Best Laptop For After Effects 2022 – Review & Buying Guide

Are you a professional video editor? If you’ve ever used Adobe After Effects, then it could feel like there’s no end in sight when it comes to working with the technology.

And if you’re trying to decide on what kind of laptop to purchase because you don’t want to spend all of your time waiting for the program to process and render, then feel free to consider some of these options for the best laptops for video editing in 2022.

The computer industry has been booming of late with manufacturers producing some great computers. All the same, it can be difficult to predict how well a certain machine will work so consumers often buy two laptops.

One to run programs that require exceptional processing power and another to run consumer software such as word processors or web browsers.

The choice of hardware is vital when you’re looking for a laptop. For example, if you don’t have much experience creating cinematic content or working in the editing biz but have intentions to do so on a regular basis, an 8GB RAM + Intel Core i5 + basic dedicated GPU would be ideal.

Best Laptop For After Effects 2022

However, if you’re looking to work with large files on a constant basis and/or work with 4K videos, consider getting something such as an Intel i7 + 16GB RAM + fast GPU – because it’s likely that your laptop won’t cope well unless you do.

Related Article: Best Laptop For Video Editing Under $500

Therefore, it wouldn’t be wrong to choose a laptop that has the cumulative power of several mid-range machines, precisely for running After Effects.

Furthermore, if you can get hold of such an all-inclusive device, it becomes easier to pair the Premiere Pro and After Effects together via the Dynamic link, to make edited videos come to life and become more immersive with relevant visual effects , virtual reality inputs, etc.

2019 Apple MacBook Pro

Today’s notebook to do it all, with the power to do it all faster. The new Apple MacBook Pro is the gold standard in notebooks.

Enjoy the brightest, most colorful Mac notebook display.

The 15.4-inch screen has a wider color gamut and support for Retina display.

The Touch Bar adds a multi-touch keyboard, touch control within apps and a Touch ID fingerprint sensor.

The new 8th-generation Intel Core i9 processor delivers up to 4.8GHz turbo boost performance, and the 16GB of memory allows for multitasking like never before.

The AMD Radeon Pro graphics card with 4GB of GDDR6 memory brings your games to life. With a Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) port, you can transfer a 4K movie to the MacBook Pro in an instant.

To top it all off, the new MacBook Pro is the most powerful Mac notebook ever, with up to an unheard-of four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports.

The 2019 MacBook Pro is a powerhouse machine that features 16 GB of RAM, up to an Intel Core i9 processor and Apple’s T2 subsystem, which integrates a hardware subsystem controller into the Mac for the first time.

The laptop also gets a boost in graphics power, with a new AMD Radeon Pro Vega graphics chip. Because of the new system architecture, Apple dropped the longstanding SD card slot and replaced it with four Thunderbolt 3 ports.

The laptop will be available in 13-inch and 15-inch models, with the latter weighing 4 pounds, 13 ounces. The 13-inch model is 3 pounds, 13 ounces.

Check Latest Price

2020 HP 15 15.6

The HP ZBook 15 is designed for professionals looking for a light, robust notebook with great performance.

Whether at home, in the studio, or on the go, you can count on this highly mobile, easy-to-use PC.

This high-performance notebook features a powerful processor and the latest graphics card.

Equipped with an array of ports, including USB-C, Thunderbolt 3, and DisplayPort, you will never want for an expansion option.

With up to 8 GB of fast DDR4-2400 memory, you’ll be able to work on multiple applications at once, for smooth multitasking.

And with a thin and light form factor, you can take advantage of this mobile PC in the studio or out in the field. With the ZBook 15, HP has created the ideal notebook for creatives who demand reliable performance.

The HP 15-bw100na is a budget-priced 15.6 inch laptop powered by a 6th generation Intel Core i3-6006U processor (3M Cache, 2.00 GHz) and 4GB DDR4 RAM.

The laptop has a 500GB hard drive and a 32GB TLC Solid State Drive coupled with Intel HD Graphics 520.

The HP 15-bw100na laptop has a 15.6 inch diagonal HD BrightView LED-backlit Display with a resolution of 1366 x 768 pixels.

This HP laptop has a webcam, an integrated microphone, a memory card reader, a media card reader, a headphone/microphone combo jack, two USB 3.1 ports, one USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0 port, one HDMI port, and a DC power jack. It is preinstalled with Windows 10 Home operating system.

Check Latest Price

Razer Blade 15 Base

With the new 10th Gen Intel Core i7-10750H Mobile Processor, the Razer Blade 15 is the leader in frame rates-per-second.

The new 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H Processor delivers up to 20% more frames for amazing gaming experiences.

It’s no wonder that the Razer Blade 15 is used as the official console gaming laptop of tournaments around the world.

The new 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H Processor delivers up to 20% more frames for amazing gaming experiences.

It’s no wonder that the Razer Blade 15 is used as the official console gaming laptop of tournaments around the world.

The revolutionary new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 is the world’s first gaming GPU with onboard ray tracing technology.

With the Razer Blade 15, you can expect the best of everything. This laptop is a combination of power, performance, portability and connectivity.

The quality of the laptop is very high. The aluminum body is a mark of a durable build and it doesn’t look out of place in the premium category either.

It is thin and compact and it can be easily carried around. The webcam is top-notch and the picture quality is great. It has 4k support. The display is decent and the touchscreen is great. The base also has thunderbolt support.

The keyboard is very good and the touchpad is extremely accurate. The color accuracy is very good and can support you right into the deepest of details. If you are looking for a gaming laptop then this is a great buy.

The Razer Blade 15 features the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card with Max-Q design and 8 GB of dedicated GDDR5 video memory.

The 144 Hz (FHD) display panel has wide-viewing angles, so wherever you’re seated or standing, you can always see what’s going on.

The thin, lightweight CNC aluminum unibody chassis and a great selection of ports mean you can bring your game on the go, just the way you want it.

Check Latest Price

Microsoft Surface Book 2 15

With the Surface Book 2, you’ll have enough power to tackle the most demanding creative workloads–whether it’s video, design, or photo editing.

With no moving parts, the Surface Book 2 runs silently, stays cool and is more reliable than a traditional laptop.

The Surface Book 2 also delivers twice as fast graphics performance with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 discrete graphics with up to 6 GB of dedicated memory.

Create your ideas wherever you are, when inspiration strikes, with the new Surface Book 2.

The 6th generation Intel Quad Core i7 processor with enhanced graphics provides the best performance and battery life.

The new Microsoft Surface Book 2 runs silently, stays cool, and is more reliable than any other laptop. The Surface Book 2 is also equipped with a vivid PixelSense display. There’s nothing else quite like it.

Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a powerful and portable laptop with a unique hinge that allows you to convert between a laptop, stand, tent, and tablet.

Featuring the latest 8th generation Intel Core processors, Surface Book 2 delivers four versatile modes of use, so you can work anywhere as it becomes your laptop, tablet, tent or entertainment device.

The latest 8th generation Intel Core processors work with NVIDIA GeForce graphics to give you smooth visuals, greater performance and battery life.

Surface Book 2 has a unique hinge that allows the screen to be detached from the keyboard and re-attached, so you can quickly switch from laptop mode to tabletop mode and back again.

The new 15″ touchscreen is four times more responsive than the previous generation, for smoother and more precise pen and touch experiences.

It’s more powerful, easy to use, and, with up to 17 hours of battery life, has all the power and performance you need for work, play, and everything in between.

Check Latest Price

MSI GF65

The 15. 6″ Thin GS65 is an ultra-slim, ultralight and portable Full HD gaming laptop for unstoppable gaming performance. It is 15. 5 mm thin and weighs only 2. 5 lb.

The bezel-less display with a borderless design increases the screen-to-body ratio and provides an immersive experience.

The MSI True Colour technology ensures vibrant colors and sharp images.

The 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms response time of the display provide the smoothest and fastest gaming experience ever.

It also features MSI’s Cooler Boost Trinity, delivering the world’s first triple-fan cooling system. The exclusive Cooler Boost Trinity consists of triple enhanced fans and five heat pipes, maximizing heat dissipation for superior cooling performance.

The built-in Thunderbolt 3 supports 40Gbps ultra-fast data transfer rates as well as daisy-chaining of up to five external monitors. The laptop also comes with an RGB keyboard by SteelSeries with full-colour illuminated keys.

The SteelSeries Engine 3 software is also embedded with the keyboard and provides customization options. It also comes with a Dynaudio speaker system with Nahimic 3 Surround Sound.

This MSI gaming laptop packs a 9th Gen i7-9750H processor and a quality NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660Ti graphics card with 6GB of GDDR5 video memory. It comes with a 512GB PCIe SSD for lightning-fast game load times.

The 15.6-inch FHD IPS-level display can display images in vibrant colors and with wide viewing angles. The MSI Audio Boost system offers studio-quality sound. The anti-ghosting keyboard provides fast and responsive performance.

The RGB keyboard lets you customize the colors to suit your style. The system comes with a 15.4-inch display and it weighs 4.9 pounds. The battery life lasts up to 3.5 hours.

Check Latest Price

Acer Nitro 5

The Acer Nitro 5 laptop is your dream come true, featuring the latest 8th Generation Intel Core i5-8250U Quad Core Processor, 8GB DDR4 Memory, and 256GB Solid State Drive, to help you accomplish all your daily tasks.

This laptop features a 15.6-inch full HD IPS display that combined with its high-quality stereo speakers creates an immersive viewing experience.

You can also store all your media with its massive 1TB HDD and 128GB SSD, giving you enough space for all your important work and play.

This laptop is designed to last with a stylish and durable aluminum chassis. You can also enjoy gaming on this laptop as it features NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphics, and can play games such as Overwatch, CS: GO, DOTA 2, etc.

Acer’s Nitro 5 is the ultimate laptop for a gaming enthusiast that is looking to use a laptop as their main gaming device. This laptop has the muscle to truly power through your favorite games without skipping a beat.

From its powerful quad-core i7 processor down to its impressive graphics card, this laptop is a powerful machine. If you looking for a laptop that can really power through the latest in gaming technology.

Then this laptop is for you. With the power of a quad core i7 processor, you can play your favorite games on maximum settings.

Check Latest Price

New Dell XPS 15 9500

The Dell XPS 15 has a stunning edge-to-edge display that features a stunning edge-to-edge view, now with 922k more pixels on 4K Ultra HD-plus.

Your laptop comes with a display with 100% Adobe RGB, 94% DCI-P3 color gamut, VESA certified DisplayHDR 400, and Dolby Vision, this display delivers more than 16 million ultra-vivid colors that are 40 times brighter than ever before.

Meet the Dell XPS 15 Touch. It’s the world’s first 15.6” touch laptop and is packed with a stunning InfinityEdge display, 7th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 quad-core processor and NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 graphics card. InfinityEdge display features a virtually borderless InfinityEdge display.

The InfinityEdge display on the XPS 15 Touch is the narrowest display on any 15” laptop, allowing for the XPS 15 Touch to have the same footprint as a 14” laptop, making it easy to carry and use in any setting.

The cutting-edge, stylish design complements your style with anodized aluminum, available in platinum silver and rose gold.

The smallest 15.6″ performance laptop with a new, stunning 4-sided InfinityEdge display. This laptop is loaded with innovative technology, including a new 8th Gen Intel® Quad Core™ processor, upgraded to NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1050 graphics, and a virtually borderless InfinityEdge display.

Everything looks beautiful on the 15.6″ 4K Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 InfinityEdge touch display in crisp vibrant color. With over 8 million pixels, that’s 4X the resolution of HD.

It’s the ideal size for watching movies and videos or playing games. It also features an HD 720p webcam and a built-in microphone.

Check Latest Price

MSI GF63

Equipped with the new 9th generation intel core i5-9300h quad-core processor, the MSI GF63 handles even the most demanding games and AAA titles with ease. Do not let lag ruin your gameplay.

With a boot time of 5s, this laptop will not let you down when you are on the go, or when you need to get away from your enemies.

Whether you are gaming or streaming, the graphics card in this laptop will not slow down and will provide you with a smooth and consistent experience.

The intel core i5-9300h processor, in combination with the 16gb of ram and the 512gb of nvme ssd storage, makes it possible to run almost any application and game available.

The MSI gf63 offers a beautiful 15. 6″ full hd display which provides you with an amazing visual experience. If you are looking for a portable gaming machine that is not heavy then the MSI gf63 is for you.

This laptop weighs roughly 4. 5 lbs which makes it incredibly easy to carry around. With a screen resolution of 1920 x 1080 and a thin bezel, the display on this laptop is gorgeous.

The MSI GF63 8RC-057AU is a gaming laptop that offers a rich complement of features and technologies – from the latest generation Intel Core i5-9300H 3.4GHz processor with Turbo Boost up to 4.7GHz, 16GB DDR4 memory.

And the NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 graphics card with 4GB GDDR5.

This MSI gaming laptop also includes a 256GB SSD for a faster boot-up time, and Windows 10 Home for an enhanced gaming experience. This laptop also offers a 15.6″ display that is perfect for gaming and a 128GB SSD for storage.

Check Latest Price

2021 Apple MacBook Pro

Take your work and play to the next level with the Apple MacBook Pro. Equipped with a 10-core CPU, 32-core GPU, and 16-core Neural Engine, it delivers awesome power. Take notes and make sketches with Apple Pencil.

And connect your favourite accessories with four USB-C ports and a traditional USB port.

Stay in touch with the latest wireless technology and use Touch Bar to quickly select and edit text.

Or adjust a range of settings and shortcuts. You can also activate the Touch Bar with a built-in fingerprint scanner for secure and convenient access to your Mac.

The Apple MacBook Pro elevates the notebook to a whole new level of performance and portability. Now in its ninth generation, it features a stunning 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a wider color gamut.

With 64GB of unified memory, the MacBook Pro can handle even the most demanding tasks. And with all-day battery life2 and a range of advanced configurations up to 8TB of SSD storage, you can take your entire creative suite wherever inspiration strikes.

You’ll also get up to 21 hours of battery life on a single charge, so there’s no need to stop and recharge. With a backlit keyboard and Touch Bar, you’ll always know what tools you have — and choose.

Check Latest Price

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a gaming laptop good enough for running Adobe After Effects?

Yes, in most cases a strong laptop with the latest graphics is enough to run intensive programs like Adobe Creative Cloud.

However, you need to make sure it has great ventilation and is able to handle complex tasks without running too hot. Not just that, higher-end gaming laptops have amazing displays that offer fast refresh rates which is perfect for video and VR editing as well.

Why is it advisable to get an H-series processor for running After Effects?

An H-series processor boasts the highest possible base clock speeds. While these are great for single-threaded tasks like typing and tracking, the speed is perfect for running multi-threaded applications like video editing.

Only an H series chip can lend 3D transform, multi-cam effects and other forms of composition to the videos and images you create.

Why is it necessary to invest in a good GPU for professional-grade After Effects usage?

A good graphics card allows you to pair your Premiere Pro editing with After Effects. In addition, a good RTX 20-series graphics card allows you to indulge in data-driven and cartoon headsets with precision.

This will ensure that your edits are quick, fluid and precise making it much easier for you to get things done within the required time limits.

You’ll be able to watch VR snippets via Comp Editor, Rotate Sphere or VR tiling graphics powered by an RTX 20-series graphics card.

If you would like to render high-resolution 4K videos, this kind of GPU will come in handy as well while allowing you to preview your project before exporting it.

Again it is important not just buy any graphics card but a good one like those offered by the Asus ROG series to ensure that quality remains top-notch over quantity.

Verdict

Each of the mentioned notebooks is a good computing resource as long as you’re relying on After Effects to be your go-to creative tool.

However, they depend upon the budget that you have available and the purpose that you need it for i.e. your own personal, professional, and leisure needs.