Best Laptops for Video Editing (Top Picks)

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Today, many people are starting a YouTube channel while businesses invest more in video marketing. It makes video editing one of the best skills to develop. However, not everyone can work on a desktop computer. 

The good news is that laptops can be just as powerful and efficient at video editing as desktop computers. Are you a new video editor who needs a laptop for work? You’ve come to the right place to learn about the best laptops for video editing.

We’ve put together your six best laptop choices below. 

What to Look for in a Laptop for Video Editing

Before we get to the tech, let’s identify why we made our top six choices. Remember, video editing alone is a resource-intensive and performance-demanding task.

One of the most common video editing mistakes is assuming that any high-performance laptop is suitable for video editing. Technically, most decent high-performance laptops can edit video. However, some are better for the job than others. 

It brings us to the essentials that a laptop used for video editing should have. These include the following:

• Four-core processor with at least 8GB RAM or upwards
• SSD with at least 512GB to 1TB storage space for smooth rendering and proxy files
• RAM should be DDR4 and at least 32GB to 64GB for editing 4K videos
• High-performance audio drivers and sound cards, like the Realtek HD Audio drivers
• Lengthy battery life for video editors who tend to work on the move
• Ultra High-Definition display for crisp video resolution and 4K editing or Apple’s Retina display

One of the best video editing tips for those who want a big screen to work on is to invest in an external monitor.

On the matter of display and resolution, you can settle for a laptop with lower display specs if you’ll use an external monitor. A full HD display or less is enough to serve as a secondary monitor. 

These are the minimum requirements for a worthwhile laptop. You can settle for less, but it may not translate well to a good video editing experience.

With that said, let’s proceed to our top six laptops for video editing. 

1. 16-Inch MacBook Pro

The best video editing laptop on the laptop today is the MacBook Pro. A model can be expensive, but it’ll be worth the cost. It has a gorgeous hi-res display with a powerful CPU and GPU, making video editing effortless and smooth. 

The 2021 MacBook Pro model is the best choice on the market with its 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display. The display has 3456×2244 pixels. Its long-lasting battery life ensures you worry more about perfecting your project than thinking about looking for a place to charge.

Another edge of the MacBook Pro is its three Thunderbolt 4/USB4 ports. They’ll be enough to plug in your external hard drive, editing keyboard, and any other equipment.

The other specs of the 2021 MacBook Pro and Max are:

• Processor: M1 Pro (10-core), M1 Max (10-core)
• RAM: 12GB to 64GB
• GPU: 16-core to 32-core integrated GPU
• Storage 512GB to 8TB
• Weight: 4.7 pounds (M1 Pro), 4.8 pounds (M1 Max)

Don’t forget to download software like Movavi Video Converter to prepare and edit videos like a pro. Remember, it’s not enough to have the right tech, you must also get the best software. Get Movavi by visiting the official link here.

2. Dell XPS 15 OLED

The next best laptop is the Dell XPS 15 OLED from 2021. Its most cutting-edge feature is its 3.5K OLED display and performance. Dell has improved upon this model so much that the XPS 15 has consistently received praise in the past years. 

The following specs are the other parts of the XPS 15 that make it one of our top choices:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-11800H
• RAM: 16GB
• GPU: NVidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
• Storage: 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch, 3456×2160 resolution or 3.5K OLED
• Weight: 4.3 pounds
• Dimensions: 13.6 x 9.1 x 0.7 inches

Besides the stunning OLED display and powerful CPU, XPS 15 features a spacious keyboard, a large touchpad, and powerful speakers. It also has an SD card slot and Thunderbolt 4 inputs. However, The XPS 15 doesn’t have a USB-A port.

It also lacks durable battery life. In short, the XPS 15 sacrifices power for a beautiful display. If you plan to use it, remember to look for the nearest charging station or socket. 

3. HP Envy 14 14t-eb000

Not everyone can get the top video editing laptops on the market without worrying about their budget. If you can’t afford models like MacBook, consider trying out the HP Envy 14 model. It’s one of the best content-creation laptops that come at an affordable price.

It comes with the following basic features:

• CPU: Intel Core i5-1135G7, Core i7-1165G7
• RAM: 8GB DDR4, 16GB DDR4
• GPU: NVidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti Max-Q, Iris Xe
• Storage: 256GB SSD
• Display: 14-inch (1900×1200 IPS, 400 nits, touch)
• Battery: 61.2Wh rated/ 61.2Wh (full charge)
• Ports: 1 USB-C, 2 USB-A, 1 HDMI 2.0, 3.5mm headphone/mic
• Dimensions: 12.33 x 8.82 x 0.71 inches
• Weight: 3.3 pounds, 4.2 pounds with 135W charger

A great advantage of using the HP Envy 14 is that it has a quiet fan, despite running graphics-heavy or CPU-intensive apps. The fans and heat pipes are also powerful enough to keep the unit cool and are sensitive to ambient temperatures.

The keyboard has a fingerprint sensor, which adds a layer of security to the model. The Envy 14 comes with preloaded apps, including the Amazon app, a Dropbox promotion, one-month trials of Adobe apps, and the MyHP app. Fortunately, these programs don’t take up all the space of the computer.

It’s an excellent budget laptop for Photoshop and other resource-intensive programs. HP set the Envy 14 as a content creator’s tool. Thus, you can expect outstanding performance in office productivity, photo editing, video editing, or rendering workloads.

4. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4

If Lenovo is your preferred brand, consider the ThinkPad X1 Extreme Gen 4. It features a robust battery life, durable chassis, and powerful speakers.

Below are more details on the ThinkPad X1 Extreme:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-11800H
• RAM: 16GB
• GPU: Nvidia RTX 3060 (6GB of VRAM)
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 16-inch, 2560×1600 resolution, 16:10 aspect ratio
• Weight: 4 pounds
• Dimensions: 14 x 10 x 0.76 inches

This laptop’s battery life can last longer than its older versions (Gen 2). It also has a brighter display with 426 nits, higher than the average on other laptops. The ThinkPad has a 16:10 aspect ratio, providing more visual space for you. 

You won’t have to worry about getting a high-quality headset to make up for the speakers. The audio is delivered via dual-top-firing Dolby Atmos speakers, which provide a crisp, clear sound.

Another advantage of getting a ThinkPad Extreme is that it performs as extremely as its name suggests. For example, it can convert a 4K video to 1080p in only seven and a half minutes. You could even have 45 Google Chrome tabs open, and the laptop still won’t show signs of lag. That’s how powerful and extreme the ThinkPad X1 is. 

Unfortunately, even its price is on the extreme end of the spectrum. The starting price is $2,951. Nevertheless, if you’re not worried about the price, Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Extreme is a laptop to consider. 

5. Acer Predator Triton 300 SE

The next entry on our list is the Acer Predator Triton 300 SE. It’s a happy medium between affordability and high-performance, making it perfect for video editors on a budget. Note that it’s sold as a gaming laptop, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use it for video editing, too. 

Here are Predator Triton 300 SE’s specifications and why it’s worth considering:

• CPU: Intel Core i7-11375H
• RAM: 16GB
• GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
• Storage: 512GB
• Display: 14-inch, 1080p, 144Hz
• Weight: 3.8 pounds
• Dimensions: 12.7 x 9 x 0.7 inches

To start, Predator Triton 300 SE has a stylish design and a fingerprint reader embedded in the touchpad. Its biggest edge over other laptops on this list is that it’s a budget-friendly, VR-ready laptop.  

Unfortunately, its ports are limited, featuring only two USB-A ports, one Thunderbolt 4 port, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. If you want to plug various things into the computer, you’ll have to use a docking station with USB-C ports. 

Its bottom-firing speakers lack bass power for heavy music, which is another disadvantage to some video editors. However, most vocals come out crisp and clear, balancing out the audio.

The Predator Triton 300 SE has a battery life that lasts six hours, which should be enough for you to get a lot of work done on one battery cycle. It also tends to heat up after around 15 minutes of heavy use.

Despite its drawbacks, there’s no denying the power of this Acer laptop.

6. Razer Blade 14  

If you’re looking for the best portable video editing tool, choose the Razer Blade 14. It has an ultra-thin body, measuring only 0.66-inch thick and weighing 3.9 pounds. Despite its smaller size, Razer didn’t hold back on giving it power and video editing chops. 

Below are Razer Blade 14’s specs and the reasons to consider it:

• CPU: 8-core Ryzen 9 5900HX
• GPU: Nvidia 8GB GeForce RTX 3080
• Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
• RAM: 16GB DDR4-3200MHz
• Display: 14-inch IPS screen QHD, 165HZ, 16:9 aspect ratio

You’ll sacrifice a few things for portability, including the screen size. Despite the 14-inch screen, Razer gave the Blade 14 a 2560×1440 resolution. You won’t get 4K video editing, but it supports the full DCI-P3 color gamut. 

It also lacks an SD card slot but has two USB-C and two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, and a 3.5mm Combo audio port. If you feel that the ports aren’t enough for all your equipment, consider installing the MI Drop for PC. It’s a great tool for sharing data between devices.  

You don’t need to be a tech expert to find the best laptops on the market. You only need the right guide to help you identify them. We hope you enjoyed learning about the best laptops from our picks above.