Tuesday 3 March 2020

Best Laptops for Video Editing, Motion Graphics & Animation in 2020

When your business means editing 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 for the best laptops for video editing in 2020, we wanted to show you the best choices out there to make your work shine.

Before we get to our choices, let’s build a shopping list of what you should focus on when you look for a new video editing laptop which will make it easier to pick the best one for your needs.

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Shopping list for your next video editing laptop

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 the cores in a 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.

The Best Laptops for Video Editing, Motion Graphics & Animation In 2020

Best Laptops for Video Editing in 2020 Compared

Thumbnail
Best Overall
New Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage) - Space Gray
Best Budget
HP Pavilion 15-BA079DX - 15.6" HD Touch - AMD A10-9600P - Radeon R5 - 6GB RAM - 1TB HDD - Windows 10...
Most Powerful 2-in-1
Microsoft Surface Book 13.5 Inch 2 in 1 Laptop (Intel Core i7, 256GB, 8GB RAM, Windows 10) with...
Great Mac Book Pro Alternative
Huawei Notebook 53010BVV Mach-W19B 13.9inch MateBookXPro i5 8GB 256GB UHD620 Mystic Silver Huawei...
Most Professional
Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition Laptop: Intel Core i7-9750H - NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 - 15.6" 4K OLED...
Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, Previous Model, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Silver
Title
New Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage) - Space Gray
HP Pavilion 15-BA079DX - 15.6" HD Touch - AMD A10-9600P - Radeon R5 - 6GB RAM - 1TB HDD - Windows 10...
Microsoft Surface Book 13.5 Inch 2 in 1 Laptop (Intel Core i7, 256GB, 8GB RAM, Windows 10) with...
Huawei Notebook 53010BVV Mach-W19B 13.9inch MateBookXPro i5 8GB 256GB UHD620 Mystic Silver Huawei...
Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition Laptop: Intel Core i7-9750H - NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 - 15.6" 4K OLED...
Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, Previous Model, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Silver
Prime Status
-
-
-
-
Star Rating
Reviews
305 Reviews
45 Reviews
13 Reviews
3 Reviews
5 Reviews
151 Reviews
CPU
9th-generation Intel Core i7 – i9
AMD dual-core A9 APU – Intel Core i7
Intel Core i5-7300U - Intel Core i7-8650U 1.9GHz
8th generation Intel Core i5 – i7
8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H
Dual-core Intel Core i7 – i9
Graphics
AMD Radeon Pro 5300M – Radeon Pro 5500M
AMD Radeon R5 – Nvidia GTX 1050
Intel UHD Graphics 620; Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 (2GB GDDR5 VRAM)
Intel UHD Graphics 620 , Nvidia GeForce MX150 2GB GDDR5
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 Max-Q – NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 Studio Edition
Intel UHD Graphics, AMD Radeon Pro 555X - 560X
RAM
16GB – 64GB
6GB – 16GB
8GB – 16GB
8GB – 16GB
32GB
16GB - 32GB
Screen
16-inch Retina display with True Tone
5.6-inch HD (1366x768) – FHD (1920x1080); touch optional
3,000 x 2,000 (267 PPI) PixelSense display, 3:2 aspect ratio
13.9-inch 3K (3,000 x 2,080)
15.6-inch OLED 4K Touch 60Hz, factory calibrated
15.4-inch, (2,880 x 1,800) IPS
Storage
512GB – 8TB SSD
512GB SSD – 1TB HDD
256GB – 1TB SSD
512GB SSD
1TB SSD
512GB – 4TB PCIe 3.0 SSD
Price
$2,251.49
$435.82
$1,030.00
$1,179.99
$3,999.99
$2,200.00
Best Overall
Thumbnail
New Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage) - Space Gray
Title
New Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage) - Space Gray
Prime Status
Star Rating
Reviews
305 Reviews
CPU
9th-generation Intel Core i7 – i9
Graphics
AMD Radeon Pro 5300M – Radeon Pro 5500M
RAM
16GB – 64GB
Screen
16-inch Retina display with True Tone
Storage
512GB – 8TB SSD
Price
$2,251.49
Buy Now
Best Budget
Thumbnail
HP Pavilion 15-BA079DX - 15.6" HD Touch - AMD A10-9600P - Radeon R5 - 6GB RAM - 1TB HDD - Windows 10...
Title
HP Pavilion 15-BA079DX - 15.6" HD Touch - AMD A10-9600P - Radeon R5 - 6GB RAM - 1TB HDD - Windows 10...
Prime Status
-
Star Rating
Reviews
45 Reviews
CPU
AMD dual-core A9 APU – Intel Core i7
Graphics
AMD Radeon R5 – Nvidia GTX 1050
RAM
6GB – 16GB
Screen
5.6-inch HD (1366x768) – FHD (1920x1080); touch optional
Storage
512GB SSD – 1TB HDD
Price
$435.82
Buy Now
Most Powerful 2-in-1
Thumbnail
Microsoft Surface Book 13.5 Inch 2 in 1 Laptop (Intel Core i7, 256GB, 8GB RAM, Windows 10) with...
Title
Microsoft Surface Book 13.5 Inch 2 in 1 Laptop (Intel Core i7, 256GB, 8GB RAM, Windows 10) with...
Prime Status
-
Star Rating
Reviews
13 Reviews
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
Price
$1,030.00
Buy Now
Great Mac Book Pro Alternative
Thumbnail
Huawei Notebook 53010BVV Mach-W19B 13.9inch MateBookXPro i5 8GB 256GB UHD620 Mystic Silver Huawei...
Title
Huawei Notebook 53010BVV Mach-W19B 13.9inch MateBookXPro i5 8GB 256GB UHD620 Mystic Silver Huawei...
Prime Status
-
Star Rating
Reviews
3 Reviews
CPU
8th generation Intel Core i5 – i7
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics 620 , Nvidia GeForce MX150 2GB GDDR5
RAM
8GB – 16GB
Screen
13.9-inch 3K (3,000 x 2,080)
Storage
512GB SSD
Price
$1,179.99
Buy Now
Most Professional
Thumbnail
Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition Laptop: Intel Core i7-9750H - NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 - 15.6" 4K OLED...
Title
Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition Laptop: Intel Core i7-9750H - NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 - 15.6" 4K OLED...
Prime Status
Star Rating
Reviews
5 Reviews
CPU
8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H
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
Price
$3,999.99
Buy Now
Thumbnail
Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, Previous Model, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Silver
Title
Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch, Previous Model, 16GB RAM, 256GB Storage) - Silver
Prime Status
-
Star Rating
Reviews
151 Reviews
CPU
Dual-core Intel Core i7 – i9
Graphics
Intel UHD Graphics, AMD Radeon Pro 555X - 560X
RAM
16GB - 32GB
Screen
15.4-inch, (2,880 x 1,800) IPS
Storage
512GB – 4TB PCIe 3.0 SSD
Price
$2,200.00
Buy Now

 

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)

The best laptop for video editing

CPU: 9th-generation Intel Core i7 – i9 | Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 5300M – Radeon Pro 5500M | RAM: 16GB – 64GB | Screen: 16-inch Retina display with True Tone | Storage: 512GB – 8TB SSD

Despite its enormous screen, the MacBook Pro doesn’t feel like a 16-inch laptop. The sleek design makes it feel a lot smaller but don’t be fooled. This is still an incredible machine packed with a 9th-generation intel core processor and AMD Radeon graphics card which makes video editing much easier than with other laptops. With all this power under the hood, it’s already the best laptop on our list. With an improved keyboard and amazing speakers, it only gets better.

Learn More – $2339

 

Latest Price on Amazon:

Sale
New Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage) - Space Gray
305 Reviews
New Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB Storage) - Space Gray
  • Ninth-generation 6-Core Intel Core i7 Processor
  • Stunning 16-inch Retina Display with True Tone technology
  • Touch Bar and Touch ID
  • Amd Radeon Pro 5300M Graphics with GDDR6 memory
  • Ultrafast SSD

 

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)

A great updated productivity machine

CPU: 9th-generation Intel Core i7 – i9 | Graphics: Radeon Pro 555X – Radeon Pro Vega 20 | RAM: 16GB – 32GB | Screen: 15-inch Retina display with True Tone | Storage: 256GB – 4TB SSD

While the 15-inch MacBook Pro may look similar to its older brother above, the looks are where the comparisons stop. With a 9th-generation Intel core processor plus a choice between Radeon’s Pro 555X and the Pro Vega 20, the MacBook Pro packs some serious power. A gorgeous Retina display and up to 32GB in RAM is just icing on the cake. At its high-end configuration, the laptop is certainly not cheap but is completely worth the asking price.

Learn More – $2249

 

Latest Price on Amazon:

Apple 15' MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, Intel Core i7 2.6GHz, Pro 555X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Space...
Apple 15" MacBook Pro with Touch Bar, Intel Core i7 2.6GHz, Pro 555X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD, Space...
  • Apple 15" MacBook Pro Touch Bar Computer - Intel Core i7 2.6GHz - Pro 555X - 16GB RAM - 512GB SSD - Space Gray (Mid 2019) - 87W USB-C Power Adapter - 2m USB-C Charge Cable - Original Box - ** Item...
  • Processor: 2.6GHz 6-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 4.5GHz, with 12MB shared L3 cache
  • Memory: 16GB of 2400MHz DDR4 onboard memory
  • Storage: 512GB SSD
  • Graphics: Radeon Pro 555X with 4GB of GDDR5 memory and automatic graphics switching

 

Huawei MateBook X Pro

Huawei MateBook X Pro

A great MacBook Pro alternative

CPU: 8th generation Intel Core i5 – i7 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 620 , Nvidia GeForce MX150 2GB GDDR5 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.9-inch 3K (3,000 x 2,080) | Storage: 512GB 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 an amazing alternative to the MacBook Pro, especially with its lower price point.

Learn More – $1179

 

Latest Price on Amazon:

 

Dell XPS 15 (2019)

Dell XPS 15 (2019)

A powerful laptop at a great price

CPU: 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300H – i9-9980HK | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630 – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 | RAM: 8GB – 64GB | 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: 256GB – 2TB 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.

Learn More – $1499

 

Latest Price on Amazon:

Dell XPS 15 7590 Laptop 15.6 inch, FHD InfinityEdge, 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX...
17 Reviews
Dell XPS 15 7590 Laptop 15.6 inch, FHD InfinityEdge, 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750H, NVIDIA GeForce GTX...
  • 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

 

Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition

Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition

A professional laptop with serious power

CPU: 8th Gen Intel Core i7-8750H | 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.

Learn More – $3999

 

Latest Price on Amazon:

Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition Laptop: Intel Core i7-9750H - NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 - 15.6' 4K OLED...
5 Reviews
Razer Blade 15 Studio Edition Laptop: Intel Core i7-9750H - NVIDIA Quadro RTX 5000 - 15.6" 4K OLED...
  • 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

 

HP ZBook Studio G3

HP ZBook Studio G3

Beautiful design combined with incredible brains

CPU: 2.8GHz (3.7GHz) Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 | Graphics: Nvidia Quadro M1000M | RAM: 32GB | Screen: 15.6-inch, 3840 x 2160 pixels | Storage: 512GB SSD

With a weight of just over four pounds, the ZBook Studio G3 from HP makes its home in the Ultrabook category. 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 available for video editing.

Learn More – $1450

 

Latest Price on Amazon:

HP ZBook Studio x360 G5 Multi-Touch 2-in-1 4NL00UT - 15.6' UHD - 256GB SSD - 8GB - NVI Quadro P1000...
HP ZBook Studio x360 G5 Multi-Touch 2-in-1 4NL00UT - 15.6" UHD - 256GB SSD - 8GB - NVI Quadro P1000...
  • Processor Manufacturer: Intel
  • Processor Type: Core i7
  • Processor Generation: 8th Gen
  • Processor model: i7-8750H
  • Processor speed: 2.20 GHz

 

Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)

Microsoft Surface Book 2 (13.5-inch)

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 2, they should reconsider. The components inside the Surface Book 2 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 is 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.

Learn More – $1131

 

Latest Price on Amazon:

Microsoft Surface Book 13.5 Inch 2 in 1 Laptop (Intel Core i7, 256GB, 8GB RAM, Windows 10) with...
13 Reviews
Microsoft Surface Book 13.5 Inch 2 in 1 Laptop (Intel Core i7, 256GB, 8GB RAM, Windows 10) with...
  • Microsoft Surface Book features an Intel Core i7 processor, 256 GB of storage, 8 GB RAM, and up to 16 hours of video playback
  • Enhanced graphics performance with NVIDIA GeForce 2GB GDDR5 memory
  • 13.5 inch PixelSense Display works perfectly with Pen and touch (Surface Pen included)
  • Featuring Windows Ink, a way to naturally capture notes at the speed of thought – with no need to be logged in
  • Windows Hello is the password-free sign-in that gives you the fastest, most secure way to unlock your device

 

HP Pavillion 15

HP Pavillion 15

A budget-friendly option for video editing

CPU: AMD dual-core A9 APU – Intel Core i7 | Graphics: AMD Radeon R5 – Nvidia GTX 1050 | RAM: 6GB – 16GB | Screen: 15.6-inch HD (1366×768) – FHD (1920×1080); touch optional | Storage: 512GB SSD – 1TB HDD

Finding a quality laptop with a good size screen and decent tech inside its casing at an affordable price isn’t easy but that’s changing thanks to the Pavillion 15 from HP. While not aimed at professionals, this is a great option for a beginner or hobbyist. With options that include better resolution, more storage, and a better processor, the Pavillion is a great laptop at an incredibly affordable price.

Learn More – $421

 

Latest Price on Amazon:

HP Pavilion 15-BA079DX - 15.6' HD Touch - AMD A10-9600P - Radeon R5 - 6GB RAM - 1TB HDD - Windows 10...
45 Reviews
HP Pavilion 15-BA079DX - 15.6" HD Touch - AMD A10-9600P - Radeon R5 - 6GB RAM - 1TB HDD - Windows 10...
  • This refurbished product is tested and certified to look and work like new. The refurbishing process includes functionality testing, basic cleaning, inspection, and repackaging. The product ships with...

 

MSI GS65 Stealth

MSI GS65 Stealth

Built for gaming, perfect for video editing

CPU: Intel Core i7 | Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB GDDR5X VRAM, Max-Q) | 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.

Learn More – $1789

 

Latest Price on Amazon:

HIDevolution MSI GS65 8SE Stealth-1402 15.6” FHD 144Hz | 2.2 GHz i7-8750H, RTX 2060, 64GB 2666MHz...
HIDevolution MSI GS65 8SE Stealth-1402 15.6” FHD 144Hz | 2.2 GHz i7-8750H, RTX 2060, 64GB 2666MHz...
  • 8th Generation Intel Core i7 2.2 GHz 6 Core - 12 Thread Processor (i7-8750H | Turbo to 4.1 GHz) with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 w/ 6GB GDDR6
  • HIDevolution upgrades the 15.6” FHD 144Hz 3ms, Anti-Glare, Wide View Display Gaming Laptop by adding Gelid GC Extreme on CPU and GPU for improved performance and optimal system temperature
  • 512GB M.2 PCIe 3.0 x4 NVMe SSD--ensures that you experience the fastest boot up & load times
  • Installed by HIDevolution--64GB (2 x 32GB) of fast DDR4 2666MHz memory--run memory hungry applications and multitask with ease
  • HIDevolution Promise: Authorized MSI Build to Order Seller, thorough quality testing, a 1 Year Warranty, and access to our expert support staff.

 

Best laptops for video editing in 2020

If you want to succeed editing videos in 2020, you have to have the best technology to do it. With our list of the best laptops for video editing in 2020, 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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