The 4 Best Laptops For Video Editing - Spring 2023 Reviews

The best laptop for editing videos we've tested is the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021). This 2021 model has a sleek design, an incredibly sturdy build, and plenty of processing power to handle even the most difficult tasks. It sports a sharp Mini LED display with full sRGB and DCI P3 coverage, and its factory calibration is superb. The battery life will vary depending on what you do; you can get through a full day if you only perform light tasks, but for demanding video editing tasks, you'll likely get a little over two hours. Its excellent port selection includes three USB-C/Thunderbolt 4s, an HDMI, an SD card reader, and a high-output headphone jack for hard-to-drive headphones.

If portability is more important than screen size, the smaller Apple MacBook Pro 14 (2021) is pretty much the same laptop, just more compact. The main differences have to do with the battery life and speakers; the battery lasts slightly shorter, and the speakers don't sound quite as good, though still among the best on the market. Lastly, as you may already know, Apple has released newer models of the MacBook Pro 14 and 16 with their M2 Pro and M2 Max SoCs, which are reportedly around 20% faster. Apple no longer sells the M1 models on their website, so it's best to just go with the newer version. You can still find the M1 MacBook Pros through third-party sellers or online marketplaces, but they usually only offer the base configuration.

For Windows users, get the MSI WS76 (2021), a 17.3-inch model available with Intel 11th Gen. processors and NVIDIA discrete GPUs. It performs exceptionally well and can handle demanding workloads. However, it isn't as portable as it's bulkier and heavier, and the display's factory calibration isn't as good in the DCI P3 color space, so you may need to fine-tune it before doing any color work.

If you don't want to spend too much on a premium laptop like the Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2021), check out the ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2022). Yes, gaming laptops are excellent for video editing because there are many similarities in hardware requirements. It's particularly true with the G14, as it sports a sharp 16:10 QHD panel with full DCI P3 coverage. Its factory calibration is good, but you might want to fine-tune it before you do any color work. It has a powerful 8-core AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS CPU, and you can choose between an AMD Radeon RX 6700S or 6800S GPU, both of which have enough horsepower to handle video editing.

There are a few downsides to know. First, this laptop gets hot and loud under load; you can change the fan settings if it bothers you, but at the cost of some performance loss. Second, the USB-C ports support USB 3.2 Gen 2 data transfer speed, which is much slower than USB4 or Thunderbolt 4. ASUS promised an update that will add USB4 support, but there's no word on the update yet. Lastly, you can only get this laptop with 1TB of storage, so you'll need external drives to store all of your footage. Overall, although it doesn't feel as premium as the Apple laptop we recommend above, it's still an excellent laptop for video editing, and it can also double as your gaming PC.

The best budget laptop for video editing is the Lenovo Legion 5 Gen 6 15 (2021). You can configure this gaming laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H or Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, and you get multiple GPU options, from an entry-level NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 to a powerful NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070. It's on the bulkier side, so it isn't the most portable, but it feels well-built, and its understated design won't stick out in a professional work environment. The keyboard feels spacious and comfortable, and there are plenty of ports for your peripherals and external displays.

The memory and storage are user-replaceable, so you can get a cheaper configuration and upgrade it yourself later on. The main downside is that it's only available with sRGB displays, so you'll need an external monitor if you work in a wider color space. It also doesn't have any biometrics for quick logins, and its battery life is very short, with around four hours of light use and one hour of intensive workload. Its performance over time is outstanding, as there's no noticeable throttling on the CPU or GPU, but the fans get pretty loud.

If you need something cheap to get the job done, consider the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 (2021). You can configure this 15.6-inch laptop with an AMD Ryzen 5 5600H or Ryzen 7 5800H CPU, both of which have enough processing power to handle video editing. There are various NVIDIA dedicated GPU options, from an entry-level GeForce GTX 1650 to a mid-range RTX 3060. You can only get up to 16GB of memory, but the RAM is user-upgradeable, meaning you can add more later on.

Again, the downside is that all the display options are only suitable for sRGB content. It also gets hot and loud under load, and the battery lasts less than an hour when performing demanding tasks, so you'll need to carry the power adapter if you want to work on the go. The USB-C port doesn't support video output, but you get an HDMI 2.0 port. Although it isn't a particularly premium-feeling laptop, it'll get the job done and is wallet-friendly.