The best laptops for video editing should have top-notch specs. Video, especially 4K and above, requires a fast central processing unit (CPU), powerful graphics processor, and a screen that can display the most accurate color.
But you also need to check other things like the ergonomics – after all you will spend long hours using it.
In the past, this kind of performance typically required a high-end computer setup and expensive production monitor, but today all it takes is to fit all that muscle into a portable device small enough to slip into your backpack.
Best Laptop for Video Editing 2022
Of course, editing a video on a laptop presents some sacrifices. If you’re at home you might have a pair of high-definition 4K monitors that allow your timeline to stretch out as far as you want while still displaying the many different panels in all different software kits.
Your laptop has a small screen, and you can’t upgrade the CPU or internal storage capacity. Compared with desktop computers, laptops also have fewer USB ports for connecting to peripherals such as external hard drives and printers.
For example, if you’re developing a program that supports SQL Server data, you’ll need a full-size keyboard, lots of ports for your mouse, and so on. Laptops may also be slower than desktops.
Acer Predator Helios 300
The Acer Predator Helios 300 is a powerful gaming laptop equipped with the latest hardware and Windows 10 Home.
Equipped with a 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor, an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 with 6 GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM and 16 GB of DDR4 RAM, the system can handle advanced AAA games with ease.
The 15.6-inch display features a Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and a 144 Hz refresh rate. The system features built-in dual speakers and a 2-megapixel webcam.
Acer Predator Helios 300 is a high performance laptop powered by a 7th Generation Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card, delivering all-round performance for work and play.
It features an Overclocked Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor, ensuring plenty of power for demanding applications and games.
Pros
512 GB SSD
High system performance
Good battery life for a 17-inch gaming laptop
Rather comfortable keyboard
Great price for a GTX 1060 GPU
Cons
Only one free 2.5-inch slot available
Poorly designed cooling system
Only one USB-A 3.0 connector
SSD is SATA and no HDD included
Plus, its up to 16 GB DDR4 memory and 512 GB SSD storage, will allow you to work and multitask efficiently, as well as store movies and music.
The Razer Blade is one of the best gaming laptops ever, challenging high-end competitors like the Alienware and MSI Stealth.
Now this beast has been updated to the newest 10th gen Intel Quad Core i7, a fast 144Hz display, and the NEW RTX cards, making it unstoppable.
The design is still gorgeous, and the performance is slightly better than last year, with the same SSD storage. The Razer Blade is still the ultimate gaming laptop.
Looking for a sleek and portable laptop that still has the power to game? The Razer Blade 15 is a high-performance laptop that you can take anywhere and dominate the competition.
Designed for gamers of all levels, the Razer Blade 15 offers a sleek aluminum design with a Full HD display that provides both color and clarity at QHD+.
If you want ultimate portability with the power to play games, the Razer Blade 15 is your best choice.
The new and powerful Razer Blade 15 is an ultra-compact NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 powered laptop that delivers amazing performance and portability.
Pros
Beautifully minimalist
300Hz refresh rate
2933MHz memory better than contemporaries
Well-calibrated DCI-P3 4K OLED display
Better extended warranty options
Very powerful
Cons
16GB memory / 1TB storage is a little light
Very warm palm rests and keyboard when gaming
Very expensive
The 15.6″ Full HD display with slim bezel, 144Hz refresh rate and NVIDIA G-SYNC technology provides an immersive and insane visual experience for gaming and beyond.
Simply put, m15 is a powerful laptop that works hard and looks good doing it. It’s an everyday device that isn’t just great for gaming, it’s also a strong partner for your productivity and creativity.
You’ll love how it looks and its performance. And you’ll love the people that notice.
The Alienware m15 is the perfect balance between power and portability, featuring Grade-A gaming components inside a striking, lightweight design.
Immerse yourself in the game thanks to the Alienware m15’s 15.6 FHD display with 3ms response time, 100,000:1 contrast ratio and 300-nit brightness.
Bring the game to life with NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 10-Series graphics featuring Max-Q design and Tobii Aware software, which enables eye-tracking technology in select titles to put you in control. The m15 also features a durable and tested design with a sleek and seamless finish.
In the style of an everyday carry and the performance of a hardcore gaming laptop, the Alienware m15 is the ultimate combination of mobility and performance.
It has been reengineered to be the thinnest and most powerful Alienware laptop ever with the option for an Alienware Graphics Amplifier and a 60% larger battery than the previous generation.
The m15 is designed to give you the performance you need to take your game further with 4K capability, the latest Intel Core i7 processors.
And up to the NVIDIA GeForce 1070 graphics card with the option to add up to two additional graphics cards with the Alienware Graphics Amplifier.
Pros
Long battery life
Incredibly light for a gaming laptop
Gorgeous 4K display
High quality, premium metal chassis
Best chiclet-style gaming laptop keyboard yet
Cons
Top-tier model is very expensive
Can get warm in spots while gaming
Not as light as the competition
And, with the Alienware Command Center, you can optimize and upgrade your m15 with a single one-click and ensure you’re getting the maximum power possible. Available exclusively on Amazon.
The ROG Zephyrus G15 is a big step forward in the evolution of the ROG Zephyrus line, elevating its ultraportable form-factor and gameplay power to new heights.
Powering the G15 is a 7th Generation Intel Core i7-7820HK processor accompanied by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics with Optimus™ technology.
The Zephyrus G15 can be configured with a 144Hz display or the Zephyrus S GX531, a high-refresh-rate 120Hz display. Best Laptop for Video Editing Quad-vented system fans, high-speed DDR4 SDRAM, and dual M.2 PCIe SSDs ensure a stable, responsive gaming experience.
The sleek chassis of the Zephyrus G15 is manufactured from aluminum, providing a high degree of structural rigidity and a natural, low-temperature cooling environment for the high-performance hardware inside.
ROG Zephyrus G15 (2020) is the sleekest and slimmest of its kind, at just 0.83” thick. Featuring a GeForce® GTX 1660 Ti and a Ryzen™ 7 processor, this machine possesses the power and multi-core performance to tackle any task you throw at it with ease.
The sleek, versatile notebook stays cool under pressure, with a specially designed Cooling Overboost function that allows it to be overclocked and run continuously for up to 3 hours — for gaming, that’s about an extra hour of playtime.
Pros
Great gaming performance
Excellent battery life
Lightweight and portable
1440p, 165Hz panel
Powerful speakers
Competitively priced
Cons
Display could be more vibrant
Quite loud in 3D mode
High CPU temperatures with games and demanding loads
The ROG Zephyrus G15 (2020) also has a compact, minimalist design, with a premium metallic finish that makes it fit in effortlessly in any space.
The ASUS ZenBook Pro 15 is the world’s most powerful 15-inch laptop, and the first of its kind to include the revolutionary ScreenPad, a digital replacement for the function keys along the top row of the keyboard.
The ScreenPad brings your mouse cursor and running apps, music, and more right onto the laptop screen, giving you a new way to multi-task.
Not only is it incredibly effective, but it also looks great! What’s more, the additional space on the keyboard’s number pad can be programmed as hotkeys or macros.
You also get a high-end NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 2060 with Max-Q Design, which can deliver cinematic-quality visuals. And the Full HD matte screen sports super thin bezels, giving you a wide 178-degree viewing angle.
ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 is the world’s first laptop with an innovative ScreenPad. Best Laptop for Video Editing The 4K touchscreen can be instantly detached and reattached without rebooting or needing to log in again, allowing you to work in multiple modes.
It also features an ultra-fast interface that can simultaneously connect to multiple devices, so you can switch from your main laptop screen to phone to projector in a flash.
Pros
Two beautiful 4K touch OLED displays
Equipped with the eight-core Core i9 CPU
Great overall and gaming performance
Dual-screen functionality easy to use
Speedy SSD
Stays cool when gaming
Cons
Short battery life
Weak audio
The keyboard is uncomfortable without the wrist rest
No SD card slot
It’s the only laptop that can do it all—from projecting presentations wirelessly, to letting you sketch on a virtual canvas, to connecting to your phone and juggling apps.
Now is the time to step up your game with the Dell G5 15 Gaming Laptop. Equipped with the powerful Intel Core i7-9750H processor, this laptop is one of the fastest full-size laptops you can get.
It is also packed with 16GB of DDR4 memory and 512GB of PCIe solid state storage – making it the ultimate combination of power, performance, and productivity.
This laptop also features NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics, which allows you to take advantage of all sorts of high-resolution games, and an ultra-fast 144Hz refresh rate.
Last but not least, the Dell G5 15 Gaming Laptop comes with an all-new narrow border display that supports Full HD with an aspect ratio of 16:9, making it perfect if you want a high-resolution screen in a small form factor.
The next generation of gaming is here. This Dell G5 15 Gaming laptop is designed to provide you with a smooth gaming experience, even when your game is intense.
The powerful 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H CPU and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics provide you with a smooth gaming experience.
Pros
Stylish, premium design
Long battery life
Good graphics performance
Cons
Thick and heavy chassis
Slow SSD
This laptop also comes with a dual fan, advanced thermal design that keeps your laptop cool and doesn’t let the heat get to you.
The Razer Blade is the world’s smallest 15.6″ gaming laptop, yet it delivers performance like a giant.
The slim and lightweight unibody chassis houses a 7th Generation Intel® Core™ i7 quad-core processor, Windows 10 and a NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1650 graphics card with Max-Q Design technology.
This combination means the Razer Blade delivers the performance, no matter where you play.
Cutting-Edge Laptop for the Ultimate Gaming Experience: Full HD 14″ display, with a max resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, for vibrant graphics and lifelike imagery, Best Laptop for Video Editing as well as a sharp and detailed Full HD experience.
Hyper-fast Quad-core Intel Core i7-7700HQ processor offers seamless handling of all your data-intensive tasks and an advanced, connected, and smart experience.
The processor’s base frequency of 2.8GHz and a max turbo frequency of 3.8GHz provide a powerful and speedy computing experience.
Pros
True Ultrabook portability
165 Hz 1440p DCI-P3 display with FreeSync support
Powerful eight-core processor and top-end GPU
Crisp, fast keyboard
It’s exceptionally quiet
Cons
No Thunderbolt support
Non-upgradeable RAM
AC adapter is heavy at 1.7 pounds
Warmer-than-average CPU temperatures when under load
16GB DDR4 RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GTX GPU, and a PCIe SSD (up to 1TB) allow you to load massive applications and access large files quickly and responsively.
Featuring the Apple M1 Pro or M1 Max chip, this MacBook Pro is built to work with a huge variety of pro software, including Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X, Pro Tools, DaVinci Resolve, AutoCAD, Maya, and more.
The new graphics card delivers up to 4x faster graphics performance and up to 2x faster performance for machine learning algorithms. The Intel Xeon Eight Core processor delivers up to 10x faster CPU performance.
The new MacBook Pro lets you run even the most intensive pro workflows. Best Laptop for Video Editing And the new MacBook Pro is also quieter than ever, and compatible with MacOS Mojave.
The new MacBook Pro features a stunning 16-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with extreme dynamic range and contrast ratio for vibrant, lifelike images and brilliant colors.
Up to 64GB of unified memory provides the speed you need for everything you do, from working on the latest 4K video to making your everyday applications faster and more responsive.
Pros
Incredible performance
HDMI output and SD card reader
Huge leap in graphics performance over earlier M1 systems
Function keys replace the Touch Bar
Cons
Configuration upticks are expensive
Obtrusive camera notch
And up to 8TB of superfast SSD storage lets you boot-up, launch apps, and load files quicker than ever.
Generally, 8GB RAM is not enough for video editing. Expect files to move sluggishly and tend to crumple under the weight of large media files or those with multiple layers of effects.
16GB of RAM is considered the minimum for editing video, and remember that you’ll never go wrong with more.
Is a graphics card necessary for video editing in laptop?
Graphics processing may not be necessary for video editing on a laptop. You can expect the computer’s native graphics processing to handle your export and playback needs.
However, many editing programs can take advantage of a graphics card as a way to deliver better and faster video performance. It doesn’t hurt for the computer to have upgraded graphics capabilities, when it’s possible.
Which laptop is best for Adobe Premiere Pro?
There are a few things to consider when choosing the best computer for running Adobe Premiere Pro. Best Laptop for Video Editing First of all, you need to make sure that its processor is powerful, multi-core and has multithreading capabilities.
You also want to try and use a laptop with a large monitor or connect your laptop to an external monitor; it makes working with this software so much easier because Premiere Pro requires a lot of panels in order to display all of the available tools neatly.
Final thoughts
The best laptops for video editing should have powerful processors with multitasking capabilities, 32GB or more of RAM, and spacious monitors. For Windows users, the Dell XPS 17 has all the features necessary to run top editing programs.
Mac computer users want the 16-inch MacBook Pro by Apple; Best Laptop for Video Editing whether you get the M1 pro chip or choose to splurge on the M1 Max, it’s a powerful laptop that is durable enough to cut movies.
For any laptop computer, make sure to configure your computer properly when buying it, upgrading the hardware CPU, graphics card and RAM as much as your budget will allow.
Cody is a passionate gamer, writer, and computer programmer who’s always looking for ways to optimize and automate everyday tasks. When he’s not immersed in prose and code, he’s busy tinkering with computers, automating his home, and spending time with his wife and kids.
