When it comes to projects that require a laptop with a high processor video editing ranks at the top next to gaming. For video editing, having the right hardware and software is what will set your videos apart and help you stand out. For hardware, you require a machine whose graphics are top notch, has high resolution to ensure that your video quality is excellent, and you can work with raw high definition videos and finally a processor that can manage to handle all the intense activities such as rendering. And if you are a serious video editor, it doesn’t hurt for you to go the extra mile and ensure that your machine has a discrete graphics card. To make your decision making easier we rounded up some of the best Windows laptops you can use for video editing regardless of whether you are a beginner or an expert of the trade.
1. Acer Predator Helios 500
Intro:
The Acer Predator is in our opinion one of the best video editing laptops in the market due to its speed and ability to work with any multimedia. Equipped with a powerful processor, the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5) graphics card and two terabytes hard disk you can play around with your video editing without having to worry about storage space for your media or the machine experiencing a go slow.
Our favorite thing about this machine is that you have the option of choosing between two processors; the eight-core AMD Ryzen or six-core Intel Core i9 processor. Were it up to us; we’d choose for the eight-core processor for video editing.
Pros:
- An extremely powerful processor with the capability to support video editing
- You have the choice of choosing between one of two processors
Cons:
- It falls on the upper end of the price spectrum especially if you decide to configure it to your preference
- It is quite bulky which makes it occasionally inconveniencing.
2. Microsoft Surface Book 2
Intro:
Microsoft is one brand that needs no introduction as it is a household brand for most things’ computers, and it has also perfected the craft that is laptop making. Surface book 2 certainly proves that, as it is an improved version of its predecessor and only a few points shy to being ranked in the same playing field as the XPS 15.
This machine is exceptional for video editing for a good number of reasons which include its long battery life, a resolution display of 3,240 x 2,160, a graphics processing unit, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 chipset and finally a powerful processor that you can further configure as it suite you. This is one machine that will match your expenditure with performance.
Pros:
- It comes with a detachable screen
- With almost 10 hours of battery life, you can get to work and not have to worry about charging your machine for quite some time.
- In comparison to the first-generation surface books, surface book 2 is one of the fastest surface books.
Cons:
- It is quite costly and retails for around $2000
- It is not equipped with the Thunderbolt 3 port
3. HP Spectre x360
Intro:
When we think of elegance, the Spectre x360 is a machine that epitomizes the word to a tee. This beautiful machine is second to none. With a handbrake performance of 10 mins and 45 sec, it is easy to see why this machine is a crowd favorite. Its solid performance is because of the Intel Core i5-8265U processor, 256GB PCIe SSD and 8GB of RAM but you can opt to have all these features customized depending on your location.
Pros:
- The specifications of this laptop vary, and you can choose a variation that you feel is suitable for you. For example, some versions come with a 4k display screen while others don’t. However, keep in mind that the cost will be different depending on the specs.
- It has a long battery life which is ideal for video editing.
- As previously mentioned, the Spectre x360 is synonymous to elegance, and the design is just amazing.
- Exceptional image quality.
Cons:
- Retailing for about $1400, this bad boy is expensive.
- You will have to purchase a USB-C adapter for video out as it is not included in the packaging.
- The machine tends to heat up quite a bit.
4. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Extreme
Intro:
A beast at video editing, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 which is part of Lenovo’s X series laptops is the first 15-inch laptop equipped with a discrete graphics card. Beautifully designed the laptop has the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB graphic processing unit working in conjunction with an 8th-generation Intel Core i7 processor which ensure its performance is top notch.
Pros:
- The user experience of the ThinkPad X1 is quite significant.
- It offers tremendous and fast performance due to its specs.
- The 4K HDR display is prodigious.
Cons:
- Weighing at 1.84kgs, the ThinkPad X1 extreme is quite heavy.
- It runs warm when the system is pushed to its limits and has a very audible fan that only gets louder as you keep putting in even more work
- Compared to other machines, the battery life of this machine is questionable.
- It is quite expensive and gets even more expensive should you choose to fit it with configurations that you desire.
5. Dell XPS 15
Intro:
A stunning infinity edge display, the XPS 15 is a dynamo, and we can confidently label it is the best video editing laptop on our list because it not only works exceptionally for video editing but for all other uses you may have. The Del XPS 15 offers similar specifications/ hardware to the Mac Book Pro, but at a lower price and considering how revered the Mac Book Pro is that should tell you quite a lot about the capabilities of this machine. The XPS 15 is equipped with Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 GPU, Kaby Lake processor, 8GB RAM, and our personal favorite 4K 3,840 x 2,160 resolution display. You are guaranteed to have flawless video editing.
Pros:
- The performance of this machine is nothing but outstanding.
- Compared to earlier versions, the bezels of this machine are much narrower which make it aesthetically pleasing.
- The presence of the 8th generation processor and graphics processing unit make it a more superior version of earlier versions.
Cons:
- The battery life is wanting when compared to other laptops.
- For the retail price of below $2000, the XPS 15 is quite expensive.
6. Lenovo Yoga 720
Intro:
If you’re on a budget, then the Lenovo Yoga 710 which retails for about $1000 is ideal for you as it perfectly strikes a balance between cost and capability.
Pros:
- The Yoga 720 gives you value for your money as it works almost as good as other superior laptops but doesn’t dent your bank account balance.
- The overall performance of the machine is excellent, and even when the processor is pushed to its limit the fan still runs silently
Cons:
- It does not have a high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI)
- The IPS display could be better.
- The storage capacity of this device, as well as the RAM, are quite low.
7. MSI Prestige P65 creator
Intro:
A hexacore processor and GeForce GTX 1070 Max-Q some of the few elements that should give away why the MSI prestige P65 creator is great for video editing. With a PPI of 141, the display of the Prestige is high definition accompanied by 1920 X 1080 pixels. This means that the color clarity is not compromised when you are working on editing your videos. Its performance is also something else as the 8th gen core i7 Intel processor pushes the laptop to execute and perform tasks as intended without any lags. Its graphics card the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 I has the capability for productive video editing and does not cut back or throttle the performance of the P65 Creator.
For ports and interfaces, this laptop boasts a Kensington lock, air vents, the network port, two USB 3.0 port, and two separate 3.5 mm audio jacks for headphones and a microphone on the left side and a USB 3.1, Type-C (Thunderbolt 3), mDP, an HDMI connector, and a power connector on the right side.
Pros:
- The color accuracy of this laptop is outstanding. You will not experience any clouding when viewing videos.
- It includes a Thunderbolt 3 port.
Cons:
- If you are working in bright environments that have an active backlight, then you will find it difficult to read/edit from the screen of this laptop.
Conclusion
The laptops we’ve listed below are some of the best windows laptops that can get you through video editing whether you are a newbie, a student or an expert. When deciding on which windows laptop to pick for your video editing you should consider some few specifications like the display screen traits, the processor capacity, and the storage space capabilities before committing to purchase. If you are not limited by your budget feel free to dedicate your money on a machine with an exceptional processor and a graphics processing unit. You can never go wrong if you get those two specs right, other auxiliary functions can be considered second to this.
