I tested the best video editing laptops in 2025: Here’s what I recommend for your next project

Why we prefer it: Apple’s M4 MacBook Professional takes the highest spot as the very best video enhancing laptop computer. It handles heavy workloads, like exporting giant information to scrubbing via high-resolution footage, with relative ease. This efficiency is due to the M4 chipset. The MacBook Professional can home totally different chip fashions, relying on what you need. For instance, the M4 Max consists of a 14-core CPU and a 32-core GPU. In line with Apple, a MacBook Professional outfitted with the M4 Max is 3.5 instances quicker than an M1 MacBook Professional.

There may be extra to the MacBook Professional than simply its {hardware}. The Liquid Retina XDR show stays best-in-class with an anti-glare coating and as much as 1,600 nits of brightness. Unified reminiscence choices scale as much as 48GB, giving customers extra headroom for multitasking or giant AI fashions.

Final, however not least, the MacBook Professional has a formidable battery lifetime of as much as 24 hours on a single cost. 

Additionally: Apple’s boringly awesome reason to buy the M4 MacBook Pro – and why I’m sold on it

Who it is for: I like to recommend the MacBook Professional to anybody juggling video enhancing tasks with high-resolution footage or tasks that require quite a lot of rendering. This machine can sustain with out breaking a sweat. Digital nomads may even respect the full-day battery and sharp show.

Who ought to look elsewhere: The M4 MacBook Professional might be overkill for individuals who do not typically cope with heavy inventive work, particularly with its excessive price ticket. Costs begin at $1,599 for the bottom mannequin and might go over $5,000 with all non-compulsory options included. Informal customers are higher off utilizing a MacBook Air or one thing extra price range pleasant.

Apple MacBook Professional 16 specs: Processor: Apple M4 | Show measurement: 14 or 16 inches | Working system: Mac OS | Dimensions: 14 x 9.77 x 0.66 inches

Why we prefer it: Asus’ ProArt P16 has the very best show I’ve seen on a video enhancing laptop computer. Two elements make it pretty much as good as it’s. First, it is giant, measuring 16 inches diagonally. The scale helps you be extra productive and multitask. Second, it’s an OLED touchscreen with a vibrant, deeply vibrant output. The show precisely represents colours, which, as you may think about, is a necessary characteristic when creating content material.

A great enhancing laptop can solely accomplish a lot with the suitable {hardware}. The mannequin homes an AMD Ryzen 9 HX 370 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, and 32GB of RAM. This configuration can chew via high-res footage and render the ultimate product and not using a downside. 

I additionally wish to shout out the customized DialPad. It’s a small circle on the trackpad that gives shortcuts to numerous enhancing instruments. Battery life is first rate. It could final over 10 hours on a single cost.

Overview: Asus ProArt P16

Who it is for: The ProArt P16 is right for inventive professionals searching for a cell laptop with a color-accurate show and quite a lot of customization choices. That DialPad turns out to be useful everytime you wish to change brush sizes in Photoshop or reduce one thing in Adobe Premiere. Plus, the top-notch {hardware} makes it an excellent decide for cartoonists, animators, and 3D designers engaged on giant tasks.

Who ought to look elsewhere: The show could also be its greatest characteristic, nevertheless it does have one main flaw. It is an ultra-glossy display, inflicting distracting reflections. Utilizing the laptop computer below brightly lit situations could show tough. Additionally, the customization choices could show overwhelming for some. In his overview, ZDNET Editor Kyle Kucharski identified that it took a very long time to arrange the DialPad.

Asus ProArt P16 specs: Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 | Show measurement: 16 inches | Working system: Home windows 11 | Dimensions: 13.97 x 9.72 x 0.68 inches

Why we prefer it: Dell’s Inspiron 16 Plus is a well-rounded, reliable laptop computer. It sports activities a 2.5K show with a refresh fee of 120Hz, delivering sharp and impressively easy visible outputs. Because of its 120Hz refresh fee, it is sharp, color-rich, and impressively easy. The 16:10 side ratio gives a very good quantity of vertical workspace, so you will get a very good view of your mission. I ought to point out that the panel has a peak brightness of 300 nits, which is not superb. But it surely’s serviceable for indoor work and allows an extended battery life.

For {hardware}, you may select to equip the machine with an Intel Core Extremely 7 processor and an Nvidia RTX 4050 graphics card. This setup is able to simply dealing with multitasking and inventive workloads. ZDNET Editor Kyle Kucharski additionally praised the Inspiron 16 Plus’ prolonged battery life in his overview. It is able to lasting as much as 12 hours on a single cost. Different notable options embrace a quad-speaker array and as much as 2TB of storage.

Overview: Dell Inspiron 16 Plus (7640)

Who it is for: For those who’re a content material creator, scholar, or an expert searching for a brand new laptop computer that will not break the financial institution, the Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 is among the many greatest. It would not excel in a single explicit space, nevertheless it does a number of issues fairly nicely. This laptop boasts sufficient horsepower for animation work and even some mild gaming.

Who ought to look elsewhere: Dell’s gadget is a chunky laptop computer, weighing practically 5 kilos. So, touring with the Inspiron 16 goes to be moderately tough. Though the show’s decision is excessive, it lacks help for enhancement software program like HDR. Customers who worth color-accurate imaging above all else ought to contemplate another choice.

Dell Inspiron 16 Plus 7640 specs: Processor: Intel Core Extremely 7 155H | Show measurement: 16 inches | Working system: Home windows 11 | Dimensions: 14.05 x 9.87 x 0.72 inches

Why we prefer it: There’s quite a lot of profit to having a large-screen video enhancing laptop computer, however what when you want one thing smaller? HP’s EliteBook X G1a matches the invoice properly, sporting a high-resolution 14-inch OLED touchscreen. Opposite to its measurement, this gadget packs quite a lot of muscle beneath its slim body. Below the hood is an AMD Ryzen AI Professional chip delivering a critical efficiency that is greater than sufficient for inventive workloads.

ZDNET Editor Kyle Kucharski stated working “industry-standard applications like Da Vinci Resolve was a breeze” and on a regular basis productiveness duties felt snappy. The benchmark exams again this up, indicating that the EliteBook X G1a is a “highly effective enterprise machine” too. 

Overview: HP EliteBook X G1a

Who it is for: That is the perfect 14-inch laptop computer for customers searching for sturdy efficiency with out sacrificing portability. One of many points that some entries on the checklist have is that they are often moderately heavy. Moreover, the EliteBook X G1a gives the ability and connectivity to maintain up with fashionable instances.

Who ought to look elsewhere: Do not get this laptop computer if battery longevity is necessary to you. In line with ZDNET’s exams, the gadget lasts slightly over 11 hours on a single cost, which is okay, nevertheless it will not be the length you are searching for. I must also point out that the pc can run moderately heat below heavy workloads.

HP EliteBook X G1a specs: Processor: AMD Ryzen AI 7 Professional | Show measurement: 14 inches | Working system: Home windows 11 | Dimensions: 12.29 x 8.45 x 0.36 inches

Why we prefer it: In relation to video enhancing, 2-in-1 laptops are as much as the duty. Turning the pc right into a pill deepens the gadget’s usability. You’ll be able to straight work together with a video’s timeline, reduce out clips, or sketch out storyboards in actual time. There are lots of choices on the market, however the HP Envy x360 is the very best. It boasts a big 16-inch, 2.8K OLED touchscreen that’s each sharp and colour correct. 

HP claims that its laptop computer is “IMAX licensed” as a consequence of its potential to point out “IMAX-formatted content material in [their] unique… side ratio.” ZDNET Editor Kyle Kucharski states that though it is a “flashy designation”, the 16-inch display “does look good”. That is not all. HP’s machine comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS CPU, an built-in AMD Radeon GPU, a long-lasting battery, and “beefy audio system”, all working collectively to offer you an expertise that is second to none.

Overview: HP Envy x360

Who it is for: The HP Envy x360 is an effective alternative for individuals who need the interactivity a pill gives whereas nonetheless having fun with the ability of a laptop computer. It strikes a pleasant center floor for many who desire a mix of portability and suppleness. Plus, the big display measurement makes touchscreen enhancing much more comfy for prolonged durations of time.

Who ought to look elsewhere: There are a few points with Envy x360 which will dissuade individuals from buying it. First, it is slightly heavy, at simply over 4 kilos. Second, the shiny show attracts fingerprints like a magnet. Moreover, I would not advocate the gadget to professionals with heavy workloads. You are higher off shopping for a laptop computer with a devoted graphics card or a robust desktop.

HP Envy x360 specs: Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 8840HS | Show measurement: 16-inch 3K OLED touchscreen | Working system: Home windows 11 | Dimensions: 14.04 x 9.68 x 0.72 inches

Why we prefer it: Galaxy smartphones make it extremely straightforward for customers to take high-quality movies, due to their superior digital camera know-how. These mobile devices include their very own enhancing instruments, however if you wish to take issues to the following degree, I like to recommend the Galaxy Book5 Professional.

The laptop computer has many helpful options that may assist individuals refine their creations. Fast Share enables you to seamlessly switch information out of your cell gadget to the pc, the place you may then work on them. It sports activities a 16-inch AMOLED touchscreen able to outputting pictures at 3K decision and covers 120% of the DCI-P3 colour gamut. The show additionally runs at a refresh fee of 120Hz. Specs like these permit the Galaxy Book5 Professional to be good for colour grading and scrubbing via footage.

Add in 15.5 hours of battery life, an enormous touchpad, and a light-weight construct, and you’ve got a well-rounded video enhancing machine.

Overview: Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro

Who it is for: I strongly advocate this laptop computer to Galaxy homeowners, particularly those that personal a Galaxy S25. Content material creators can file footage on their smartphone and edit it on their machine. Constructed-in Galaxy AI options like Picture Remaster and AI Choose add handy inventive instruments for sprucing visuals or discovering reference supplies.

I must also point out that the Galaxy Book5 Professional has first rate {hardware}, working on an Intel Core Extremely 7 256V chipset and 16GB of RAM.

Who ought to look elsewhere: For those who do not personal a Galaxy smartphone, I’d advocate one other laptop computer. You could possibly nonetheless get rather a lot out of the Galaxy Book5 Professional even when you personal a non-Samsung telephone. The issue is you will not be capable to use lots of the options to their fullest extent. Plus, it isn’t all that totally different from the Galaxy Book5 Professional 360, which, on the time of this writing, is cheaper.

Samsung Galaxy Book5 Professional specs: Processor: Intel Core Extremely 7 256V | Show measurement: 14 inches AMOLED | Working system: Home windows 11 | Dimensions: 13.99 x 9.93 x 0.50 inches

Why we prefer it: Gaming laptops additionally lend themselves very nicely to video enhancing tasks. These machines typically have among the greatest {hardware} available on the market. The principle downside with these computer systems is you could’t take them into the workplace. Their vibrant RGB lighting will be very distracting. Seeing a chance, Dell made a gaming laptop computer with the workplace employee in thoughts: the Alienware m16 R2.

It homes an Intel Core Extremely 9 185H processor and an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, a {hardware} pairing that may adeptly deal with heavy workloads. The colourful, 2K show runs at a refresh fee of 240Hz, which is ideal for content material creation because it allows easy on-screen animations. However what actually makes the laptop computer stand out is its considerate design. It is not as cumbersome as many different gaming laptops, and the Stealth Mode characteristic immediately turns off the RGB lighting for a extra skilled look.

Overview: Alienware m16 R2

Who it is for: The Alienware m16 R2 is a superb laptop that balances energy with practicality. I’d advocate this to customers wanting top-tier efficiency whereas sustaining a clear, office-friendly look. In my expertise, few laptops can do each equally nicely, however not this machine. It is the exception to the rule.

Who ought to look elsewhere: I’d not advocate the Alienware m16 R2 to individuals who worth portability and longevity. The laptop computer is fairly chunky, clocking in at practically six kilos. It’s not very travel-friendly, and you may wish to preserve the charger shut by. Throughout my time testing it, the gadget solely lasted for about 6.5 hours earlier than tapping out. 

Alienware m16 R2 specs: Processor: Intel Core Extremely 9 | Show measurement: 16 inches | Working system: Home windows 11 | Dimensions: 14.33 x 9.81 x 0.93 inches