How to choose a laptop for video editing: The specs you can't do without

Choosing a laptop for a smooth and efficient workflow can make your job a lot easier when it comes to video editing. The best laptop for video editing may not be the same as the kind of laptop you’d buy for gaming, or day to day tasks, so it’s worth doing a little research before you commit, to ensure you’re buying a piece of kit that is happy running the best video editing software out there, both now and in the future. As you’re spending good money, you’ll want to look for something that is future-proofed against upcoming updates.

Luckily, laptop speeds and their power consumption has improved and been significantly optimised over recent years, so there’s plenty on the market to choose from with enough grunt for video editing, in both iOS and Windows formats, with the ability to link to external screens and some of the best monitors for video editing, too.

We’ll cover everything you need to know when it comes to choosing a laptop for video editing in this article and break down some of the terminology here so you’re armed with a better understanding of what you’re looking for.

Windows or Mac?

Personal preference on style and design will play its part here, but it’s also worth considering your budget and other devices that you have that will fit into each ecosystem. If you own an iPhone or an iPad, for example, a Mac might be a more natural choice as it’ll be a lot easier to sync between different platforms and the way you use the cloud-based formats will be more natural – important if you’re dealing with transferring video files between systems or to clients.

Generally, when it comes to video editing, MacBooks are renowned for their build quality, colour-accurate displays and robust performance, and more modern models come equipped with Apple’s M-series chips which offer impressive processing power and energy efficiency. They do however tend to be more expensive. Windows laptops offer more choice in terms of hardware configurations and price points, and they are compatible with a broader selection of software. Fortunately, most of the key video editing software like Premiere Pro and Da Vinci offer compatibility on both systems.

Central Processing Unit (CPU)

The CPU is the heart of your laptop and plays a pivotal role in video editing tasks as the speed of your CPU is directly linked to smooth playback and rendering times.

For video editing you’ll want to look to for multi-core processors, as they can handle multiple different computations at the same time. Intel’s Core i7 or i9 series and AMD’s Ryzen 7 or 9 series are good choice as these processors offer high clock speeds and multiple cores.

If you’re on a Mac system. The M1, M2 and M3 processors are considered some of the best in the game. For our money, Pro and Max versions of these processors are worth considering only if you are a professional content creator or have advanced needs – the standard chip is good for most amateurs or beginner video editors.

Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)

The GPU is responsible for rendering images, videos and importantly when it comes to editing, animations and transitions. A dedicated GPU is essential for video editing, as it is with most tasks on a laptop these days, and if you’re working with high-resolution footage or complex effects NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX series and AMD’s Radeon RX series are popular. These days, considering the high resolution of files many video editors are working with, it’s worth spending a bit more money to get a premium graphics card – the smoothness and speed you’ll experience whilst editing will make it a worthwhile investment.

Neural Processing Unit (NPU)

NPUs are specialised processors designed to accelerate machine learning tasks, and we’re seeing these becoming more important as AI plays a larger and larger role in creativity and editing tasks. Neural processors can enhance features like automated colour correction, scene detection, background removal and other AI-driven functionalities, and while they are not as critical as the CPU or GPU, having an NPU can be beneficia especially as editing software increasingly integrates AI capabilities and the capabilities themselves become more useful. Many CPUs have neural engines integrated (rather than it being a separate piece of hardware), and Apple’s M-series chips for instance include neural engines that boost performance for AI-led tasks.

Random Access Memory (RAM)

RAM is vital for multitasking, and you’ll soon know if you don’t have enough RAM – your laptop will slow down when opening programs if some are already open, which can be frustrating if working on multiple projects in one go. RAM also handles large files during editing sessions and insufficient RAM can lead to frequent software crashes. For HD video editing, a minimum of 16GB RAM is recommended however for 4K editing or working with extensive effects, 32GB or more is advisable.

Storage

The type and capacity of storage significantly impact your editing workflow. Solid State Drives (SSDs) are now the norm for most tasks, and especially when it comes to working with large video files, you’ll need an SSD as you’ll need to access lots of data quickly, and edit it in real time. Video files are large, especially if you’re working with 4K footage, so a minimum of 512GB SSD is recommended but 1TB or more is ideal. Some laptops offer a combination of SSDs for speed and HDDs for additional storage, providing a balance between performance and capacity, and we’d also recommend having a look at some of the best external hard drives to increase capacity and avoid your internal storage getting too full.

Display

You may think that if you’re choosing the best monitor for video editing, an external display is a must, but laptop screens have improved significantly over the years and when it comes to video editing, both Windows and Mac options offer precise screens to allow accurate colour grading and detailed editing. A minimum of Full HD (1920x1080) is essential, but a 4K display offers greater detail and clarity and will be needed if you are editing high-res files. Look for displays with high colour accuracy and coverage of colour gamuts like sRGB or Adobe RGB to ensure your edits reflect true-to-life colours. Also, look out for IPS screens, as these tend to provide better colour reproduction and viewing angles.

Cooling System

Video editing is resource-intensive, uses a lot of power and will cause you laptop to heat up. What your device does with this heat is important, and as laptops have got more powerful, so cooling systems have had to adapt and improve too to avoid throttling performance and avoid component damage over time. There are plenty of laptops out there with efficient thermal management to prevent overheating and features like multiple heat pipes, high-quality fans and well-designed ventilation can significantly improve cooling efficiency.

Price

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, price. Budget is a crucial factor when choosing a laptop for video editing and high-end laptops with powerful specifications can be expensive. It’s always a balancing act with price and you need to look at system that fits your needs; often people buy overpowered machines for their requirements, so do some research and consider what you need versus the myriad of options out there.

For video editing, expect to pay between £450 - £800 for an entry-level system that offers HD editing.

To allow a smoother and more efficient edit, mid-range systems can cost somewhere between £1000 - £1800 and for professionals who need only the best, you’ll be looking at north of £2500 for top-tier performance.

Looking to the next generation is also important, and buying at the right time can also ensure you avoid frequent upgrades and improve the longevity of your device.