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The best laptops for video editing in 2024: Expert tested
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The right laptop can make a world of difference. This applies to everyone, whether an everyday user or a professional video editor. Powerful laptops can greatly help video editors because their hardware allows them to handle demanding workloads. They can improve the quality of your video and save you a ton of time.
Also: Best laptops of 2024
What is the best laptop for video editing right now?
We performed extensive research and hands-on testing when looking for the top video editing laptops you can buy today. We looked for models that excelled in processing power, display, and price, among other metrics. Our pick for the best laptop for video editing overall is the 16-inch Apple MacBook Pro (2023), due to its M3 Pro chipset, gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR display, and long-lasting battery life. It is rather expensive. But the MacBook Pro isn't the only option out there. Below, we compare the top models from the best brands like ASUS and Dell.
Best laptops for video editing in 2024
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023)
Best laptop for video editing overall
Our pick for the best video editing laptop should come as no surprise: The 2023 release of the MacBook Pro 16. It really can't be understated just how good Apple's hardware is for creative endeavors. The company puts so much effort into ensuring its products meet users' needs.
The laptop comes equipped with an M3 SoC (system on a chip). The technology behind it is rather complicated, but all you need to know is that it is 60% faster than the old M1 hardware. This is partly thanks to the new neural engine allowing the MacBook Pro to enable on-device machine learning. It also has a better media engine for HEVC and H.264 hardware acceleration, plus support for ProRes RAW files. The MacBook Pro even has an AV1 decode engine to handle content from YouTube and Netflix.
Also: M3 MacBook Pro buying advice: Who it's really for (and who should stick with M2 MacBook Air)
Of course, we can't forget about the stunning Liquid Retina XDR display outputting a resolution of 3,024 x 1,964 pixels (or 3K for short). Screens sporting this tech have a high contrast ratio and brightness level for top-tier image fidelity. Other notable features include a 1080p webcam and a 22-hour battery life. We recommend opting for the model with the M3 Pro chip as it offers great performance while not being eye-watering expensive. If you can afford it, the MacBook with M3 Max chip may be more your style.
Don't just take our word for it. The
Apple MacBook Pro 16 specs: Processor: Apple M3 Pro | Display size: 16 inches | Operating system: Mac OS | Dimensions: 14 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches
HP ZBook Studio G10 Mobile Workstation
Best video editing laptop display
If money is no object, then we highly recommend the HP ZBook Studio 16 G10. This thing is a beast. It sports a stunning 16-inch display outputting an image resolution slightly above 4K resolution (3,840 x 2,400 pixels, to be exact). The company also offers professionals a ton of hardware options to choose from. The base unit has an Intel Core i5013600H vPro processor with an integrated graphics card, but you opt for an i9-13900H vPro CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4080 GPU.
Customization is a major aspect of the ZBook Studio 16 G10. Videos can take a lot of storage space. If you frequently struggle with saving your files, equip the laptop with a 2TB SSD. Do you plan on editing full-length movies and have tons of footage on hand? HP gives shoppers the opportunity to select 64GB of RAM. That amount of memory may be too much for the average person. Luckily, the company also offers 16GB and 32GB of RAM.
What's surprising about the device is that despite all the powerful hardware, it's not a bulky laptop. Sure, 16-inches can be a little tricky to carry, however it's slim and weighs a little under four pounds.
Again, this is not for people on a budget. Prices for ZBook Studio 16 G10 hover around $3,000 and only go up from there. But if you can afford it, you'll be owning one of the best video editing machines out there.
HP ZBook Studio G10 Mobile Workstation: Processor: 13th-gen Intel Core i9-13900HX| Display size: 16 inches | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 14.02 x 9.54 x 0.76 inches
Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i
Best value for a video editing laptop
Nothing feels worse than when you're in the middle of editing a long video and your computer alerts you that the battery is about to run out, especially if you forgot the charger. Well, with Lenovo's IdeaPad Pro 5i, you don't have to worry about this scenario as much because the laptop houses a great battery. It can last over 8.5 hours on a single charge. That may not seem like much at a glance, but you have to consider what you're getting with this device. You'd may be surprised that 8.5 hours is quite a long time.
Review: One of the longest-lasting OLED laptops I've tested is not from Samsung or Asus
First off, the IdeaPad Pro 5i houses an Intel Meteor Lake processor alongside an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050; both of which provide an excellent hardware setup for video editing. The graphics card and 16GB of RAM perform well for rendering video clips. Of course, you have the option to customize the laptop by adding more powerful hardware.
And we can't forget the 2K resolution OLED display. It is capable of showing off the finest details in the footage you've captured. Additionally, the speakers support Dolby Atmos allowing the sound system to output room-filling audio. The keyboard is quite nice as well with the arrow jutting out from the bottom for extra comfort.
Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i specs: Processor: Intel Core Ultra 5 125H | Display size: 16 inches | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 14.02 x 9.88 x 0.69 inches
Dell XPS 16
Best Windows video editing laptop
Dell's XPS 16 is a fantastic laptop. We labeled it one of the best Windows laptops we've tested so far, for good reason. Its thin bezels enhance the ultra-high-quality 4K resolution display, giving the illusion of a bigger screen than it actually is. It's a small trick, but it's pretty effective.
Internally, the device runs on the Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, which is part of the recently released Meteor Lake series. This processor was subjected to benchmarking tests to learn how well it performed under heavy workloads. It did exceptionally well on the tests, earning a score of 12,972 on Cinebench R23, which puts it among the upper echelon of CPUs.
Additionally, the Intel Core Ultra 7 is paired with an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, which is great for video rendering. Editors should strive to purchase computers with strong graphics cards that handle visually intensive content. And you can't get better than something from the GeForce 40 series.
Review: Dell XPS 16 (2024) review: Best Windows laptop I've tested so far this year
Things didn't stop there, as the XPS 16 continued to impress us. The device has room-filling speakers supported by Dolby Atmos and a stylish yet energy-efficient design.
There is a catch to the XPS 16. Having this much solid hardware makes the laptop expensive. Higher-end builds cost over $3,000, which is around the range of the MacBook Pro. Fortunately, you can customize it, so you won't have to pay as much.
Dell XPS 16 (2024) specs: Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Display size: 16.3 inches | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 14.10 x 9.50 x 0.74 inches
LG Gram Pro 2-in-1
Best 2-in-1 laptop for video editing
LG's Gram Pro 16 2-in-1 is a sleek, ultraportable laptop. For starters, it measures less than half an inch thick and weighs a little over three pounds enabling easy carrying. You won't have to worry about the machine breaking, because the nano-magensium alloy makes it exceptionally sturdy. The slim design combined with the vibrant display and dark black chassis make it a stunning laptop. Very few laptops look this good. That flashiness is exclusive to its form factor.
The machine houses a high-quality 16-inch OLED display with multiple visual enhancers. It supports the entire RBG color scale, the whole P3 color gamut, and 94 percent of the Adobe RBG scale. What's more, it has a refresh rate of 120Hz for silky smooth video output.
Review: Our favorite lightweight laptop for work is not a MacBook or ThinkPad
The company throws in a free stylus with purchase, and you can use it for a more natural editing experience. Inside is an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H CPU capable of handling just about anything you throw it at. The graphics card is an integrated Intel Arc. It would've been nice if it was a dedicated GPU from Nvidia, but with up to 32GB of RAM, rendering video isn't a problem.
Do be aware that because of all this hardware, the Gram Pro 16 can run hot.
LG Gram Pro 16 2-in-1 specs: Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Display size: 16-inch WQXGA Plus OLED touchscreen | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 14.06 x 9.99 x 0.49 inches
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i
Best dual-screen laptop
Like Apple and the MacBook Air, Lenovo impressed us last year with the Yoga Book 9i. For the 2024 version, the company didn't change its overall design. Lenovo knew they knocked it out of the park in this respect. Instead, the brand upgraded its hardware components, introduced some new features, and called it a day. It was a series of minor updates that were enough to make the Yoga Book 9i an excellent video editing laptop.
The device houses an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor "that's [been] optimized for AI tasks," according to ZDNET expert Max Buondonno. It gets paired with an Intel Irus Xe graphics card and up to 32 GB of memory, making this machine quite speedy. We should also mention the Yoga Book 9i comes with a solid sound system installed. Max called it "some of the best speakers I've ever heard on a laptop." If audio plays a vital role in your video project and you don't have a good soundbar on hand, Lenovo's machine can come in handy.
Review: I tested Lenovo's dual-screen laptop, and it improved my productivity in profound ways
Saving the best for last, the Yoga 9i's dual-screen is very nice. You'll receive a pair of 13.3-inch OLED displays sitting on each other, outputting vibrant colors and deep blacks. Each one has a brightness level of 400 nits, which is excellent for most situations.
Lenovo Yoga Book 9i specs: Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155U | Display size: 13.3 inches 2.8K OLED | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 11.78 x 8.03 x 0.63 inches
Acer Aspire 5
Best budget video editing laptop
One of the first things you'll notice when shopping for a video editing laptop is that many of them are really expensive. We have a few on this list over $3,000. This should come as no surprise, as a good video editing laptop must have high-performing hardware, and that comes at a cost. Luckily, there are some solid budget options, too, like the Acer Aspire 5.
I chose this model because of its solid hardware pairing: a 13th-Gen Intel Core i7-13620H processor with a Nvidia GeForce RTX 2050 graphics card. This configuration is not the greatest in the world, but still respectable. Rest assured, this machine can handle video editing workload, although you may experience some performance issues. You could opt for the Iris Xe GPU to drop the price tag even lower to around $500, but we don't recommend doing this. You would be better off spending more money on superior hardware.
Also: The best cheap laptops, starting at $350
The screen outputs a resolution of 1,920 x 1,200 pixels with a refresh rate of 60Hz. It's no 4K monster; however, at least it's better than 1080p. Plus, it comes with various ports, including two USB-A inputs, HDMI, and an ethernet port.
Acer Aspire 5 specs: Processor: Intel Core i7-13620H | Display size: 14 inches | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 9.30 x 14.21 x 0.70 inches
Alienware m16 R2
Best gaming laptop for video editing
As previously established, gaming laptops lend themselves very well to video editing. These machines typically have some of the best hardware configurations on the market, making a desktop green with envy. But the main problem with gaming laptops is that you can't really take them into the office. Their bright RGB lighting can be very distracting. Seeing an opportunity, Dell made a gaming laptop with the office worker in mind: the Alienware m16 R2.
In our review for this laptop, we point out how the device strikes a good design balance between being aesthetically pleasing and practical. It's slim, lacking a bulky thermal shelf on the back, and is covered in a predominantly dark grey color scheme. However, the device's most important design feature is its Stealth Mode, which can be activated by pressing F2. Doing so causes the RGB lights to turn white instantly. It's a simple yet handy feature "for when you're in a public setting."
Review: Dell's latest gaming laptop is an ultraportable machine I wouldn't mind bringing to work
There is more to the m16 R2 besides its looks. It's a powerful machine with an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, and 32GB of RAM. This configuration is excellent for handling all kinds of workloads, from video editing during the day to gaming during the evening. It's a highly flexible laptop, one that comes highly recommended. If that's not enough, it sports a 2K resolution display with a fast refresh rate of 240Hz.
Alienware m16 R2 specs: Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 | Display size: 16 inches | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 14.33 x 9.81 x 0.93 inches
What is the best video editing laptop?
Due to its powerful hardware and crystal-clear display, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 from 2023 is the best laptop for video editing. Below is a list comparing it to the rest of our picks.
| Best laptop for video editing | Price | Processor | Display size |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) | $1,399 | Apple M3 Pro | 16 inches |
| HP ZBook Studio G10 Mobile Workstation | $2,899 | Intel Core i9-13900HX | 16 inches |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i | $937 | Intel Core Ultra 5 125H | 16 inches |
| Dell XPS 16 | $1,699 | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | 16.3 inches |
| LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 | $1,799 | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | 16 inches |
| Lenovo Yoga Book 9i | $1,980 | Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | 13.3 inches |
| Acer Aspire 5 | $849 | Intel Core i7-13620H | 14 inches |
| Alienware m16 R2 | $1,599 | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | 16 inches |
Which is the best laptop for video editing for you?
Finding the right laptop can take a lot of work. You're dealing with many numbers being thrown your way, specifications can get confusing, and several of the models have similar if not outright the same, features. It can be tricky to differentiate between laptops.
Below is a table briefly explaining each recommendation and why you should get them. They can help you find the right one to meet your needs.
| Choose this laptop for video editing... | If you want... |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2023) | The best video editing laptop, with its beautiful Liquid Retina display and lightning-fast M3 chipset powering it. |
| HP ZBook Studio G10 Mobile Workstation | One of the best displays. It houses a screen capable of displaying an image resolution greater than 4K and has the hardware to back it up. |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Pro 5i | The best value for a video editing laptop. It's a relatively inexpensive computer that boasts a long battery and current-gen hardware. |
| Dell XPS 16 | The best Windows laptop for video editing laptop. It's a monster coming equipped with a Meteor CPU and a GeForce RTX 40-series GPU |
| LG Gram Pro 2-in-1 | The best 2-in-1 video editing laptop. LG's device comes equipped with a gorgeous 16-inch OLED screen and an ultra-thin design. |
| Lenovo Yoga Book 9i | The best dual screen video editing laptop. Using the Yoga Book 9i can feel like you have a full desktop setup thanks to its twin OLED displays and speedy hardware. |
| Acer Aspire 5 | The best budget laptop for video editing. The Aspire 5 offers a lot of bang for its buck with its GeForce RTX GPU, Full HD Plus screen, and wide array of ports. |
| Alienware m16 R2 | The best gaming laptop for video editing. It houses powerful hardware and fits right at the office thanks to Stealth Mode. |
Factors to consider when choosing a video editing laptop
When picking out the best laptop for video editing, there are multiple factors to consider. The selections we made on the list were made with them in mind. For our evaluation, we weighed the following aspects:
Processor: A CPU directly determines how fast a laptop can process and finish tasks. This includes actions like opening apps to run complex workloads. We specifically looked for advanced and multi-core processors capable of handling video editing programs.
RAM: This refers to the amount of memory present on a laptop. It is essential to buy a device with a decent amount of memory installed, at least 16 G. Of course, it's even better if you can get more. Ideally, you should opt for 32GB. Having a lot of RAM is crucial for a laptop to handle video editing apps, which can be quite resource-hungry.
Graphics: When shopping for a laptop, it is recommended that you choose a model with a dedicated graphics card rather than an integrated one. The former can better handle tough workloads because it won't be sharing power with the CPU. It has its power supply, allowing it to direct its resources to its processes.
Display: You will need a high-quality display for video editing. Professionals have to be able to tell how good (or bad) the footage looks, its color output, and the finer details. Sizes can vary from model to model. Some, like the Strix SCAR 17, have a 17-inch screen, while others are a bit smaller at 14 inches. Big screens are ideal for showing off details, while small screens make the laptop easier to carry around.
How we test laptops
ZDNET receives a lot of laptops to review, and honestly, many of them could've made the list. To separate the best from the rest, we follow the criteria mentioned in the previous question: which ones have the nicest displays, the best performance, et cetera. At first, the laptop is tested casually: surf the internet, watch videos, download apps, and work on them just to get a feel for them. From there, we run more labor-intensive apps and perform benchmark tests to see what the hardware is capable of.
Once all the testing is complete, the best of the best are sorted and placed on the list. It can be tricky picking the premiere options. Some, like the MacBook Pro, are a no-brainer because it is such a good machine.
What are the best brands for the best video editing laptops?
Apple consistently makes some of the best video editing laptops as the company equips their machines with powerful hardware, a long-lasting battery, and access to some of the best software on the market. We could go on and on about how good their models. That said, it's not perfect. Other laptops can better under certain conditions.
Lenovo's Yoga Book 9i, for example, is great if you want a dual-monitor setup, but don't want to purchase a desktop. People on a budget will go for the Acer Aspire 5 or some other low-cost editing laptop. Simlarly, users who want a machine that double as a solid entertainment device should go for the Alienware m16 R2. See, it all depends on what someone is looking for. This isn't a one-size-fits-all scenario.
What laptop do YouTubers use to edit?
There isn't a single laptop that all YouTubers use. It differs from person to person and from team to team. Although, it is probably safe to assume that the MacBook Pro is a common model. As stated earlier, it does so much in cultivating creative endeavors. The M3 chipset is much faster than the first generation. The laptop is also better suited at handling multimedia content thanks to support for HEVC, H.264 hardware acceleration, and ProRes RAW files.
Besides the MacBook, YouTubers probably a spare workstation laptop or desktop computer for editing.
How much does the best laptop for video editing cost?
Video editing laptops tend to be expensive. This is because they tend to house the industry's best hardware. If you look at the list in detail, all entries cost over $1,000 except for the low-priced Acer Aspire 5.
Be prepared to shell out a significant amount of cash for one. The most expensive model on the list is the 16-inch HP ZBook Studio G10, which costs nearly $3,000. And there are builds of the ZBook that cost way more. After that, you have the Asus ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED costing over $2,000.
The one thing we stress is that your make sure whatever laptop you plan on buying meets your needs. There's no point in buying an expensive laptop that'll disappoint you or you purchase something with features you don't ever use.
Is 16GB RAM enough for video editing?
16GB of memory is an okay amount for video editing. That's fine for 4K resolution videos so long as you don't have a lot of apps running in the background. However, if you plan on having heavy workloads, you're going to need more. 16GB is not going to cut it. Instead, we recommend buying a laptop with at least 32GB of RAM.
Think of that amount as the golden standard for video editing. 32GB allows you edit all kinds of files and work with longer videos. Of course, more is better. 64GB of memory lets you run multiple apps in the background and tackle 8K footage.
How big should my SSD be for video editing?
You should, at the very least, have a laptop with 256GB of storage space. Uncompressed video footage and audio files can take up a lot of room on a computer so you'll need as much space as possible. Ideally, it's best to have a 1TB SSD. That's a good amount, but of course, if you can afford more, get the bigger storage space: 2TB, 3TB, whatever.
Are there alternative laptops for video editing worth considering?
We recommend the laptops listed above, but the devices below are also worth a second look.