Best Laptops For Video Editing

Video editing is an exciting field to work in. You can work on exciting projects and experiment with visuals, but it’s only possible if you have the right laptop. A reliable laptop can make the video editing process efficient, which helps save time.

The laptops for video editing should have strong processing power, a top-notch display, and exceptional RAM. So, if you are having difficulty choosing the best laptop for video editing, we have got you covered!

MacBook Pro 14.2-Inch (2023) 16GB RAM 512GB SSD

Price: £2000 | Buy Now From Amazon

This 16-inch laptop is a perfect option for video editors as it has a 10-core CPU, 16GB of RAM, 16-core GPU, and exceptional SSD storage of 512GB. However, if you want, you can configure it with an M2 Max processor for even better processing. It checks all the boxes because the screen is impressive, and you get multiple ports and an SD card slot.

With HDMI 2.1, you can get a picture quality of over 8K when connected to an external monitor. The laptop is highly efficient, and the battery life is 18:56, which is meant to last you the entire day. As far as the storage is concerned, it can be extended to over 8TB. It has a Core i9 processor, which gives this laptop immense strength to handle heavy video editing software.

The laptop also has a UHD Graphics 630 card with good accuracy. MacBook Pro also has a touch bar, which makes editing more efficient and quick. Lastly, the display screen promises accurate colours, so your video comes out just as you want. In particular, it has a Liquid Retina XDR display, which helps with picture accuracy.

Pros

• Bright colours and accurate pictures
• A generous number of ports
• Extendable storage
• 10-core CPU
• Extendable processor

Cons

• Expensive (£1,582)

Dell XPS 15 Core i7 (9560) 32GB RAM 1TB SSD

Price: £1099 | Buy Now From Amazon

This is another choice with just the right features, but you must be careful while selecting the configuration. The base model has only 32GB of RAM, which might slow you down. However, upgrading your laptop to a Core i7 7700HQ processor will be a good choice. Moreover, the RAM capacity can be upgraded to an impressive 64GB, and the system can be fitted with a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050.

This means that the laptop will have exceptional graphics and exceptional RAM. As far as the storage is concerned, it’s over 1TB, but it can be extended to 4 TB. This configuration has a 4K UHD Touch panel, which helps improve the editing and viewing experience. Also, this panel has a full coverage of DCI-P3, leading to accurate colours and contrasts because every pixel has its backlighting.

The laptop is available for £1,258, which is expensive for many. Also, the price goes higher if you upgrade the features. Lastly, it has a battery life of 12:01, enough to edit videos on the go. However, it would be best to remember that thin chassis can lead to overheating, and the ports are limited because there are only three Type-C ports.

Pros

• Stunning design
• Long battery life
• Core i7 7700HQ processor
• Configurable
• UHD touch panel
• Accurate colours and contrast

Cons

• Thin chassis, which increases the chances of overheating
• Limited ports

ASUS ZenBook Pro 14 Duo OLED 32GB RAM 1TB SSD

Price: £3700 | Buy Now From Amazon

This laptop is famous for its dual screen, which helps boost video editing productivity. The laptop has a 12th-generation processor with a 120Hz OLED display that promises amazing visuals, no matter which angle you look from. It has 32GB of RAM (extendable) and a Core i7 12700H processor, which gives this laptop enough efficiency for video editing.

This laptop has a primary 14.5-inch display with a 12.7-inch secondary display, which makes visibility a great benefit. In addition, it has NVIDIA GeForce 3050 Ti GPU that will supercharge your laptop for video editing – it will increase the editing speed by 3.5 times. It has 1TB of storage, suitable for storing videos long before purchasing an SD card.

Also, the air vents will force the hot air out of your laptop, preventing overheating. Many video editors use a separate mouse from the laptop. Still, this laptop has dish-shaped buttons, which prevents slipping issues. As far as the screen is concerned, the primary screen produces a vibrant and saturated picture because it has a DCI-P3 gamut.

However, the only issue is the battery because the laptop lasts only seven hours after a full charge. This means that the battery will drain faster if you edit the videos. It is available for £1,624, but regular discounts are available too!

Pros

• Strong processors
• High contrast ratio
• 1TB of storage
• Dual-screen
• Ergonomic keyboard
• Reasonable GPU and CPU

Cons

• Limited battery life

MSI Creator 17 A10SGS 16GB RAM 512GB SSD

Price: £1497 | Buy Now From Amazon

Designed for creators with its large and bright screen, it’s one of the best options if you are a video editor or a gamer. In addition to the fantastic 4K display, you get 1GB of RAM and a Core i7 11800H CPU, which promises exceptional performance. There is ample storage with an extendable storage drive of up to 2TB, and you get NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card, promising efficient editing.

The laptop tends to remain noise-free and cool, but the bottom part might get warm if you edit for hours (the keyword doesn’t heat up, which is the best part). It has a sturdy aluminium body, which only sounds fair as you’re paying £1,907 for the laptop. The keyboard has white backlighting, and you can select the desired brightness level (there are three).

The laptop has excellent peak brightness, accurate colours, and strong contrast, which work great with HDR content. It has a rating of 1,000 brightness nits, which means you can edit videos outdoors without worrying about reflections and glare. The only issue is that the refresh rate is average – it’s 120Hz, which can sometimes lead to response issues.

As far as the ports are concerned, there are Type-A and Type-C ports, HRMI, Ethernet, and Thunderbolt 4, along with the mic/headphone jack, so there are no input or output issues.

Pros

• 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage (they are extendable)
• Works in outdoor conditions without reflections and glare
• A reasonable number of ports
• Stays cool and noise-free

Cons

• Low refresh, creating response issues

Buying Guide

Choosing a reliable laptop for video editing can be challenging, but knowing the basics can help you make the right decision. So, check out this buying guide and see what features you’ve to look for!

RAM

Power is a crucial factor, so RAM is a primary concern. That’s because when you work with UHR content, you should have a minimum of 8GB RAM, but the experts recommend 16GB. However, if you work with 4K content, you need 32GB to 64GB RAM because you need more bandwidth.

Resolution

In which resolution you create and edit videos directly impacts the decision. This is because the higher-resolution videos need more RAM and space. Also, it will impact the video output. The minimum is UHD, which promise it promises crisp video resolution. However, the 4K OLED display is also reasonable because it promises bright and vibrant colour while keeping the images vivid, irrespective of the angle.

Storage

Multiple exterior storage options are available, but you must have enough SSD on the laptop to keep a backup. The minimum is 512GB, but most laptop manufacturers allow customers to extend the SSD. The experts recommend 1TB SSD, but it can be expensive, so 512GB will be a good start.

Processor

The processor is the CPU, which directly impacts the efficiency and processing power of the laptop. The Core i7 is suitable for creative work, including video editing, but the i9 processor is even better because it increases efficiency. If you choose MacBook, ensure it has an M1 processor because it’s affordable and works efficiently.

Audio Driver

Sound is vital in video editing, so you must get the proper audio drivers. The audio drivers are responsible for mixing, sending, and receiving audio from different sources on the laptop to produce the sound correctly. So, while choosing a laptop, look for a Realtek HD driver, which works with microphones, internal sound cards, headsets, and speakers.

The Bottom Line

Choosing the best laptop needs careful consideration because you’ve to check the processing power, SSD, display, battery life, and graphics card. However, we worked hard for you and reviewed the top four options. So, it’s time to weigh the pros and cons and finalize a laptop that meets your budget and video editing requirements!