When your business requires you to edit video after video to provide your client with the best possible result, having a laptop that lacks the power and the gear to get the job done can cause serious problems.
With our updated list of the best laptops for video editing and animation in 2023, we wanted to show you the best choices out there to make your work shine.
Also, see our video editing laptop buying guide at the bottom of this article to help you decide what video editing laptop is best for your needs.
10+ Best Laptops for Video Editing & Animation in 2023
- Apple MacBook Pro 2023 — Best Apple laptop for video editing (Editor’s Choice)
- Acer Aspire 5 — The best budget laptop for video editing
- Microsoft Surface Book 3 — The most powerful 2-in-1 laptop video editing available
- Huawei MateBook X Pro — Best Mac alternative for video editing
- Alienware Area-51m — Most powerful laptop for video editing
- Dell XPS 15 — Best value laptop for video editing overall
- Razer Blade 15 — A professional video editing laptop with serious power
- HP ZBook Firefly — Beautiful design combined with incredible brains
- MSI GS65 Stealth — A laptop built for gaming but perfect for video editing
- Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme — Best Lenovo laptop for video editing
- ASUS ZenBook 15 — The best ultra-slim laptop for video editing
What is the Best Laptop for Video Editing in 2023?
Apple MacBook Pro 2023 is our pick for the best laptop for video editing in 2023. Although, you can check the comparison table below to see what fits best to your needs.
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Top 10+ Laptops for Video Editing, Motion Graphics & Animation You Can Buy in 2023
1. Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch 2023 (M2 Pro) (Editor’s Choice)
The best laptop for video editing 2023
Display: 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with a 120Hz refresh rate; 3024-by-1964 resolution | Processor: Apple M2 Pro | Graphics: 16-core or 19-core Apple GPU | RAM: 16GB | Storage: 512GB/1TB SSD
If you are into motion graphics, then it shouldn’t be surprising that the latest 14-inch MacBook Pro is our favourite laptop for graphic designers.
From beginners to pros, this laptop is a popular choice among creatives who want a fast, reliable, and lightweight laptop with many other features that make it fun and effortless to work on your video editing projects.
The M1 chip on the previous generation is still one of the fastest processors around, but with a newer M2 Pro chip equipped with up to 12 CPU cores, up to 19 GPU cores, and up to 32GB of RAM you get lightning-fast performance that will keep up with even the most demanding editing tasks.
What we love the most about the MacBook Pro, however, is its stunning 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display which is perfect for video editors with its Extreme Dynamic Range and a 120Hz refresh rate.
In our review, every visual felt life-like and super smooth plus with a long battery life of up to 18 hours to complement it, meant we could work all day and through the night without having to plug in.
While the massive performance improvement comes at a premium, we certainly think it is worth it if the best laptop that will serve you well for years to come is exactly what you are looking for.
Jacob Cass, the founder of JUST Creative, has been using the Macbook Pro series for over a decade now and he JUST loves it. Jacob uses it for photo editing, video editing, animation, logo design, and running his creative business.
If you still think you need a bit more oomph, consider the 16-inch variant with the M2 Max chip, which is the fastest MacBook that Apple has made to date. Or for a more budget-friendly option from Apple see the Macbook Air.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ Crystal clear Liquid Retina XDR display | ➖ Still expensive |
➕ All day battery life | |
➕ Zippy performance | |
➕ 120Hz refresh rate | |
➕ Best value among the newer MacBook Pros |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- SUPERCHARGED BY M2 PRO OR M2 MAX — Take on demanding projects with the M2 Pro or M2 Max chip. M2 Pro has up to 12 CPU cores, up to 19 GPU cores, and up to 32GB unified memory. M2 Max has 12 CPU...
- UP TO 18 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE — Go all day thanks to the power-efficient design of the M2 Pro or M2 Max chip. And the MacBook Pro laptop delivers exceptional performance whether it’s running on...
- FULLY COMPATIBLE — All your pro apps run lightning fast — including Adobe Creative Cloud, Xcode, Affinity Designer, Microsoft 365, and many of your favorite iPhone and iPad apps.
- BEAUTIFUL PRO DISPLAY — The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display features Extreme Dynamic Range, over 1000 nits of brightness for stunning HDR content, and pro reference modes for doing your best...
- ADVANCED CAMERA AND AUDIO — Look sharp and sound great with a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, a studio-quality three-mic array, and a six-speaker sound system with Spatial Audio.
Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch 2023 (M2 Pro) Video Review
Check out the video review and see why the Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch 2023 (M2 Pro) is a blessing for creatives.
2. Acer Aspire 5 A515-56-32DK
The best budget laptop for video editing
CPU: 11th Gen Intel Core i3-1115G4 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics | RAM: 4GB | Screen: 15.6 inches | Storage: 128GB NVMe SSD
Every time you switch on Acer’s new Aspire 5, with its eleventh Gen Intel Core i3 processor and faster Wi-Fi 6 connectivity for a wonderful computing experience, you can push the boundaries of its performance.
It is best for such things as image and video editing, gaming, and work-associated programs due to its optimal layout, which presents an unsurpassed pace and dependability. Because of the slender bezel layout and 15.6” Full HD IPS display, you’ll have a mass of a display screen area to pay attention to what’s in front of you.
You’ll revel in short startup times, a recognizable however large Start menu, and extraordinary new techniques to finish responsibilities with Windows 11 Home in S mode. An ergonomic hinge increases the keyboard for greater snug typing, more cooling, and stepped-forward sound quality. All a video-editors best friend!
This is a brilliant laptop for multitasking and the best budget option, however, the 4GB RAM may mean larger video exporting tasks take longer to process.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ Powerful Productivity | ➖ It does not have backlit keyboard |
➕ Great visibility | |
➕ Better sound experience |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Powerful Productivity: 11th Generation Intel Core i3-1115G4 Dual Core processor delivers unmatched speed and intelligence, enabling impressive creating, productivity, and gaming experiences. With...
- Visibly Stunning: Experience sharp details and crisp colors on the 15.6" Full HD IPS display with 82.58% screen-to-body, 16:9 aspect ratio and narrow bezels
- Ergonomic Typing: Ergonomically-designed hinge lifts the keyboard for comfortable typing, improved cooling, and a better sound experience
- Internal Specifications: 4GB DDR4 on-board memory (1 slot available); 128GB NVMe solid-state drive storage (1 hard drive bay available) to store your files and media
- Acer's Purified.Voice technology, features enhanced digital signal processing to cancel out background noise, improve speech accuracy and far-field pickup, which not only makes calls clearer, but...
3. Microsoft Surface Book 3
The most powerful 2-in-1 laptop available
CPU: Intel Core i5-7300U – Intel Core i7-8650U 1.9GHz | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620; Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 (2GB GDDR5 VRAM) | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 3,000 x 2,000 (267 PPI) PixelSense display, 3:2 aspect ratio | Storage: 256GB – 1TB SSD
Many video editors may not look at a 2-in-1 laptop as their first choice for editing video but when it comes to the Surface Book 3, they should reconsider.
The components inside the Surface Book 3 are more than powerful enough to handle video editing especially if you choose the version that comes with an Nvidia GeForce GTX graphics card.
Excellent battery life and a beautiful design make it great to use as a tablet or a traditional laptop. A handy option is using the tablet to shoot video and edit it on the laptop when on the go.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ Great battery life | ➖ Thunderbolt 3 missing |
➕ Solid performance | |
➕ Detachable screen |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Most powerful Surface laptop yet, with quad-core powered, 10th Gen Intel Core processors. More than 50% faster than Surface Book 2 13.5”.
- Fastest graphics on Surface, powered by NVIDIA GTX GeForce GPU. 40% more graphics performance than Surface Book 2 13.5".
- Power when you need it. Up to 15.5 hours battery life[1] — plus improved standby that extends battery life when you’re away.
- Robust laptop, powerful tablet, and portable studio in one.
- The connections you need, including USB-A, USB-C, and full-size SD card slot.
4. Huawei Matebook 13
A great MacBook Pro alternative
CPU: 8th Gen Intel Core i7 8565U | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 , Nvidia GeForce MX150 | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 13.9-inch 3K (3,000 x 2,080) | Storage: 256GB SSD
Huawei is one of those companies that is continuously flying under the radar and those editors that are smart enough to realize how good they are can get an amazing laptop for their work.
With its beautiful design along with a stunning screen, the MateBook X Pro is loaded with an 8th generation Intel Core CPU and a battery life that puts many other choices to shame.
The MateBook X Pro is the best laptop for video editing under $1000 and an amazing alternative to the MacBook Pro.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ Great performance | ➖ The screen is a bit dim comparively |
➕ Excellent build and compact design | ➖ No Thunderbolt 3 support and no USB-A port available |
➕ Nvidia MX150 GPU included |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- World's First FullView Display: Immersive 13.9-inch 3K touchscreen with 91% screen-to-body ratio, only 0.57-inch thin and weighs only 2.93 lbs., perfect for at-home or on-the-go computing
- Powerful Inside: Windows 10 Home Signature Edition with no bloatware. 8th Gen Intel Core i7 8550U processor + NVIDIA GeForce MX150 - boosts performance up to 40% over its predecessor
- Home Theater: 3K touchscreen with 3, 000 x 2, 000 resolution, 1500:1 contrast ratio and 260 PPI allow you to see vivid details when viewing HD content. 2nd Gen Dolby ATMOS for immersive audio
- One Touch Power Button: Enabling users to power on the notebook, finish identity authentication through Windows Hello and access the desktop in less than 8 seconds. Bluetooth - Bluetooth 4.1
- Includes compact Mate Dock 2.0: USB-A port, USB-C port, HDMI port and VGA port. Includes 1 year Office 365 Personal and 1 year manufacturer warranty.60Hz refresh rate
5. Alienware Area-51m
Most powerful laptop for video editing
CPU: 9th Gen Intel Core i9-9900K | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 | RAM: 32GB | Screen: 17.3 inches | Storage: 2 X 256GB SSD (R0) + 1TB SSHD
Alienware Area-51m is a beast.
This machine is powered by an overclockable 9th Generation Core i9 desktop processor and the most recent graphics card RTX 2080. And everything looks amazing on a 17.3-inch, 1920 x 1080 display.
Also, along with its massive, upgradeable power, the machine has a stunning design and an SSD with a transfer rate of 1,272 MBps.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ Mesmerizing station aesthetic | ➖ Lacks MicroSD Card Slot |
➕ Outstanding performance and graphics | ➖ Expensive as hell |
➕ Fast SSDs |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- 9th Generation Intel Core i9-9900K (8-Core, 16MB Cache, up to 5.0GHz w/ Turbo Boost)
- 17.3" FHD (1920 x 1080) 144Hz Anti-Glare IPS Display w/ NVIDIA G-SYNC + Tobii eyetracking technology
- NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 8GB GDDR6 (OC Ready)
- 32GB (2x16GB) 2400MHz DDR4 Memory
- 2 X 256GB PCIe Solid State Drive (R0) + 1TB (+8GB SSHD) Hybrid Drive
6. Dell XPS 15
The best value laptop at a great price
CPU: 9th Generation Intel Core i7 9750h | Graphics: NVIDIA GTX 1650Ti | RAM: 8GB | Screen: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge Anti-Glare Non-touch IPS – 15.6-inch 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) Anti-Reflective InfinityEdge Touch IPS | Storage: 512G PCIe SSD
If most of your day-to-day is spent editing videos, the Dell XPS 15 is an amazing investment.
Be sure to get the powered-up version with a 9th-generation i9 CPU, gorgeous 4K display, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card, and 64GB of RAM. Even with all of this high-end tech packed into the case, the Dell XPS 15 costs less than its MacBook Pro equivalent.
Plus, there is no shortage of ports on the XPS including an SD card reader slot. All in all, this is one great investment that you should consider.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ Sleek design | ➖ GPU falls short of hardcore gamers’ demands |
➕ Great performance | |
➕ Robust speakers | |
➕ USB-C ports, Thunderbolt 3 available |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- 15.6 inch Fhd (1920 x 1080) Infinity Edge anti glare Non Touch IPS 100 percentage RGB 500 nits Display
- 9th Generation Intel Core i7 9750h (12MB Cache, up to 4.5 Gigahertz, 6 Cores)
- 8GB DDR4 2666MHz, 2x4G
- 512G PCIe SSD
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR5
7. Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition
A professional laptop with serious power
CPU: 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q – NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 Studio Edition | RAM: 32GB | Screen: 15.6-inch OLED 4K Touch 60Hz, factory calibrated | Storage: 1TB SSD
Laptops from Razer are typically marketed for the gaming crowd but the Blade 15 Studio Edition has been built with creatives in mind, especially considering the high-end graphics card packed inside.
An Nvidia Quadro RTX 5000 plus the 15.6-inch OLED 4K display makes everything you put on it look amazing.
No surprise to anyone is the price that this incredible workstation comes with. While the price is steep, if being able to have the best workflow possible is important during your day, you may want to consider going outside your budget.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ Premium design | ➖ Overwhelming for many people |
➕ Good battery life |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Zero-Compromise Creative Mobile Workstation: Built for creative work in a 0.7" thin CNC aluminum unibody with high-performance, vapor chamber cooling powered by an NVIDIA Quadro series GPU
- Futureproof Design: Thunderbolt 3 capable, compatible with Razer Core external GPU enclosures for additional power; supports dual-channel memory and SSD upgradability
- Professional-Grade Studio Display: Features an individually calibrated 4K OLED touch display covering 100% DCI-P3 with a blazing fast 1ms response time
- Ready to Connect: Plug in multiple devices directly to expand the view on up to 3 extrenal displays via Thunderbolt 3, MiniDislayPort, and HDMIm and get over gigabit speeds through Intel Wi-Fi 6 for a...
- Biometric Security: Supports Windows Hello instant facial unlock with integrated webcam and IR sensor
8. HP ZBook FireFly
Beautiful design combined with incredible brains
CPU: Intel® Core™ i7-1255U 4.7 GHz | Graphics: NVIDIA® T550 Laptop GPU | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 16″ diagonal WUXGA display | Storage: 512 GB SSD storage
With a weight of just over four pounds, the ZBook Firefly from HP is a good laptop for video editing and motion graphics.
With its 4K screen and Intel Xeon processor, this little laptop has some serious power behind it. Along with a great Nvidia Quadro graphics card and an easily upgradeable 512GB SSD.
The ZBook offers great value for the money and is one of the best laptops for video editing.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ High-quality aluminum case | ➖ Micro SD reader and RJ45 not available |
➕ 2 RAM slots | ➖ CPU/GPU architectures are outdated |
➕ Good battery life | |
➕ Silent fan |
9. MSI GS65 Stealth
Built for gaming, perfect for video editing
CPU: Intel Core i7-9750H GTX1660Ti | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX1660Ti 6GB GDDR6 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) anti-glare, wide-view 144Hz panel | Storage: 512GB M.2 SSD
The GS65 Stealth is built primarily as a gaming laptop but with the excellent specs inside it, it is also an amazing option for video editors as well.
Packed with an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor plus an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 graphics card meaning that the Stealth can handle multi-tasking and editing with ease.
Plus if you want to get some gaming in on the weekend, you can do that too.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ Great design | ➖ Heating issue while gaming |
➕ Excellent graphics performance | |
➕ Audio quality is extraordinary | |
➕ Thin bezels |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- 15.6" FHD, Anti-Glare Wide View Angle 144Hz 3ms 72%NTSC NVIDIA GeForce GTX1660Ti 6G GDDR6
- Intel Core i7-9750H 2.6 - 4.5GHz Intel 9560 Jefferson Peak (2x2 802.11 ac)
- 16GB (8G 2) DDR4 2666MHz 2 Sockets; Max Memory 64GB
- Killer Gaming Network E2500 Dynaudio Speakers 2W2 720p HD Webcam
- USB 3.2 Gen2 3; Thunderbolt 31
10. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
Our pick for Lenovo laptop
CPU: Intel Core i5/Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti | RAM: 8-64GB | Screen: 15 inches | Storage: 256GB/512GB/1TB SSD
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme is the company’s first 15-inch laptop with a discrete graphics card – Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GPU.
It’s a monster that can be outfitted with an 8th Gen Intel Core i9 CPU and 64GB of RAM.
The ThinkPad X1 Extreme can withstand high temperature, humidity, sand and dust, and repeated drops. In addition to all these amazing features, it also has an optional IR camera, allowing you to use Windows Hello facial recognition to sign into your laptop.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ Phenomenal display (4K HDR) | ➖ Battery life is not good |
➕ Great performance | |
➕ Beautiful design |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- 【Upgraded】 Seal is opened for Hardware/Software upgrade only to enhance performance. 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) 60Hz IPS Display; Wi-Fi 6 AX201 Wifi, Bluetooth 5.1, Ethernet LAN (RJ-45), 720p HD...
- 【Powerful Performance with Intel Core i7-1165G7 Quad Core】 11th Gen Intel Core i7-1165G7 2.80GHz Processor (upto 4.7 GHz, 12MB Cache, 4-Cores, ) ; NVIDIA GTX 1650 Integrated Graphics, .
- 【High Speed and Multitasking】 32GB DDR4 SODIMM; 65W Power Supply, 3-Cell 45 WHr Battery; Glossy Black Color, .
- 【Enormous Storage】 1TB SATA SSD; 1 USB 2.0, 1 HDMI, No Optical Drive, Headphone/Microphone Combo Jack.
- Windows 10 Pro-64., 1 Year Manufacturer warranty from GreatPriceTech (Professionally upgraded by GreatPriceTech)
11. ASUS ZenBook 15
The best ultra-slim laptop for video editing
CPU: Core i7-10510U | Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 16GB | Screen: 15.6 inches | Storage: 1TB PCIe SSD
ZenBook 15‘s ultralight, ultracompact chassis brings in a new age of ultraportable design that every video editor desires. The ZenBook 15 is 12% lighter and 3.6 lbs lighter than the ZenBook 15 of the previous generation (UX530), and it has a four-sided NanoEdge display with a touch option.
The new ScreenPad 2.0 improves on the conventional laptop experience by adding a second interactive touchscreen that boosts productivity and offers limitless options. Your own smooth multitasking workflow is easy to create because of its simple, smartphone-like UI.
A number of useful ASUS utility programs are available to increase productivity, including Quick Key, Handwriting, Number Key, Doc Xpert, Slide Xpert, and Sheet Xpert, which automate complex keyboard sequences with a single tap.
You can easily add apps to ScreenPad for rapid access, and ScreenPad 2.0 cleverly fits several apps within the 5.65-inch touchscreen. Your favorite apps, like Evernote and Spotify, will immediately function flawlessly on this secondary display thanks to the newly optimized ScreenPad experience, eliminating the need for a ScreenPad-specific version.
Additionally, ASUS closely collaborates with outside developers, such as Corel, a developer of video editing software, to enhance the productivity of adaptive ScreenPad tools making it an ideal choice for all editors and animators.
Pros |
Cons |
➕ Intelligent touchpad | ➖ The main screen is not a touch screen |
➕ Durable | |
➕ Compact and portable |
Latest Price on Amazon:
- Innovative ScreenPad: 5.65-inch interactive touchscreen trackpad that adapts to your needs for smarter control and multitasking
- App Switcher on ScreenPad: easily move docked windows between your main display and ScreenPad display
- 15.6 inch wide-view Full HD 4-way NanoEdge bezel display
- Latest 10th generation Intel Core i7-10510U Quad Core Processor (8M Cache, up to 4.9 GHz) with NVIDIA GeForce GTX1650 Max-Q discrete graphics
- Fast storage and memory featuring 1TB PCIe NVMe SSD and 16GB LPDDR3 RAM
Frequently Asked Questions
What is important in a laptop for video editing?
There are two major factors one needs to consider. These components are the CPU and memory. The more cores and the latest CPU technology you have, the better. Also, memory plays a crucial role in the smooth editing of videos without any lag or disruption.
What laptop is good for 4K video editing?
Dell XPS 15 is perfect for 4K video editing - equipped with high-end tech and enough memory; this laptop makes video editing look like a breeze. The best thing about it is the reasonable price range that makes it the right pick for 4K video editing.
Is 8GB RAM enough for video editing?
That depends on the video size and resolution. For 1080p videos, 8GB RAM can get the job done if you close background applications. But for 4K videos, you need to have 16GB RAM or 32GB RAM for a flawless experience.
What is the best budget laptop for video editing?
HP Envy x360 is the best budget laptop for animators, video editors, & motion graphic artists. With this laptop, you can get the premium editing feel without burning a hole in your pocket. With an amazing specs list, this laptop delivers top-notch performance when editing videos.
Can a gaming laptop be used for video editing?
Well, gaming laptops are mainly loaded with a powerful GPU. If it's a mid-range gaming laptop, it won't be good for editing 4K videos as it lacks a high-end CPU. So, if you have a gaming laptop with both high-end GPU and CPU, you can edit videos flawlessly.
Video Editing Laptop Buying Guide: How to choose what’s right for you
When you buy a laptop for video editing, there are many different things that you should focus on when you choose which one is right for your needs. Overall though, we feel like the majority of the laptops can be picked based on four different factors:
Resolution
While the resolution of the laptop’s display can help make whatever video clips you’re working on look clearer and crisper, not every laptop that is available for video editing has made the migration to 4K yet. That’s why at a minimum, you should look for a monitor with a resolution of at least 1080p. Anything less and the quality of the video you’re editing will not look professional at all.
Processor
It seems like every couple of months the latest and greatest processor from Intel or AMD is announced and every new one is better than the last because of the power they offer to help your editing software run smoothly and without any lag issues. While the ideal option is an Intel Xeon CPU or better, having either an 8-core Intel CPU or equivalent is recommended for optimal results
Video card
The video card or GPU is essential to your video editing process. The benefit of having a great GPU is that when you’re editing a video, the workload is split between the CPU and GPU, taking less strain off the CPU and letting it perform up to its capabilities. Shooting for an Nvidia RTX of AMD Radeon Pro video card is at the pinnacle of the available options out there.
RAM
Having a laptop with more available RAM means that it can allow your computer to work with more information at the same time and can improve the overall performance of the system. While as a baseline, having 16GB of RAM is a good place to start, the more RAM you have the better and 64GB is the ideal place you should be.
If you’re looking to edit videos professionally, you should try Adobe Premiere Pro. This video editor has several effective tools to help you edit your videos and add several unique touches. This video editing software is suitable for both professionals and video editing enthusiasts.
Best Laptops for Video Editing, Motion Graphics & Animation in 2023
If you want to succeed in editing videos in 2023, you have to have the best technology to do it. With our list of the best laptops for video editing and graphic design in 2023, we hope we’ve provided you with enough options so that when you’re ready for your next laptop, the choice you have to make is an easy one.
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