Want to edit YouTube videos, but it’s taking more time in data processing and rendering? Or does your laptop keep going into freezing phases or keep shutting down because of overheating while editing?
That is probably because you are using the wrong laptop for a task requiring particular hardware specifications. But not to worry! I am here to tell you about the absolute best laptops for YouTube video editing. That will lead the editing process to the next level.
No doubt, editing a video for YouTube is a taxing job. Along with patience, determination, and hard work. It also requires particular specifications in the machine that will help you turn your ideas into perfectly edited videos.
A few of the most important things when choosing the best laptop for editing purposes are a great processor, good RAM, fast internal storage space, and a high-performance GPU.
Along with this, longer battery life will also be helpful for those who like to work on the go. Now you must be thinking about what you can sell to get money to afford such a high-performing piece of machinery.
Don’t worry, friends – you won’t have to sell anything as I am now going to list the best cheap laptops for editing YouTube videos, some of which are priced under $1000 which means you can get a powerful machine without your pocket getting all empty.
Also read: Best Windows 11 Compatible Laptop
Image | Name | Brand | Buy |
---|---|---|---|
Top Top Top Top | ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III | ASUS | Buy on Amazon |
Top Top Top Top | Lenovo ThinkPad E15 | Lenovo | Buy on Amazon |
Top Top Top Top | MSI GF65 Thin | MSI | Buy on Amazon |
Top | LG Gram 17Z90P Laptop 17 | LG | Buy on Amazon |
Top | ASUS ROG Strix SCAR III | ASUS | Buy on Amazon |
Acer Predator Triton 300 | Acer | Buy on Amazon | |
Dell XPS 15 | Dell | Buy on Amazon | |
Alienware m15 | Alienware | Buy on Amazon |
Best Laptops for YouTube Video Editing – Powerful and Affordable
Quick pick:
1 ZenBook Pro Duo UX581 Laptop by ASUS
Specifications:
Processor | 10th gen, Intel Core i7 |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 1TB PCIe SSD |
GPU | RTX 2060 |
Display | 15.6 inches |
This product will get you top-quality YouTube videos in no time and with much ease. It’s a little bit on the expensive side of the list, but for those who do not mind a few extra dollars, it’s a superpower. With the latest Intel core processor, storage of 1TB, 16GB of RAM, and a 15.6 inch 4K Touch screen, it will make your video editing relatively fast and seamless.
Say goodbye to your laptop getting hung, shutting down upon overheating, and the never-ending rendering time. The main feature of this laptop that makes it unique is its full-width 4K ASUS ScreenPad, which allows editors to multitask with much ease. Editors will find that this special feature will also help to trim some time off editing YouTube videos.
It also comes with an ASUS active stylus pen which is a plus for editors as it will help one get precision with tasks, including graphical editing. Oh, and did I mention the separate palm rest that comes along? While letting your palm… Well, rest, as the name suggests, it gives your keyboard the perfect tilt to let you have the most comfortable editing experience, making it one of the best video editing laptops out there on the market.
However, this laptop might not be feasible for those who travel frequently and like to edit on the go as it does not have awe-inspiring battery life and is a bit on the heavier side. Also, the new design might be somewhat uncomfortable to get used to for many at first, especially for those who like to keep laptops in their laps.
Nevertheless, if a lower battery life comparatively and the unique design are not an issue for you, it’s worth considering. With ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo, it is unlikely that you will face too many editing problems.
Also read: Best Laptop for Students
2 ThinkPad E15 by Lenovo
Specifications:
Processor | 10th gen, Quad-Core i7 |
RAM | 16GB DDR4 |
Storage | 2TB PCIe SSD |
GPU | UHD Graphics 620 by Intel |
Display | 15.6 inches |
While this laptop is more of a business-centric one, it’s popular amongst editors, too, for a couple of reasons. Firstly it features a powerful processor and Intel UHD 620 video card, which can support graphics for editing YouTube videos. This feature also helps the smooth running of programs such as Adobe Premiere Pro, one of the most popular software for YouTube video editing. Furthermore, its anti-glare display helps the eyes of those who like to cram up the editing in one continuous go.
Lenovo ThinkPad E15 is lightweight, and it won’t feel like you are carrying the whole desktop and a big CPU in your backpack, adding points to the feasibility of the device primarily for traveling students. That also make it best laptop for film students.
Moreover, this device is designed to absorb accidental drops, knocks, vibrations, and spills, and this is again a plus, especially if you are anything like me – known to be the clumsiest of the clumsy.
However, the battery life of this device is not that impressive, so you might want to consider keeping the charger with you at all times in case your laptop decides to take a nap due to low battery and you end up losing all your hard work.
The integrated graphics might also lead the system to slow down a little if you do intensive editing and rendering. The storage on this device is about 5000GB, and the display quality is 1080 HD. This is good but not as impressive as the other laptops, and if you are looking for heavy editing, it might not impress you too much.
Nevertheless, many of the specifications of the Lenovo ThinkPad E15, makes it one of the best laptop, especially for those who travel for work and are interested in doing good enough editing, and nothing too intense.
Also read: Best Laptop for Science Students
3 MSI GF65 Thin 10UE-047
Specifications:
Processor | 10th gen, Intel Core i7 |
RAM | 16 GB |
Storage | 512GB SSD |
GPU | GeForce RTX3060 Max |
Display | 15.6 Inches |
Again, if you are looking for laptops that can produce a reasonable quality of YouTube videos and are budget-friendly, then MSI GF65 Thin is another option. It might not impress those looking to do highly intensive video editing with huge files requiring an impressive memory and storage. Nevertheless, what brings this laptop to our list of top 10 is its GeForce RTX 3060 graphics, which will allow for crisp visuals, quicker rendering, and smooth running without much lagging.
You will seriously find it hard to get such quality graphics at such a price. Moreover, it features a unique cooling system with six heat pipes and two fans to keep the laptop from heating up. This will help the editors work longer hours without getting their devices to slow down due to overheating. However, it’s best to use this device on a smooth, hard surface as it was reviewed to get a little warm otherwise.
It is reasonably lightweight and easier to carry around with you, making it travel-friendly too. The compromises made to keep this laptop affordable are its battery, RAM, and storage, which are not as impressive as those with a higher price tag.
But suppose you are ready to compromise on the shortcomings and want to get the job done reasonably without exhausting your savings. In that case, this is one of the best YouTube video editing laptops in the market within a budget.
Also read: Best Laptops for College Students
4 LG LCD Laptop 17
Specifications:
Processor | 11th gen, Intel core i7 |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 2TB SSD |
GPU | Integrated |
Display | 17 inches |
An ultra-lightweight and portable laptop that only weighs 3 lbs or approximately 1.4kg! Sounds good, right? Especially for the ones who edit YouTube videos mainly on the go. Along with being super portable, it offers the 11th generation Intel core i7-1165G7 Processor with Intel Xe Graphics. Such a quality processor is quite enough for editing YouTube videos with ease.
Moreover, LG LCD Laptop 17 comes with reasonable RAM allowing multitasking without a lag. They have also improved the productivity of this model by adding a 2TB PCIe M.2 NVMe SSD for an impressive storage capacity.
I would highly recommend this laptop for travel YouTube vloggers, as it offers a wide range of connectivity options, which are always handy when you travel lots. Whether you have your files stored in an SD card, or you need to connect your external device via USB-A or C, Thunderbolt 4, HDMI port, or a 3.5mm audio jack, you are good to go with this device.
It would not even bother the people sitting beside you while travelling as it remains relatively quiet even under high pressure from intensive editing or multitasking. Additionally, if you are trying to find a laptop that will let you go through a whole day without the need for charging, then this is one of your best bets. In terms of battery life, this device claims to serve up to 19.5 hours of battery life with a single charge, depending on the model configuration and the applications being used, of course.
Though its keyboard is also quite comfortable, it has slight layout problems, like the only function key it has is placed away from function row buttons used often. While providing a good HD display, the screen is also subjected to glare, making longer YouTube video editing jobs a little tiring for the eyes. Otherwise, this device is, nevertheless, one of the best laptops for YouTube video editing.
5 SUS ROG Strix SCAR III
Specifications:
Processor | 9th gen, Intel core i7 |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 1TB SSD |
GPU | GeForce RTX 2070 |
Display | 15.6 inches |
SUS ROG Strix SCAR III offers some uniqueness in terms of its features. It has an excellent 9th Gen Intel Core i7-9750h processor, a good memory of 16GB RAM, and Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 8GB GDDR6 graphics and HD display. YouTube video editors can also upgrade the RAM, SSD, or HDD easily according to their needs. These specifications allow one to multitask effectively while running some intensive video editing software too. Therefore, with this device, you can keep the lagging at bay.
What adds to the uniqueness of this device is its touchpad. The keyboard does not offer a number-pad as the touchpad on this device displays a digital one that you can work on – making it fancy. The touchpad itself is of suitable sensitivity and responds well to double finger scrolling and the three-finger tabbing. This will make editing YouTube videos easier as such options help to multitask better.
This device’s battery life is reasonable and weighs reasonably light, making it alright to travel around with. However, it does get a little loud with highly intensive editing applications, which might be bothersome for many users. Another thing missing from this device is a webcam.
A good webcam is essential for someone who makes YouTube videos. Many content creators use their webcam to record themselves or have live sessions with their followers – and attaching an external webcam is a hassle for me.
Overall, it’s not a bad laptop for editing YouTube videos, but it could have been much better in many ways, given the price tag. It is a little on the expensive side, and if you can afford to pay the price, I would suggest adding a bit more dollars and going for the Apple MacBook Pro.
Nevertheless, for those who are not very particular in terms of specifications, as long as their laptop lets them edit videos with reasonable efficiency, feel free to go for this one.
6 Acer Predator Triton 300 SE
Specifications:
Processor | 10th gen, Intel core i7 |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 1TB NVMe SSD |
GPU | NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 |
Display | 15.6 inches |
Predator Triton 300 SE is a gaming laptop designed for gamers, and it is all that I could have hoped for and more. The processor is blazingly fast; the sound is crisp and clear, the display is sharp and vibrant, the graphics card is hardcore, and the battery lasts for a long time. So, If you want a powerful video editing laptop that you can count on for all your YouTube video editing needs, then this is the one for you.
Predator Triton 300 is packed with a 10th generation Intel 8th gen core i7 HQ quad-core processor and 16GB RAM. It also has 2TB fast SSD drives for higher performance. In addition to the pre-installed memory that’s just 16GB, you can make it 32GB by installing DDR4 memory modules later on.
As Acer is known for its battery performance, it’s no wonder that this powerhouse laptop scores well in this regard. You can expect it to last for up to 4 hours for non-stop video editing and up to 6 hours of web surfing.
However, its keywords and touchpad are fundamental that need many improvements. But overall, this is the best Laptop for YouTube Video Editing with an excellent and gorgeous large display screen that is 16.9 inches. In addition to that, it has NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 GPU for better gaming and video editing performance.
7 XPS 15 Laptop
Specifications:
Processor | 10th gen, Intel core i7 |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 512GB SSD |
GPU | Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 |
Display | 15.6 inches |
XPS 15 Laptop has some severe power-killing hardware components with extreme computing power. Like it’s packed with 10th gen, i7 processor, 512GB fast performer internal SSD drives and Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 graphical processing unit along 4GB dedicated memory. These are genuinely unique combinations for the serious killing video editing process.
However, Dell XPS has actual battery performance; this is normal with gaming laptops. Because gaming laptops do not have excellent battery performance, this machine also got hot while running large and complex computing processes and created some annoying noise. But overall, Dell XPS 15 is the best laptop for YouTube video editing and playing some serious games.
Its gorgeous full HD display will give you vibrant colors with 15.6 inches size screen. Even this can play up to 4k videos. So, no matter what is the size of your editing file. Dell XPS 15 is capable of handling any video you through to it. Keyboard and ports selection is truly unique. Keywords’ soft and smooth buttons will help you in the smooth video editing process.
Oh, I forget to tell you about its internal Ultra pro performance speakers that will give you clear and loud sound while playing video gaming or listing to some music in your free time.
8 Alienware m15
Specifications:
Processor | 10th gen, Intel core i7 |
RAM | 16GB |
Storage | 1TB SSD |
GPU | Nvidia Geforce RTX 2070 |
Display | 15.6 inches |
The Alienware m15 is a fast laptop that can handle video editing like a dream. And to top it off, this device is so lightweight and thin in shape you can easily carry it where you go. Another nice thing about the Alienware m15 is the excellent build quality. It’s made of premium materials that feel sturdy, so you can expect this laptop to last for a long time.
Although Alienware m15 is a bit pricey, this machine’s performance deserves more than makes up for the extra cost. I would definitely, recommend this device to someone who wants the best laptop for YouTube video editing.
The Alienware m15 laptop is equipped with a 10th generation Intel Core i7 processor, boasting 16GB RAM, 1TB internal fast SSD drive, and Nvidia Geforce RTX 2070 dedicated graphic processing unit along with 8GB memory. These components are a killer combination to take on the most intensive editing tasks.
Need to mention, Heat can be dangerous to laptops and even cause them to shut down. Thankfully Alienware has implemented Cryo-Tech optimizer technology, which allows you to keep your system cool no matter how hard it is running.
Compared to other laptops, Alienware m15 is cooler because it has a Cryo-Tech Optimizer that keeps the computer cool no matter what heavy task you are running.
Features you should look at while buying Laptop for editing YouTube videos
To edit YouTube videos conveniently, there are a couple of essential features to look for in a laptop. Firstly, you need a fast laptop that can multitask without lagging and can run intensive editing applications. A dedicated graphics card is also helpful. This buying guide will help you understand what features to look for when buying the best laptop for editing videos.
Processor:
A processor, also called a CPU, mainly affects the speed of a device and processes the entire computer data. So when buying a laptop to fulfill your editing needs, you must check if the processor is a multi-core in Intel i5/i7/i9, series preferably with four or more processor cores. Intel i3 and i5 are the least that would be suitable for everyday users. Though, Intel i7 and i9 are the fastest and most ideal, of course.
With a good processor, you will get more speed and perform intensive editing efficiently without your computer slowing down or lagging. It will also allow you to multitask effectively. The laptop’s processor helpfully generates previews while editing, which helps to see what you are doing. It also plays an integral part in encoding and exporting videos, influencing the overall rendering time a YouTube video takes.
RAM:
A RAM is the current working memory of a laptop, and for a good editing experience, I would recommend getting a device that offers at least 16GB of RAM. This is important as RAM plays the most crucial part in determining your laptop’s performance. The more work you need to do simultaneously on your device, the more memory you require.
Advanced tasks such as editing YouTube videos require one to run highly intensive editing software and as well as to multitask, for this, you would need an excellent working memory or RAM.
It will also help with editing projects that are 1080p or even 4k in terms of resolution. The higher the resolution you are working with, the higher is the requirement for the RAM. Therefore, 16GB is the minimum limit you should be looking for, though the higher, the better.
Graphics card:
An excellent graphics card is what gamers usually see when buying a laptop. However, editing YouTube videos also becomes much easier if your device contains a dedicated graphics card. It’s not necessary to have one, though. A discrete GPU will help you with the few main things you can do:
- Deal with 3D tasks.
- Render videos at higher resolutions.
- Cause animations and graphic effects that you can add to your videos.
While giving you a crisp visual to work with, it also helps with editing as the editing software takes help from the graphic cards and prompts up the process of encoding and rendering videos to make it faster.
Storage:
Storage is again a vital feature to look at when purchasing a laptop to edit YouTube videos. One needs good storage to be able to download and install heavy editing applications. Moreover, one needs to access and edit files quickly with a higher transfer speed and enough capacity.
This all requires a good storage capacity. There are two types of storage, with one being HDD and the other SDD.
SDD is the latest and uses less battery while being faster than the HDD. However, if you decide to get a laptop with SDD, it would cost you significantly more. In terms of capacity, most YouTube video editors will find 1TB enough for a few HD 1080p videos and some 4K projects.
For those who work less and are not after HD or 4K videos, at least get 500GB of storage space. Video Editors who edit videos regularly with usually a 4Kor 8K video quality, you might want to get something that offers more than 1TB of storage space.
Display:
I would suggest getting a bigger screen size too. At least 15″, as it will help video editors by a great deal by providing a comfortable experience during continuous YouTube video editing sessions. For those who travel for work, you might be more comfortable with a smaller screen that is maybe 14″ in size.
For such a long editing job, I would also recommend something that has an anti-glare screen, so it’s gentler on the eyes. Moreover, in terms of screen resolution, 1080p is the least that you should be looking for a good experience.
FAQs
Do you need a laptop to edit YouTube videos?
Yes, of course, you need a laptop for YouTube channels to edit, remove, trim and delete unwanted scenes from your recorded videos. Whether you’re running a vlog channel, making tutorials, or you have a prank channel.
Is Core i5 good for video editing?
It depends on what other specs are configured along with i5 like RAM, GPU, and secondary storage. In basic video editing and graphics designing, i5 will be good but not too good to handle large files.
Which laptop is perfect for video editing?
We have listed the
best Laptops for video editing; go through them one by one to find which one is perfect for your requirements.
Which laptop is best for Adobe Premiere Pro?
ThinkPad E15 is best to work on Adobe Premiere Pro.
How much RAM do I need for video editing?
The more you can afford the better. Yes, it’s not a joke. A good RAM means the system can run several required software simultaneously without putting the PC in trouble.
You could even see previews while editing content before exporting the videos. 16 Gigs are recommended for desired tasks. But a system with 32GB of RAM is a serious powerhouse for editing any file.
Is a desktop or laptop better for video editing?
The more you can afford the better. Yes, it’s not a joke. A good RAM means the system can run several required software simultaneously without putting the PC in trouble. You could even see previews while editing content before exporting the videos.
16 Gigs are recommended for desired tasks. But a system with 32GB of RAM is a serious powerhouse for editing any file.
Is i5 8GB RAM enough for video editing?
Again i5, along 8Gigs of RAM, is only enough to edit short videos.
How much RAM do I need for 4K video editing?
16GB of RAM is enough to kill 4k files.
Will more RAM make video editing faster?
With higher RAM, the system will work much faster and will handle multitasking more smoothly when it has enough memory for each task.
Is an SSD important for video editing?
Yes, without any argument, SSD is an excellent choice for editing. Some of the best SSD drives are Crucial BX500 3D, Sabrent Rocket Nvme, SAMSUNG 870 EVO, and 980 PRO.
Which is better for video editing, Intel or AMD?
Both provide excellent performance in data processing and rendering, but Intel processors are leading in faster execution. However, if cost is a concern, then AMD is a much better option.
Is i7 enough for video editing?
i7 with multi-core CPUs is best for high-end performance.