or those who earn their livelihood through video production, it’s wise to consider purchasing a laptop that streamlines the process. The ideal video editing laptop can increase efficiency, simplify tasks, and ultimately enhance the quality of your work.
Best video editing laptops to serve with raw HD or 4K video or create unique effects are essential. While you can trim short clips with a budget laptop, they won’t possess a fast processor, discrete solid graphics or a high-resolution display.
To get the best video editing laptop, you’ll need something with a discrete graphics card. The most affordable on our list, which possesses Nvidia’s GeForce GTX 1060 GPU, commences around $1,099.
For something with a more robust card like a high-end Quadro or GTX 1070, as well as characteristics like a high-end display, you may spend around $2,500 or more.
Best Video Editing Laptops in 2023
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
The best video editing laptop
At the high end of Apple’s laptop lineup, the 16-inch MacBook Pro remains the largest model in 2023. Its base configuration features the new M2 Pro 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU, along with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. Users have the option to upgrade to a higher-end M2 Max processor.
While it comes with a steep price tag, the 16-inch MacBook Pro with M2 Pro or M2 Max is currently the best video editing laptop on the market. It boasts a wealth of features that our video editors desire, including a generous port selection with an SD slot, a stunning large screen, and relatively quiet fans. Owning one of these laptops will make for a seamless editing experience.
For general use, we currently recommend the discounted M1 Pro and M1 Max models, but professional video editors seeking top-notch speed and performance will notice a significant difference in render and export times with the newer chips. Not only is the 2023 MacBook Pro a top performer, but it’s also exceptionally efficient, with some of the best battery life available in the current laptop market. This means you can edit while on the go for extended periods without needing to recharge the device. Our editors typically can go a day or two without plugging in their MacBook Pros.
Furthermore, the MacBook Pro performs just as well on battery as it does when plugged into a power source, making it a versatile choice for video editing on the go, unlike many Windows laptops that suffer from slower performance when not plugged in.
Razer Blade 18
- CPU: Up to octa-core Intel Core i7
- Graphics: up to GeForce RTX 3080
- RAM: 16GB
- Screen: 15.6-inch, 3840 x 2160 OLED/LCD
- Storage: Up to 1TB SSD
- SD card reader: Yes (Advanced model only)
- Thunderbolt: Yes, version 4
| PROS | CONS |
| 4K OLED display is stunning, Sleek matte metal design | Very expensive, Top-end GPU not essential for video editing |
MacBook Pro M1 (16-inch, 2021)
- CPU: Up to 10-core Apple M1 Max
- Graphics: Up to 32-Core Apple M1 Max GPU
- RAM: 16GB – 64GB
- Screen: 16-inch Retina display with True Tone
- Storage: 1TB – 8TB SSD
| PROS | CONS |
| M1 Pro and Max chips, up to 64GB RAM, Sensational screen specs | Hugely expensive, Some may miss the Touchbar |
Asus ROG Zephyrus G15
- CPU: Up to octa-core AMD Ryzen 9 5900HS
- Graphics: Up to GeForce RTX 3080
- RAM: Up to 48GB
- Screen: 15.6-inch IPS, 2560 x 1440
- Storage: Up to 2TB NVMe PCIe M.2 SSD
- SD card reader: Yes, microSD
- Thunderbolt: No
| PROS | CONS |
| Power with portability, Super-fast screen refresh rate | Screen not 4K, No USB 4/Thunderbolt 4 |
HP Envy 17
- CPU: 11th-gen quad-core Intel Core i7
- Graphics: Intel Iris Xe
- RAM: 32GBScreen: 17-inch, (3840 x 2160) IPS
- Storage: 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD
- SD card slot: Yes
- Thunderbolt 4: Yes
| PROS | CONS |
| large, comfortable screen size, 4K and 100% Adobe RGB coverage, Powerful CPU options | Physically large, inevitably |
Dell XPS 15
- CPU: Up to 11th-gen octa-core Intel Core i9
- Graphics: Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
- RAM: Up to 64GB
- Screen: Up to 15.6-inch, 3840 x 2400 touchscreen
- Storage: Up to 2TB SSD
- SD card reader: Yes
- Thunderbolt: Yes, version 4
| PROS | CONS |
| Jaw-dropping screen specs, SD card reader | Not class-leading GPU for the price, Battery life not great |
Acer ConceptD 7
- CPU: Hexa-core Intel Core i7
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080
- RAM: up to 32GB
- Screen: 15.6-inch, 3840 x 2160 (UHD) IPS
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- SD card reader: No
- Thunderbolt 3: Yes
| PROS | CONS |
| Beautifully calibrated screen, Not an RGB gaming light in sight, 4K screen | Very expensive, No SD card slot |
Acer Predator Helios 300 15
- CPU: Up to octa-core Intel Core i7
- Graphics: Up to Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080
- RAM: Up to 32GB
- Screen: 15.6-inch, 1920 x 1080 IPS
- Storage: Up to 1TB SSD + 2TB HDD
- SD card reader: No
- Thunderbolt: Yes, version 4
| PROS | CONS |
| Comparatively affordable, Great GPU options | No SD card reader, Only FullHD screen res |
Lenovo ThinkPad P15 Gen 2
- CPU: Up to 11th Gen Intel Core i9
- Graphics: Up to NVIDIA Quadro RTX A5000
- RAM: Up to 128GB
- Screen: Up to 15.6-inch UHD (3840×2160) OLED touch
- Storage: Up to 6TB SSD (3x 2TB drives)
- SD card slot: Yes
- Thunderbolt 4 port: Yes, x2
| PROS | CONS |
| Dolby Vision or OLED 4K screen options, Massively powerful when specced up, SD card slot | Bulky, Uninspired design, Can get very expensive |
Microsoft Surface Book 3 (15-inch)
- CPU: Quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core i7-1065G7
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti Max-Q
- RAM: 16GB
- Screen: 15.4-inch, 3240 x 2160 IPS
- Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
- SD card reader: Yes
- Thunderbolt 3: No
| PROS | CONS |
| Tablet and laptop in one, Stunning design | Expensive, No Thunderbolt 3 port |
Happy Shopping !!!