But these are minor quibbles with what is otherwise one seriously potent video editing machine. It's a pity the included memory card slot is microSD only, and the USB ports are USB 3.2 Gen 2, rather than the latest USB 4.0. OK, so it's not 4K, but it does boast a hugely impressive 100% coverage of the demanding DCI-P3 video color space, as well as Dolby Vision HDR support. Topping things off is a 15.6 inch WQHD (2560 x 1440) IPS screen. Not only great for gaming, the added video acceleration is also very handy for GPU-accelerated video encoding.
Available with blazing-fast oct-acore AMD Ryzen 7 or Ruyzen 9 processors, and up to a whopping 48GB of RAM, there won't be much this beast can't handle.ĭesigned with gaming firmly in mind, you also get a choice of Nvidia's uber-powerful GeForce RTX 30-series graphics cards.
Want a super-powerful video-editing laptop without going down the MacBook route? We reckon this is the laptop PC if you want an all-out processing powerhouse. See also: the best Ultrabooks (opens in new tab) A lightweight sub-2.2kg design and sleek finish set the Blade apart externally.
The Razer Blade 15 comes with a 512GB or 1TB SSD for storage, and the Advanced model can even be optioned with a 2TB SSD. If you opt for the base version, you even get an Ethernet port for fast, wired internet, while the Advanced models trades this for a useful SD card reader instead. With a hugely fast Nvidia GeForce graphics card under the hood, it’s up to the task when it comes to even the most demanding projects, and when you consider how many ports this thing has – three USB-A ports, two Thunderbolt/USB-C, one HDMI 2.1 port, and a headphone jack - it’s versatile too. With deep, inky blacks and punchy, vibrant colors, it looks incredible, and with its 4K resolution equating to a pixel density of 282 ppi, it's super-sharp – perfect for editing your UHD content on. The Razer Blade 15 is special in that it features an optional OLED display rather than a traditional LCD. Top-end GPU not essential for video editing
The smaller MacBook Pro 14-inch (2021) (opens in new tab) is a less expensive alternative. The 2021 16-inch MacBook Pro is far from cheap no matter how you spec one, but your money is buying one of the most technically advanced laptops on the market right now. The 16-inch MacBook Pro is also available with an M1 Pro chip (rather than M1 Max) if you want to save some cash, though RAM capacity is restricted to 16GB or 32GB, and its speed is lower.ĭespite all this power, the supreme efficiency of the M1 chip architecture, combined with a large 100-watt-hour battery, means battery life is up to an incredible 21 hours. This incredible Liquid Retina XDR display boasts an insane 1,600-nit peak brightness, making HDR content come alive, and it can display a high DCI-P3 color space coverage for accurate video editing. You also get a 16-inch screen size, which is noticeably more comfortable for long editing sessions than a 13-inch panel. Spec one with Apple's M1 Max chip - which can be had with up to 64GB RAM - and it'll make light work of anything you can throw at it. The latest 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro (opens in new tab) with its M2 hardware has dropped, but until we've had one in for review, it's the slightly older, but still awesome, 16-inch MacBook Pro which is our top choice for video editing. Alternatively, check out our picks for best laptops for video editing in 2022 below.
If you're unsure on how to choose the right model for you, scroll down to the bottom of this article to read our top tips. Just be aware that the power, battery life and viewing ergonomics will be severely compromised as the body of the laptop gets smaller. However, if you're constantly on-the-go, you might want to opt for a scaled-down laptop. If you tend to work in one set place, then this shouldn't be an issue for you. While it might be tempting to opt for one of the best budget laptops (opens in new tab) instead, you'll likely find that this just won't be able to properly accommodate your needs – and you'll just find yourself wishing you'd plumped for one of these superior models anyway.Ī large, beautiful screen and plenty of memory means that the best laptops for video editing tend to be larger than average. Working with high resolution footage is both power- and memory-intensive, so you'll need to make sure that your machine is up to the task.