The Intel Core i7-8550U processor has basic clocking frequency of 1.8GHz and can reach 4GHz when you need it. Thanks to this, the laptop is energy-saving and does not heat up much when working.
When operating at full throttle, the fan can be noisy.
If you are looking for the highest performance specifically for multimedia-related works, the 17.3" ASUS VivoBook Pro is a top option: on a larger screen, you will see every detail clearly.
17.3", Full-HD (1920 x 1080)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-8550U (Turbo up to 4GHz)
RAM: 16 GB DDR4
Storage: 256 GB SSD + 1TB HDD
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1050 4GB
Windows 10 (64-bit)
1x HDMI, 2x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB3.1 Type C, 1x SDXC Card Reader, 1x HP-out and Audio-in Combo Jack, 1x RJ45 LAN
Up to 8 hours
16.2" x 10.6" x 0.8"
4.6 lbs
1 year
A perfect choice for working in public locations: the built-in Wi-Fi adapter is a long-range one so even if you're not too close to the router, uploading files to the Cloud and downloading media will be fast and easy.
Some users encounter issues with the touchscreen.
The processor in this laptop is geared towards graphics specifically, which makes it so good for video editing. Rendering video is now faster and higher in quality.
15.6", Full-HD (1920 x 1080)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-8750H (Turbo up to 4.1GHz)
RAM: 16 GB DDR4
Storage: 256 GB SSD + 1TB HDD
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1050 TI 4GB
Windows 10 (64-bit)
1x HDMI, 3x USB 3.1, 1x SDXC Card Reader, 1x HP-out and Audio-in Combo Jack, 1x RJ45 LAN
Up to 8 hours
14.96" x 10.16" x 0.89"
5.57 lbs
1 year
In addition to HDMI, there is a mini DisplayPort as well that will allow you to connect the laptop to an external monitor and polish the tiny details or show off your work. Both are located at the back.
Can heat up quite a bit when at max load.
The model combines high performance with a powerful battery able to operate for up to 10 hours 45 minutes on a single charge (mixed use). At the same time, it is quite affordable.
15.6", Full-HD (1920 x 1080)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-8300H (Turbo up to 4GHz)
RAM: 12 GB DDR4
Storage: 128 GB SSD + 1TB HDD
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1050 TI 4GB
Windows 10 (64-bit)
1x HDMI, 1 x mini DisplayPort, 3x USB 3.1, 1x USB3.1 Type C, 1x SDXC Card Reader, 1x HP-out and Audio-in Combo Jack, 1 x Microphone in, 1x RJ45 LAN
Up to 10 hours 45 min
14.17" x 10.35" x 0.98"
5.4 lbs
1 year
The built-in speakers have extra-large chambers deliver a more powerful and clear sound that we are used to with laptops. The Acer TrueHarmony™ widens the frequency range, making the model better suited for music editing.
The HDD slot is present but the drive is to be purchased separately.
Acer Predator is a good laptop for video editing if you are into 3D movies and clips since it has a VR-ready GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card with 6GB GDDR5 RAM.
15.6", Full-HD (1920 x 1080)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-7700HQ (Turbo up to 3.8GHz)
RAM: 16 GB DDR4
Storage: 256 GB SSD
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1060 6GB
Windows 10 (64-bit)
1x HDMI, 2x USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.0, 1x USB3.1 Type C, 1x SDXC Card Reader, 1x HP-out and Audio-in Combo Jack, 1x RJ45 LAN
Up to 7 hours
15.35" x 10.47" x 1.05"
5.95 lbs
2 years
The MSI's patented Cooler Boost technology with its 6 heat pipes and 2 fans ensures high-quality heat dissipation from both CPU and GPU. You can easily adjust the cooling system settings with the included software.
The RAM is the minimum required for video editing and needs expansion.
Everything about this laptop is well-thought-out for your utmost convenience; it has powerful components, ergonomic keyboard, real-looking colors on the screen, and its body is nice to the touch.
15.6", Full-HD (1920 x 1080)
CPU: Intel® Core™ i5-8300H (Turbo up to 4GHz)
RAM: 8 GB DDR4
Storage: 16 GB Intel Optane + 1TB HDD
GPU: NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti 4GB
Windows 10 (64-bit)
1x HDMI, 1x mini DisplayPort, 1x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.1, 1x USB3.1 Type C, 1x SDXC Card Reader, 1x HP-out, 1 x Microphone in, 1x RJ45 LAN
Up to 8 hours
15.07" x 10.23" x 1.16"
4.8 lbs
1 year
Big but Light
Being a big name on a computer (and, specifically, laptop) market, ASUS is expected to deliver top performance and quality. And that, they do without fail, a demonstration of which we can see here with the ASUS VivoBook Pro. While not the most expensive gaming laptop offered by ASUS themselves and certainly not the most expensive one in general, this model makes a good laptop for video editing. Here's why.
The diagonal here is 17.3" so it's a fairly big model. However, at the same time, it is not heavy as one might have assumed—at 4.6 lbs, it is more lightweight than some laptops with a smaller diagonal. Partially, it is due to its thinness—the model is less than an inch thick, only 0.8". It is one of the thinnest full-size laptops.
At this diagonal, the VivoBook Pro offers a Full HD resolution of 1920x1080. When it comes to laptops and not home full-sized workstations, this is nearly as good as it can get. For the times when you are not on the go, you can use this Windows laptop with an external monitor or TV since it has all the important ports in it like an HDMI and a plethora of USB options that includes a USB 3.1 Type-C, two USB 2.0, and a USB 3.0. The SDXC card reader is a given, of course, as is the RJ45 Lan port for when you need a faster Internet connection that a Wi-Fi module offers (or when there is no router).
Powerhouse of Affordable Gaming Laptops
Now to the more intricate inside details. The 8th Gen Intel Core processor has a basic speed of 1.8GHz but can reach 4GHz in Turbo mode. Talking specifically about audio and video editing, this means that, despite its screen resolution being Full HD, this laptop can playback and render even 4K UHD content. This is further supported by a 16GB RAM that can, by the way, be expanded to up to 32GB if you wish.
The storage is represented by a mix of a 256 GB solid-state drive and a 1TB HDD. You might need an external drive in case you do a lot of filmmaking in 4K but in general, it is more than enough usually. We do suggest you get an external SSD, though, to store your completed works and free space for new footage and projects.
The visuals here are courtesy of the 4GB NVIDIA GTX 1050 graphics card and an IPS display that will show you a picture within 72% of NTSC color gamut.
Summing it all up, the ASUS VivoBook Pro is the best laptop for video editing you can get in a price segment of more affordable than not models.
Additional Info
| Last updated price | $2,299.00 |
| Stock | In stock |
| ASIN | B07661CYPD |
Made for Multimedia
The processor of this Dell laptop is the 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H and the "H" here stands for High-performance graphics, according to the Intel designation system. While the machine is advertised mainly as a gaming model, media rendering and filmmaking are the same, if not even more graphic-conscious tasks, therefore, a graphics-oriented CPU makes perfect sense for a laptop where HD video and music are being tweaked. With a processor like this, your multimedia will be processed and delivered in top quality and with the best possible speed, relieving you from the worries that come with the snail pace and crush recurrence of older models.
Besides the powerful CPU, the Dell laptop comes with a 16GB RAM expandable to 32GB and a combo storage of 256GB SSD + 1TB HDD. The impressive RAM makes the rendering process fast and lag-free and the extensive storage is a must for saving the footage you work with since using external drives for files actively used in a photo/video editing software is not recommended. Finally, there is an upgraded NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti graphics card that offers higher fps in gaming and is, consequently, better for making videos.
Well-balanced To-go Laptop
The selection of interfaces in this laptop for video editing is more or less standard for a modern laptop: besides the obligatory RJ45 and an HP-out + Audio-in combo jack, there is an HDMI, a card reader, and three high-speed USB 3.1 ports. Nothing extra, though, like a DisplayPort, but this issue can be fixed with an external connector.
This gaming laptop is 15.6" in display diagonal and has a Full HD resolution, 1920x1080, making it a comfortable enough option for audio and video editing. Having connected it to a larger monitor or a TV, you can get the 4K output when you need to show the results of your work to someone and make it impressive. There is also a backlit keyboard for working in a dark room without slowing down.
The model is one of the thinnest laptops among 15.6" full-size models, it is only 0.89" when the lid is closed. The weight is neither the lightest nor nearly the heaviest, a middle-range at 5.57 lbs. It also provides a nice operating time on a single charge—up to 8 hours or so, depending on the intensity of use. And with a long-range Wi-Fi module, it makes a perfectly good laptop for video editing and instant uploading to sites like YouTube.
Additional Info
| Last updated price | $962.93 |
| Stock | In stock |
| ASIN | B07BXG7725 |
The Good Kind of Omen
HP OMEN is the gaming laptop for those seeking good specs at a moderate price. Its i5 Intel processor offers a performance slightly below that of an i7 one but not really all that much. For starters, it has a 2.3GHz base clock speed yet it can reach 4GHz when used in Turbo mode. This is nearly the same as with some i7 processors so you're not missing out too much. And since it is an "H" designated processor, we can say that the company had allocated a major part of its attention to making it as good at graphics as possible. Besides, the CPU is assisted in this field by a robust NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti graphics card.
One of the most outstanding features here is the range of offered interfaces. In addition to the standard selection of a card reader, an HDMI, three USB 3.1 ports, an RJ45, there is a mini DisplayPort, a USB 3.1 Type-C, and a Microphone input separate from a combo jack.
As for storage, there is a 128GB SSD and a 1TB HDD. For installing the software, the SSD this large is more than enough unless you need a number of different apps of that scale and demands. In that case, you might need a more expensive laptop or, even better, a desktop workstation.
The model has 12GB of RAM, which is quite a good number for audio and video editing. Some top-shelf professional video editing software might ask for a 16GB RAM but it is most probably in the "Recommended" slot and not the minimum required for glitch-free work. Besides, in case you need or want more, there are two slots in this laptop for adding extra DDR4 RAM.
The Design Pushes You to Conquer New Heights
This laptop is unmistakably a gaming machine, with its thin bezel, sharp edges, and overall aggressive design you'll never mistake it for some office model. But there are features geared towards gaming that will definitely come in handy for making videos. One of those would be the supreme cooling system. Thanks to it, the CPU can endure much more load than it would be able to otherwise. Hence, you can go for more performing app and more demanding footages.
The diagonal of the HP OMEN is 15.6" and the resolution is Full HD 1920x1080 on an IPS panel, you will have the best viewing angles offered today on the market. There is a 2-zone backlit keyboard, which might not be something you must have in a video editing laptop but it is useful when working during the nights or in a badly lit room. Besides, it looks super cool.
If you are a fan of good looks with great performance yet are not willing to pay over a grand for a laptop, this is your best bet.
Additional Info
| Last updated price | $0.00 |
| Stock | May be out of stock |
| ASIN | B07CZ6VK4G |
A Predator on Your Desk
All sharp edges and corners, gray and red with its two red lines and a series logo on the lid, this laptop just screams gaming. The lid is texturized metal, it's really durable, too, making it a good choice for an on-the-go laptop. That is, if it weren't this heavy. Almost 6 lbs in weight, it is a bit tiring to carry along everywhere you go. However, most video editors, pros and hobbyists alike, do not move around as much as business people do so it is not much of a drawback.
The display is 15.6" IPS, has an LCD backlight and supports Full HD resolution. The variety of ports enables fast and reliable data transfer; you'll find two USB 2.0, a USB 3.0, and a USB 3.1 Type-C at the sides, the latter supporting up to 5 Gbit/s speed. There is an HDMI port to connect to external monitors, of course, and a slot for an SD card.
The two fans were designed using the AeroBlade 3D technology and both have an increased number of super-thin (0.004") blades. The cooled air travels through the entire laptop from its front to the back lowering the body temperature to the safe levels, meaning you can go for the heavy load without fear.
Full Control over the Beast
This gaming laptop is delivered with the original PredatorSense software, a control panel with a user-friendly interface where you can monitor all the main working system parameters, from temperature to fan speed to frequency. It also offers several customizable options like assigning hotkeys, creating profiles, overclocking, etc.
Speaking of overclocking, and of the processor in general, the one in this model is Intel Core i7-7700HQ with processing speed of 2.8GHz normally and 3.8GHz via Turbo Boost. The NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1060 with 6GB GDDR5 memory makes graphics fluid, you'll be able to play the most demanding games and edit your films at high fps. It is also VR-ready, meaning you can create your HD videos in 3D.
Roar!
The sound is no less important when it comes to filmmaking than the visuals. And the Acer Predator Helios 300 delivers a superb performance here: it uses two TrueHarmony speakers which will drown you in realistic sound in any media, from music and movies to games. You can even skip external speakers when the milestone is reached with your project. However, we do still recommend you initially work with sound-canceling headphones, this way, you will be free of any ambient noise and will be able to achieve the best audio editing.
Drawing the line under everything we know about this machine, we can say that this is, first and foremost, a gaming laptop but it also makes a good laptop for video editing thanks to its many powerful components.
Additional Info
| Last updated price | $1,499.77 |
| Stock | In stock |
| ASIN | B06Y4GZS9C |
What customers say about this product
Processor(4.2)
Features(4)
Connectivity(4)
Memory(4)
HDD with SSD Responsiveness
The first thing that catches the eye when you look at the specs in the table above is that this supposedly gaming laptop lacks an SSD drive. When we talk about audio and video editing, it somewhat resembles gaming in that it creates a heavy load on a system, and the more source files you have the harder it is for the computer. That's why it is highly recommended to have a solid-state drive for faster performance, right? So why is this laptop here on the list at all when it only has a 1TB HDD and some 16GB of a different memory type? Well, the answer lies in that 16GB Intel Optane Memory module.
Optane is a new technology implemented with Intel's 8th Gen processors (i5, i7, and i9 ones) and this technology makes it possible for an HDD drive to reach responsiveness and speed of an SSD. The system itself and the apps or files you frequently use will boot faster thanks to the Optane's ability to "remember" them. Now, it is still only a 1TB disk so you will likely need extra space for storage but at least you do not need to worry about the system performance or multitasking issues.
Opportunity for Personalized Upgrade
Stepping aside from the Optane, there are still other specs worth mentioning. The processor here is the Intel Core i5 but of the 8th Gen, as was mentioned above. The 8th generation i5 processors are inferior to the same generation of i7 and i9 but are still superior to the 7th generation of i7 at least. It is quite a powerful CPU able to reach 4GHz clocking speed in Turbo Boost mode. To complement the CPU, this model includes a high-performance NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti graphics card.
The RAM is not very big, 8GB is the minimum RAM for most professional and prosumer video editing software today but it still works, just a tad slower than it could. You can expand the RAM if you wish, the maximum for this laptop is 32GB, which is a lot.
There is an outstanding selection of interfaces here, too: both a Type-C and a mini DisplayPort are present in addition to an HDMI, a USB 2.0, two USB 3.1, and a card reader. While an HDMI is typically enough to transmit a high-quality picture and audio from a computer to a TV, a DisplayPort can do this to several (up to four) TVs simultaneously so it's a great interface to have on a laptop for video editing, especially if you work to create HD video (and aren't we all, today?).
The MSI model is a nicely-priced laptop for making videos with ample opportunities for further improvement.
Additional Info
| Last updated price | $1,499.77 |
| Stock | In stock |
| ASIN | B07D4ZML7M |
What Is a Laptop for Video Editing?
Video blogs on YouTube are all the rage. Fans of books and movies get more and more creative with fanvids and fan films, too, to the point where some companies came to recognize and embrace them (though not always). But to get noticed in either of those fields, your videos must be something else. Or at least on par. To achieve that, you might not even need a professional camera—according to LucasFilm's Ian Bucknole, you can make a good film worthy of Star Wars Fan Awards even with your smartphone. But you do need to master some kind of a video editing software to truly make your video shine, sometimes literally, but mostly metaphorically.
Which leads you here: these programs are not some joke and they require a good machine. Any regular laptop? Nah, it just won't do, not all desktops can handle software like Adobe Premiere Pro or similar. And if it's not powerful enough it will crash, or the rendering of a 3-minute video will take 6 hours, and the quality will be... meh. Believe us, we've been there, it's no fun.
Most top gaming laptops are actually good for video editing and can make the list, though you'll need to check for some specific parameters before you make the purchase. We'd like to help you with this tough choice.
What Features to Compare
Usually, when you are planning to buy a machine for a specific task, you also have a specific software in mind. If that's the case, the best course of action would be to check out the software's official website and see the system requirements. If you are still indecisive about what program you would like to use, here's a short run-down as to what to pay attention to while searching for the best laptop for video editing.
Processor
Video editing software is one of the most taxing on your computer's CPU, if not the most taxing. If you plan on doing something more than a simple slideshow from photos, or if you're aiming at professional-looking high-res videos, the processor in your laptop must be one of the good ones. Intel's i7 processors or equivalent are the best, or at least an i5 one. Older CPUs can sometimes work with the software but the processes will be very slow. For example, if you check out the Adobe Premiere Pro system requirements, you'll see that the latest processors are required for rendering with hardware acceleration.
GPU
Since video editing is, first and foremost, work with visuals, the graphics of your laptop are the top priority. For the prosumer level of video editing, start considering laptops with NVIDIA GTX 1050 and newer.
Memory (RAM and Storage)
The more RAM the computer has, the faster and better it works, this much is obvious and relatable for everyone, not just aspiring filmmakers. But how much is the minimum for audio and video editing? Well, start with at least 4GB and go up there. The latest Premiere Pro requirements ask for at least 8GB but recommend 16GB for better results. It is also good to have an option to expand the RAM.
As for the storage, the first thing to recommend here is: go for SSD or SSD+HDD combo. Solid state drives are faster and more reliable, better suited for heavy loads video editing software creates. The storage capacity depends on how much you plan on doing and in what quality—4K videos take up much more space than even the 1920x1080 Full HD ones so you will need to consider storage space for your source material as well as for resulting files. Some editors store one or both on external drives but this might slow down the work significantly.
Display
The starting resolution is at least HD 1280x720 but we do recommend going for Full HD or more if you intend to pose any kind of competition or even just show your videos to your family and friends on a screen other than that of a laptop. For successful editing, it is also essential to have good colors, high brightness/contrast, and wide viewing angles, so IPS or VA panels are the best options here.
While the screen size is up to your personal preferences and depends on how well you see, a good laptop for video editing should probably be at least 13" in diagonal, though it's better to have more. The 15.6" models are chosen the most due to their combination of screen size and portability. If you need a bigger screen, you can go for 17.3" or just connect the laptop to an external monitor or a TV. Which brings us to the next parameter.
Interfaces and Battery
The more the better, you can't go wrong with more ports and it is not advised to go for a cheaper option if the difference is in the number or variety of interfaces. The laptop for making videos should have at least a couple USB ports (USB 3.0 or later if possible), an HDMI, and a card reader but a DisplayPort and a Type-C will be a great addition, too.
As for the battery, it is good to have a more powerful one since, once again, video editing is a very demanding task for a laptop. However, it is our belief that today, you can find an outlet almost anywhere—in a cafe, library, airport and sometimes even on the street. Or you can get a power bank with enough power to prolong the laptop life.
Did you know?
You can become famous without a big studio backing you up
With the technology going faster and faster, there has been a major increase in independent creators that are not just smaller studios with lower budgets than Hollywood giants but simply groups of passionate, if untrained, enthusiasts that have a good smartphone and a laptop for audio and video editing. Starting with fan films that are still illegal in the majority of cases to the completely unique movies, the film industry is evolving fast. You can make your own music video or a movie, upload it to YouTube and if it's good, you get the recognition and sometimes even a job offer. Famous artists today employ tiny studios to help make their official music videos and these studios start with one or several talented people who get to work with home-level tech.
You can get into a study programme with a good laptop for video editing
You can start as a fan or an enthusiast who makes a home video to present to your mom on the Mother's day and later if you retain the passion and upgrade your skills, you have a chance to get into a film school of which there is a number today. Filmmaking becomes more accessible for the regular public, there are scholarships available if you have the skills. To get skills, you need equipment to train with, so buying a laptop for making videos is not an expensive toy for a hobby anymore but an investment in your future career.
You can get nice rewards for being a creative fan of Star Wars
Historically, fans being creative has led to a number of disagreements and even lawsuits, what with the copyright infringements and all. Dealing with someone else's property you need to tread lightly so that to not get a Cease and Desist notice from their lawyers. However, in the latest years, with the growth of fanbases and the development of Internet platforms like YouTube, creators and studios that own some titles and franchises, be it a movie or a book, have loosened up a bit and tend to look the other way, pretending they do not know their fans draw fan-arts, write fan-fiction stories, and, yes, make fan-videos and fan-films. That is, until they are non-profit. Some other creators and, specifically, studios have moved even past that and decided they want to support the creativity in their fans. One of those is the Star Wars owners, Lucasfilm.
The company holds an annual Star Wars Film Awards where the Lucasfilm staff—producers, art directors, filmmakers, and other professionals—choose the best among the short (up to 15 seconds) and long (up to 15 minutes) movies made by fandom creators on their home computers. Of course, you will need more than just a good laptop for video editing if you intend to win but it is a good start to have. There are guidelines and rules to follow but it is a huge step for the community and who knows, your film might be noticed and someday, you will become one of the judges and not a participant.