The best laptops for video editing — 2024

In this article, we’ll highlight our picks for the best video editing laptops on the market today, then go over the main points a potential buyer will want to consider in choosing the right mobile workstation.


The Editors’ Choice award recognizes exceptional video production equipment, software and services. These products must help videographers be more effective storytellers while being affordable, easy to use and dependable. The products must also deliver a superior user experience.


Best budget laptop

Acer 15.6-inch Nitro V (AN515-58-78BT)

The Acer 15.6-inch Nitro V (AN515-58-78BT) is a powerful laptop that won’t break the bank. The Nitro V houses a 12th Gen Intel Core i7-12650H 10-Core processor with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics. Additionally it features 16 GB of 5200 MHz DDR5 VRAM. It also has a 15.6-inch FHD 1920 x 1080 165 Hz IPS display.

On the performance side, the Acer 15.6-inch Nitro V is optimized to handle demanding tasks, such as video editing. Plus, with a 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD on board, you’ll have a lot of storage space to work with. So, if you need a laptop capable of editing video and want to save a few bucks, the Acer 15.6-inch Nitro V is worth considering.


Best portable laptop

MSI Creator 16 AI Studio (A1VHG-073US)

When it comes to all-around portability, the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio A1VHG-073US takes the cake. In total, the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio measures at just 14.01 x 10.22 x 0.79 inches and weighs only 4.39 pounds. Inside, the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio features a Intel Core Ultra 9 185H Processor, allowing it to handle taxing multitasking and pro-level processing tasks. It also has NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 graphics with 12 GB GDDR6 VRAM and offers full ray tracing.

It features a 16-inch display with an impressive color gamut, delivering vivid colors and all the details you need to edit quality videos. You can’t go wrong with the MSI Creator 16 AI Studio.


Best portable Mac laptop

Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro M2

The Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip is a great laptop for Mac users looking for a budget option that can still handle demanding video editing workflows. The laptop’s Apple M2 Pro 10-core chip is more than capable of handling demanding professional creative workflows. It also features a 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a 3024 x 1964 resolution, 1,000 cd/m² of sustained brightness and 1,600 cd/m² of peak brightness, as well as P3 color gamut support.

So, if you need a budget Mac laptop, consider the Apple 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip.


Best Mac laptop

Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max

16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max is a powerful laptop that can handle demanding workflows for creative professionals on the go. It is powered by Apple’s M2 Max 12-core chip and features a 16.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a 3456 x 2234 resolution, 1,000 cd/m² of sustained brightness, 1,600 cd/m² of peak brightness and P3 color gamut support. It also comes with up to 32 GB of unified RAM and 1 TB of SSD storage.

If you’re a Mac user looking for the most bang for your buck, the Apple 16-inch MacBook Pro M2 Max is worth considering.


Best performance laptop

HP ZBook Studio G9

The HP ZBook Studio G9 is a high-performance laptop that comes with all the bells and whistles you need to edit video on the go. It features a 12th Generation Intel Core i7 processor. Additionally, it comes with 16 GB memory with 256 GB SSD storage. It also has a 16-inch diagonal WUXGA display and Intel Iris X Graphics. The HP ZBook Studio G9 is a powerful laptop and outdoes its current competition.


Best laptop for editors who also love to game

MSI 15.6-inch Stealth 15

The MSI 15.6-inch Stealth 15 features a 13th Gen Intel Core i7-13620H 10-Core processor and 16 GB of 5200 MHz DDR5 RAM. Together, this combo allows the MSI 15.6-inch Stealth 15 to do creative editing without breaking a sweat. Plus, its 1 TB M.2 NVMe PCIe SSD keeps it running fast, allowing for fast boost and load times.

The laptop also comes with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card with 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM and a 15.6-inch display. This display features a Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution and 144 Hz refresh rate. The MSI 15.6-inch Stealth 15 laptop wins our recommendation.


How do you choose?

Some features will be important for any workstation: processing power, graphics processing, memory, and storage. But choosing a portable computer differs from picking a desktop model in a number of ways. Mobile workstations are generally more limited in potential hardware upgrades than their desktop counterparts, so you’ll want to make sure your mobile build will meet your needs right out of the box.

Operating system

The first choice you’ll need to make is what operating system you want to use. Windows and MacOS are both great choices, however, Apple offers the option of using Final Cut Pro (FCP), which might be important if you are currently using a Mac with FCP to edit your videos.

Screen size

Screen size and screen resolution are also important factors in your purchase decision. A 15-inch workstation is an ideal size because it is large enough to see everything you need to but compact enough to fit in a backpack. However, a 13-inch model is an option if you need something smaller and slightly more cost-effective. A 17-inch screen will be quite large — good for workspace real estate but bad for travel. Resolution-wise if you are shooting in 4K, editing on a 4K display is ideal.

Battery life

As for battery life; the more the better. The editor-on-the-go will want enough power to keep working through a long flight or those hours tucked away in a remote location. Video editing suites use a lot of processing power and as such use a lot of battery power when not plugged in.

The editor-on-the-go will want enough power to keep working through a long flight or those hours tucked away in a remote location.

Connectivity

Mobile workstations are also frequently used with a wide range of peripheral devices, from external hard drives to secondary monitors, so input/output ports are important to think about as well. Another key point to assess is portability; if you’re lugging the computer around, weight shouldn’t be overlooked. Weight-wise something that weighs around six pounds or less is a good choice for portability. These are all factors to consider in determining the right mobile workstation for you.

Look for a machine with a quality CPU, enough RAM, a solid GPU and enough storage when shopping for your next laptop. Your machine needs to work around your workflow and should meet your specific needs. Research your options and pick what works best for you.

Contributors to this article include Odin Lindblom, Erik Fritts, Chris Settineri and the Videomaker Editorial Staff.

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The Videomaker Editors are dedicated to bringing you the information you need to produce and share better video.

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