Video editing is more popular than ever. Everyone seems to have a YouTube channel these days, and there is no shortage of people creating content with drones and GoPros Which can be quite challenging if you’re using a laptop with insufficient power to edit your footage.
4K video is fast becoming the new standard and modern editing kits will eat up as much of your productivity and demand more. That’s why we’ve picked out five of the most powerful video editing laptops you can buy today.
Sure, they have impressive prices and impressive performance, but the time and energy they save will be worth it.
1. Apple MacBook Pro 16
Apple’s reputation as a creative industry maker is almost as old as the company itself, and for good reason. MacOS is a stable and intuitive platform for running applications like Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro X, or DaVinci Resolve There is a reason many professional video editors trust macOS and Apple computers.
If you want the most powerful mobile Mac for video editing, the choice is simple. You need to buy a MacBook Pro 16.
There are two models of MacBook Pro 16. The younger model has memory starting at 512 GB, and the older model has memory starting at 1 TB. Both can be purchased with an 8-core Intel Core i9 processor, but the younger model starts with a 6-core i7. Any of these models will handle video editing workloads completely, and the larger beast will simply do it with more haste.
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One of the most important features of the MacBook Pro 16, in addition to its huge reserves of processing power, is the 16-inch Retina display and its P3 color gamut. Designed specifically for professional color work, this screen makes it a versatile mobile video editing workstation. The only downside is the lack of native 4K resolution, but in practice it doesn’t really matter during editing.
2. Apple MacBook Pro 13 (2020)
There is an important market for thin and light video editing computers. It’s very common for video creators to work on the road, on set or in the field. The MacBook Pro 16 is ideal in terms of performance, but its larger size might make it not a great travel companion.
Fortunately, the MacBook Pro 13 offers the same software platform, the same professional reliability, and the same color-accurate display. Its characteristics, of course, are far from the same as those of its much larger brother, but this does not mean that it does not have what it needs.
The eighth-generation quad-core processor in the latest MacBook Pro 13 happily digests 1080p HD content. Just make sure you are looking at the new 16GB RAM model and not the 2019 model which is capped at 8GB.
3. Asus ZenBook 15
If you’re still looking for a thin and light laptop but don’t want to go the Apple route, then this ZenBook from Asus is an incredibly interesting choice. In terms of raw specs, the MacBook 13 is at a disadvantage.
Especially thanks to the discrete GTX 1650 GPU. So if you are using a video editing suite that properly uses GPU acceleration, the limitations of having a quad core won’t be an issue.
The built-in 4K home screen is another awesome feature offered by ZenBook 15. Allows you to check renders in native 4K and also offers quite a lot of space for software. What makes it even crazier is the fact that this laptop actually comes with a second screen! That’s right, it has what Asus calls “ScreenPad”, which replaces the traditional trackpad.
This LCD screen can be used as a second display, so you can drag and drop applications onto it while simultaneously performing actions on the main display. This means you can treat it the same way as you would a second external monitor on a table top mount. Put your editing tools on it or use it as a video monitor. It all depends on your workflow.
4. Asus ZenBook Pro Duo
If you think ZenBook 15’s ScreenPad is a great productivity feature for video editing, get ready to be amazed by the ZenBook Pro Duo.
It’s a high-performance machine built for creative workloads. It has an Intel Core i9-10980HK processor with eight cores and 16 threads. 32GB of RAM and an RTX 2060 GPU. When paired with a massive 1TB PCIe hard drive, you have more power than you ever need. We’ve definitely passed MacBook Pro 16 territory here. Let’s just say if you’re watching projects at 4K or lower, you just don’t have to worry about processing power here.
This means that we can get to the real exhibits in this car. First, we have a gorgeous 15.6-inch 4K OLED touchscreen. Plenty of room for UI elements, and of course you can watch your renders in native 4K resolution. As an OLED, you can expect superb black levels and incredible picture quality. Of course, you will need to calibrate it to ensure color accuracy.
Finally, we come to ScreenPad Plus. It’s no longer a tiny touchpad-sized screen like the ZenBook 15. This 14-inch touchscreen offers the perfect second display for video editing. Its ultra-wide aspect ratio makes it ideal for editing timeline or multiple mastering control surfaces. While this laptop will do everything (including gaming) with fun, we think it’s arguably the best video editing laptop we’ve ever seen.
5. MSI GS65 Stealth-004
Gaming laptops often make great video editing laptops. They are usually cheaper than specialized computers for creativity, but have similar basic characteristics. So it is with the MSI GS65 Stealth-004 It is equipped with a 6-core Intel Core i7 processor and an RTX 2070 Max-Q GPU, so its power is more than enough for serious video projects.
The downside is that its high refresh rate screen may not be the best choice for color work and only has Full HD resolution. This means you might have to think about a second portable screen with accurate color reproduction. The primary SSD is also a bit small, so you can use an external SSD or an optional internal drive.
However, if you’re trying to get started video editing on a tight budget, a laptop like the GS65 makes a great base to build. You will have all the power you need from day one, and you can add storage as needed. It’s perfect for game streamers or budget users looking to create their own content. Which makes it a great choice in our books.
Choose the most powerful laptop for video editing
Laptops have come a long way from offering half the performance at twice the price of desktops. There is no compromise in exchange for mobility.
These laptops are high-performance machines in a variety of form factors and price ranges, but they all provide a significant return on investment. Now all you have to bring to the party is pure creative flair. Unfortunately, we cannot help you with this!
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