The Best Laptops for Video Editing in 2025
It's tough to find the right laptop for video editing. There are so many types and specs out there. This guide helps you pick the best ones, from low-cost do-it-alls to high-end beasts. We'll talk about what specs are key and look at the best ones to help you buy with ease.
Key Specs You Need for Video Editing
Here are the parts of a laptop that really change how well it edits video.
- CPU: The CPU handles rendering and encoding. More cores mean the laptop can do more things at once, making it faster at multitasking and exporting. For editing 4K video, it's best to have a new CPU with at least six cores.
- GPU & Max Graphics Power: A good GPU speeds up effects, playback, and exports. The type of GPU (e.g., RTX 4060) is important, but so is the Maximum Graphics Power (MGP), measured in watts. This tells you how much power the GPU gets. For example, a 140W RTX 4070 is much better than a 65W one. This detail is often not told clearly.
- RAM: RAM helps run programs and manage your editing work. 16GB is good for editing 1080p, and 32GB or 64GB is better for 4K, 6K, or big projects on Premiere Pro.
- Display: For color grading, a display's color range and accuracy are key. Try to get close to 100% sRGB for usual work, or 100% DCI-P3 for high-end color work. OLED screens usually have the best color and contrast.
- SSD: A fast SSD, like NVMe, makes the laptop start quickly, load apps fast, and access big video files fast. 512GB is the least you should have; 1TB or more is way better.
Top Laptop Choices for Video Editing
Here's a look at the best laptops, by what they do best.
Category: Great for Moving Around & Color
Apple MacBook Air 15 (M3)
This laptop is quiet and easy to carry. It does a good job with 4K video in DaVinci Resolve, even on battery. The screen looks great and shows colors well.
Pros:
- Long battery life (about 13 hours)
- No noise
- Nice screen
- Strong in simple tasks
Cons:
- Can slow down when working hard for long
- You can't add more RAM or storage
- Pricier for small speed gains over the M2/M3
Rating: 8.0/10 (Good for editors who move a lot and care about screen quality more than speed).
ASUS Vivobook S14 OLED
This laptop is made to be light and has a fantastic 3K OLED screen, perfect for color work. A great pick for editors who need a trusted screen while moving.
Pros:
- Stunning 3K OLED screen
- Light and easy to carry
- Good CPU power
Cons:
- Can slow with tough effects or rendering
- Some are slow at 60Hz refresh rate (new ones are 120Hz)
Rating: 8.5/10 (Choose this if seeing the right color while moving is key).
Category: Great Value & Mid-Range Power
Lenovo LOQ 15
This laptop is a good pick for new editors who don't want to spend too much. It has a good mix of specs, screen quality, and GPU power at a fair price.
Pros:
- Great price for what you get
- Strong GPU choices
- Bright, clear screen
- Good starting RAM and storage
Cons:
- Sometimes doesn't do as well as expected in tests
- Not always the best against costly rivals
Rating: 9.0/10 (A great choice for most new editors).
ASUS TUF Gaming A16
This laptop gives you a lot of power for heavy editing jobs. It has strong AMD parts and a great display that's QHD+ and 240Hz.
Pros:
- Amazing CPU and GPU power for tough edits
- Sharp, bright display
- You can add more RAM and storage
- Good battery for a gaming laptop
Cons:
- Can get hot and loud when working hard
- The built-in 720p webcam is not good
Rating: 8.5/10 (For those who need lots of power and can handle some heat and noise).
Lenovo Legion Slim 5 (Gen 8)
It looks simple but is very powerful, especially with its strong GPU. The optional OLED screen is great for color work.
note
We don't have the Lenovo Legion Slim 5 (Gen 8) on hand, which is why there are no pros, cons, or rating. However, we've noticed that many people like it, so we decided to mention the laptop.
Category: Wallet-Friendly Picks & Their Limits
HP Victus 15
A good low-cost work machine that can take on tough jobs well without getting too hot. Yet, its worth hangs on picking the right screen type.
Pros:
- Runs well with no big heat or noise
- You can add more memory and storage yourself
Cons:
- Poor base screen colors are dull and not true (a big problem for edits)
- Feels cheap in hand
Rating: 6.5/10 (Only good if you get the top screen upgrade).
Acer Nitro V 15
This laptop looks good for its price, but it fails badly for video edits due to bad screen quality.
Pros:
- Nice specs (i7, RTX 4050) for the money
- Smooth 144Hz screen
Cons:
- The screen is dim and shows dull, wrong colors, not fit for detailed color work
Rating: 4.0/10 (Its screen makes it a bad pick for deep video editing).
MSI Katana 15
Gives strong CPU and GPU power for changing and putting out files, but lots of use issues make it a hard choice for a main edit machine.
Pros:
- Quick in putting out and changing files for its type
Cons:
- Very short battery life
- Gets hot and loud when used a lot
- Bad speaker sound
Rating: 5.0/10 (The heat, noise, and short battery life make it hard to push).
What are the most important specs for a video editing laptop
The most important specs are a powerful multi-core CPU for rendering, a dedicated GPU with high Maximum Graphics Power (MGP) for effects, sufficient RAM (16GB minimum), a color-accurate display for grading, and a fast NVMe SSD for quick file access.
How much RAM do I need for editing
For editing 1080p video, 16GB of RAM is a good starting point. If you work with 4K, 6K, or large projects in software like Premiere Pro, you should aim for 32GB or 64GB for the best performance.
Why is the laptop display so critical for video editing
A high-quality display is essential for accurate color grading. Laptops with poor screens, like the base HP Victus or Acer Nitro V 15, show dull and inaccurate colors, which makes them unsuitable for serious editing. Look for displays with high sRGB or DCI-P3 coverage.
What is a good value laptop for new editors
The Lenovo LOQ 15 is recommended as a great choice for new editors. It provides a strong mix of performance, screen quality, and GPU power at a fair price, making it an excellent all-around pick for those on a budget.
The top video edit laptop for you leans a lot on your cash and what matters to you. For the best mix of power, screen look, and cost, the Lenovo LOQ 15 and Lenovo Legion Slim 5 are top picks. If you need the most power and can deal with a bigger unit, the ASUS TUF Gaming A16 is great for the money. And, if small size and top color truth are key, the MacBook Air M3 and ASUS Vivobook S14 OLED stand out.
