Laptop for video editing: what to look for? If you’re a video editor, then you know how important it is to have a powerful computer that can handle the demands of video editing software. But with so many laptops on the market, which one should you choose? Here are some things to keep in mind when shopping for a laptop for video editing. First, make sure the laptop has a good processor and lots of RAM. You’ll also need a large hard drive, since videos tend to take up a lot of space. And don’t forget about graphics – you’ll want a laptop with dedicated graphics processing if you’re going to be doing any serious 4K or HD editing. So these are just a few things to think about when choosing. If
you plan to use your laptop for other things as well, like gaming or other resource-intensive activities, it’s a good idea to look for one with a powerful quad-core processor. Nowadays most laptops are built with either an Intel Core i5 or an Intel Core i7 CPU. The former has two cores that are great for everyday use, like web browsing and word processing. The latter is a quad-core or eight-threaded CPU that’s great for keeping up with multi-tasking. And if you plan to use your laptop as a creative workstation (or even for heavy gaming and other resource-intensive activities), we recommend looking at laptops built around the Intel Core i7 CPU.
Laptop for video editing: screen Since a laptop’s built-in display usually isn’t very good, you’ll want to connect an external monitor or a TV as a second display. You can do that with the HDMI port on most laptops. Some models have DisplayPort, which gives you even more options for hooking up an external monitor. Finally, make sure you have enough USB ports on your laptop and on your external monitor for connecting devices like a keyboard, mouse and hard drive. And
if you plan to use your laptop for viewing Blu-ray discs, look for one with a built in Blu-ray drive.
Laptop for video editing: storage and graphics Drives on laptops aren’t like the ones on desktops. Laptop drives tend to be smaller and slower than their desktop counterparts, and they’re usually combined into one drive instead of being separate. That’s because there isn’t much space inside a laptop, so manufacturers want to make the most out of it. But if you plan on using your laptop for video editing, you’ll need lots of storage capacity – usually 500GB or more. Most laptops have two drives: an SSD (solid-state drive) for the operating system and a larger HDD (hard disk drive) for storage. The SSD is much faster, but it doesn’t have as much space, so most people store their pictures, music and videos on the hard drive. And if you plan to edit 4K or HD video at all, you’ll definitely want to go with an SSD, since it will be much faster.
Laptops also have a graphics processor, usually an Intel HD card or a dedicated NVIDIA or AMD graphics card. Sometimes they’re combined into one unit, which can affect performance. If your laptop has integrated graphics and you plan on editing videos with lots of effects and transitions, consider looking at models with discrete graphics .
connectivity Ports are another important consideration when it comes to laptops. For instance, if you plan on using the laptop with an external monitor, make sure there are enough ports for connecting both displays. If you have two or more monitors, look for a laptop with either DisplayPort or Thunderbolt. They’re much better at supporting multiple monitors than HDMI. USB ports are next when it comes to connectivity options, since they’re used for connecting all kinds of devices like keyboards, mice and hard drives. Most laptops have two or three USB 3.0 ports, which is fine if you’re mainly using the laptop on its own. But if you plan on hooking up an external monitor or a projector, you’ll need more USB ports. Some laptops have four to five USB 3.0 ports, while others have Thunderbolt instead of one or more USB 3.0 ports.
storage options Solid-state drive (SSD) When it comes to storage capacity in laptops, SSDs are the way to go if you plan on using your laptop for video editing. They’re much faster than regular hard drives, and they don’t have any moving parts (which can mean less wear on the drive). SSDs are ideal for editing videos (and photos – more on that later), since they allow you to open and save files quickly. The downside is that they tend to be more expensive than regular hard drives. Laptop hard drive (HDD) If you plan on storing lots of videos, music and photos on your laptop, you’ll need a fast storage device – but it doesn’t have to be an SSD.
Regular laptop hard drives are much cheaper than SSDs, so they make sense if you’re not editing video or doing other resource intensive tasks. What you sacrifice in speed, you gain in storage capacity – and usually at a lower price. If your laptop has both an SSD and a HDD, consider putting your most frequently used files on the SSD and the bulk of your data on the hard drive. That way, you’ll have fast access to your data without having to sacrifice too much storage space.
RAM If you’re serious about video editing, consider looking at laptops with 8GB of RAM or more. Most laptops have 4GB of RAM, which is fine for everyday tasks like browsing the web and checking your email. But if you want to do anything beyond those basic functions (like editing photos and videos), you’ll need more RAM. 8GB is usually enough for casual video editing, but if you do lots of effects and transitions in your videos, then 16GB or more would be better.
display size When it comes to laptop screens, there are three main measurements: the diagonal, the aspect ratio and resolution. First, let’s talk about the diagonal. The larger the screen, the more room you have to work with when editing video. For instance, a 17-inch screen is great for working with 4K or HD videos, since it gives you plenty of space for adding effects and transitions. A 15-inch screen is fine if you’re just cutting down your footage to create a short video, but it’s not ideal if you’re dealing with high resolution videos.
display resolution Ideally, go for a laptop that has at least 1080p (full HD) resolution. If you’re working on regular office documents or just editing video to create a short clip, then 720p will be fine. But if you want to edit 4K or HD video, then 1080p is the minimum you should get. There are some laptops that support 4K and/or touchscreens (which make sense if you plan on editing videos on the go), but closer inspection of these features reveals they’re usually more expensive.
extra features When it comes to laptop extras, your main consideration should be the webcam. If you’re going to be using your laptop for any kind of video or photo conferencing, then a built-in webcam is essential. However, if the only time you plan on making a video call is when you’re traveling overseas, then it’s fine to go with an external webcam instead. Speakers are also important to consider since laptop speakers often aren’t that loud or good. You can get an external speaker (or plug in your headphones), but built-in laptop speakers tend to be fine for casual listening (and they usually come standard with the laptop).
battery life Video editing is a pretty resource intensive task, so you shouldn’t expect any battery to last for more than three hours. If you want a laptop that’s powerful enough to edit video, yet still light enough to carry around with you, then the best option is an ultrabook. An ultrabook has all the power of a regular laptop, but it’s much lighter and thinner – giving you portability without sacrificing function. Another option is to get an external battery pack. These are great for powering your laptop long enough to give you time to finish editing whatever it is that you’re working on.
the pick If you want a good, affordable laptop for video and photo editing.
Conclusion: If you are in the market for a new laptop and want one that is good for video and photo editing, we recommend checking out the laptops on Amazon. They have a wide selection of laptops from different brands that are perfect for editing videos and photos. Plus, their prices are very competitive and they offer free shipping on many items. We suggest taking a look at the laptops on Amazon and see if there is one that meets your needs.