Introduction
Choosing a laptop for video editing is not very easy. You can’t depend on the cheap system as you need to edit 4K or HD footage to create a high-quality video. The laptop requires strong graphics and a high-resolution display.
Gone are the days when only PCs were considered powerful enough to handle such jobs as video editing. Nowadays, slim and lightweight laptops are packed with enough speed and storage are capable of handling intricate video editing jobs.
In this article, we will look at some of the best laptops for video editing. While we will highlight some of the best laptops for video editing here, check out this article if you are a YouTuber and want the best laptop for YouTube specifically instead.
Also Read : Best Laptop for YouTube
Best Laptop for Video Editing
Apple MacBook Pro M1
- New M1 Processor
- 16GB RAM
- Retina display
- Improved keyboard
- Incredible performance and battery life
For Apple lovers, the MacBook Pro is an ultimate choice for video editing. The laptop comes with the all new Apple M1 chip that outperforms almost any other laptop processor out in the market right now.
The new M1 chip also yields amazing battery life, which can come in handy if you want to edit on the go. The combination of incredible performance and battery life is the key feature of the M1 chip, making the new Macbook Pro a fantastic choice for video editing.
The MacBook Pro has been a choice for media editors, and creative developers due to its high quality integrated graphics. The new graphics chip in the M1 is no exception, offering even more performance than before, which results in silky smooth video editing.
As for the build quality, it retains the MacBook’s sleek aluminum chassis that is available in both and silver finish.
For connectivity, you’re going to need a dongle, as the Macbook Pro only comes with USB-C connections. With that said, these are ports with the latest Thunderbolt standard, which means you’ll be able to transfer files at super fast speeds if you have a Thunderbolt dock that you use with your hard drives or other devices.
The Macbook Pro comes in 2 variants, namely the 256GB SSD/ 8GB RAM model and the 512GB/ 16GB model. Both models are fairly priced considering the performance they offer, and you should choose which variant to get based on your storage needs.
All Macbooks come with the brilliant Retina Display with a very high native resolution. As a result, the colors appear more vibrant, and the text is sharper than any ordinary display can offer. It also has a true tone feature that adjusts the color temperature of the screen based on ambient light so that colors are properly represented on the Retina display. This is important for color sensitive editing work.
It also features an extra-thin secondary touch bar that serves as a basic control for brightness or volume functions. The laptop replaces the function keys on the keyboard and offers additional control to different apps you are using.
A major improvement on this MacBook Pro is keyboard, as it now comes with a scissor mechanism giving a responsive, comfortable, and quieter typing experience.
Overall, the Macbook Pro is probably the best laptop you can get for video editing, unless you’re not comfortable with using mac OS.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7
- Versatile laptop
- Wide connectivity options
- Ultra-slim structure
- Intel Core i5 processor
- 8GB RAM
The Microsoft Surface Pro 7 is a versatile laptop that can be worked as a tablet. It works and adapts to the way you prefer to work. You can use it as a laptop mode, studio mode, or only as a tablet, depending on your preference. The laptop has a colorful cover that gives it a chic look.
The Surface Pro 7 comes with a 10th Generation Intel core processor to allow non-stop work efficiently. You can choose i3, i5, or i7 processors, depending on your budget. The high-speed processor is wrapped in a thin and slim structure, with its Windows 10 home allows you to enjoy unlimited features.
It gives wide connectivity options and allows you to connect devices in more than one way. It comes with both USB C and normal USB ports as well, so you can connect devices without dealing with dongles.
A Bluetooth connection is also provided for better connectivity.
The laptop comes with long battery life. It is tested to give 10.5 hours of battery life that allow you to work nonstop for long hours.
The system comes with NVIDIA GTX 1060 graphic card to help you perform complex edits on 4K or HD videos. It also comes with an incredibly vibrant 3240 x 2160 display. The high resolution and color accuracy makes it perfect for video editing.
Overall, this is a great option if you are looking for a device that packs an incredible screen, decent power under the hood, and a compact footprint that is easy to carry around.
Acer ConceptD 3 Ezel CC314
- Full HD display
- Convertible laptop
- Intel Core i7 processor
- Anti-glare Corning finish
- 16GB RAM
The Acer ConceptD is designed for graphic designers and editors. The 14″ convertible laptop is a treat for photo and video editors and animators.
The ConceptD features a 10th Generation Intel Core i7 processor which gives it ample power to handle video editing. The stylish laptop comes with a Wacom Stylus that makes editing easier.
The laptop comes with a screen different from the standard flip and folds design. The Acer comes with an innovative Ezel Hinge. The screen pivots away from the lower half of the lid, and you can set the display forward like an easel hiding the keyboard, all faced up like a tablet. You can set it in six convertible modes. The design certainly helps creative designers to perform all the detailing on the screen conveniently.
With this futuristic design, the laptop features a magnesium-aluminum alloy chassis. The laptop has a ceramic surface finish that adds to its durability, strength and prevents any oxidation or corrosion.
It comes with a full HD display. The display is validated with an anti-glare Corning Gorilla Glass finish that gives exceptional visual quality and unparalleled color fidelity. The display has an integrated touch and also supports a stylus.
It features a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphic card that allows you to edit videos or photos incredibly fast. The system features 16 GB memory with a 512 GB SSD that gives an extra storage advantage.
The laptop comes packed with ports for connectivity. It features an HDMI port, SD 7.0, and three Thunderbolt type C ports that give a transfer speed up to 40Gbps.
The ConceptD Ezel also features a Scissor-Switch keyboard for quiet and comfortable typing. Creators can also utilize its three other creation-focused hotkeys that give quick access to important functions to speed up their workflow.
HP Pavilion x360 14 Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop
- 360-degree hinged screen
- Three-sided micro-edge display
- Intel Core i5 processor
- Affordable Price
This HP Pavilion is a convertible laptop that you can also use as a tablet. It allows you to write, draw, or edit as freely as a pen on paper. It comes in a small and lightweight design that is easy to carry with style. Its 360-degree hinge allows you to use it in any posture comfortably.
The laptop features a narrow bezel design that gives a 3-sided micro-edge display. It features a 10th Generation Intel Core i5 processor with integrated graphics that give this device decent speed and performance, and should fare well with light video editing.
The laptop features a Full HD screen with a backlit keyboard. It also comes with a built-in webcam and a digital media card reader. Overall, it’s a good quality laptop with decent features in a sleek form factor.
It may not compete for some other high-end laptops in this list, but its price is also comparatively low, and it’s a good option for those who can’t afford some other more expensive laptops on this list.
ASUS ProArt StudioBook
- Designed for video editing and graphic design
- Intel Core i7 processor
- Vivid and detailed display
The Asus ProArt StudioBook is another great option for graphic designers and video or photo editors.
The ProArt StudioBook comes with an Intel i7-9750H processor that can handle heavy editing with ease, as it comes with 6 cores and 12 threads. The high-performance processor is also paired with a powerful GeForce RTX 2060 graphics card that allows graphic designers and editors to edit your creations with super smooth 3D animation and high-resolution videos.
The graphics card can also be selected with the all new RTX 3000 series graphics, which are costly but offer even better performance should you require more powerful graphics processing in your workflow.
It gives sharp visuals with its WUXGA display. The laptop features a wide color gamut that provides pin detail sharp view. Its NanoEdge display has a high screen to body ratio, and comes with a 16:10 aspect ratio which allows for more screen real estate in a relatively compact laptop.
The Asus tested and invested in ISV(Independent Software Vendor) certification process to ensure all professional applications from the world’s leading software companies perform well on the StudioBook.
The StudioBook comes with high performing I/O ports. The connectivity options include Thunderbolt 3 port, an SD card reader, three USB 3.1, and HDMI ports.
Overall, it’s an ultra-thin yet very powerful laptop. With its cooling fin design, it has improved airflow that keeps your system cool under heavy work loads. The 180-degree hinge allows your laptop to lay flat on the table which can be handy at times.
Buying Guide of Laptop for Editing
Here is a quick look at some of the features you need to see before buying a video and photo editing laptop.
• Processor
A good laptop needs to have a powerful processor to run all the applications of your choice in your video editing workflow. The best thing is to look for what your specific program requires, like FCPX, Premiere Pro, or others. While all laptops in this list have ample of power for video editing, you’d want to go with an Intel i5 processor or higher for optimum performance.
• Memory
Memory is important for any system, and for video editing, it becomes essential. You will need space to store a lot of temporary files on your hard disk to edit video clips. The larger the RAM, the smoother your editing will be. 8GB of RAM should suffice for light edits, and 16GB would be perfect for more complex work.
• SSD
Most laptops are equipped with SSD that allow applications and files to load quickly, but the downside of an SSD is that the capacity might be limited for some.
Make sure the system includes an SSD for storing loads of videos and graphics for editing purposes. Higher quality videos, especially in 4K resolution, can take up quite a lot of storage space, so keep that in mind when deciding how much storage you want to configure your laptop with.
• Graphics Card
Graphic cards are essential for video editing laptops. Two good brands for graphic cards are NVIDIA and AMD. A dedicated graphics card will offer much better performance than on-board graphics that comes bundled with the CPU, so opt for a dedicated graphic chip if possible.
• Connectivity
Make sure you check all the ports a laptop comes with. More ports mean you can attach your system to multiple peripherals. An SD card slot can help you to upload the videos directly from the card for editing. It should also come with all the USB ports like USB A, Thunderbolt, and HDMI ports.
• Size and Aesthetics
Size and aesthetics depend on individual preferences. If you are opting to go for a laptop instead of a PC, you’d probably want some portability in your device, which also depends on how often you are planning to edit on the go.
Generally, bulkier devices offer better cooling performance to sustain heavy workloads, while lighter machines can only handle light edits before their performance slowly degrades as heat builds up in the machine.
• Battery Life
While editing on battery power isn’t optimal, it is most often the main reason to get a laptop for video editing as you might encounter situations where you need to edit on the go. Powerful processors and graphics cards might offer great performance, but can heavily impact battery life.
The laptop with the best battery life by far would be the Macbook Pro thanks to its new M1 chip, and that should be your choice if battery life is a huge concern.
Final Words
The laptops in our list are carefully selected for their performance in video editing, ranging across a wide spectrum of price points. These options come with powerful processors, speed, storage, and graphics that you require for working on 4K footage.
If you can afford a high-end device, the Macbook Pro and Surface Pro are both fantastic options that should serve you well for many years to come. These are expensive but very reliable systems that are you can count on for relentless heavy video editing. For a professional making a living from video editing, the investment is well worth it considering the opportunity cost of having a unreliable or underpowered system.
Jeremy has been running several online businesses behind his laptop for the past 5 years and he has worked as a freelance web developer previously. A trained marketer by profession, he also has Ruby on Rails and web development knowledge. His forte lies in eCommerce, SEO and content marketing. He’s been featured on Vice, Thrive Global, YFS Magazine, Forbes and several other publications. He prefers to connect with people on LinkedIn.
