I’m someone who spends hours in editing software. I know how important the right laptop is for getting work done. From frame-accurate timelines to heavy rendering, video editing pushes hardware to its limits, and not every machine is built to keep up.
I tested a range of laptops across price points to see which ones actually perform under pressure. Some budget models can get through basic edits, but if you’re serious about your craft, investing in a high-performance laptop makes all the difference.
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What is the best laptop for video editing right now?
We’ve extensively researched and tested dozens of computers for the best video editing laptop. The Asus ProArt P16, for example, has one of the better displays out there, and the Dell Inspiron is a solid budget option. My pick for the best overall is Apple’s M4 MacBook Pro due to its M4 chipset, stunning Liquid Retina XDR display, and long-lasting battery. It is rather expensive but worth the price. Naturally, it isn’t the only option out there. Below is a list where we compare the top models from major brands like Asus and Dell.
Also: The best HP laptops you can buy: Expert tested
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The best laptops for video editing in 2025
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Why we like it: Apple’s M4 MacBook Pro takes the top spot as the best video editing laptop. It handles heavy workloads, like exporting large files to scrubbing through high-resolution footage, with relative ease. This performance is thanks to the M4 chipset. The MacBook Pro can house different chip models, depending on what you want. For example, the M4 Max consists of a 14-core CPU and a 32-core GPU. According to Apple, a MacBook Pro equipped with the M4 Max chip is 3.5 times faster than an M1 MacBook Pro.
There is more to the MacBook Pro than just its hardware. The Liquid Retina XDR display remains best-in-class with an anti-glare coating and up to 1,600 nits of brightness. Unified memory options scale up to 48GB, giving users more headroom for multitasking or large AI models.
Last, but not least, the MacBook Pro has an impressive battery life of up to 24 hours on a single charge.
Review: M4 MacBook Pro
Who it’s for: I recommend the MacBook Pro to anyone juggling video editing projects with high-resolution footage or projects that require a lot of rendering. This machine can keep up without breaking a sweat. Digital nomads will also appreciate the full-day battery and sharp display.
Who should look elsewhere: The M4 MacBook Pro is probably overkill for people who don’t often deal with heavy creative work, especially with its high price tag. Prices start at $1,599 for the base model and can go over $5,000 with all optional features included. Casual users are better off using a MacBook Air or something more budget-friendly.
Apple MacBook Pro 16 specs: Processor: Apple M4 | Display size: 14 or 16 inches | Operating system: Mac OS | Dimensions: 14 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches
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Why we like it: The 2025 Asus ProArt P16 has the best display I’ve seen on a video editing laptop. Two factors make it as good as it is. First, it’s large, measuring 16 inches diagonally. All that space helps you be more productive and multitask. Second, it is an OLED touchscreen outputting bright and vibrant visuals.
One of its key features is the ProCreator Hub, an app that allows you to make unique adjustments to the laptop not normally possible with the basic Settings menu. For example, let’s say you’re editing a video and you want to tweak the screen. Well, you could change the display “gamut to DCI-P3 show off movie-grade colors”. Additionally, if you want to protect your eyes better, the ProCreator Hub can lower the amount of harmful blue light.
A good editing computer can accomplish a lot with the right hardware. Asus’ device houses an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070 graphics card, and 32GB of RAM. Rendering 3D environments in Blender was quick and effortless, and I could jump between multiple 4K livestreams without a hitch.
Review: Asus ProArt P16
Who it’s for: The ProArt P16 is ideal for creative professionals looking for a mobile computer with a color-accurate display and a lot of customization options. Its DialPad comes in handy whenever you want to make minute adjustments to a photograph in Photoshop. Plus, the top-notch hardware makes it a great pick for animators and 3D designers working on large projects.
Who should look elsewhere: The display may be its best feature overall, but it has one major flaw — its ultra-glossy screen. The glass reflects so much light that it’s quite distracting. Using the laptop under brightly lit conditions is difficult. Also, the battery is worse on the 2025 model, lasting only eight hours instead of 10.
Asus ProArt P16 specs: Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Display size: 16 inches | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 13.97 x 9.72 x 0.68 inches
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Why we like it: Dell’s Inspiron 16 Plus is a well-rounded, dependable laptop. It sports a 2.5K display with a refresh rate of 120Hz, delivering sharp and impressively smooth visual outputs. Thanks to its 120Hz refresh rate, it’s sharp, color-rich, and impressively smooth. The 16:10 aspect ratio provides a good amount of vertical workspace, so you can get a good view of your project. I should mention that the panel has a peak brightness of 300 nits, which isn’t amazing. But it’s serviceable for indoor work and enables a long battery life.
For hardware, you can choose to equip the machine with an Intel Core Ultra 7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card. This setup is capable of easily handling multitasking and creative workloads. ZDNET Editor Kyle Kucharski also praised the Inspiron 16 Plus’ lengthy battery life in his review. It’s capable of lasting up to 12 hours on a single charge. Other notable features include a quad-speaker array and up to 2TB of storage.
Review: Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (7640)
Who it’s for: If you’re a content creator, student, or a professional looking for a new laptop that won’t break the bank, the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 is among the best. It doesn’t excel in one particular area, but it does multiple things quite well. This computer boasts enough horsepower for animation work and even some light gaming.
Who should look elsewhere: Dell’s device is a chunky laptop, weighing nearly five pounds. So, traveling with the Inspiron 16 is going to be rather difficult. Although the display’s resolution is high, it lacks support for enhancement software like HDR. Users who value color-accurate imaging above all else should consider another option.
Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 specs: Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 155H | Display size: 16 inches | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 14.05 x 9.87 x 0.72 inches
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Why we like it: The Dell 14 Premium strikes a near-perfect balance between power and polish. ZDNET Editor Kyle Kucharski reviewed the laptop in July and commended its standout performance. His review unit had an Intel Core Ultra 7 155H paired with a GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card. A setup like this provides plenty of power for complex projects being done on Adobe Photoshop and Premium. What’s great is it stays quiet when under light to moderate workloads.
Another major highlight is the 3K OLED touchscreen. It’s bright and vibrant and surrounded by ultra-thin bezels, making the simple act of watching a movie feel immersive. I should point out that the Dell 14 Premium has three Thunderbolt 4 ports, a microSD card slot, and a headphone jack, which is rare for a thin laptop like this.
Review: Dell 14 Premium
Who it’s for: The Dell 14 Premium is a good pick for anybody who needs a lightweight laptop that they can take to and from work with ease. One of the issues with graphic design laptops is that they require powerful hardware for the work they do, and that means extra bulk to make room for everything. I also recommend the model to hybrid workers who want a stylish machine that looks just as good in a studio as it does in a boardroom meeting.
Who should look elsewhere: Be ready to carry the laptop’s power adapter wherever you go. The Dell 14 Premium doesn’t last very long. In his review, Kucharski states that the laptop can run for about eight hours, which is solid, but it depends on the tasks. Heavy workloads can reduce the battery to five hours. If longevity matters to you, look elsewhere.
Dell 14 Premium specs: Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 255H | Display size: 14 inches | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 12.6 x 8.5 x 0.71 inches
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Why we like it: When it comes to video editing, 2-in-1 laptops are up to the task. Turning the computer into a tablet deepens the device’s usability. You can directly interact with a video’s timeline, cut out clips, or sketch out storyboards in real time. There are many options out there, but the HP Envy x360 is the best. It boasts a large 16-inch, 2.8K OLED touchscreen that is both sharp and color accurate.
HP claims that its laptop is “IMAX certified” due to its ability to show “IMAX-formatted content in [their] original… aspect ratio.” ZDNET Editor Kyle Kucharski states that although this is a “flashy designation”, the 16-inch screen “does look good”. That’s not all. HP’s machine comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU, an integrated AMD Radeon GPU, a long-lasting battery, and “beefy speakers”, all working together to provide you with an experience that’s second to none.
Review: HP Envy x360
Who it’s for: The HP Envy x360 is a good choice for people who want the interactivity a tablet provides while still enjoying the power of a laptop. It strikes a nice middle ground for those who want a blend of portability and flexibility. Plus, the large screen size makes touchscreen editing a lot more comfortable for extended periods of time.
Who should look elsewhere: There are a couple of issues with Envy x360 that may dissuade people from purchasing it. First, it’s a little heavy, at just over four pounds. Second, the glossy display attracts fingerprints like a magnet. Additionally, I wouldn’t recommend the device to professionals with heavy workloads. You’re better off buying a laptop with a dedicated graphics card or a powerful desktop.
HP Envy x360 specs: Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS | Display size: 16-inch 3K OLED touchscreen | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 14.04 x 9.68 x 0.72 inches
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Why we like it: Galaxy smartphones make it incredibly easy for users to take high-quality videos, thanks to their advanced camera technology. These mobile devices come with their own editing tools, but if you want to take things to the next level, I recommend the Galaxy Book5 Pro.
The laptop has many useful features that can help people refine their creations. Quick Share lets you seamlessly transfer files from your mobile device to the computer, where you can then work on them. It sports a 16-inch AMOLED touchscreen capable of outputting images at 3K resolution and covers 120% of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The display also runs at a refresh rate of 120Hz. Specs like these allow the Galaxy Book5 Pro to be perfect for color grading and scrubbing through footage.
Add in 15.5 hours of battery life, a big touchpad, and a lightweight build, and you have a well-rounded video editing machine.
Review: Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro
Who it’s for: I strongly recommend this laptop to Galaxy owners, especially those who own a Galaxy S25. Content creators can record footage on their smartphone and edit it on their machine. Built-in Galaxy AI features like Photo Remaster and AI Select add convenient creative tools for polishing visuals or finding reference materials.
I should also mention that the Galaxy Book5 Pro has decent hardware, running on an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V chipset and 16GB of RAM.
Who should look elsewhere: If you don’t own a Galaxy smartphone, I would recommend another laptop. You could still get a lot out of the Galaxy Book5 Pro even if you own a non-Samsung phone. The problem is you won’t be able to use many of the features to their fullest extent. Plus, it’s not all that different from the Galaxy Book5 Pro 360, which, at the time of this writing, is cheaper.
Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro specs: Processor: Intel Core Ultra 7 256V | Display size: 14 inches AMOLED | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 13.99 x 9.93 x 0.50 inches
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Why we like it: I was blown away by the Alienware 18 Area-51. This thing is a monster in the best way possible. Every configuration is packed with high-end hardware. My review unit housed an Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card. It effortlessly handled unoptimized, AAA video games and demanding creative workloads.
I was especially impressed by the Cyro-Chamber cooling system. It kept internal temperatures low in a way that I have never seen on a laptop before or since. Other notable features include the Dolby Atmos speakers and Stealth Mode, which disables the RGB lighting for a more professional look. Needless to say, the Alienware 18 Area-51 delivers a desktop-like experience that delivers on multiple fronts.
Review: Alienware 18 Area-51
Who it’s for: This laptop is perfect in the hands of serious gamers, video editors, and 3D artists looking for a high-performing machine in a portable form. Stealth Mode also allows the laptop to be more flexible. With the feature active, a device won’t look out of place in an office setting.
Who should look elsewhere: The biggest problem with the Alienware 18 Area-51 is its weight. It alone weighs 10 pounds. Combined with its brick of a power adapter, you’ll be carrying 12 pounds of tech. And you do need that adapter because the battery on this device doesn’t last long.
Alienware 18 Area-51 specs: Processor: Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | Display size: 18 inches | Operating system: Windows 11 | Dimensions: 16.14 x 12.59 x 0.95 inches
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Due to its powerful hardware and crystal-clear display, the Apple MacBook Pro 16 from 2024 is the best laptop for video editing. Below is a list comparing it to the rest of our picks.
| Best laptop for video editing | Starting price | Processor | Display size |
| Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2024) | $2,500 | Apple M4 | 16 inches |
| Asus ProArt P16 (2025) | $2,200 | AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | 16 inches |
| Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 | $1,100 | Intel Core Ultra 9 185H | 16 inches |
| Dell 14 Premium | $1,500 | Intel Core Ultra 7 255H | 14 inches |
| HP Envy x360 | $950 | AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS | 16 inches |
| Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro | $1,100 | Intel Core Ultra 7 256V | 16 inches |
| Alienware m16 R2 | $2,750 | Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX | 16 inches |
Finding the right laptop can take a lot of work. There are so many numbers being thrown your way that specifications can get confusing. Certain models may have similar characteristics to one another. They may even have the exact same features. It can be tricky to differentiate between laptops.
Below is a table briefly explaining each recommendation and why you should get them. They can help you find the right one to meet your needs.
| Choose this laptop for video editing… | If you want… |
| Apple M4 MacBook Pro | The best video editing laptop, with its stunning Liquid Retina display and high-performing M4 chipset powering it. |
| Asus ProArt P16 | A laptop with the best display. Its vivid AMOLED display outputs vibrant colors and deep shades of black. |
| Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 | The best value for a video editing laptop. It’s a large 16-inch laptop with a vivid 2.5K resolution screen and long battery life. |
| Dell 14 Premium | The best 14-inch video editing laptop. Although small, the Dell 14 Premium packs strong hardware for on-the-go editing. |
| HP Envy x360 | The best 2-in-1 video editing laptop. HP’s device combines a high-quality touchscreen, a lengthy battery life, and a booming sound system. |
| Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro | The best video editing laptop for Galaxy owners. Its features make transporting images from your Galaxy phone to the laptop easy. |
| Alienware 18 Area-51 | The best gaming laptop for video editing. It houses powerful hardware and, thanks to Stealth Mode, can blend in at the office. |
When picking out the best laptop for video editing, there are multiple factors to consider. The selections we made on the list were made with them in mind. For our evaluation, we weighed the following aspects:
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Processor: A CPU directly determines how fast a laptop can process and finish tasks. This includes actions like opening apps to run complex workloads. We specifically looked for advanced and multi-core processors capable of handling video editing programs.
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RAM: This refers to the amount of memory present on a laptop. It is essential to buy a device with a decent amount of memory installed, at least 16GB. It’s even better if you can get more. Ideally, you should opt for 32GB. Having a lot of RAM is crucial for a laptop to handle video editing apps, which can be quite resource-hungry.
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Graphics: When shopping for a laptop, it is recommended that you choose a model with a dedicated graphics card rather than an integrated one. The former can better handle tough workloads because it won’t be sharing power with the CPU. It has its power supply, allowing it to direct its resources to its processes.
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Display: You will need a high-quality display for video editing. Professionals have to be able to tell how good — or bad — the footage looks, its color output, and the finer details. Sizes can vary from model to model. Some have a large 17-inch screen, while others are a bit smaller at 14 inches. Big screens are ideal for navigating your workspace, while small screens make the laptop easier to carry around.
We use a combination of methods to test laptops here at ZDNET. First, we acquire data from benchmarking software to analyze a system’s metrics under the hood and compare those to advertised numbers. Then, we spend an extended amount of time with the laptop — usually a week or two — using it the same way a normal consumer would, to assess its portability, form factor, and how well the battery actually holds up. For an extensive breakdown, check out our comprehensive laptop testing methodology.
- Benchmarking: First, we run a series of tests to put the computer’s hardware through the wringer in order to see what it’s capable of. Cinebench is one of the most commonly used hardware testing suites, which tests the laptop’s rendering performance on single and multiple central processing unit (CPU) cores. PCMark 10 is another powerful program that covers a wide variety of tasks performed in the workplace, and there are many others that we use in tandem to gather as much data as we can. Some components we run tests on include:
- Processor: The “brain” of the laptop and one of the most important factors that determines performance. The four biggest manufacturers that make most of the CPUs found in laptops today are Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, and Apple — in Apple machines only. This is tested in benchmarking software.
- The display: The size of the display — measured diagonally from corner to corner — is also what dictates the laptop’s overall size and plays a big role in the device’s cost. Brightness is measured in “nits,” and color spectrums are tested in benchmarking software.
- The graphics processor (GPU): Whether it’s integrated into the CPU or a dedicated graphics card, how well the machine handles graphics is a key factor when it comes to demanding tasks like video editing, rendering, and of course, gaming. We test the GPU with a combination of benchmarking software, gaming, and media playback.
- Physical form factor: Finally, the laptop’s overall appearance and physical form factor encompasses its weight, thickness, how the keyboard and trackpad feel, and whether it has a display that can be folded back to form a tablet. We carry the laptop around for at least a week and note how well it commutes.
- Battery testing: We test a unit’s battery in a few ways. A handful of benchmarking programs have their own battery testing components, but we also will just let the laptop run for as long as it can under a medium load. We ensure screensavers and hibernation mode are turned off, set the display’s brightness and audio at 50%, load up a livestream on YouTube in Chrome, and wait ’til the end.
- The human element: As we mentioned earlier, metrics and system data is important, but numbers alone don’t give you the full picture. This is where we weave in our personal experience with the device and tap into the practical use cases that consumers actually care about.
Ultimately, our goal is to break down the capabilities of each and every laptop we test into digestible terms that real people find useful. There is a lot of noise and confusion when it comes to navigating the laptop and computer consumer market, so we hope to bring an intuitive element to the whole process by leveraging our team’s decades of experience.
Latest information on video editing laptops in 2025
Artificial intelligence will increasingly gain a stronger presence within video editing laptops. The technology can do so much beyond generating content and automating certain tasks. AI can improve hardware performance, streamline workflows, and enhance editing tools. As a result, we could see a new wave of content creators break through because they won’t be held back by their lack of technical experience. AI tech can democratize video creation in ways we haven’t seen before, and that seems to be the mindset of major AI companies.
As of August 2025, there have been instances of this occurring. I have seen YouTube videos utilizing generative AI to some effect, but in terms of widespread adoption and usage, we haven’t seen anything on a grand scale yet.
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Artificial intelligence can be quite demanding on laptop resources. To facilitate this, manufacturers may develop new products with more RAM because 16GB may not be sufficient. For the release of the M4 MacBook Pro, Apple equipped its laptop with 16GB of RAM, double that of the previous generation. As things ramp up, I think laptop brands will adjust accordingly.
Apple consistently makes some of the best video editing laptops. The company equips its machines with powerful hardware, a long-lasting battery, and access to some of the best software on the market. We could go on and on about how good their models are. That said, it’s not perfect. Other laptops can be better under certain conditions.
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Dell makes a lot of great budget options. The Acer Swift X 14 is a good choice for people who commute frequently, but don’t want to lug around a big laptop. Similarly, users who want a machine that doubles as a solid entertainment device should go for the Alienware m16 R2. See, it all depends on what someone is looking for. This isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario.
There isn’t a single laptop that all YouTubers use. It differs from person to person and from team to team. Although it is probably safe to assume that the MacBook Pro is a common model. As stated earlier, it does so much in cultivating creative endeavors. The M3 chipset is much faster than the first generation. The laptop is also better suited for handling multimedia content thanks to support for HEVC, H.264 hardware acceleration, and ProRes RAW files.
Besides the MacBook, YouTubers probably have a spare workstation desktop for editing.
Also: Is a refurbished MacBook worth it? I did the math, and here’s my buying advice
Video editing laptops tend to be expensive. This is because they tend to house the industry’s best hardware. If you look at the list in detail, all entries cost over $1,000 except for the low-priced Acer Aspire 5.
Be prepared to shell out a significant amount of cash for one. The most expensive model on the list is the 16-inch HP ZBook Studio G10, which costs nearly $3,000. And there are builds of the ZBook that cost way more. After that, you have the Asus ProArt Studiobook 16 OLED costing over $2,000.
The one thing we stress is that your make sure whatever laptop you plan on buying meets your needs. There’s no point in buying an expensive laptop that’ll disappoint you or you purchase something with features you don’t ever use.
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It’s fine for 4K resolution videos, so long as you don’t have a lot of apps running in the background. However, if you plan on having heavy workloads, you will need more. Instead, we recommend buying a laptop with at least 32GB of RAM.
Think of that amount as the golden standard for video editing. With 32GB, you can edit all kinds of files and work with longer videos. Of course, more is better. With 64GB of memory, you can run multiple apps in the background and tackle 8K footage.
You should, at the very least, have a laptop with 256GB of storage space. Uncompressed video footage and audio files can take up a lot of room on a computer, so you’ll need as much space as possible. Ideally, it’s best to have a 1TB SSD. That’s a good amount, but if you can afford more, I urge that you get bigger storage space: 2TB, 3TB, whatever is available at checkout.
Laptops constantly go on sale throughout the year. However, many devices see deeper discounts on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. In fact, those two days are usually the best time to purchase laptops.
You might find some decent Boxing Day sales in the week between Christmas and New Years. Many brands join the festivities. Apple slashes the price tag on MacBooks, Dell does the same with Alienware models, and Asus discounts its Swift laptops.
Also: MacBook Pro vs. MacBook Air: How to decide which Apple laptop you should buy
Latest updates
- August 2025 update: I tested and added the 2025 Asus ProArt P16, Dell 14 Premium, and the Alienware 18 Area-51 to the list. I also refreshed the structure of the guide a bit.
- June 2025 update: I tested and added the HP EliteBook X G1a to the main list.
- May 2025 update: I updated the top list to include more detailed information for each of the main entries.
Other laptops we’ve tested
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If you want an alternative to the Alienware 18, I recommend this older model. The Alienware m16 R2 houses an Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, and a vibrant 2K display with a 240Hz refresh rate. It is also significantly lighter than the newer computer, weighing only 5.8 pounds for easier carrying. Don’t worry about disturbing others, as the laptop comes with Stealth Mode for turning off the lights.
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The 2024 Asus ProArt P16 is a solid alternative to the 2025 model. It possesses many of the same attributes as the vibrant OLED screen, sleek design, and customizable DialPad. There are notable differences. This version doesn’t perform as well, sporting an AMD Ryzen 9 HX 370 CPU and Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. However, it has a better battery life, capable of lasting 10 hours on a single charge.
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For more on getting the most out of your laptop, check out ZDNET’s list of the best VPN services and learn about the secret emergency shutdown feature on Windows 11.
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