As the world of video production evolves into videography, more and more people have started to learn about post-processing. Now, post-processing isn’t always done on a high-end desktop. Sometimes, what people prefer is a budget machine that they can carry anywhere and which doesn’t go too hard on their wallets. In our article, we will discuss the best laptops for video editors, under $2000 in 2020.
We also discuss their specs, their pros, and cons further in our article. There is also a Macbook added in our article, due to it being the only one to run FinalCut Pro. On top of everything, we also go through some key specifications that you need to look for in a video editing laptop if your main aim is editing or post-processing. The following laptops for video editing are our recommendations:
- Lenovo P70 $1347
- MacBook Pro 13’’ 2020 $1299
- HP Omen 17 $1459
- Dell Inspiron 7000 $939
- ACER SWIFT 3 $655.00
- HP Spectre x360 $1700
- ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 $1449.99
- HP Omen 15 $899.99
- Microsoft Surface Book 2 $1749
- Dell XPS 15 $1729
Things to look for in a Video Editing Laptop
Before we give you any specific details or pros and cons regarding the respective laptops for video editors, let us look at a few things we need to consider, before buying the best video editing laptops.
RAM
When buying laptops for video editing, make sure to focus on the minimum RAM requirements of at least 8GB. Although, we recommend that you go for 16GB RAM if you want a fast-paced no lag heavy video editing specifications.
Processor
The processor in the best video editing laptop is another thing that greatly affects the editing process. Moreover, it must be remembered that the processor needs to be at least a quad-core to be able to handle all the heavy rendering similar to gaming laptops.
Graphics Card
Furthermore, you’ll have to look for a good Graphics Card that supplies the VRAM ( Video Memory RAM) when buying the best laptops for video editing. Although, you can do some of the editings with the basic integrated Intel HD Graphics found in basic video editing laptops. But if you require heavy video editing apps, a dedicated graphics card is a must-have.
Display Panel
The display panel is also another element when scouting for the best laptops for video editing. Suppose you have a 4k video that you want to be edited. Now it’s better to use the best video editing laptops with a UHD 4K display panel comprised of 3240 x 2160 pixels. Although, a 1080p display can be used for editing 4k footage but the process is rather complex. In addition to that, a high-quality display screen that is powerful can show you the original colors while editing. This might make the editing work easier for you.
Storage
Storage is also a very important thing you need to look for in a laptop for video editing. You need to be able to save all the high-quality videos and it is better that you have Giga amounts of space available with you. In contrast to a conventional Hard Disk Drive (HDD), the Solid State Drive (SSD) is much more powerful because of its faster loading time and the fact that it can access data much faster than a spinning hard disk. Moreover, security encryptions of data are much better on SSD. On top of everything, the window boot-up times and load times of applications such as Adobe Premiere Pro are much faster on an SSD when compared to a conventional HDD.
Video Editing software
Now with that being said, let’s take a look at some mainstream video-editing software that you will be using on the laptops we recommend. Moreover, we give you the minimum specifications too for running this software. So, without further ado, below are some of the mainstream applications along with detailed descriptions including the minimum specifications needed to run them.
DaVinci Resolve
Davinci Resolve is a broadly utilized application. Compared to other editing software like Adobe Premiere Pro, Resolve’s specifications are more demanding. Presently, you can manage with a quad-core CPU however the fundamental difference lies in the memory and VRAM. It’ll work well with 16GB RAM however if you are aiming for 4K, the minimum specified RAM is 16GB. Thus, it must be noticed that some laptops on our list probably won’t have the option to use this program to its fullest capacity.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Adobe Premiere Pro is the most commonly used software among the mainstream audience of filmmakers. The minimum CPU requirements to run this program are an Intel 6th Gen or AMD FX processor. Moreover, 8GB RAM at the very least will be required with a VRAM of 2GB supplied by a dedicated graphics card.
Final Cut
Keeping in mind that Final Cut is a great software, the only device in our list consisting of video editing laptops under $2000 is a single MacBook. Nevertheless, Final Cut will work brilliantly with 4GB of Ram and VRAM of 256MB. One thing to keep in mind here is that this is only possible due to the brilliant optimization of this software on Apple products.
The laptops that are ideal for video editing
Lenovo P70
CPU: Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5, GPU: Nvidia Quadro M5000M, RAM: 32GB, Storage: 512GB SSD
With a price tag of $1347, this device is quite powerful at this point. The processor is quad-core Intel Xeon Processor E3-1505M v5 which goes up to 2.4 GHz. Moreover, the graphics card is by Nvidia called Quadro M5000M, which is a fairly good one considering the price. However, the main difference is that it has 32GB of DDR4 RAM and the graphics card consists of 8GB of GDDR5 VRAM. it has a beautiful 17.3-inch UHD display panel. Even with the UHD 4K display and its powerful working, it packs a battery that has it running for up to 11 hours.
However, the one drawback that some users might complain about is that it is a relatively heavier machine in terms of weight. This is due to its big display and the components that it packs.
MacBook Pro 13’’ 2020:
CPU: 1.4 GHz quad-core 8th Gen, GPU: Intel Iris Plus 645, RAM: 8GB 2133 MHz LPDDR3, Storage: 256GB SSD
In our article, we have only mentioned one MacBook. This is because it is relatively much cheaper than the other MacBooks. Moreover, the reason for adding a MacBook to our list was that it is the only laptop capable of running Final Cut Pro which is exclusive to Apple devices. Now talking about its drawbacks, you will have a 13-inch Retina display which is 2560 x 1660. The display is not necessarily Ultra High Definition, but it does not mean that it is not good. Moreover, this device gives you a battery life of 10 hours.
With just additional hundred bucks, $1799, you can get a much faster 2.3 GHz 10TH Gen Core i7 combined with a RAM of 32 GB, you can also configure the storage to your liking and you get Intel Iris Plus for graphics.
HP Omen 17:
CPU: Core i7, GPU: Nvidia GeForce 1060, RAM: 32GB, Storage: 2TB HDD with 128GB SSD
Omen 17 is priced at $1459 and has a 17.3-inch Ultra High Definition 4k IPS UWVA screen which consists of an anti-glare coating and is WLED backlit. This further makes it pretty big and vivid enough for heavy video processing. However, the CPU is Inter quad-core i7-6700HQ 2.6 GHz which can be overclocked to 3.5 GHz. it has the GeForce 1060 having 6GB of dedicated GDDR5 VRAM coupled with a RAM of 32GB makes it one of the fastest devices in our article. Moreover, it is VR-ready if you are considering editing your 4K VR videos.
However, this is similar to a gaming laptop with a few cons that come with its insane power. The battery only lasts around 5 hours. Moreover, it does not pack any physical DVD ROM drive. Since this laptop is also used for gaming purposes too, that might be a reason for its low battery timing as it is quite power-consuming.
Dell Inspiron 7000
CPU: Core i7, GPU: Intel HD Graphics 630, RAM: 16GB, Storage: 1TB HDD with 128GB SSD
Priced at $939, Inspiron 7000 is the latest entry from Dell powered by the latest Intel processor, i7-6700 HQ 2.6 GHz. The base model has integrated Intel HD graphics 360 which does most of the video processing work. However, if you want more power, you can get it with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 4GB VRAM but you have to pay $1100. The DDR3 RAM and the storage are a combination of 128 GB SSD for faster load times and 1 TB HDD which provides enough space for 4K videos to store. Moreover, it has a 4k display panel. On top of everything, the battery is also pretty good and lasts for 7 to 8 hours in the best conditions.
The only drawback here some people might have to face is that the cooling on this device isn’t that effective. So, to avoid that, you’ll have to avoid using it in humid places. As far as the weight goes, it is a bit heavy gaming laptop assuming it has a 15.6-inch UHD display panel.
Acer Swift 3:
Priced at $655, Acer Swift 3 is the most budget-friendly option with cool laptop specifications and thus, lets you edit video with ease. It boasts a powerful 8-core AMD Tyzen 7 processor which is much faster compared to other future brands of laptops in this price range. Moreover, it comprises of 8GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD for faster load-up times. Although, it does not have a dedicated graphics card which can be a problem for some people but doesn’t let that lead you to underestimate this machine. The integrated Radeon graphics on this latest Ryzen processor are more powerful and can handle even the 4K video processing. Moreover, the processor allows for some smooth video rendering of 4k videos.
The only drawback here is that the display isn’t that great for video editing as it is dim and covers 68% of Adobe sRGB colors. However, at this price, this machine is a beast for high-level video editing. If you are on a tight budget, this gaming laptop is your deal.
HP Spectre x360
CPU: Intel Core i7, GPU: Nvidia GTX 1050 Ti, RAM: 16GB,
Priced at $1700, HP Spectre x360 is an elegant machine. It also comes within many configurations. This high-end model combines a 4k glossy display with an aluminum chassis. Moreover, it has a 13.3 inch display which makes for a pretty good experience. Additionally, the Core i7 processor with 1050 Ti makes it powerful enough to handle some of the rigorous video editing tasks that you run on it. On top of that, the battery is pretty good for a 4k display. It lasts up to 8 hours and that too on a single charge.
$1499 HP Spectre x360 config: For people who are on a budget, we present to you the $1499 HP Spectre x360 config. This build gets you a Core i7 processor with a dedicated graphics card of Nvidia MX150, 8GB RAM, and 512GB of storage. This build also does a great job of running video editing software.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
CPU: AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS , RAM: 16GB DDR4 , Storage: 1TB SSD
Priced at 1499.99, this is one of the best laptops when it comes to video editing. With a 16 GB DDR4 RAM and the new Ryzen 9 processor, this machine works fast when it comes to heavy video editing. Moreover, the keyboard is quite sleek and the keys are clicky with a decent travel.
However, there are few drawbacks such as the laptop has no webcam and it has a 14-inch non-touchscreen display panel with a resolution of only 1920 x 1080.
HP Omen 15
CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 , GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti GPU , RAM: 8 GB , Storage: 256GB SSD
Priced at $899.99, HP Omen 15 is a great budget laptop that can do all the heavy editing and goes much easier on your wallet. With having an Nvidia GTX 1650 Ti GPU along with 8 GB of RAM, HP Omen is fast and responsive. Just what you look for in a laptop ideal for video editing. Moreover, it has an AMD Ryzen 5 processor and comes with a 256 GB SSD allowing for faster load times.
The only drawback here is that the storage space is quite low when you compare it to other laptops in our lists. However, if you are fine with its low storage space, this laptop can run heavy editing software.
Microsoft Surface Book 2
CPU: Intel Core i7, GPU: Nvidia GTX 1060, RAM: 16GB, Storage: 256GB SSD
This laptop is a fine addition to our list of laptops that can edit high-quality videos and 4k clips natively. It boasts an 8th Gen Intel Core i7 CPU and has a dedicated Nvidia GTX 1060 graphics card which when combined makes it an amazing machine for editing 4k videos. Moreover, it also has a 3240 x 2160 which makes the screen much more vivid and excellent for editing the video clips. It is also one of the sleekest designed devices in our list. This device is able to last 12 hours so you can edit the videos all day. It comes in two displays; 15-inch PixelSense or a 13.5-inch display.
Dell XPS 15:
CPU: Intel Core i7, GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1650 Ti, RAM: 16GB, Storage: 512GB SSD
Although, this device comes in many configurations, the one listed in this article is priced at $1729. This machine consists of a Core i7-10750H CPU with a GPU of GTX 1650 Ti for graphics which is more than perfect for running heavy video editing applications. This machine boasts a display panel of 15.6-inch. In addition to that, the battery of this laptop lasts up to 8 hours which is pretty good considering its specifications.
Conclusion
So, these were our top recommended laptops that you can buy under $2000. These laptops are powerful and do all the heavy workload of post-processing. We have tried our best to include most budget laptops in our list. But still, for the folks who still don’t want to spend too much on a laptop and are on a tight budget, we have mentioned specific laptops for them too that are relatively much cheaper than their peers. However, there is an opportunity cost that you have to pay for the drawbacks and we have clearly mentioned them too. On top of everything, these machines are not just only for video editing, some of our picks can be used for rendering purposes and gaming too. All these laptops can be bought online from many stores such as Amazon. Now, it is up to you to choose the laptop that fits your needs and goes well with your wallets.
