Here’s a cold, hard fact: Video editing is not for the faint of laptops. So, which are the best laptops for video editing in 2022?
With that in mind, we’ll delve into some laptops for video editing that is great value for your money whether you are a professional or beginner.
In-Depth 4K Video Production Laptop Reviews
#1: Alienware M15
Being one of the most celebrated gaming laptop brands in the market, you’d naturally expect the Alienware M15 to be top-notch in performance, and you will not be disappointed. It comes with an octa-core 11th gen Intel Core i7 processor, a whopping 16 GB of RAM, and 8 GB of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 GPU.
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It packs more than enough power to run any video editing software smoothly. Be it Adobe Premiere Pro, Filmora, or Powerdirector 365; this machine can run all of these without even a hint of lag.
Whether or not you’re all about the gamer aesthetic, you’ll find the design of the Alienware quite the head-turner. That’s because most gaming laptops take the all-too-common RGB-on-black (or dark grey) approach with tapered trimming. Whereas Alienware has veered off from that a few years back, perfecting that space-age look on its portables and desktop PCs.
There are seven RGB lighting zones (four on the keyboard, three on the chassis), a lot more than you’d see in other gaming laptops, which makes it a compelling choice for those who love RGB lighting.
Not only is the Alienware head logo fully illuminated, but the whole keyboard is as well, and there’s an entire strip around the back I/O, too. Through Alienware Command Center, you can mix and match the colors to get your battle station to look however you want.
The display of the Alienware M15 doesn’t disappoint as well. Its 15.6-inch display has a QHD resolution panel, which a laptop as powerful as this deserves. It has substantial color reproduction, a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz, and a maximum resolution of 2560×1440 pixels.
It is equipped well enough to carry out day-to-day tasks, make movie-watching more enjoyable, and make video-editing a much better experience.
That being said, The Alienware M15 is undoubtedly a beast when it comes to performance and display, but its flashy design may be repulsive to some as it attracts unwanted attention. If you are willing to look past its gamer-friendly looks, The M15 is the perfect video-editing laptop for you.
Pros
- Powerful CPU
- RTX 3000 series graphics
- Amazing display
- Impressive build quality
- Amazing Keyboard
Cons
- Flashy design for professional environments
- The plastic body instead of metal
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#2: Dell G5 15
The 2021 Dell G5 15 gets an upgrade in the processor from its previous iterations. It has a 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor, with a frequency of 2.6 GHz and a core count of 6.
- 【Processor】 Intel Core i7-10750H 10th Gen, 2.6 GHz base frequency, up to 5.0 GHz with Intel Turbo Boost Technology | NVidia GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6
- 【Display】 15.6 inch FHD(1920x1080) 300nits WVA Anti-Glare LED Backlit Display(non-touch), 144Hz refresh rate, Non-Touch Screen, enjoy your photos, movies, and games with the crisp quality.
- 【RAM and Storage】Enjoy up to 15x faster performance than a traditional hard drive with 512GB PCIe Solid State and experience improved multitasking with higher bandwidth thanks to 16GB of RAM.
- 【Tech Specs】1 HDMI 2.0, 1 SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1, 2 SuperSpeed USB 2.0, 1 Headphone/Mic | US English 4-Zone RGB Backlit Keyboard | Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650 (2x2) 802.11ax Wireless and Bluetooth 5.1
- 【Operating System】Windows 10 Home, 64-bit, English
The GPU has 6 GB of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 graphics card, which is potent enough yet still somewhat disappointing as most other laptops in the same price range offer an RTX 3000 series GPU.
It has 16 GB of DDR4 RAM and relies on 512 GB of PCIe SSD for storage.
The laptop has a 15.6-inch FHD display with a maximum refresh rate of 144 Hz, which is remarkable for its price range. The big screen size and the high refresh rate make video editing and gaming much more satisfying.
The design of this laptop is one of the best aspects of it. Dell has ensured that the design does look like a gaming laptop, which is quite appreciable if you intend to use it in a professional workspace.
The laptop is made almost entirely of plastic, but it does not feel cheap. Instead, the hard plastic offers good rigidity and support.
The Dell G5 15 5590 is an ace when it comes to connectivity. It comes with a wide range of ports, including 3 USB 3.1 ports, an HDMI port, a combo headphone/microphone jack, and a Thunderbolt 3 ethernet cable for high-speed internet. A WLAN wireless internet and Bluetooth connection provide additional connectivity.
Overall, The Dell G5 15 is a solid laptop that has the power to perform heavy tasks such as video editing smoothly, and its professional design makes it even more appealing for non-gamers.
Pros
- Powerful CPU
- High screen refresh rate
- Large screen size
- Good connectivity
- Professional looking
Cons
- RTX 2000 series graphics instead of 3000
- Below average cooling system
#3: Razer Blade 15
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series Graphics for Stunning Visuals: Built on NVIDIA’s award-winning 2nd-gen RTX architecture, these GPUs provide the most realistic ray-traced graphics and cutting-edge AI features for the most powerful graphics for gamers and creators.
- Intel 11th Gen 8-Core CPU for All-out Gaming Performance: Run the heaviest AAA titles and creation tasks without breaking a sweat, and activate Intel Turbo Boost Technology for a jolt of speed that brings the i7 processor up to 5.1GHz.
- Next-gen Displays to Meet Your Needs: Go with ultra-fast 360Hz FHD for competitive gaming, OLED UHD for creative work with 4K clarity, or a 165z QHD display for the best of both worlds.
- Vapor Chamber Cooling for Maximized Thermal Performance: The laptop quietly and efficiently dissipates heat through the evaporation and condensation of an internal fluid, keeping it running smoothly and coolly even under intense loads.
- Advanced Connectivity for Greater Convenience: With built-in WiFi-6 and a UHS-III SD card slot, you can cut down on adapters and travel light.
The Razer Blade 15 laptop is a beast equipped with an 11th gen Intel core i7 Hexa core processor, 16 GB of RAM, and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070. It should be able to run most heavy software flawlessly.
The only significant problem here is the lack of adequate storage space, and its 512 GB SSD is relatively less, especially for mid to high-tier laptops.
Going by the looks, this laptop is similar to previous versions, but on closer inspection, it addresses some repeated criticism from prior models while retaining its signature excellent build quality.
With a complete aluminum build, the chassis feels perfect, and despite its thinness, manages to have a display with very little flex.
Unlike the other flagship gaming laptop on this list(Alienware M15), Blade 15 doesn’t rely much on crazy gaming aesthetics. The design looks more straightforward and appealing to gamers and professional users.
The Blade 15 has a more fingerprint-resistant design, and its webcam has been bumped up from 720p resolution to 1080p.
Its thickness is about 15.8 mm, trimming away a little more than one millimeter compared to the other Blade 15 Advanced options. It also has a good port selection, including Thunderbolt 4, HDMI 2.1, and an SD card reader.
As for the keyboard, the chiclet keys of the Razer Blade 15 are unique. Key travel is deep enough, and the spacing is just perfect, even for keys on the periphery of the keyboard.
Though it could have had bigger up and down arrow keys, it shouldn’t be a problem. The touchpad is similarly fantastic – spacious, sensitive, and feels good to click down.
The screen of Razer Blade 15 is probably the best thing about it apart from its stunning performance. Even though the screen’s refresh rate is somewhat disappointing at just 165 Hz, considering its high price, the QHD resolution and a large screen size of 15.6 inches are an absolute cherry on top.
Pros
- Remarkable performance
- 4k OLED screen
- Excellent cooling
- RTX 3000 series graphics
- Aluminum body
Cons
- Lack of adequate storage
- Too heavy
#4: Gigabyte Aero 15
The Gigabyte AERO 15 OLED comes with a 10th-gen Intel Core i7-9750H processor, 512GB of SSD storage, 16GB of RAM, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660Ti to take care of the graphical processing.
- Perfectly sized 15.6" display with ultra-thin bezels and an incredible 89% screen-to-body ratio for productivity and creative tasks | This ultra-high performance powerhouse is less than 1" thick, weighs less than 5-lbs, and housed in a compact, durable CNC aluminum alloy black chassis, perfect for creative professionals and gamers on-the-go
- Eye-catching Samsung 4K UHD AMOLED display with VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black Standard for more realistic imagery, higher contrast, and true-blacks | 100% DCI-P3 wide color gamut and super fast 1-ms display response time | Individually factory-calibrated and color accuracy within Delta E<1, certified by X-Rite Pantone for true-to-life color and vibrant images
- Up to 8-hours of battery life (PCMark 10) to get you through an entire day's work without plugging in for greater work mobility and productivity | Exclusive, built-in Microsoft Azure AI to intelligently optimize hardware profiles to match your daily usage for the most efficient power and battery usage
- Equipped with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti (6GB GDDR6) for accelerating and optimizing graphic-intensive creative apps, such as Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk Maya, Blender, etc. | Powered by the latest 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H for faster photo and 4K video editing efficiency and high gaming performance
- 16GB DDR4 3200MHz dual channel memory (8GBx2) for increased multitasking productivity and 512GB NVMe PCIe SSD (2x NVMe storage slots total) for accessing files at lightning speeds, while safely storing all of your large-scale creations and projects
These specifications are respectable whether you’re gaming or video editing. Even though the GTX 1660 Ti isn’t the best GPU in 2022, it’s still enough to assist you in video editing.
As you would expect, the laptop sweeps through tasks like image editing and web browsing, and Gigabyte has tuned the drivers specifically to cater to video editors and other creatives.
The performance isn’t a massive upgrade from the previous version of Aero 15, but it still has some of the best productivity and gaming performance that you’ll find among laptops of this size.
Its 60Hz refresh rate means you won’t be able to see the impressive frame rates the new hardware is capable of, but the screen is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the AERO 15.
It offers a 15.6 inch UHD AMOLED panel with a resolution of 3840 x 2160. The creative professionals working with high-quality imagery support 100% of the DCI-P3 color gamut and match the VESA Display HDR 400 standard.
The design of the Gigabyte Aero 15 is attractive and functional. As it is primarily a professional-oriented laptop, its design is excellent for offices without standing out too much.
It has an all-black design with dimensions of 14 x 9.80 x 0.78 inches and a weight of 4.40 pounds, which makes it an impressively thin and light laptop considering the powerful specs inside.
Pros
- Affordable
- Amoled display
- Built-in fingerprint sensor
- Excellent connectivity
- Sleek design
Cons
- Outdated GPU
- 60 Hz refresh rate
#5: OEM Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme’s 10th Generation Intel Core i7 vPro processor is terrific on paper and in actual use. And paired with 32 GB of memory and 1 TB of SSD storage, it’s up for almost any task, even those that are pretty processor-intensive.
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The GPU isn’t something to boast about, as the laptop has the GTX 1650 Ti for the graphics card, which suggests that it isn’t meant for 3D rendering and modeling but would suit you well for mid-tier editing workloads.
The X1 Extreme is a big laptop, which means there’s a ton of room for all of its ports, hardware, and its large screen. Despite measuring 14.2 x 9.67 x 0.74 inches and having some remarkable specs, the laptop weighs just 4 pounds, and you can easily carry it around on your back without having backaches.
It boasts a variety of ports that are useful. It has two USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports and two USB 3.2 Gen 1 ports with Intel Thunderbolt 3 for Data Transfer, Power Delivery, and DisplayPort. It also has a full-size 4-in-1 SD card reader, a headphone/microphone combo, an HDMI 2.0 port, and support for an RJ45 via Type-C Ethernet adapter that’s sold separately since it lacks any onboard Ethernet.
The Lenovo X1 Extreme’s 15.6-inch 4K OLED HDR touchscreen display is nothing short of amazing. It is made of anti-reflective glass and has an anti-smudge coating, which is great considering it’s a touchscreen.
The only downside is its 60 Hz refresh rate, and it won’t affect most users but suggests that the laptop isn’t an excellent choice for serious gamers.
Pros
- 32 GB RAM
- Powerful processor
- Fingerprint sensor
- Lightweight
- 4k OLED screen
Cons
- 60 Hz display
- Weak GPU
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#6: Best Laptop for FCP: New Apple MacBook Pro
- RAM: 16GB
- Weight: 4lbs
- Processor: 9th Gen, i9, 8-cores
- CPU Speed: Up to 4.8GHz
- Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 5500M (4GB)
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 16″ (3072×1920)
- Battery Life: 6-7hrs
Are you a professional video editor that uses the Final cut Pro for editing? The New Apple MacBook Pro combines both a timeless design and power-packed performance. Here’s more about it.
Processing Power
Don’t you just hate it when your HD or 4K video takes tons of time to playback or render? Or how long do video effects like the Stabiliser, Shifter, etc. take to apply and render? The New MacBook Pro is primed for any and every software including FCP.
That is because it comes with 16GB RAM and the latest 9th Gen, i9 Processor that turbo-boosts to 4.8GHz. Plus, it has 8-cores. (Full-HD or 4k, your laptop slowing down will be an issue of the past).
Some aspects of video editing rely on clock speed whereas some on multiple cores to ensure fast processing thus having both is good numbers is important and that’ s where the MacBook Pro excels.
You also want all your apps to open up in flash and your laptop to boot in an instant, right? That’s where an SSD beats HDD. Plus, fewer moving parts also reduce the chances of a breakdown thus saving you overhead expenses and ensuring your work continues without a hitch.
Then there is also the dedicated 4GB, AMD Radeon Pro 5500M GPU. But wait, GPU wasn’t important when it comes to video editing, right?
Well, that’s not entirely true.
Yes, it isn’t a must but having it speeds up the video-encoding process in Final Cut Pro X. Furthermore, Blackmagic’s Davinci Resolve editing suite comes with a video-playback engine that’s tailor-made for dedicated GPUs like the MacBook Pro’s
And to top it all, when you aren’t editing, you can enjoy the time off with some multiplayer games like PUBG, Fortnite, etc. (because who doesn’t need a break).
Display
You need a big beautiful display to create beautiful edits and the 16-inch Retina display does not disappoint. It is the biggest Apple has ever offered, has a resolution of 3072×1920 that supports 4k videos, and is also equipped with a P3 Wide Color Gamut.
This means you get a vibrant display that generates life-like videos and images with the deepest blacks and whites (you are not going to miss even the minutest of details with this baby).
Furthermore, it also has a brightness of about 400nits so whether you plan to use the laptop indoors or outdoors in bright sunlight, you should get a crystal clear display.
Keyboard and TouchPad
If you want your edits to be done quicker, you should rely on shortcuts which makes having the right touchpad and keyboard. Thankfully, Apple has shifted to the Magic Keyboard.
The Magic Keyboard provides better feedback and does not get stuck with regular usage unlike the much-maligned Butterfly Keyboard of the previous versions. The touchpad remains equally smooth and understands gestures like pinch-zoom, etc.
The keyboard also has an adjustable backlight which means you can work just as comfortably even in the dark.
Also adding to the productivity and creating a smoother workflow is the Touch Bar that displays custom functions based on the features you use most when editing videos with FCP or any other editor.
Ports and Audio
All those large video and audio files can be backed up or transferred into your laptop within seconds to minutes since the laptop comes with ThunderBolt ports that provide data transfer speeds of up to a whooping 40GBPS.
The Six-speaker system with force-canceling woofers produces loud sound enough to fill up any room and yet remains clear so you can hear almost every beat. (as they say, 50% of the edit, is good sound).
Portability and Battery
Unlike most high-powered laptops, the MacBook Pro remains ultralight at 4lbs and is compact enough to be carried away in a backpack as you travel to the mountains or in the handbag as you rush to a meeting with clients. The USB-C charger is equally light and compact.
And even with all-day usage of FCP, the Pro should deliver 5-6hrs of battery life on a single charge which can go up to 7-8 hrs when you aren’t editing.
Drawbacks
The high price tag means the laptop only suits professional video editors. If you are just a beginner and learning to use FCP then I would recommend you get a MacBook Air with an i5 processor.
Also, 32GB RAM would have been even better as you can run more programs in the background like Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, etc. even when rendering or playing a video.
Pros
- 16″ Retina Display is large and crystal clear
- The laptop supports 4k video editing
- Multiple cores and high clock speed ensure faster playback and render
- Dedicated GPU speeds up video encoding
- SSD boosts load time, boot time and durability
- 1TB is ample storage space
- Ultralight and compact
- 7-8hrs of battery life
- TouchBar displays custom-functions
- Magic Keyboard is ideal for long hours of usage
- Backlight Keyboard
- Supports gaming as well
Cons
- 16GB RAM does not support running heavy background apps
- On the expensive side
- No HDMI ports
- Bigger bezel co
#7: Windows Laptop For Video Editors: MSI P65 Creator-1084
- RAM: 16GB
- Weight: 4.5lbs
- Processor: 9th Gen i7-9750H, 6-Cores
- CPU Speed: Up to 4.5GHz
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 1650 (4GB)
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 15.6″ (3840×2160)
- Battery Life: 3-4hrs
If you use Adobe Premiere or DaVinci and would prefer a Windows laptop, the MSI Creator is just what the doctor ordered for, and here’s why.
Processing Power
With 32GB RAM, the P65 not only makes it possible to edit and render 4k or 8k videos but also runs other important software such as Adobe After Effects, Photoshop, or even multiple browser tabs in the background. And further supporting that is the 6-core, 9th Gen i7-9750H processor that turbo-boosts at 4.5GHz.
This laptop also comes with a 1TB SSD thus ensuring you have ample storage space for all your edits, renders, stock footage, audio files, and other things. Plus, you can also install your most important software and OS on the SSD so everything loads and boots in an instant.
And as you already know a dedicated GPU unit is the icing on the cake since it also plays a helping hand in the editing process by speeding up renders, video encoding, etc. But the GeForce RTX 2060 6GB goes above and beyond that.
That’s because you can run pretty much any of the latest titles on it as well. This includes GTA V, FIFA 21, Fortnite, Call of Duty, etc. at good frame rates so lag is never an issue.
Display
The 15.6-inch IPS display comes with a 4k resolution thus enabling you to spot even the tiniest of details in the images and videos without having to squint your eyes or zoom too much.
And when I say details, it also includes colors and contrasts that pop out thanks to the 100% sRGB Color Gamut. You get a maximum viewing as the screen has ultrathin 0.19″ bezels.
Other Features
Keeping the laptop cool through all those long renders, edits, or even game nights is Cooler Boost Trinity+ Technology which includes 3 dedicated fans and 6 heat pipes.
From adjusting display modes, sound effects to the keyboard backlight, and tons of other settings, the Creator Center gives you all the power you need over the system’s performance to create the best working environment for yourself.
Thanks to the ThuderBolt Ports, transferring of stock videos, editing files, photos, etc. is going to be super fast as you get speeds of up to 40GBPS. In case you want multiple displays or want to connect your laptop to a larger display, there is also an HDMI port.
Lastly, the laptop is just as portable as a MacBook. It easily fits the ultralight and ultra-thin category since it weighs around 4.2lbs and is just 0.7-inches.
Drawbacks
One of the few drawbacks of this laptop is its sound and battery life. As a professional, I am pretty sure you already rely on good earphones/headphones for sound so that isn’t a deal-breaker.
As for the battery life, the laptop gives you 3-4hrs when editing videos or with any graphics-intensive tasks. To charge the laptop you need to carry a bulky charger around since the laptop does not support USB-C charging.
Also, this is another laptop for professionals only as it costs around $2000 but lesser than the MacBook Pro.
Pros
- 32GB RAM supports even 8K editing
- 1TB SSD provides ample storage space
- Large 15.6″ Display with 4k resolution and 100% sRGB Color Gamut
- Comes with a dedicated 6GB graphics card that also supports gaming
- Ultra-thin bezels at 0.19-inches
- Excellent cooling system with multiple fans and vents
- Thunderbolt ports give transfer speeds of 40GBPS
- HDMI port for multiple or larger display
- Lightweight and portable
- Tweak multiple settings with a few clicks using Creator Center
Cons
- It costs you over $1000
- Low battery life
- Does not support USB-C Charging
- Average Speakers
#8: Budget Pick: Acer Nitro 5
- RAM: 8GB
- Weight: 5.06lbs
- Processor: 9th Gen, an i5-9300H
- CPU Speed: Up to 4.1GHz
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 1650 (4GB)
- Storage: 256GB SSD
- Display: 15.6″ (1920×1080)
- Battery Life: 4-5hrs
If you are still in the process of learning video editing and need something on a budget, you will be glad to know that the Acer Nitro 5 will cost you less than $800. Here’s more about the
Processing Power
For a cheaper laptop, the Acer Nitro 5 does punch well above its weight. It comes with 8GB of RAM, an 9th Gen, an i5-9300H processor that clocks at 4.1GHz, and has 4-cores and an SSD storage.
This means the laptop can easily handle Full-HD edits without any lags making it the ideal laptop for travel vloggers, video editing students, or hobbyists.
Then there is the GeForce GTX 1650 Graphics with 4GB of dedicated RAM. So you not only get faster playbacks but can also enjoy a few games like Fornite, Overwatch.
The SSD isn’t big but nonetheless, install your OS and your editing software on it and it will ensure your laptop and your editing software boot/loads in a matter of seconds. And in case you need more space, there’s one slot open.
With Twin Fans and Dual Exhaust Ports, the Acer CoolBoost Technology does a good job of keeping the laptop cool for all those hours of intense gaming or video editing.
Display
Compared to previous models, Acer has kept up with the trend and narrowed the bezels to just 7.02mm thus giving you a large, more immersive display with its 15.6-inch Full-HD screen.
It has a brightness of 300nits which is good enough for a clear view even in bright sunlight making it easy to use the laptop both indoors and outdoors. As for the colors, the IPS display lives up to its reputation.
In case you are looking for a laptop from a more gaming perspective, there’s also a variant with a 144Hz refresh rate and 3ms response that reduces blurring and ghosting you experience on a 60Hz screen.
Other Features
USB-C charging means that not only will your laptop charge in a couple of hours but you also do not need to carry around a bulky charger which is a blessing considering the laptop is slightly on the heavier side.
There are also HDMI ports, USB 3.1 port, USB 3.2 Type-A port that provides transfer speeds of up to 10GBPS, and also supports offline charging.
The 4-zone RGB backlit keyboard allows you to spice things up when it is game-time. And when you editing, you can edit the backlight layout with the NitroSense. This also helps you monitor system performance by giving you real-time updates on temperatures, fan speeds, etc.
Typing and using shortcuts all day long whether for gaming or editing is also comfortable as the keys have an ideal 1.6mm travel time between them.
The Killer™ E2600 automatically detects and prioritizes programs that need more bandwidth which is useful with both gaming and for downloading/watching video editing tutorials, effects. Lastly, there’s the Killer Control Center 2.0 that allows you to monitor, optimize, and adjust the laptop’s networking performance to best suit your needs.
Drawbacks
The laptop is more suited for beginners or semi-professionals that work with Full-Videos as the specs aren’t powerful enough for 4k videos.
The 8GB RAM means running heavy background programs while editing or gaming can slow down the PC or overheat it.
The laptop also lacks thunderbolt ports. While Type-A USB ports provide good transfer speeds nothing matches the 40GBPS of thunderbolt ports.
256GB storage is pretty low considering you are going to use it for gaming and video editing. Thankfully, there is an empty slot that can be used once you run out of storage.
Pros
- Available for less than $800
- The ideal laptop for students or hobbyist video editors
- There’s an empty storage slot
- Comfortable backlit keyboard with 1.6mm travel time
- Adjust RGB layout NitroSense Key
- Get real-time updates on performance with NitroSense
- Bright display ideal for outdoor use
- Supports USB-C charging
- 80% screen to body ratio
- Twin Fans and Dual Exhaust Ports keep laptop cool at all times
- Killer Control Center 2.0 lets you prioritize bandwidth
Cons
- Does not support 4k video editing
- Low storage space
- No thunderbolt ports
- Does not support background programs when editing or gaming
Also Read: Best Laptops for Premiere Pro
#9: ASUS ZenBook 15
- RAM: 16GB
- Weight: 3.60lbs
- Processor: 10th Gen, i7-10510U
- CPU Speed: Up to 4.9GHz
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 1650 (4GB)
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Display: 15.6″ (3840×2160)
- Battery Life: 3-4hrs
If you are looking for a mid-range laptop, the ASUS ZenBook 15 fits the bill. Here’s everything you need to know about it from a video editors’ perspective.
Best Features
First and foremost, for a laptop that costs a little more than $1000, the 4k resolution of the 15.6″ IPS display is a pleasant surprise. The 100% sRGB Color Gamut means, colors, and contrast are vibrant giving you a vivid, crystal clear display.
Plus, Acer has also kept the bezel to a minimum at 2.99mm which means that the laptop has an amazing 92% screen-to-body ratio even trumping the Acer Nitro 5 and MSI p65 Creator.
Then there is also the ScreenPad 2.0 that acts as a secondary touchscreen display, in turn, boosting productivity. That is because you can run video tutorials, music, or even make quick notes on ideas that pop up.
Furthermore, with video editing software like Corel, you can also tools on it for quicker access thus speeding up the process and creating a smoother workflow. But that’s not all, there are many more things the ScreenPad can do. Learn all about it in this tutorial by ASUS.
The keyboard comes with a good travel time of 1.4mm between keys. Plus, it is backlit so you can continue working in the dark without any hassles.
Also, adding to the comfort of typing is the ErgoLift, an engineering genius that tilts the keyboard by 3-4degrees for a more comfortable position (it is like the side stand that desktop keyboards come with). This also provides more room at the bottom for heat to escape, plus, you get better audio.
There are also Quick Keys i.e. dedicated HotKeys so you can take screenshots, unlock the laptop, etc. within a seconds (unlocking can be set to a press of a single button).
As for the specs, the laptop has a 10th Gen, i7-10510U which meets both clock speed and core requirements of the smooth running of any video editing software at 4.5GHz and processor 4-cores.
The 16GB RAM works pretty well unless you run heavy programs in the background. Further supporting smooth playbacks and even allowing you some game-time is the discrete 4GB GeForce GTX 1650.
The 512GB SSD is good for a start-point. Yes, as work increase you might need an upgrade for all your stock videos and photos but more importantly, it is an SSD so all your editing software, games, etc. load faster.
In case you need a quick Google search for a shortcut or a tutorial Amazon Alexa Voice Service is at hand. There’s also the built-in IR camera for facial recognition that makes for easy unlocking and quick.
There are also multiple Type-C ports, Type-A ports, and an HDMI port to cover all your data transfer needs. Unlike other models, this also comes with an SD Card Reader which is great for video editors who edit their own videos shot via DSLRs.
Drawbacks
There aren’t Thunderbolt Ports so while Type-A ports do give speeds of about 10GBPS, you miss out on speeds like 40GBPS.
The ScreenPads touchscreen isn’t as intuitive as a mobile and takes some getting used to before you can take full advantage of it.
Lastly, if you are into a professional video editor and run apps like Photoshop, After Effects in the background to help with the edits, 16GB RAM isn’t enough as it won’t support heavy background apps.
Pros
- Powerful enough for 4k video editing
- Also comes with a 4k display with 100% sRGB Color Gamut
- 2.9mm bezels, 92% screen to body ratio
- Light and compact
- ScreenPad 2.0 boosts productivity by acting as a secondary display
- SSD Storage boosts speed
- Decent 4-5hrs battery life
- Military-grade build improved durability
- Comfortable backlit keyboard with Quick Keys
- Comes with USB-C charging
Cons
- Lacks Thunderbolt ports
- Slows down if you run background programs
- A poor touchscreen on the ScreenPad
- Not powerful enough for the latest gaming titles
Where the ZenBook 15 lacks, the ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 makes up.
#10: ZenBook Pro Duo UX581
- RAM: 16GB
- Weight: 5.50lbs
- Processor: 9th Gen, i7-10510U
- CPU Speed: Up to 4.5GHz
- Graphics: GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB)
- Storage: 1TB SSD
- Display: 15.6″ (3840×2160)
- Battery Life: 3-4hrs
In case you like the idea of the ScreenPad and want one with a smoother, more responsive touch then go with the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo UX581. Not only does this laptop carry over most benefits of the ZenBook 15 but outdoes it in some areas.
The ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 sports a much bigger 14-inch ScreenPad. Also, navigating the ScreenPad, taking handwritten notes is a whole lot easier with the Stylus. And yes, the Stylus is included with the purchase.
Wait, there’s more.
The laptop is also pretty darn powerful and goes toe to toe with the MacBook Pro. That’s because this also features a 9th Gen, i9-9980HK Octa-Core Processor capable of turbo boosting at 5.0GHz.
And giving you all the freedom to run multiple editing programs, Photoshop, keep 10+ tabs browser open even when you render videos is the 32GB RAM.
Oh, and you can even run those new gaming titles that you’d miss out on with the ZenBook 15 as the laptop is armed with a dedicated GeForce RTX 2060 GPU Unit with 6GB VRAM.
It also gives you a larger and faster 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD and ThunderBolt ports for lightning-fast data transfers. As for the display, it is the same vibrant and vivid 15.6″, 4K display.
Lastly, while the laptop does come with everything a pro editor could as for, it will also cost you around $3000. Plus, at 5.60lbs, this is one of the heaviest laptops on the list (a few small drawbacks of an otherwise impressive laptop).
A Video Editor’s Laptop Buying Guide
There are several points to consider when purchasing a laptop for video editing. The task may sound easy, but it is a highly demanding job.
Editors understand so well what it means to use a good and a poor laptop. If you are looking for a good quality PC for video editors, then you need to understand the high demands of processing power, sufficient storage, RAM, and screen size and resolution.
Solid-State Disk (SSD)
For a high-performance laptop for professional editors, it is advisable to go for the SSD drive as opposed to the usual hard drive. While these are more expensive compared to the HDD, their value justifies their cost. Our market understanding has shown that having at least 500GB. This can allow for efficient editing without having to use an external drive. This is the right choice for lightweight, portable, and high-performance laptops for professionals who want to do their job on the go.
Capacity
The capacity of a laptop is very important. Picking the right hard drive for your machine can influence your effectiveness in your work. When purchasing one on a budget, you should take your time to check on speeds as well as the storage. Storage in this job is paramount. Enough room is needed to store those high-definition videos.
Reliable Processing Power
For some reason, we found the argument between graphics and processing power to be interesting in laptops for editing videos. Most professionals are inclined to the idea of having better CPU abilities than graphics. This is a different case in gaming. Video editing can be demanding. It is a practice known to be memory and processor-intensive. This is even more critical in case you are editing 4K or HD.
Your video editing project may require the opening of various applications. The need for high clocking speeds and multitasking is thus immense. If your CPU is powerful, the programs will run smoothly. Modern processors are made with multi-threading abilities. It is very important for gaming but in editing videos; this is not always the case.
It is thus important to note that, for a good video editing laptop, a quad-core processor may not necessarily offer better results than a dual-core: it is a matter of the processor has utilized multi-threading. If you have a good budget, I can strongly recommend not less than a core i5 machine.
Enough System Memory
You need to understand the importance of having the right RAM for your video editing laptop. The need to store enough chunks of intermittent data is very high. This is where RAM comes in handy. For motion graphics editing, you need a large RAM size.
You can even opt for expanding the memory if need be. Modern 4K videos are slowly becoming popular in the world. This means such heavy work requires enough RAM not less than 8GB. The good news is that you do not have to break your account to get such a huge RAM, you can always expand it in the future.
High-Quality Graphics
You need to watch quality videos as you edit the data. This means that the need to transfer the footage from information to pixels is high. We found the need to get a quality graphics card is important for successful editing. I found the NVIDIA and AMD graphic cards to be very reliable.
Correct Screen Resolution
From resolution to size, the most popular laptops for video editing in 2022 should offer quality resolutions. You can only get high-quality videos by viewing them in the best way possible. Ensure that you have a large screen to help you do the job easily.
FAQs
How much RAM do I need to edit 4K video?
A minimum requirement would be at least 16 GB RAM. However, 32 GB RAM is recommended. The storage speed of the computer must also be high so that the CPU and RAM can access data quickly. A CPU and RAM starved of data results in slow performance, regardless of how fast their other components are.
Is 8Gb of RAM enough to do video editing?
8GB of RAM is the absolute minimum you should consider using for video editing. Depending on the size of the project, you might have to close other programs in order to free up RAM for editing projects larger than 1080p.
Can gaming computers be used for video editing?
Yes! In fact, they’re great at both tasks. Gaming PCs tend to come equipped with higher clock speed CPUs and GPUs compared to their non-gaming counterparts. They also usually feature multiple cores which allow them to handle several processes simultaneously.
Is i5 good for video editing?
While an i5 may be able to perform editing, they may struggle with anything more complicated, such as rendering, unless you go with a more powerful i5 or an i7. Editing will work on the i5 processor, but only to a certain extent.
