Video editing can put quite a heavy burden on any computer. So, when shopping for a laptop for video editing, you’ll want to make sure you’re loading up on enough heavy hardware firepower to get the job done. While you might not need the absolute top-of-the-line gear, simply buying a gaming laptop and calling it a day is probably not going to cut it. Beyond just processor and graphics performance, serious video editors need to take into account a few things such as the quality of the display, port selection, and onboard storage capacity.
Why you should trust us: PCWorld has been covering PCs since 1983, and reviews more than 70 notebooks a year in our never-ending quest to find the best laptops. Our expert reviewers evaluate every machine using a combination of performance benchmarks and rigorous usability standards, with an eye toward identifying the best laptops for specific needs and at various price points. We also edit lots of videos ourselves, with the results appearing on PCWorld’s thriving YouTube channel. Take a look at our top picks for video editing below, followed by buying advice and more details about our testing process.
If you’re on a budget or just looking to save some money, you may also want to check out our daily roundup of the best laptop deals to scope out any discounts on content creation notebooks.
Note 03/11/2024: Since our last update, we’ve published several new laptop reviews, which we’ll list below. We’ve also added new sections, new pros and cons, and a new best budget pick. Read on to learn more!
- Lenovo LOQ 15: The Lenovo LOQ 15 offers good CPU and GPU performance for under $1,000.
- Dell XPS 16: The Dell XPS 16 is a fast machine with a classic design, but the keyboard is frustrating to use and the limited port selection will have you wanting more.
- MSI Raider GE78 HX: The MSI Raider GE78 HX delivers phenomenal gaming performance for an astronomically high price.
- MSI Titan 18 HX: The mighty MSI Titan 18 HX is a performance powerhouse with gobs of RAM and storage.
Dell XPS 17 (2023) – Best laptop for video editing
Pros
- Expansive 17-inch 16:10 display
- Thin chassis
- Incredible battery life
Price When Reviewed:
From $2,449 | Model reviewed $3,099
Why we like the Dell XPS 17 (2023)
The Dell XPS 17 (2023) is a fantastic laptop for content creation because it has a gigantic display and a good amount of graphics firepower. The OLED touch display, which measures a massive 17-inches, features a crystal clear resolution of 3840×2400 and a maximum brightness of 550 nits. It’s perfect for media editing, multitasking, and so much more. The machine is also powered by an Intel Core i7-13700H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, which means it’s more than capable of handling any video editing you throw at it. The specific configuration we reviewed will cost you well over $3,000, so it’s likely not a viable option for the budget-conscious, but if your time is money, the Dell XPS 17 is money very well spent.
Who should buy the Dell XPS 17 (2023)
We feel the Dell XPS 17 is a phenomenal option for serious or professional video editors. The 4K screen is divine and it has the perfect amount of horsepower as far as internal components go. It also includes an SD card reader and multiple Thunderbolt 4 ports for quickly offloading videos or photos. Finally, the Dell XPS 17 can run up to 11 hours on a single charge, eliminating the need to go outlet hunting. Although we would’ve liked to have seen this model with an OLED screen, it’s still a top-notch pick.
Note 3/7/2024: The recently reviewed Dell XPS 16 is another good option for content creators. In fact, the hardware is almost identical to our top pick. The only real difference is that the Dell XPS 16 has an OLED screen and the Dell XPS 17 9730 does not. That said, the Dell XPS 16 didn’t make the cut because it doesn’t have as many Thunderbolt 4 ports and the keyboard is a real headache to use due to stiff keys.
Read our full
Dell XPS 17 9730 review
Apple MacBook Pro (M3, Pro) – Best MacBook for video editing
Pros
- Good performance
- 18GB of RAM
- Runs quiet
Cons
- Low performance advantage over M2 Pro
Price When Reviewed:
$1,999
Why we like the Apple MacBook Pro (M3, Pro)
The Apple MacBook Pro (M3, Pro) will kick you in the teeth with its power (in the best way possible). Inside, you’ll find a 14-core GPU as well as 18GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. That amount of RAM will keep things running nice and smooth while the beefy GPU will chew right through any intense edits, though intense video editors will want to upgrade to a model with more storage or invest in an external SSD for added capacity. The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display also has a ridiculously high resolution of 3024×1964, so editing should be a delightful experience. It even comes with three Thunderbolt 4 ports for speedy data transfers.
Who should buy the Apple MacBook Pro (M3, Pro)
Anyone who prefers Apple’s ecosystem. This configuration shows a 44 percent increase in performance (according to Geekbench’s Compute Metal test) compared to the M3 (sans Pro) model. You’ll also be able to see every detail of your photo or video editing work thanks to the gorgeous Liquid Retina XDR display. Battery life isn’t too shabby, either. The M3 Pro MacBook Pro will last you over ten hours on a single charge, which is more than a full work day.
Note 3/7/2024: If you’re looking for a bigger screen, then you should check out the MacBook Pro, M2 Pro. The Liquid Retina XDR display measures 16.2-inches and has a resolution of 3456×2234, so visuals should be sharp as knives. The M2 Pro also comes loaded with a powerful 19-core GPU.
Read our full
Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro (M3 Pro, 2023) review
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition – Best budget laptop for video editing
Pros
- All-day battery life
- Stunning display
- Durable build
Cons
- 720p webcam
- Keys feel too soft
Price When Reviewed:
$1,099.99
Why we like the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition
The Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition is a good option for those on a tight budget, as it ticks off all of the right boxes for a sub-$1,000 machine. For one, colors appear rich and varied on the 16-inch 1200p FHD display. Sure, it’s not 4K, but it’s still a good screen–our reviewer was surprised by the “depth of the blacks and greys.” As for internals, the AMD Radeon RX 7600S GPU and the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS CPU should blitz right through graphically demanding tasks like video editing. It also lasted a whopping 11 hours on a single charge, which is shocking for a gaming laptop.
Who should buy the Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition
Anyone who’s looking to save money on a capable and long-lasting laptop. You don’t have to go outlet hunting because of the long battery life and the 1200p display offers nothing but stunning visuals. While the keys feel a bit mushy and the 720p webcam won’t be doing you any favors on video calls, we feel as though the pros far outweigh the cons, especially given the reasonable price point.
Note 3/7/2024: The Lenovo LOQ 15 is another good budget option to consider. It has a slightly better GPU (RTX 4060) than our current top pick. Despite the high star rating, it didn’t end up making the cut because of the poor battery life (not unusual in a gaming laptop) and limited connectivity options. The Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition just stands out from the pack, especially where battery life is concerned, but the Lenovo LOQ would be a good budget option if your workflow is accelerated by Nvidia features and technology.
Read our full
Asus TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition review
Razer Blade 14 (2023) – Best ultraportable laptop for video editing
Pros
- Impressive CPU and GPU power
- Display is very smooth
- Exceptional build quality
- Lightweight
Cons
- The keys feel a bit mushy
- The audio sounds a bit flat at times
- Expensive
Price When Reviewed:
2799.99
Why we like the Razer Blade 14 (2023)
The Razer Blade 14 is ultra-thin and remarkably lightweight, measuring just 0.7-inches thick and tips the scales at a hair over four pounds. That makes it much smaller than most laptops with video editing chops. But don’t let its slim profile fool you, as it’s a heavy hitter in the performance department. It comes with an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS CPU and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, so video editing tasks should be a breeze. You’re also getting 1TB of SSD storage as well as 32GB of memory.
Who should buy the Razer Blade 14 (2023)
If sheer portability is essential, consider the Razer Blade 13 (2023). The port selection isn’t too shabby, either. You’re getting two USB-A 3.2 ports and two USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports (DisplayPort 1.4 and Power Delivery), but no SD card slot. The 14-inch IPS-grade screen tops out at just 2560×1600, so 4K video editing is off the table. That said, the laptop still supports the full DCI-P3 color gamut, so the display is quite vibrant.
Note 3/7/2024: The Acer Swift X 14 is another good portable option, as it weighs just 3.31 pounds. It includes an Nvidia RTX 4050 GPU, so it packs a decent punch in the performance department. The 14.5-inch 1800p OLED display also has an “effectively infinite contrast ratio,” according to our review. Although it’s more lightweight than the Razer Blade 14 (2023), it’s not as powerful.
Read our full
Razer Blade 14 (2023) review
How we tested
The PCWorld team puts each and every Windows laptop through a series of benchmarks that test GPU and CPU performance, battery life, and so on. The idea is to push the laptop to its limits and then compare it against others we’ve tested. Chromebooks, on the other hand, go through a series of web-based tests. It wouldn’t be fair or possible to run the same kinds of tests on a Chromebook, as they’re Chrome OS-based machines.
Below, you’ll find a breakdown of each test and the reasons why we run them. For a much deeper look at our review methodology, check out how PCWorld tests laptops.
Windows laptops
- PCMark 10: PCMark 10 is how we determine how well the laptop handles lighter tasks like web browsing, word processing, spreadsheets, and so on.
- HandBrake: HandBrake is more intensive than PCMark 10. It basically measures how long a laptop’s CPU takes to encode a beefy 30GB file.
- Cinebench: Cinebench is a brief stress test of the CPU cores. It does this by rendering a 2D scene over a short period of time.
- 3DMark: 3DMark checks if 3D performance remains consistent over time by running graphic-intensive clips.
- Video rundown test: To gauge battery life, we loop a 4K video using Windows 10’s Movies & TV app until the laptop dies.
FAQ
What should I look for in a laptop for video editing?
The first thing to look for in a laptop for video editing is its CPU and GPU. The faster your hardware, the faster your edits.
If your workload is primarily CPU-driven, we’d recommend springing for the Intel Core i7 or the Intel Core i9. HX is designed for raw horsepower, which id deal for gaming and content creation, and the Ultra is built around power efficiency. For a more in-depth look at the difference between the two processors, we’ve done a thorough compare and contrast piece that really lays it all out. For those on a strict budget, you can get by with an Intel Core i5, but it’s going to be slower.
You probably won’t need a dedicated graphics card everyday video editing, but if you work on motion graphics, then the extra firepower really comes in handy. For most video editing projects, we’d suggest the Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 or higher, though having any RTX GPU onboard can help accelerate some specific workloads. For those who prefer AMD over Nvidia, we’d recommend the AMD Radeon RX 7600S or higher. Unless you’re looking to play AAA games on the side, you don’t really need the best graphics card out there. A mid-range GPU will serve most people.
Another thing to consider is storage size. A 4K video, for example, will require more storage space than a 1080p video. In other words, you’re going to need quite a bit of storage, otherwise your laptop might get too bogged down. For those who work with 4K resolution, you should go for at least 1TB of SSD or higher. You could probably get by with just 512GB of SSD storage, but you’ll probably need to keep offloading files onto an external storage device.
RAM is important too, as it determines how fast your laptop will generally run. Video editors tend to work with large files, which can cause your laptop to slow down. That’s why we’d recommend at least 16GB of RAM. However, if you’re editing 4K video, you’ll definitely want 32GB of RAM or more. More RAM reduces the likelihood of bottlenecks, which can be a real pain in the neck when you’re in the middle of an important edit.
What kind of display should I get?
You’re going to want a display that’s both bright and color accurate. For example, a display that’s close to 100 percent of the sRGB spectrum is ideal. While a 4K display isn’t necessary, we’d strongly recommend it for serious video editing. A high resolution display will produce sharper images, which helps reduce eye strain, and allow you to edit 4K video at full resolution. A larger screen like a 15- or 17-inch is preferable as well, as it provides better visibility for editing.
What do the experts recommend?
PCWorld video director Adam Patrick Murray stresses that an ideal laptop for video editing includes an SD card reader for grabbing video off of a camera. He also recommends opting for a notebook with a 4K, 60Hz panel over the ultra-fast 1080p panels often found on gaming laptops that would otherwise be ideal for video editing. You need a 4K panel to edit 4K videos well and blazing-fast refresh rates don’t mean anything for video editing like they do for gaming. If color accuracy matters to you—it might not if you’re only creating casual videos for your personal YouTube channel, for example—then support for the full DCI-P3 color gamut is also a must along with Delta E < 2 color accuracy.
You won’t often find those sorts of specs listed for (or supported by) gaming laptops, but dedicated content creation laptops should include that information. That said, if you want the fastest possible laptop for video editing that can also satisfy your gaming proclivities, you can always pair that burly gaming laptop with a color-accurate external monitor for creation tasks.
