Best video editing laptops of 2020: Top notebooks for NLE and more
When it comes to choosing among the best video editing laptops, you’ll have to put in a bit of work. You can’t just pick the highly specced or the priciest laptop on the market, and hope it has everything you need for video editing.
Especially if you’re looking to get some editing done while being mobile, you’ll need portability, power and all the right elements you’ll need for video editing. Those include an excellent display that boasts high resolution and delivers great color accuracy, as well as the ideal graphics cards.
Luckily, we’re here to help you find the perfect device. We’ve employed our tech expertise to help you find the best laptop (or workstation) for editing. With this guide, we’ll dive into all the best video editing laptops, both in high definition and Ultra HD (4K) resoutions, for all budgets. We also included our exclusive price comparison tools, so you can spend less time shopping around and more time getting some work done.
PS: Bear in mind that prices and configurations change all the time. So if you see any discrepancy, feel free to get in touch with us.
- Check out our list of best video editing software
| Specs | Minimum | Recommended | Ideal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editing resolution | 1080p (1920 x 1080) | 4K (3840 x 2160) | 4K (3840 x 2160) |
| Processor | 8th Generation Core i5 or equivalent AMD Ryzen | 8-core Intel CPU or equivalent AMD | Intel Xeon or better |
| Memory | 16GB | 32GB | 64GB |
| Storage | 256GB SSD | 256GB NVMe PCIe SSD | 1TB NVMe PCIe SSD (RAID-0) |
| Screen | Full HD | 4K | 8K |
| Video card | Integrated | Discrete | Nvidia RTX or AMD Radeon Pro |
Best video editing laptops at a glance:
- MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
- MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
- Huawei MateBook X Pro
- Dell XPS 15 (2019)
- Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition
- HP ZBook Studio G3
- Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)
- Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
- Lenovo ThinkPad P70
- MSI GS65 Stealth
Its AMD Radeon Pro 5300M or 5500M graphics card should get your through your intensive video editing workflow without fuss.
As thin, light and sleek as ever, the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) doesn’t actually feel like a 16-inch behemoth. If you’re worried that this was going to be bulky and awkward to use, don’t be. This laptop will feel just as compact as the 15-inch MacBook Pros that preceded it and more than any other 16-inch laptops out there. So that in situations when you need to take it with you at your shooting locations, you won’t have to worry about it being a pain. And, you’re also getting that extra real estate on that stunning display – not to mention that 9th-generation Intel Core chip and AMD Radeon Pro 5300M or 5500M graphics card, which should get your through your intensive video editing workflow without fuss. The incredible speakers and much improved keyboard are just cherries on top.
Read the full review: MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
Get the MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)'s souped up configuration and you’ve got an unstoppable laptop for all your content creation needs.
There’s no productivity powerhouse more appealing that Apple’s MacBook Pros when it comes to power, design and display. And, Apple takes that to a new level with 2019’s MacBook Pro whose 9th-generation Intel Core processors, Retina display and amount of RAM make it one of the best video editing laptops on the market. Get the souped up configuration – though granted, expect it to break the bank – and you’ve got an unstoppable laptop for all your content creation needs. Just be prepared to shell out more cash to invest in a port hub, as there’s not much to work with here… only four Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Read the full review: MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
Huawei MateBook X Pro is a gorgeously-designed laptop with a stunning screen.
While Huawei might not be the first company you think of when it comes to laptops, especially laptops you can use for editing, that should change with the company's phenomenal MateBook X Pro. It is a gorgeously-designed laptop with a stunning screen (albeit with a rather odd aspect ratio), and it comes packed with cutting edge components, and a battery life that runs rings around many of its rivals. It has plenty of horse power for editing videos, and it's price is very competitive, making it a great alternative to the MacBook Pro if your budget doesn't stretch that far.
Read the full review: Huawei MateBook X Pro
Getting the Dell XPS 15 (2019) is a great investment if you’re a content creator.
Without shelling out a ton of cash, getting the Dell XPS 15 (2019) is a great investment if you’re a content creator with lots of photo and video editing in your day-to-day workload. Get the souped up configuration of this stunning laptop, complete with a 9th-generation i9 chip, 4K display, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics and 32GB, and you’re still spending a lot less than a MacBook Pro equivalent. And, for the cherry on top, you’re getting a lot more options for ports, including an SD card reader slot. If you’re looking to invest in one of the best video editing laptops, this is definitely an affordable one to consider.
Read the hands-on review: Dell XPS 15
The Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition has been designed with video editors in mind.
If you think the Razer Blade is only best for gaming, then you’d be wrong. Especially now that Razer has redesigned its best gaming laptop to turn it into a mobile creative workstation touting a jaw-dropping performance. The Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition has been designed with videographers, as well as photographers and designers in mind, packing powerful components starting with its graphics card. It also rocks a stunning, factory-calibrated 4K display, giving video editings not just incredibly sharp content but also lots of space to work on while they’re editing on the go. Unexpectedly, the price tag on this is pretty steep, but if a fast and seamless workflow is of utmost importance in your day to day, it’s a price you’ll be willing to pay.
Read the full review: Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition
The HP ZBook Studio G3 scores highly when it comes to sheer value for money.
The HP ZBook Studio G3 laptop easily fits in the Ultrabook category with a weight of a tad under 2kg and a thickness of only 18mm, slightly heavier and a smidge thicker than the Precision 15 5000 but more portable and svelte than Lenovo's laptop. Where HP manages to score highly is when it comes to sheer value for money when it comes to powerful components, with a high performance processor and gorgeous 4K screen, which makes it one of the best laptops for video editing.
Read the full review: HP ZBook Studio G3
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch) has powerful enough components to handle video editing.
The Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch) is one of the most powerful 2-in-1 laptops in the world. While 2-in-1 laptops may not be the first choice for video editors, the Surface Book 2 has some powerful enough components to handle video editing if you go for a model with a dedicated graphics card. Brilliant build quality and excellent battery life makes this a wonderful device for using as either a laptop, or as a powerful Windows 10 tablet. The tablet mode is convenient if you want to shoot footage and edit it while out and about.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)
The MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)'s innovative Touch Bar makes it easier for videographers to intuitively access commands.
The 15-inch 2018 MacBook Pro is hands-down the best Mac laptop ever designed for editors. Apple has packed loads of upgrades into this version, offering you the latest generation of Intel Core i7 and i9 processors with six cores, and it now supports up to 32GB of RAM, making this a very adept laptop for cutting and chopping. Discrete graphics are provided by a choice of AMD Radeon Pro GPUs, making this the best laptop for editing.
The innovative Touch Bar makes it easier for videographers to intuitively access commands, while the Retina display on the 15-inch model offers more than enough pixels should you want to edit at native resolution in Full HD on the move. However, if you are editing 4K, then you'll be disappointed by the limited resolution.
Read the full review: MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)
The Lenovo ThinkPad P70 is the ultimate workstation that you can take on the go without missing your desktop.
Lenovo’s ThinkPad P70 was one of the first notebooks featuring Intel's Skylake processor, which should give it a boost in performance compared to Broadwell or Haswell chips. Equipped with ample storage and plenty of RAM, an excellent keyboard and a wide selection of ports for connectivity, Lenovo is positioning the ThinkPad P70 as the ultimate workstation that you can take on the go without missing your desktop. Also worth mentioning is the X-Rite Pantone calibration tool, available as an option, which is great to keep your screen accurate for production work, as well as the Quadro GPU that comes with all the P70 SKUs.
Read the full review: Lenovo ThinkPad P70
The MSI GS65 Stealth is an absolutely brilliant laptop.
OK, so the MSI GS65 Stealth is primarily a high-end gaming laptop - with a price tag to match - but it also doubles as an absolutely brilliant laptop. This is because it comes with an excellent array of cutting edge components, which includes an 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8750H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU. This means multi tasking and editing is handled with aplomb - and if you also want to do a bit of gaming on the side, then it's a no-brainer.
Read the full review: MSI GS65 Stealth
Buying a laptop? Here's what experts say
We reached out to Michel Yavercovski, Senior Director of Product Management for Corel video products, to get his expert opinions about choosing a creative computer.
"There are a few key things to look for when buying a video editing laptop and of course, when you’re talking about video, the better the hardware, the smoother and more responsive your editing experience will be. Whether you’re talking about our Pinnacle Studio or VideoStudio products, both have been designed to take full benefit of your hardware to make video editing as fast and efficient as possible." Michel said.
"First, you’ll want to look for a system with a powerful multicore processor -- the Intel Core i7 product line is a good choice to get started with -- and our software has been optimized to take advantage of multithreading so you can get the most out of these impressive chips. A powerful processor will also give you a seamless experience when working with today’s popular formats and creative features like multi-camera and 360° video support. 4K video can create huge file sizes, so you’ll also want to make sure the device has a large and fast SSD storage drive that can read and write large video files without any hang-ups."
"Video editing takes up a lot of memory, so shop for a system that has between 16GB and 32GB of RAM to keep things running smoothly. And, of course, a 64-bit version of Windows 10 is a must. " he added.
"Then, when considering graphics cards, look for the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX or GTX series as well as Intel Iris or HD Graphics for overall faster processing and editing. Most advanced graphics cards will also have HEVC support, enabling the use of this advanced video format in your productions."
"Since you’ll be working primarily on one screen when you’re on the go, make sure the laptop's built-in monitor produces crisp images and has accurate color rendering. It’s also ideal to have a system that will support multiple screens for when you’re back in your main work space. Lastly, I always advise users to either plug in their laptops or adjust the power settings for high performance since many notebooks default to power-saving features when they’re running on battery which can impact performance. You may have to accept a shorter battery life, but it will ensure faster processing for a great editing experience."
Watch the video below for the top 7 things to consider when buying a laptop.
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