Professional video editors and YouTubers know the importance of video editing and the results it brings compared with unedited videos. For that required a powerful system for video editing either a laptop or a PC.
In this article, we will discuss the best laptops for video editing, but the biggest concern with such laptops is the price tag. Laptops designed for editing videos are usually expensive and spending huge money just for a laptop can be a problem, especially for beginner YouTubers.
Keeping that thing in mind, we have prepared this list of best laptops for video editing under 1000 dollars to help beginners or even professionals with a budget of one thousand dollars to get a decent laptop for video editing without breaking their bank.
After some hefty research, we were able to find out the best budget options that you can use for video editing. All the affordable laptops for video editing listed in this article can run flexible video editing software packages like Adobe Premiere Pro, FCP, and Da Vinci Resolve, etc.
Just to let you know, that laptop for video editing in the $1000 price range isn’t necessarily normal. One thousand US dollars is a lot of money and you would be able to get a reasonable laptop with impressive performance. There will be enough specifications to handle minimal to super-intensive tasks like editing super-high definition stuff, creating brilliant graphics, and running minimal video editing suites like Cyber Link Power Director, etc.
What are the important specifications for a great mid-range video editing laptop?
- A multi-core CPU with thermal management
- A dedicated GPU with overclock able resources
- FHD or 4K display with superior color calibration and great viewing angles
- A ton of storage ( SSD and HDD )
- Well-built keyboard and Precise track pad
- Extensive connectivity options with media card reader
If you’re a creative graphic designer and just need a laptop for that purpose, you can choose cheaper laptops available in this list but if you are a hardcore video editor, you would be able to get the most powerful laptop without spending a dime.
Every laptop selected for this list can easily render 4K videos at full speed without input lag. So, are you ready to pick your favorite unique video editing gear? Let’s get started…
If you have a sub-$1000 budget, you can get a perfect laptop for video editing. But spending little more than $1000 can definitely get you a more powerful and better-performing laptop for multi-track editing, smooth multitasking, and overclocked performance.
[table “8” not found /]Best Laptop for Video Editing Under $1000
Let’s take a look at all the Best Laptop For Video Editing Under $1000.
1. HP Pavilion 15
This is the Best Dual Storage Laptop For Video Editing that’s so powerful that it can be used for an entire film editing project. Having two storage drives not only makes it fast for accessing and transferring larger files but also gives plenty of storage space for storing bigger movies and footage without spending extra money on additional drives.
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Budget-Friendly
The is the most popular budget-friendly gaming laptop and the best part is that it has a variant with higher specifications which cost you slightly more but are worthwhile for hardcore gaming and professional video editing. The laptop comes with a fine-tuned set of hardware optimizations to handle low-end to medium-end projects for video editors.
As we are discussing the laptops for video editing under the $1000 price bracket, but this laptop not only has a cheaper price tag than other contenders in this list but also has extra features like Dual-Storage and more powerful graphics card.
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Processor
Regarding specs, the HP Pavilion 15 comes with Intel Core i5 with a clock speed of 2.4GHz which can be boosted to 4.1GHz. There is an NVIDIA 1650 graphics card with 4GB of VRAM. These are the major specifications for any video editing laptop under a grand.
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Storage
Other than that, the laptop gets jaw-dropping power for video editing for the 16GB RAM and there are two variations of storage, a 256GB SSD and 1TB HDD. This is something that you won’t get with any laptop on this list of best laptops for video editing. The SSD can load OS files with higher speed and the HDD can be used to store the raw footage as well as finalized edited clips.
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Color Accuracy
A better laptop for video editing is the one with higher color accuracy and color reproduction and HP Pavilion brings both of these. Plus, there are micro-bezels and 1080p resolution to ensure you are immersive while editing. The panel gets considerably bright when editing something raw.
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Keyboard
Furthermore, there is a backlit keyboard that gives you awesome feedback and you can customize the colors as well. There is also a standard track pad and offers standard precision which is usually expected in near the 1000 dollar price range.
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Lightweight
The overall weight of the laptop is 4.92 that makes this laptop extremely portable and it has 0.98 thickness making it the slimmest video editing laptop under the $1000 price margin. Regarding connectivity, the HP Pavilion 15 is loaded with a handful of connectivity ports including 2 USB 3.1, 1 USB Type C, 3 USB Type-A, HDMI, and Mini Display Port.
Finally, the laptop offers you 4 hours of battery backup which is the maximum by any laptop for such needs because of the resource-intensive work which can drain the laptop quickly compared with other activities like web browsing, watching movies, or even playing basic games. That said, HP Pavilion is a perfect companion for your editing needs.
Our Verdict
Overall, the HP Pavilion 15 checks all the video editing credentials making it a great video editing laptop for $1000. The best part is that it’s neither expensive nor the cheapest but stands in the middle ground while offering higher specs and performance than the competitors. All in all, it’s worth the investment and gives you some savings as well.
2. Lenovo Legion 5
The Lenovo Legion 5 is a little more than $1000 video editing laptop but equipped with seriously powerful components making it an ideal machine for video editing.
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Processor
Regarding the specifications, the Legion 5 is equipped with AMD Ryzen 7 4800 CPU that delivers similar performance to an Intel Core i7 processor, and the existing mobile SoC boasts exceptional single and multithreaded performances. The best part is the clock speed of 4.2GHz and the octa-core architecture which can easily run a handful of software like Fillmore, Premier Pro, Pinnacle Studio, and any other video editing software solution.
Moving towards the GPU, the laptop comes with a GTX 1660 Ti GPU that is extremely suitable for professional editing that consists of several processes like rendering, encoding videos, blurring, and color correction. All in all, it can handle all types of GUP-accelerated tasks without any lag in performance.
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Storage
Furthermore, the unit comes with ultrafast reliable 16GB RAM which further helps in faster trims and video re-sequencing. A 512GB SSD isn’t enough for professional editors as their edited and rendered files are usually bigger than normal editors. So, this much storage suits a mid-level editor.
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Display
Moving on, the Legion 15 comes with a gorgeously thin 15.6-inch screen with 1920 x 1080 resolution and a 144Hz refresh rate that allows you to perform top-notch renders, cross dissolving processes, and cut-aways frame drop with perfection and clarity of the display. Many graphic editors and videographers are concerned with the color correction and adjustment of the display and this unit has 100% sRGB coverage making it a perfect choice for those dealing with color correction and exposure adjustment.
The best part is the TrueStrike keyboard based on a thermal layout with Coldfront 2.0 technology. Plus, a Harman Kardon acoustic set up is much more helpful in audio-centric edits.
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HD Webcam
The laptop has an HD webcam with a privacy shutter and serviceable microphones. Regarding connectivity, there are a handful of ports, including HDMI, Type-C, Wi-Fi 6, and USB 3.1 all of which help in external workflow management or data transfers.
Having such powerful specs on such a process-intensive laptop makes it a professional workstation and still getting 9 hours of battery backup makes it the best bang for the buck option for creative editors.
Our Verdict
Overall, this is a great video editing laptop or you can call it a video editing rig that is capable of editing 4k video or 1080p footage without complaining, giving video editors incredibly sharp content with longer battery life. If you have few extra bucks in your pocket then don’t hesitate to invest in this powerful video editing laptop because the specifications and performance this laptop delivers make it an essential tool for editing high-definition footage.
3. MSI GF65 Thin
The MSI GF65 Thin is a brilliant choice for video editors because the powerful specs of this laptop make it compatible with your high-level video editing needs. You get plenty of processing power, enormous storage, and a ton of other features making a portable notebook package the right need for creating important videos for YouTube channels or Instagram.
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Processor
Specifications of this laptop are Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GTX 1660 Ti, and 6GB VRAM. The higher amount of Video RAM is super helpful in editing complex video editing tasks. Plus, the i7 processor is capable of trimming, exposure adjustment, and other processes, all combined, makes this laptop an essential tool for video editing.
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RAM
Furthermore, there is 16GB DDR4 RAM that not only gives you fast regular browsing but also helps with video editing apps. There is a 512GB SSD onboard which is too much for beginner video editors but not much for hardcore editors. Those dealing with intensive video edits require bigger storage. The raw files and media output collectively consist of hundreds of GBs and when you are working on multiple projects, you would definitely want to expand your storage. On top of that, having an SSD would make the access and transfer of such files much faster.
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Display
The laptop comes with a 15.6-inch thin display with 1080p resolution and thinner bezels that give you plenty of screen real-estate. One absent thing is the higher refresh rate that means it won’t perform better for hardcore games but will be fine for video editing processes.
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Keyboard
Furthermore, it comes with a gaming-grade keyboard that makes it a great companion for video editing apps too but there is no backlighting. But, anti-ghosting and silver lining can improve the overall typing experience.
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Connectivity
Last but not least, a range of connectivity ports connect the laptop with external devices and outputs through USB 3.2 Gen, Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen1, HDMI, and wireless LAN and Bluetooth. The overall weight of the laptop is 4.10 lbs which is too light for a video editing laptop and has 0.85 thickness.
Downside
Finally, the only downside of MSI is the 4 hours of battery backup which can hinder the portability of the laptop.
It comes in three variants, and the third variant of this laptop comes with a 120Hz refresh rate making it suitable for hardcore gamers for playing AAA titles of modern games like Fortnite, COD, and CyberPunk. If you have deep pockets, it’s expensive but worth the investment.
Our Verdict
Overall, this powerful mobile workstation offers excellent video editing performance and cracking value for money. It can handle intensive video editing and also can help with editing on the go but has limited battery life. This is your typical gaming laptop package and a beautiful device aimed at video editors.
4. ASUS ROG G531GT
If you want the smoothest video editing experience, ASUS ROG is a brilliant laptop for video editing. The superior build quality, high-performance GPU, and the top-notch CPU all combined make this laptop a power station for video editing.
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Processor
There is an Intel Core i7 six-core processor with a clock speed of 2.6GHz which can be boosted up to 4.5GHz resulting in smooth rendering of lengthy video projects. Additionally, the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with 4GB of VRAM is more than enough for larger video editing projects.
Moving on, the laptop brings 16GB DDR4 RAM and 512GB SSD storage for further improving the speed of the processing. Although 512GB is limited video storage, you can upgrade it later. For a device that runs on Windows 10, these memory and storage specifications are more than enough.
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Display
Furthermore, the 15.6-inch display with an FHD panel gives you low contrast and vivid colors and the 1080p resolution allows you to edit 4k videos. The display has almost no bezels that give you an immersive experience which makes it one of the best displays you can find for under $1000.
What’s more interesting is the best-in-class gaming keyboard with mechanical-like keys and customizable backlighting, allowing you to edit the lights according to your editing workflow. There are well-arranged arrow keys as well as dedicated buttons.
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Heavy-Weight
Finally, the laptop is slightly bulkier but not heavier and the overall weight of the laptop is 5.29 pounds with 1 inch of thickness. And, there are a handful of connectivity ports like USB 3.0, Type-A, and 1 HDMI port, and fine-quality speakers are also available on the laptop.
Our Verdict
Are you expecting the incredible battery backup from the laptop? Then you are right because it is a performance-oriented video editing laptop with 4 hours of battery backup on a single charge which is more than enough for such a powerful laptop.
5. Lenovo IdeaPad L340
The Lenovo IdeaPad L340 is a top video editing laptop that boasts superpowerful components or in other words, you can say it’s highly optimized for video editing activities.
One can do hassle-free video editing when there are the right features and specs available in the laptop like powerful graphic department, lightning-fast SSD, and high-res and sharper displays.
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Processor
Regarding specs, the laptop is equipped with an Intel Core i5 processor with a clock speed of 2.4GHz and gives Hexa-core blistering CPU performance. There is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 graphics card capable of animation and 3D rendering making the machine the best video-editing laptop for beginners.
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RAM
Then there is an 8GB DDR4 RAM which is lower compared to the contenders but still gives crushing performance and immense power for basic video editing making Lenovo the best all-around video editing laptop. Additionally, the laptop boasts an ultra-fast SSD of 512GB which is a combination of speed and storage. The laptop runs on Windows 10, but we also have a Windows 10 alternative on this list of top video editing laptops for under $1000.
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Display
Although the laptop doesn’t bring factory calibrated 4k display but offers you similar results to a Pantone-validated 4KIPS display in this 15.6-inch FHD IPS panel with 1080p resolution with true-tone color reproduction and ultrawide viewing angles which can make you immersive while doing intensive video editing tasks.
Besides that, the laptop has an RGB keyboard that offers superior actuation and a comfortable typing experience because of the nice key travel. A small drawback is the smaller trackback so you may need an additional wireless mouse. The unit comes with Dolby Audio speakers which aren’t muddy speakers but good for improved music listening.
Let’s talk about the dimensions and the weight of the laptop. The total weight of the laptop is 4.8 pounds which isn’t that much and you can easily carry it in your backpack as a student or a professional video editor to take it with you on the go and edit on the go. It is 0.9 inches thick so it won’t take too much space in your backpack or suitcase.
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Connectivity
Regarding connectivity, there are a handful of ports like USB 3.0 ports, USB-C 3.0, HDMI ports, Rj45 ports, and a dedicated card reader.
The laptop lasts for more than 9 hours which is amazing for such type of laptop because usually, video editing laptops are resource-intensive and drain the battery much quicker. Still, this one is the best bang for the buck for you if you want uninterrupted video editing for longer sessions in a single charge. It also offers great gaming-friendly.
Our Verdict
Overall, this is the monster for video editing that not only offers sharp visuals and sharper performance but comes with a luxurious design and gives blazing-fast performance when transcoding a 4K video to 1080p, making itself a kick-ass video editing machine. All in all, this is your best bet for video editing projects and a good pick for your video editing career.
6. ASUS TUF Thin
The ASUS TUF Thin is designed exclusively for video editing but features a mid-range CPU middling graphic card making it a versatile video editing laptop perfect for drawing and editing videos.
The price tag is just below $1000, and you can use a handful of perks to edit top-notch videos. The reason why it is popular among editors is for simply trimming small clips in 720p.
For those who are just getting started with video editing, the ASUS TUF Thin is a perfect option for you. It comes with an Intel Core i5 processor with a clock speed of 3.9GHz and has efficient power management. There is an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 with 2GB of VRAM to take care of the visuals but it’s limited.
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RAM
There is 8GB RAM but will be more than enough to deliver superior performance while using video editing suites. Having at least 8GB of RAM on your laptop is always important because there are certain situations where you need to keep multiple browser tabs open for editing. Like our top pick, this unit has a hybrid drive giving you ample storage space without reducing the speed.
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Display
The laptop comes with a 15.6-inch IPS panel having FHD resolution but bigger bezels can stop you from the immersive viewing experience. There is a gaming-grade keyboard having keys at 1.8mm travel resulting in a smooth typing experience. The best part is that you can easily be aggressive with the shortcuts.
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Performance
Furthermore, the laptop offers the best performance with aggressive cooling technology, and to maintain the internal temperature there are enhanced vents for better airflow. You can expect at least 5 hours of battery backup which is much better because many laptops on this list are offering only 4 hours of battery backup. So, if you go to college or school or university, you can survive on a single charge. The best part is the heavy and aggressive cooling tech inside for heat dissipation caused by complex video editing.
Our Verdict
Overall, this is a versatile notebook to edit Youtube videos of you can say it is the most innovative video editing laptop that is Military-durable and secure and comes with an elegant, sophisticated design. If buying the video editing laptop is becoming a hassle for you then let me present you with the top-of-the-line video editing laptop on our list.
7. ASUS ZenBook 13
This is a Top-class laptop that can be used for editing massive projects in 4K for those having video editing as a hobby because it has a sharper and brighter display
When there is a certain type of video editing tasks like dragging snaps to another in video-editing apps, you need the highest-specced machine or you can say the best device for showcasing 4K content because only a powerful and capable machine can handle editing of super-sharp UHD content but only where there is a solid display and a powerful graphics card.
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Refresh Rate
This laptop can easily handle the job of intensive video rendering, advanced 3D gaming because of the super-fast screen refresh rate capable to handle even 8k content as well as giving super-smooth video playback. So, this laptop becomes an ultimate editing device for ingesting gigabytes of 4k content with top-of-the-line credentials and intense editing bouts.
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Processor
The ASUS ZenBook 13 comes with Intel Core i5 ultrabook-focused processor with a maximum turbo boost of 3.4GHz and makes sure that the CPU resources are never shortened for editing programs resulting in an impressive performance. A downside is the lack of a dedicated graphics card which is a disappointment at this price point.
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RAM
Moving on, there is 8GB of DDR4 RAM which is although limited but barely enough for professional editing programs. Similarly, there is a 256GB SSD which is extremely limited and those dealing with full HD of 4k edits would definitely need an additional storage drive for storing raw files and media output files which usually are bigger in size.
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Display
The 13.3-inch FHD IPS display is also smaller than the contenders on this list but with the same price tag, this is also a drawback for this laptop. You may enjoy reduced bezels, high screen real estate, solid viewing angles, and higher color accuracy, but still smaller size than competitors.
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Keyboard
You will also be disappointed by the keyboard as it won’t give you the high-end typing experience and there are no customizable lights as well, it’s a simple backlit keyboard with decent switches. What you may like is the trackpad which is extremely good and there is a fingerprint reader located below the keyboard as well to help you maintain the security of your content on your device.
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Lightweight
Compared with all the laptops we have discussed, this is the most lightweight laptop for video editing under $1,000 and has a 0.5-inch thickness making it the slimmest laptop for video editing. Regarding connectivity, there are USB Type-A ports, USB Type-C port, HDMI, and a media card reader.
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Battery Life
The only greatest post of this video editing laptop is the 14 hours of battery backup in a single charge which you won’t get in any laptop available in the market, not even in the most expensive units.
Our Verdict
Overall, this is the ultimate editing device and the reason it is better suited for video editing is loading editing applications in a snap, and power for specialized tasks such as playing back multiple clips at once or working with 4K footage. Plus, the powerful GPU and extra RAM make it a powerful editing station where you do most of your cutting, slimming down, and transferring footage directly and on top of that, it helps in arranging clips and mixing audio as well.
8. Apple MacBook Air
This is the best MacBook for video editing under $1000 among all the ultraportables, Chromebooks, 2-in-1 laptops, and mobile workstations. It just has enough specs for video editing but outperforms laptops specifically for video editing.
This is an ideal video editors’ arrangement because it is equipped with the right specs and muscled-up enough for major editing tasks making it a good video editing laptop.
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Processor
This device from Apple comes with an Intel Core i3 processor with a turbo boost of 3.2GHz and you can expect a better level of performance from softwares like Apple Final Cut Pro or iMovie. What you will miss in this laptop is the dedicated graphics card which is the biggest downside for the brand.
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RAM
Moving forward, there is an 8GB DDR4 RAM which is not higher and not lowers just in the middle to support the macOS. Then, there is a 256GB SSD that puts you in a tough position, and to extend the storage, you can subscribe to the iCloud plan to upload your data on the cloud.
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Display
The 13.3-inch Retina display is top-notch but you don’t get plenty of screen real-estate that is required to do the editing work. There are reduced bezels and 227 pixels per inch resolution to give you an immersive experience.
The Magic keyboard gives you an exceptional typing experience and you will see this keyboard on all the iMac devices and the backlit design with a combination of superior typing experience makes this keyboard stand out from the crowd.
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Weight
The overall weight of the laptop is 2.8 pounds and has a 0.63-inch thickness which makes it a compact laptop for video editing. Regarding connectivity, there are USB Type C and Thunderbolt 3 support for the fastest data transfer.
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Battery Life
Finally, the battery life of the laptop is 8 hours on a single charge which is considerable for such a compact laptop making it suitable for high-quality editing and streaming. The high-quality display of the laptop allows you to do advanced editing tasks like shading and color correction.
Our Verdict
Overall, this is the better match for video editing and even though many people use it for web browsing and watching videos, you can use it to streamline many editing tasks. It features a multi-core CPU which offers more power than a PC to Redner a 3D image.
Buying Guide
When it comes to buying the best laptop for video editing under $1000 there are certain aspects that you should consider before making a purchase. This buying guide highlights the important elements you should consider before deciding.
Processing Power
Processing power for a video editing laptop usually depends on CPU and GPU. Having a powerful CPU and a powerful GPU, both are important to determine the quality of video editing. If you are just getting started with video editing, then getting a mid-range or entry-level CPU would be ideal and can save you money. But, for professional video editing, a higher-end GPU and CPU would be required.
An example of a beginner-friendly CPU can be the Intel Core i3, and the GPU can be NVIDIA GeForce 1050. Similarly, the example of a higher-end CPU can be Intel Core i5 or more and GPU should be NVIDIA 1660 Ti or more.
Storage
Storage is the major element when it comes to choosing a laptop for video editing because professional video editors won’t be able to survive on a 256GB SSD so at least a 1TB SSD would be required to store RAW footages and output files.
Display
Video editing or graphics editing requires the clearest display with a higher resolution because you can only produce higher graphics or editing when the display you are working on has great contract ratio, extreme color accuracy, and solid color reproduction.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an Apple Laptop For Video Editing
There is no logic in that but Apple Laptops are better equipped with a higher display than other laptops and if you intend to use certain types of software like Apple Final Cut Pro, or iMovie, then you can get your hands on the MacBook.
What’s the Maximum Storage requirement for Video Editing?
It totally depends on the type of editor. For example, a beginner video editor won’t be dealing with bigger projects of files which usually require a normal storage drive of 256GB but if you are a professional video editor involved in editing bigger movie projects or films, then your raw files and media output files would be much larger in size which will ultimately require the higher storage drive and 256GB drive would simple won’t be enough.
Are SSDs Important for Video Editing Laptops?
Solid-State Drives are the modern storage type and much more reliable but expensive than mechanical hard drives which are prone to get damaged anytime. So the bigger advantage of having an SSD in your laptop is that fast data access and fast data transfer because clips or footages of bigger size can take a long time if you are transferring from HDD to HDD, but from SSD to SSD, it will be a fraction of time.
Conclusion
The list of video editing laptops comes to an end and we did our best to give you the suitable picks to fire up your video editing career. Either go with our selected picks or choose the top product mentioned by our editor to make a quick decision. If you have any questions regarding the article, do let us know in the comments below.
