Best video editing laptops of 2020: Top notebooks for NLE and more

How to opt for a video clip editing laptop

Your spending plan will of course identify your decision when it comes to deciding upon a laptop for the ideal video clip editing purposes. Having said that, will not forget about to opt for a gadget that (a) is expandable (so that you can include a lot more memory or an additional SSD if essential), (b) a single that comes with upcoming company working day warranty (or at the very least offers it as an selection) and (c) functions enough connectivity as customers are possible to transfer information either by means of a cloud storage selection or by means of an external storage (most possible to be a moveable SSD).

When it comes to picking out amongst the ideal video clip editing laptops, you’ll have to place in a bit of do the job. You can’t just choose the hugely specced or the priciest laptop on the market place, and hope it has every thing you need to have for video clip editing.

Specially if you are searching to get some editing carried out when currently being cellular, you’ll need to have portability, electric power and all the appropriate things you’ll need to have for video clip editing. Those people include things like an outstanding display that features large resolution and provides fantastic color precision, as very well as the excellent graphics cards.

The good thing is, we’re listed here to enable you come across the best gadget. We’ve utilized our tech abilities to enable you come across the ideal laptop (or workstation) for editing. With this information, we’ll dive into all the ideal video clip editing laptops, equally in large definition and Ultra High definition (4K) resoutions, for all budgets. We also included our exceptional selling price comparison equipment, so you can invest fewer time procuring all around and a lot more time having some do the job carried out.

PS: Bear in intellect that selling prices and configurations alter all the time. So if you see any discrepancy, experience free of charge to get in touch with us.

Specs Minimal Advisable Great
Enhancing resolution 1080p (1920 x 1080) 4K (3840 x 2160) 4K (3840 x 2160)
Processor 8th Generation Core i5 or equivalent AMD Ryzen eight-main Intel CPU or equivalent AMD Intel Xeon or improved
Memory 16GB 32GB 64GB
Storage 256GB SSD 256GB NVMe PCIe SSD 1TB NVMe PCIe SSD (RAID-)
Display screen Complete High definition 4K 8K
Video clip card Integrated Discrete Nvidia RTX or AMD Radeon Professional

Most effective video clip editing laptops at a glance:

  1. MacBook Professional (sixteen-inch, 2019)
  2. MacBook Professional (15-inch, 2019)
  3. Huawei MateBook X Professional
  4. Dell XPS 15 (2019)
  5. Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition
  6. HP ZBook Studio G3
  7. Microsoft Surface Book two (13.five-inch)
  8. Apple MacBook Professional (15-inch, 2018)
  9. Lenovo ThinkPad P70
  10. MSI GS65 Stealth

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

Its AMD Radeon Professional 5300M or 5500M graphics card should really get your as a result of your intense video clip editing workflow without having fuss. (Picture credit rating: Apple)

1. MacBook Professional (sixteen-inch, 2019)

The ideal laptop for video clip editing

CPU: 9th-generation Intel Core i7 – i9 | Graphics: AMD Radeon Professional 5300M – Radeon Professional 5500M | RAM: 16GB – 64GB | Display screen: sixteen-inch Retina display with Genuine Tone | Storage: 512GB – 8TB SSD

Beautiful sixteen-inch monitor

New and improved keyboard

High priced

Constrained to 4 Thunderbolt three ports

As slim, mild and smooth as ever, the MacBook Professional (sixteen-inch, 2019) does not really experience like a sixteen-inch behemoth. If you are concerned that this was likely to be cumbersome and awkward to use, don’t be. This laptop will experience just as compact as the 15-inch MacBook Execs that preceded it and a lot more than any other sixteen-inch laptops out there. So that in cases when you need to have to get it with you at your shooting places, you will not have to fret about it currently being a agony. And, you are also having that added genuine estate on that amazing display – not to point out that 9th-generation Intel Core chip and AMD Radeon Professional 5300M or 5500M graphics card, which should really get your as a result of your intense video clip editing workflow without having fuss. The extraordinary speakers and considerably improved keyboard are just cherries on prime.

Browse the comprehensive evaluation: MacBook Professional (sixteen-inch, 2019)

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

Get the MacBook Professional (15-inch, 2019)’s souped up configuration and you’ve bought an unstoppable laptop for all your material generation needs. (Picture credit rating: Apple)

two. MacBook Professional (15-inch, 2019)

Apple’s efficiency equipment receives the newest Intel tech

CPU: 9th-generation Intel Core i7 – i9 | Graphics: Radeon Professional 555X – Radeon Professional Vega 20 | RAM: 16GB – 32GB | Display screen: 15-inch Retina display with Genuine Tone | Storage: 256GB – 4TB SSD

Strong

Decent configuration selections

Strong

Decent configuration selections

Deficiency of ports

There is no efficiency powerhouse a lot more interesting that Apple’s MacBook Execs when it comes to electric power, design and style and display. And, Apple requires that to a new stage with 2019’s MacBook Professional whose 9th-generation Intel Core processors, Retina display and volume of RAM make it a single of the ideal video clip editing laptops on the market place. Get the souped up configuration – while granted, anticipate it to split the financial institution – and you’ve bought an unstoppable laptop for all your material generation needs. Just be well prepared to shell out a lot more cash to make investments in a port hub, as there is not considerably to do the job with here… only 4 Thunderbolt three ports.

Browse the comprehensive evaluation: MacBook Professional (15-inch, 2019)

Huawei MateBook X Pro

Huawei MateBook X Professional is a gorgeously-made laptop with a amazing monitor. (Picture credit rating: Huawei)

three. Huawei MateBook X Professional

A fantastic MacBook Professional competitor

CPU: 8th generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 , Nvidia GeForce MX150 2GB GDDR5 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Display screen: 13.9-inch 3K (three,000 x two,080) | Storage: 512GB SSD

Gorgeous design and style

Amazing display

Great battery existence

No SD card slot

Webcam not fantastic

Whilst Huawei might not be the initial business you believe of when it comes to laptops, particularly laptops you can use for editing, that should really alter with the company’s phenomenal MateBook X Professional. It is a gorgeously-made laptop with a amazing monitor (albeit with a rather odd aspect ratio), and it comes packed with reducing edge components, and a battery existence that runs rings all around many of its rivals. It has lots of horse electric power for editing movies, and it can be selling price is really competitive, producing it a fantastic alternative to the MacBook Professional if your spending plan doesn’t extend that significantly.

Browse the comprehensive evaluation: Huawei MateBook X Professional

Dell XPS 15

Obtaining the Dell XPS 15 (2019) is a fantastic expense if you are a material creator. (Picture credit rating: Dell)

four. Dell XPS 15 (2019)

CPU: 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300H – i9-9980HK | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630 – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 8GB – 64GB | Display screen: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge Anti-Glare Non-touch IPS – 15.6-inch 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) Anti-Reflective InfinityEdge Contact IPS | Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD

Webcam has at last moved

Core i9 electric power

No important redesign

With no shelling out a ton of cash, having the Dell XPS 15 (2019) is a fantastic expense if you are a material creator with loads of picture and video clip editing in your working day-to-working day workload. Get the souped up configuration of this amazing laptop, finish with a 9th-generation i9 chip, 4K display, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics and 32GB, and you are however investing a whole lot fewer than a MacBook Professional equivalent. And, for the cherry on prime, you are having a whole lot a lot more selections for ports, which include an SD card reader slot. If you are searching to make investments in a single of the ideal video clip editing laptops, this is absolutely an cost-effective a single to look at.

Browse the palms-on evaluation: Dell XPS 15

Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition

The Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition has been made with video clip editors in intellect. (Picture credit rating: Razer)

five. Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition

A seriously powerful professional laptop

CPU: 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q – NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 Studio Edition | RAM: 32GB | Display screen: 15.6-inch OLED 4K Contact 60Hz, manufacturing unit calibrated | Storage: 1TB SSD

Strong

Gorgeous monitor

High priced

If you believe the Razer Blade is only ideal for gaming, then you’d be mistaken. Specially now that Razer has redesigned its ideal gaming laptop to convert it into a cellular artistic workstation touting a jaw-dropping functionality. The Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition has been made with videographers, as very well as photographers and designers in intellect, packing powerful components beginning with its graphics card. It also rocks a amazing, manufacturing unit-calibrated 4K display, supplying video clip editings not just amazingly sharp material but also loads of area to do the job on when they’re editing on the go. Unexpectedly, the selling price tag on this is quite steep, but if a fast and seamless workflow is of utmost importance in your working day to working day, it’s a selling price you’ll be willing to spend.

Browse the comprehensive evaluation: Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition

HP ZBook Studio G3

The HP ZBook Studio G3 scores hugely when it comes to sheer price for cash. (Picture credit rating: HP)

6. HP ZBook Studio G3

A winning combination of brains and magnificence

CPU: two.8GHz (three.7GHz) Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 | Graphics: Nvidia Quadro M1000M | RAM: 32GB | Display screen: 15.6-inch, 3840 x 2160 pixels | Storage: 512GB SSD

Intel Xeon processor

4K display

Battery existence isn’t really the ideal

No selection for spinning disks

The HP ZBook Studio G3 laptop easily fits in the Ultrabook classification with a pounds of a tad below 2kg and a thickness of only 18mm, somewhat heavier and a smidge thicker than the Precision 15 5000 but a lot more moveable and svelte than Lenovo’s laptop. Exactly where HP manages to rating hugely is when it comes to sheer price for cash when it comes to powerful components, with a large functionality processor and magnificent 4K monitor, which tends to make it a single of the ideal laptops for video clip editing.

Browse the comprehensive evaluation: HP ZBook Studio G3

Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)

The Microsoft Surface Book two (13.five-inch) has powerful ample components to tackle video clip editing. (Picture credit rating: Microsoft)

7. Microsoft Surface Book two (13.five-inch)

The most powerful two-in-1 laptop in the world

CPU: Intel Core i5-7300U – Intel Core i7-8650U 1.9GHz | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 (2GB GDDR5 VRAM) | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Display screen: three,000 x two,000 (267 ppi) PixelSense display, three:two aspect ratio | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD

Very great battery existence

Strong

Pricey

No Surface Pen included

The Surface Book two (13.five-inch) is a single of the most powerful two-in-1 laptops in the world. Whilst two-in-1 laptops may not be the initial decision for video clip editors, the Surface Book two has some powerful ample components to tackle video clip editing if you go for a model with a devoted graphics card. Outstanding build excellent and outstanding battery existence tends to make this a wonderful gadget for applying as either a laptop, or as a powerful Windows ten pill. The pill manner is convenient if you want to shoot footage and edit it when out and about.

Browse the comprehensive evaluation: Microsoft Surface Book two (13.five-inch)

Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2018)

The MacBook Professional (15-inch, 2018)’s revolutionary Contact Bar tends to make it a lot easier for videographers to intuitively entry instructions. (Picture credit rating: Apple)

eight. Apple MacBook Professional (15-inch, 2018)

CPU: Twin-main Intel Core i7 – i9 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics, AMD Radeon Professional 555X – 560X | RAM: 16GB – 32GB | Display screen: 15.four-inch, (two,880 x 1,800) IPS | Storage: 512GB – 4TB PCIe three. SSD

Very powerful

Discrete graphics

Constrained enlargement capabilities

Very high priced

The 15-inch 2018 MacBook Professional is palms-down the ideal Mac laptop ever made for editors. Apple has packed hundreds of upgrades into this variation, providing you the newest generation of Intel Core i7 and i9 processors with six cores, and it now supports up to 32GB of RAM, producing this a really adept laptop for reducing and chopping. Discrete graphics are presented by a decision of AMD Radeon Professional GPUs, producing this the ideal laptop for editing.

The revolutionary Contact Bar tends to make it a lot easier for videographers to intuitively entry instructions, when the Retina display on the 15-inch model offers a lot more than ample pixels should really you want to edit at indigenous resolution in Complete High definition on the shift. Having said that, if you are editing 4K, then you can expect to be disappointed by the limited resolution.

Browse the comprehensive evaluation: MacBook Professional (15-inch, 2018)

Lenovo ThinkPad P70

The Lenovo ThinkPad P70 is the supreme workstation that you can get on the go without having lacking your desktop. (Picture credit rating: Lenovo)

9. Lenovo ThinkPad P70

A lot of selections to build your desire rig

CPU: two.8GHz Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 | Graphics: Nvidia Quadro M5000M 8GB | RAM: 16GB | Display screen: seventeen.three-inch, 3840 x 2160 pixels | Storage: 512GB SSD + 500GB HDD

Present day ideal lenovo thinkpad p70 specials

Enlargement capabilities

Massive battery

Non-person replaceable battery

ExpressCard 34!

Lenovo’s ThinkPad P70 was a single of the initial notebooks that includes Intel’s Skylake processor, which should really give it a increase in functionality when compared to Broadwell or Haswell chips.  Outfitted with enough storage and lots of RAM, an outstanding keyboard and a extensive selection of ports for connectivity, Lenovo is positioning the ThinkPad P70 as the supreme workstation that you can get on the go without having lacking your desktop. Also value mentioning is the X-Rite Pantone calibration software, out there as an selection, which is fantastic to continue to keep your monitor precise for output do the job, as very well as the Quadro GPU that comes with all the P70 SKUs. 

Browse the comprehensive evaluation: Lenovo ThinkPad P70

MSI GS65 Stealth

The MSI GS65 Stealth is an definitely fantastic laptop. (Picture credit rating: MSI)

ten. MSI GS65 Stealth

Outstanding for gaming…and video clip editing

CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM, Max-Q) | RAM: 16GB | Display screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare, extensive-look at 144Hz panel | Storage: 512GB M.two SSD

Gorgeous, delicate design 

Great performance 

Underside receives really hot 

Ok, so the MSI GS65 Stealth is primarily a large-conclusion gaming laptop – with a selling price tag to match – but it also doubles as an definitely fantastic laptop. This is due to the fact it comes with an outstanding array of reducing edge components, which incorporates an 8th-generation Intel Core i7-8750H CPU and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 GPU. This means multi tasking and editing is dealt with with aplomb – and if you also want to do a bit of gaming on the aspect, then it can be a no-brainer.

Browse the comprehensive evaluation: MSI GS65 Stealth

Shopping for a laptop? This is what professionals say

We reached out to Michel Yavercovski, Senior Director of Merchandise Management for Corel video clip products and solutions, to get his specialist views about picking out a artistic computer system.

“There are a few critical issues to glimpse for when shopping for a video clip editing laptop and of training course, when you are speaking about video clip, the improved the components, the smoother and a lot more responsive your editing knowledge will be. Whether you are speaking about our Pinnacle Studio or VideoStudio products and solutions, equally have been made to get comprehensive advantage of your components to make video clip editing as fast and effective as attainable.” Michel claimed.

“Very first, you’ll want to glimpse for a process with a powerful multicore processor — the Intel Core i7 item line is a great decision to get started with — and our software program has been optimized to get benefit of multithreading so you can get the most out of these remarkable chips. A powerful processor will also give you a seamless knowledge when working with today’s well-known formats and artistic functions like multi-camera and 360° video clip support. 4K video clip can build enormous file dimensions, so you’ll also want to make guaranteed the gadget has a huge and fast SSD storage drive that can browse and produce huge video clip information without having any hang-ups.”

“Video clip editing requires up a whole lot of memory, so shop for a process that has among 16GB and 32GB of RAM to continue to keep issues jogging effortlessly. And, of training course, a sixty four-bit variation of Windows ten is a must. ” he included.

“Then, when looking at graphics cards, glimpse for the newest NVIDIA GeForce RTX or GTX sequence as very well as Intel Iris or High definition Graphics for overall speedier processing and editing. Most advanced graphics cards will also have HEVC support, enabling the use of this advanced video clip format in your productions.”

“Because you’ll be working primarily on a single monitor when you are on the go, make guaranteed the laptop’s built-in check produces crisp photographs and has precise color rendering. It is also excellent to have a process that will support many screens for when you are back in your most important do the job area. Finally, I constantly recommend customers to either plug in their laptops or modify the electric power settings for large functionality due to the fact many notebooks default to electric power-saving functions when they’re jogging on battery which can influence functionality. You may have to take a shorter battery existence, but it will guarantee speedier processing for a fantastic editing knowledge.”

Enjoy the video clip underneath for the prime 7 issues to look at when shopping for a laptop.