HP Spectre x360 15t Convertible Laptop
HP Spectre x360 is another powerful laptop in our list of best laptop for video editing. It is a thin and lightweight laptop designed with dark Ash Silver with Copper Luxe which is giving it a premium look. We can also say that it is one of the best 2-in-1 laptops for video editing available on the market. The laptop comes with a 15.6-inch full HD WLED-backlit touchscreen display with a 4K resolution.
The laptop is powered by the latest 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor paired with 16GB of RAM which is great enough to handle multitasking. The laptop also featured a massive 512GB fast SSD storage and NVIDIA GeForce MX330 Graphic which can handle the most demanding tasks like video editing with no lag performance.
With HP Spectre x360, you can work in different modes including tablet mode, tent mode, and display mode. Although this laptop price is a bit high but based on its performance and hardware configurations, this is worth to buy the laptop for 4k video editing purpose.
| Hardware Specifications of HP Spectre x360 15t Convertible Laptop for video editing | |
| Processor | 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10510U Processor (Turbo up to 4.9GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ FHD WLED-backlit (3840 x 2160) Touchscreen Display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce MX330 Graphics 2GB GDDR5 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 11.5 hours |
| Weight | 4.83 lbs |
6. Acer Aspire 5 Best Budget Laptop for Video Editing
The Acer Aspire 5 is one of the best budget laptops to perform most of the demanding tasks like video editing, photo editing, graphics designing, and music production as well. So, if you are running on a tight budget then this laptop would be a great choice for you. The laptop is designed with black metal chassis which give it a clean and smooth look without unnecessary lines.
The laptop is powered by a 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor paired with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD. The graphics of this laptop handled by NVIDIA GeForce MX250 with 2GB dedicated memory. The other specifications include longer battery life, HD resolution display, and lightweight design making it the best budget laptop for video editing.
| Hardware Specifications of Acer Aspire 5 Core i5 Notebook | |
| Processor | 10th Generation Intel Core i5-10210U Processor (Up to 4.2GHz) |
| RAM | 8GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ FHD IPS (1920 x 1080) WLED-backlit Display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce MX250 with 2GB memory |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 10 hours |
| Weight | 3.97 lbs |
7. MSI GL65 Leopard
MSI is one of the most popular brands in the gaming laptops industry. Here we come up with the MSI GL65 Leopard model which is a 15-inch thin and lightweight laptop with VR-ready graphics. Its advanced GeForce RTX 2070GPU delivers the incredible speed and power to perform heavy tasks like video editing. The laptop is powered by Intel Core i7-10750H six-core processor with turbo up to 5.0GHz. The laptop is featured with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD to speed up your multitasking.
The laptop comes with an RGB backlit keyboard with anti-ghost keys that will provide you a true gaming experience as well as it is a perfect choice for video editing professionals. Its cooler boost technology allows you to maintain high system performance so you can do video editing at your best. Overall, there are actually no cons of this laptop and it would be a great choice if budget is not a problem for you.
| Hardware Specifications of MSI GL65 Leopard Gaming Laptop | |
| Processor | 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H 6-Core Processor (Up to 5.0GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB NVMe SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS thin-bezel Display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 8G GDDR6 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 6-7 hours |
| Weight | 5.1 lbs |
8. Razer Blade 15
This is another gaming laptop that can also be used to perform other demanding tasks such as video and image editing, graphics designing and music production, etc. The Razer Blade is a 15-inch laptop powered by Intel Core i7-10750H Processor and NVidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti graphics to run all your videos and software smoothly. Its perfect 144Hz display delivers an immersive and insanely fast visual experience that makes it one of the best choices for video editing.
The Razer Blade 15 comes with 16GB of RAM and 256GB SSD to store all your videos and other documents on the laptop. Designed with a CNC aluminum unibody frame, this laptop weighs 4.6 pounds and provides a battery life of up to 8 hours. Further, this gaming machine boasts an open M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 slot so you can easily upgrade your SSD storage if needed. With one of the fastest available processors and powerful specifications, this captivating laptop may be best for video editing.
| Hardware Specifications of Razer Blade Gaming Laptop | |
| Processor | 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H 6 core Processor (Turbo at 2.6GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 256GB SSD |
| Display | 15.6-inch FHD IPS (1920×1080) Matte Display, 60Hz |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti Max-Q 6GB dedicated graphics |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 6 hours |
| Weight | 4.63 lbs |
9. Asus ZenBook 14 UX434F
If you’re looking for a portable and high-end laptop for video editing then Huawei MateBook X Pro can be an ideal choice for you. It features an Intel Core i7-10510U quad-core Processor with a maximum clock speed of 4.9GHz. Running on Windows 10 Pro, this laptop comes with 16GB RAM and 512GB SSD that makes this laptop to crunch some serious editing projects. For the smoothest video editing, the laptop is featured with the latest NVidia GeForce MX250 graphics co-processor.
The laptop has a 15.6-inches touchscreen display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels which is good enough for editing 3k videos. For connectivity, the laptop comes with HDMI, VGA, USB-C & USB-A ports for fast data transfer. Overall, this laptop has all those powerful features that make it one of the best laptops for video editing of 2021.
| Hardware Specifications of Asus ZenBook 14 UX434F | |
| Processor | 10th-generation Intel Core i7-10510U Processor, Up to 4.9GHz |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
| Storage | 512GB SSD |
| Display | 14″ FHD LED-backlit (1920 x 1080) 4-way NanoEdge bezel Display |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce MX250 2GB graphics |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Pro |
| Battery Life | Up to 9-hours |
| Weight | 2.78 lbs |
10. ASUS ROG Strix G15
Here we another high performing laptop for photo editing, and unlike many of the other laptops on this list, ASUS ROG G15 is powered by an Intel Core i7-10750H Processor with turbo speed up to 5.0GHz. This 15.6” laptop offers everything you could ever need in a laptop you use for editing videos. Since it is equipped with 16GB of RAM, it’s very useful for multitasking, and it will allow you to edit several different videos simultaneously.
From performance viewpoints, it comes with NVIDIA RTX 2070 with 8GB dedicated memory. The laptop has a massive 1TB of SSD storage to store your files and data.
The runs on Windows 10, so you can enjoy a wide range of different software applications for video editing. The laptop has a red-backlit keyboard that lets you stay productive even in low lights. All-in-all, it is a good laptop for professional photo editing for under $1000, as it’s capable of handling most of the demanding tasks.
| Hardware Specifications of ASUS ROG G15 Laptop | |
| Processor | 10th Generation Intel Core i7-10750H Processor (Up to 5.0GHz) |
| RAM | 16GB DDR4 2666MHz |
| Storage | 1TB PCIe SSD |
| Display | 15.6″ Full HD IPS (1920 x 1080) Display, 240Hz |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 with 8GB GDDR6 |
| Operating System | Windows 10 Home |
| Battery Life | Up to 6 hours |
| Weight | 5.28 lbs |
Final Words
Picking the one ‘best laptop for video and photo editing’ would be unviable. It all depends on your own experience and usage whether a machine is the best fit for you or not. With a premium display, HD graphics, fast processor, it perfectly sums up what the best laptops for video editing should offer.
We think our short review of video editing laptops will help you to find the best machine. If you still need any suggestions or guidance related to the laptops, feel free to ask and leave a comment below.
Thanks for this great information