Summer is a great time to invest in projects, creative gigs, and content creation -- and having the right laptop for video editing is a key piece of the puzzle. You need a machine that can handle everything you throw at it, from full-length film to clips for social media. We tested a wide range of laptops for video editing and found that while some budget laptops can manage basic editing, investing in a purpose-built laptop makes a huge difference. Powerful machines like the Apple M4 MacBook Pro give you a high-quality display and beefy specs to bring your vision to life this upcoming season.
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. But our 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
Show less View now at Amazon View now at Apple View now at B&H Photo-Video 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 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. Also: Apple's boringly awesome reason to buy the M4 MacBook Pro - and why I'm sold on it 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 Value 9 Performance 10 Design/Build 9 Battery life 8 Display 9 Pros Awesome performance from M4 chip
Thunderbolt 5 ports
Long battery life. Cons Expensive Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2024) Best laptop for video editing overall 4.5 / 5 Score 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 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. Also: Apple's boringly awesome reason to buy the M4 MacBook Pro - and why I'm sold on it 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 Read More Show Expert Take Show less
Show less View now at Best Buy View now at Walmart Why we like it: 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. The size helps you be more productive and multitask. Second, it is an OLED touchscreen with a bright, deeply vibrant output. The display accurately represents colors, which, as you can imagine, is an essential feature when creating content. A good editing computer can only accomplish so much with the right hardware. The model houses an AMD Ryzen 9 HX 370 processor, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card, and 32GB of RAM. This configuration can chew through high-res footage and render the final product without a problem. I also want to shout out the custom DialPad. It is a small circle on the trackpad that provides shortcuts to various editing tools. Battery life is decent. It can last over 10 hours on a single charge. 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. That DialPad comes in handy whenever you want to change brush sizes in Photoshop or cut something in Adobe Premiere. Plus, the top-notch hardware makes it a great pick for cartoonists, animators, and 3D designers working on large projects. Who should look elsewhere: The display may be its best feature, but it does have one major flaw. It's an ultra-glossy screen, causing distracting reflections. Using the laptop under brightly lit conditions may prove difficult. Also, the customization options may prove overwhelming for some. In his review, ZDNET Editor Kyle Kucharski pointed out that it took a long time to set up the DialPad. 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 Value 6 Performance 8 Design/Build 8 Battery life 8 Display 8 Pros 4K display
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