5 Best Laptops For Video Editing in 2025

February 18, 2025 Miguel Salas

Unlike most websites, I’ll be honest with you—there’s no single “best” laptop for video editing.

If you’re okay with waiting for renders, you don’t need to drop $4,000+ on a workstation laptop. What’s best for you depends on your workflow—the effects you use, software features, and resolution you work with.

In this post, we’re not just listing laptops across all price ranges ($500–$3,000) but also breaking down what you really need to know before spending your hard-earned money.

What They Don’t Tell You

Simple rendering work can take SECONDS and does not need great hardware.

Throwing cash at the most powerful CPU and GPU won’t necessarily get you the best performance. That might work for gaming—but not for video editing.

Hardware performance for us video editors isn’t that simple. I know, I know—it makes choosing a laptop even harder, and you probably just want a clear answer.

But should you really trust those shiny review sites, as if their writers were actual video editors? If you’re ready to spend two months of rent on their recommendations, go ahead—but I bet most of them haven’t even touched Adobe Premiere. Maybe Windows Movie Maker, if that.

Who Should You Trust?

Get advice from someone who actually edits videos or at least someone who can back up their claims with benchmark studies and real-world testing.

That’s exactly what this post is about.

We won’t just list random cheap laptops—only machines that slice through video rendering like a hot knife through butter. Sure, we’ll include a few budget options at the end, but most of these will cut your editing time from hours to minutes.

So sit back and relax—let’s find you the right laptop.

Contents hide

Best Laptop Specs For Video Editing

If you’ve landed here, chances are you’re not a tech expert—and that’s totally fine. I’ll break everything down in simple terms, so you know exactly what to look for when buying a laptop for video editing.

To keep things clear and practical, this post is divided into two sections:

The Best Video Editing Laptops – A curated list of the top options and what you can expect from each.
The Buying Guide & Hardware Breakdown – A deep dive into all the technical details, backed by studies and benchmarks, to help you make an informed decision—even if you’re shopping outside the U.S.

Why the Buying Guide is Last

The second section covers everything you need to know about video editing hardware—and I mean everything. Since it’s quite detailed, I’ve placed it at the end to keep things beginner-friendly upfront.

What You’ll Learn in the Buying Guide:

Best CPUs & GPUs for editing and rendering
What display specs you need for 4K editing
Optimal processors for exporting & encoding
Real benefits of multiple cores for different software
NVIDIA vs. AMD GPUs—which is better?
Which GPU gives you the best value?
Should you invest in an RTX card?
How much RAM & what storage setup is best?

Let’s Get Started

First, I’ll give you a quick summary of what to look for in a video editing laptop. Then, I’ll list the top 10 options for 2019, ranked by priority based on key specs.

CPU

Choose single clock speed over # cores. There’s plenty of cores to make fast rendering but # of cores won’t help with fast editing since effects are single-threaded. However, that depends on your workload, if you find rendering too slow, you can focus on # cores or multi-core performance.

Use this post to find out which CPU has more ‘clock speed’ (effects) or better ‘multi-core performance’ (rendering) : Laptop CPU performance Comparison

RAM
8GB: Good for timelines less than 60min
16GB: Min for timelines greater than 60 min.
32-64GB: for Da Vinci Resolve/Adobe After effects/4k or 8k video editing.

GPU
Simple video editing w/ few GPU accelerated effects: MX450, 2050RTX
More GPU accelerated effects: 3050RTX
High resolution video editing+ a lot of GPU accelerated Effects: 3060RTX and 4050RTX are acceptable. 4060RTX is best bang for your buck.

Storage
PCIe NVme 4.0 vs PCIe NVMe 5.0: the latter is the fastest. Not a must for video editing but if you have import/export a lot of footage from/out of the computer then you may want to invest in the latter as PCIe NVMe 5.0 is significantly faster for these tasks alone.

Display
min 1080p resolution. Still useful for 4k video editing*.
OLED vs IPS: OLED is nice plus due to higher color accuracy but it’s not a requirement to make good edits.

How To Buy The Best Laptop For Video Editing

This can be a touchy subject because there are a lot of variables to consider when choosing the best laptop for video editing. It’s not just about getting the most expensive machine—it’s about getting what works for your specific workflow.

Some key questions to ask yourself:

Will you be editing on the go? Do you need long battery life, or will you always be plugged in?
What software will you be using? Different programs have different hardware requirements.
What kind of encoding will you be working with? ProRes? H.265? RAW?
Does your work rely heavily on hardware-accelerated effects? Some effects need a powerful GPU, while others lean on the CPU.

The first question is mostly about portability and battery life, but the last three? Those define what kind of specs you actually need.

With that in mind, let’s go through the most popular video editing software and, just for formality, let’s check out their official system requirements—though keep in mind, real-world performance doesn’t always match what’s “recommended.”

Software Requirements – What You Really Need for Video Editing

Below are the official minimum system requirements for popular video editing software. Keep in mind, these are just the bare minimums—they’ll let you open the software, but they won’t guarantee smooth performance.

Software	CPU	RAM	GPU	Storage	Display
Adobe Premiere Pro	Intel 7th Gen / AMD FX or newer	8GB	Any GPU with 2GB–4GB VRAM	8GB	1280×800
Final Cut Pro	Intel or AMD 64-bit Processor	8GB	Intel HD / AMD OpenCL-supported	2GB	1280×800
DaVinci Resolve	Recent Core i7 (or equivalent)	16GB	Dedicated GPU with 4GB VRAM	10GB	1280×800
Adobe After Effects	Dual Core 3GHz+	8GB	Any dedicated GPU	3GB	1280×800

Why These Specs Don’t Tell the Whole Story

Software companies only list the minimum specs needed to launch the program—they don’t tell you how well it will run.

For example:

Adobe Premiere Pro technically runs on 8GB of RAM, but if you’re editing 4K video, expect slow playback and long render times.
Final Cut Pro runs well even on lower-end hardware, making it the most optimized video editing software.
DaVinci Resolve is the most hardware-intensive—it relies heavily on the GPU, and you’ll need at least 16GB of RAM for smooth performance.
After Effects needs a strong CPU for complex motion graphics and compositing, and while it can run on almost any dedicated GPU, a more powerful card will drastically speed up rendering times.

What’s Next?

Before diving into benchmark studies and breaking down how each component affects video editing, just remember:

Final Cut Pro is the least hardware-demanding video editing software.
DaVinci Resolve is the most hardware-demanding and requires a powerful GPU for smooth playback and rendering.

Next, we’ll break down how each component (CPU, GPU, RAM, storage, and display) impacts your workflow—so you can choose the best laptop for your needs instead of just relying on the “minimum” specs provided by software companies.

1. CPU

I wanna start with the CPU because This will do most of the heavy lifting when you’re rendering your video timeline. So it’s the most important component to consider when buying a computer. Yes, it’s much smarter to invest more money on a beefy CPU than a beefy GPU(graphics card).

Before attempting to explain how the CPU is used by video editing software, you need to understand their two most basic specs:

Frequency: how fast a processor can perform an operation is dictated by its “clock frequency” measured in Hz.
Cores: these act as “extra CPUs” so you can perform many different operations simultaneously. Today’s CPUs can have up to +48 cores (for desktops) and 8 cores (for laptops).

Choosing the right CPU for video editing isn’t just about getting the one with the highest number of cores—it depends on what type of work you’re doing. Some tasks rely on single-core speed, while others benefit from more cores.

Editing, Applying Effects, and Timeline Performance

If your work involves trimming, scrubbing, applying effects, and working with the timeline, then clock speed is king.

These tasks are single-threaded, meaning they only use one core at a time.
Having more cores won’t make a noticeable difference—what matters is the highest clock speed you can afford.
If real-time playback and smooth timeline scrubbing are important to you, go for a CPU with the highest single-core performance.

Rendering, Encoding, Exporting & Previews

This is where multiple cores matter—but only up to a certain point.

Rendering, exporting, and generating previews are the most time-consuming tasks.
The more cores you have, the less time you’ll spend waiting—but after 6–8 cores, the benefits start to drop off.
A mid-to-high-core CPU with high clock speeds is better than an ultra-high-core CPU with lower clock speeds for most video editing work.

How Each Software Uses CPU Power

Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro & After Effects

All of these software will benefit from more cores—but only up to a point.
Adobe Premiere Pro doesn’t scale well past 8-10 cores.
- 1080p exports see gains up to ~8 cores.
- 4K exports scale up to ~10 cores.
- Anything beyond that won’t make a big difference.
Adobe’s official support might tell you that “more cores = better performance,” but real-world tests show that core count is limited in effectiveness.
After Effects used to benefit from many cores (before 2016), but the “Render Multiple Frames Simultaneously” feature was removed, and now 6-8 cores is the sweet spot.
Final Cut Pro scales similarly to Premiere—clock speed and mid-range core counts are the best balance.

Cinema 4D

This is the exception to the multi-core limit rule.
Cinema 4D benefits from as many cores as possible—a high-core, lower-clock-speed CPU will perform much better here.
If you use Cinema 4D for 3D rendering, you want as many cores as you can get.

DaVinci Resolve

How well DaVinci Resolve utilizes CPU cores depends on how many GPUs you have.
If you’re using a single GPU, DaVinci doesn’t benefit much from a high-core-count CPU—a mid-range CPU performs about the same as a high-core one.
If you have multiple GPUs (two or three), then a high-core CPU makes a big difference.
On a laptop, since you only have one GPU, stick with high clock speeds and moderate core counts (6-8 cores).

Which CPU Should You Choose?

Benchmarks consistently show that single-core speed matters more than raw core count for most video editing tasks.

Luckily, laptops are usually limited to 8 cores, which is right at the efficiency limit for most editing software.
That means you don’t have to worry about wasting money on an overkill CPU—just get the best balance of high clock speed and as many cores as your budget allows.

Modern CPUs: Clock Speed performance

CPU	Base	Turbo	Cores
i5 8300H	2.3	4	4
i5 9300H	2.4	4.1	4
i7 8750H	2.2	4.1	6
i7 9750H	2.6	4.5	6
i5-11300H	2.6	4.4	4
i5 11260H	2.6	4.4	6
i7 10750H	2.6	5	4
i7 10870H	2.2	5.00	8
i7 11375H	3	5	4
i7 11370H	3.3	4.8	4
i7 11800H	2.3	4.6	8
i9 10885H	2.4	5.3	8
i5 12540H	2.6	4.4	8
i5 13420H	1.5	4.6	8
i5 13500H	1.5	4.9	8
i7 12700H	3.7	4.7	6+8
i7 12800H	3.7	4.8	6+8
i7 13620H	1.8	4.9	10/16
i7 13650HX	3.6	4.9	10/16
i9 12900H	3.8	5	6+8
i7-13620H	1.8	4.9	10 (6P + 4E)
i7-13650HX	3.6	4.9	10 (6P + 4E)
i9-12900H	3.8	5	14 (6P + 8E)
i7-14755HX	3.5	5.4	16 (8P + 8E)
i9-14955HX	3.7	5.6	24 (8P + 16E)
Core Ultra 7 155H	1.8	5	14 (6P + 8E)
Core Ultra 9 185H	2	5.1	14 (6P + 8E)

CPU	Base	Turbo	Cores
Ryzen 9 8945HS	3.3	5.2	8C / 16T
Ryzen 7 8845HS	3	5.1	8C / 16T
Ryzen 9 7945HX	2.5	5.4	16C / 32T
Ryzen 9 7940HS	4	5.2	8C / 16T
Ryzen 7 7745HX	3.6	5.1	8
Ryzen 7 7840HS	3.8	5.1	8
Ryzen 9 6980HX	3.3	5	8
Ryzen 9 6900HS	3.3	4.9	8
Ryzen 7 6800H	3.2	4.7	8
Ryzen 9 5900HX	3.3	4.6	8
Ryzen 5 8645HS	3.2	5	6C / 12T
Ryzen 5 7535HS	3.3	4.5	6/12
Ryzen 9 4900HS	2.2	4.4	8
Ryzen 5 6600H	3.3	4.5	6
Ryzen 7 5800H	3.3	4.4	8
Ryzen 7 4800H	2.9	4.2	8
Ryzen 5 5600H	3.3	4.2	6
Ryzen 7 3750H	2.3	4.0	4
Ryzen 5 4600H	3.0	4.0	6
Ryzen 5 3550H	2.1	3.7	4

The table above ranks CPUs according to their single-core performance

The performance jump from 6 to 8 cores isn’t massive, so if you can’t afford an 8-core CPU, don’t stress it—a good 6-core, recent-gen processor will still handle video editing just fine.

Are Xeon and High-Core-Count CPUs Still Relevant?

If you were thinking about getting a workstation laptop with a Xeon processor or some high-core-count CPU, here’s the deal:

They are no longer useful for video editing.
They have lower clock speeds and way too many cores to be practical.
Most editing software won’t fully utilize more than 8–10 cores, and in laptops, manufacturers don’t even bother going beyond that because it’s not worth it.

The real limit is around 10 cores, but the difference between 8 and 10 cores is so small that it’s just not worth the extra money.

AMD vs. Intel – Which is Better for Video Editing?

If you’ve been shopping around for CPUs, you might be surprised by this:

The AMD Ryzen 9 HS series is one of the fastest CPUs for video editing, even though it has the same core count and lower clock speeds than Intel’s Core i9 processors.

Why? Benchmarks tell the real story—raw specifications like clock speed and core count don’t always reflect real-world performance.

How to Compare CPUs the Right Way

If two CPUs have similar specs, check benchmark studies on Notebookcheck or Puget Systems before making a decision.
As a general rule in 2025, AMD’s latest Ryzen CPUs tend to be more efficient and better for video editing if the specs are close.

The old belief that Intel dominates clock speeds while AMD wins on core count is no longer true—these days, it’s much closer, and the “faster” CPU depends on the software and optimization.

Recommended CPUs for Video Editing

For Heavy-Duty Editing (4K, DaVinci Resolve, High-Intensity Projects)

Best Choice – Any of the CPUs highlighted in green (high-end Core i9 or Ryzen 9).
Second Best – CPUs highlighted in blue (Core i7 or Ryzen 7, slightly lower performance but still solid).

For Light Video Editing (Basic 1080p, YouTube Content, Social Media Clips)

Any modern U-series processor (8th Gen or newer Core i5, Ryzen 5, or better).
No dual-core i3s or any non-Ryzen AMD processors—they’re just too weak for editing.

4K Video Editing vs. 1080p – Does CPU Matter?

High-end CPUs make a huge difference in 4K video editing.
If you plan to edit in 4K, you will not regret investing in a top-tier processor—render times, playback, and exporting speeds all improve significantly with better hardware.
For 1080p editing, you can get away with a mid-range CPU, but for serious 4K work, go high-end.

2. RAM

RAM is a type of memory that temporarily stores data while your CPU processes it. Unlike your storage drive (SSD or HDD), RAM is much faster because it sits closer to the CPU, allowing your system to apply effects and edit footage without bottlenecks.

If your system doesn’t have enough RAM, your CPU will start using your storage drive as virtual memory, which slows everything down significantly.

How RAM Affects Video Editing Performance

The more complex your videos, the more RAM you’ll need. Factors that increase RAM usage include:

Longer timelines (more footage = more data to store in RAM).
Higher resolution footage (4K+ files require more memory).
Complex codecs (RAW, ProRes, and high-bitrate files take up more RAM).

Your system will always benefit from having enough RAM to hold your footage and active project files.

How Much RAM Do You Need?

8GB – The Absolute Minimum

Only works for short 1080p projects (under 60 minutes).
Expect slow performance, especially with multiple layers and effects.
Barely enough for Premiere Pro or DaVinci Resolve—Windows and background apps will eat up most of it.

16GB – The Practical Minimum for Most Editors

Suitable for longer 1080p projects and basic 4K editing.
Provides smoother playback and fewer slowdowns.
The recommended amount for Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve users.

32GB – The Sweet Spot

Ideal for 4K video editing and Adobe After Effects.
Allows more real-time previews to be stored in RAM, reducing reliance on disk caching.
Recommended for editors who work with multiple layers, effects, and color grading.

64GB+ – Only for Heavy-Duty Work

Best for professional 6K/8K video editing or After Effects power users.
Only needed if working with RAW video, multiple streams of 4K, or large projects with heavy effects.
Most laptops don’t support more than 64GB, so at this point, a desktop workstation is the better option.

RAM vs. Resolution – How Much Do You Need?

Footage Resolution	Recommended Max RAM
1080p	32GB
4K	64GB
6K / 8K+	64GB – 128GB

Note: Laptops typically max out at 64GB, so for 8K workflows, you’ll need a desktop workstation.

Do You Need More RAM?

You may need more RAM than usual if:

You run multiple programs while editing (Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere Pro at the same time).
You work with RAW, high-bitrate, or uncompressed footage.
You frequently scrub through long, complex timelines with many layers of effects.

If your system is struggling, a fast SSD (NVMe) can help, but it will never be as fast as having enough RAM.

Optimizing RAM Usage in Your Editing Software

If your system is running low on RAM, you can allocate more memory to video editing programs while limiting what’s available to background apps.

In Adobe Premiere Pro: Go to Edit > Preferences > Memory and adjust RAM allocation.
Similar settings exist in After Effects, DaVinci Resolve, and Final Cut Pro.

This can help prevent slowdowns, especially when working on large projects.

3. GPU

If you’ve read any video editing laptop recommendations, you’ve probably seen something like:

“Get the most powerful GPU you can afford.”
“Invest all your budget in the latest Titan RTX Super.”
“The GPU is everything for video editing.”

That’s not just misleading—it’s completely wrong.

A GPU should be seen as a supporting tool rather than the main priority. The CPU is still the most important component for video editing, and that’s where most of your budget should go.

Why the CPU Still Matters More Than the GPU

GPUs are evolving faster than video editing software can keep up. Developers simply haven’t optimized their software to take full advantage of modern GPUs yet.

Meanwhile, the CPU handles most of the heavy lifting, including:

Timeline scrubbing and real-time playback
Applying effects and rendering previews
Encoding and exporting video (though the GPU helps with some formats)

If your CPU isn’t strong enough, no GPU will be able to compensate for it.

Understanding GPUs: Integrated vs. Dedicated

Integrated GPUs – Can They Handle Video Editing?

Most laptops come with integrated GPUs, which are built directly into the CPU. They’re weaker than dedicated GPUs, but they’re still usable for light video editing.

When can you get away with an integrated GPU?

If you’re only doing basic editing (cuts, simple transitions, and minor color correction).
If you don’t use GPU-accelerated effects like noise reduction, motion tracking, or 3D rendering.
If you’re editing in 1080p and don’t need real-time effects previewing in 4K or higher.

If you don’t fall into one of these categories, you’ll definitely want a dedicated GPU.

Dedicated GPUs (dGPU) – When Are They Worth It?

If you’re doing serious video editing, a dedicated GPU is essential. But it’s not just about fancy effects—having a dGPU also helps with:

Smoother video playback, especially with high-resolution footage (4K, 6K, 8K).
Faster rendering times—GPUs can act as additional cores to help process video.
Higher resolution timelines without lag.
Better performance in color grading and GPU-accelerated effects.

Which dGPU Should You Pick?

You don’t need the most powerful GPU to edit video, even if you’re doing high-end work.

Just like with CPUs, there’s a point where extra power doesn’t improve performance.

Here’s a general guide:

RTX 4060 / 4070 – Great for 4K editing, solid balance of price and performance.
RTX 4080 / 4090 – Overkill unless you’re editing 8K footage or using extremely heavy effects.
Entry-level GPUs (RTX 3050, Radeon RX 6600M, Intel Arc) – Only worth it if you’re on a tight budget. Fine for light editing, but they struggle with 4K and heavy effects.

NVIDIA

Name	Cores	vRAM	Speed
MX150	384	2GB-4GB	1532
MX250	384	2GB-4GB	1582
1050	640	2GB-4GB	1493
1050Ti	768	4GB	1620
1650	1024	4GB	1560
2050	2048	4GB	1477
1060	1280	6GB	1670
1660 Ti	1536	6GB	1590
3060	3840	6GB	1702
4050 RTX	2560	6GB	237
3070	5120	8GB	1620
4060RTX	3072	8GB	2370
3080	6144	8GB	1710
4070 RTX	4608	8GB	2175
3080Ti	7424	16GB	1590
4080 RTX	7424	12GB	2280
4090 RTX	9728	16GB	2040

AMD

Name	Shaders	vRAM	Speed	NVIDIA Equivalent
Radeon 610	320	2GB	1030	Intel UHD 620
Pro RX 555X	768	2GB	855	MX150/MX250
RadeonRX 540	512	4GB	1219	~950M
Radeon RX 550	640	4GB	1287 – 1476	+950M
Radeon RX 560X	1024	4GB	1172 – 1275	1050GTX
RX 580	1536	6GB	1077	~1060GTX
RX 5500M	1408	8GB	1327 – 1645	~1660Ti
RX 6700M	2304	10GB	1792	~3060RTX
RX 6800M	2560	12GB	2116 – 2300	~3070RTX++

I’ve made it simple by categorizing GPUs based on performance and budget using color labels.

Basic video editing (cuts, transitions, and a few GPU-accelerated effects) → Blue GPUs (entry-level)
Moderate editing (heavy effects, but not obsessed with top-tier performance) → Orange GPUs (mid-range)
Heavy video editing (maximizing every bit of power within budget) → Green GPUs (high-end, best value)
Money isn’t an issue, and you want the absolute best performance → Red GPUs (top-tier, overkill for most)

Which One Do You Actually Need?

Green GPUs are enough for 99% of video editors. There’s no major performance boost from going higher unless your workflow demands it.
For After Effects users, you get the best price-to-performance ratio with something like an RTX 4060—higher-end GPUs won’t make a huge difference.
Red GPUs (ultra-high-end) are mostly useful for color correction, advanced visual effects, or specialized tasks like warping.
The difference between an orange and a green GPU isn’t as big as you’d think, since the CPU does most of the heavy lifting in video editing.

DaVinci Resolve – The Exception to the Rule

DaVinci Resolve is the most hardware-demanding video editing software, and it benefits the most from a powerful GPU.

Unlike After Effects and Premiere Pro, which rely more on the CPU, DaVinci is highly dependent on GPU power for real-time playback and rendering.

If you use DaVinci Resolve, investing in the most powerful GPU you can afford is worth it—otherwise, a high-end but not extreme GPU will be more than enough for most other editing software.

RTX Series and Video Editing – Are They Worth It?

A few years ago, many video editors stuck with GTX series GPUs, avoiding RTX cards because features like RT cores and Tensor cores weren’t widely used in software like Adobe Premiere Pro.

That’s no longer the case.

Adobe Software Now Uses RTX Features – Premiere Pro and After Effects now take advantage of RTX Tensor Cores for AI-powered upscaling, denoising, and GPU-accelerated effects.
RTX GPUs Have Better Video Encoding – The latest NVENC (NVIDIA Encoder) improvements in RTX 3000, 4000, and 5000 series GPUs allow smoother playback, faster exporting, and better H.265/AV1 encoding.
DaVinci Resolve Fully Utilizes RTX Power – Unlike Adobe, DaVinci Resolve is heavily dependent on GPU power, and an RTX GPU will significantly improve playback and rendering speeds.
RT Cores Still Aren’t Essential for Video Editing – While ray tracing is great for gaming and 3D rendering, it doesn’t impact video editing workflows much. However, it doesn’t negatively affect performance either.

Should You Still Consider a GTX Card?

If you’re on a tight budget, a GTX 1660 Ti or GTX 1080 Ti can still handle basic 1080p and 4K editing.
But if you can afford an RTX card, it’s absolutely worth it for better encoding, AI features, and long-term performance.

IE HECV B Frame Support

RTX GPUs do offer improved encode/decode support that isn’t present in GTX 1000 series cards, including HEVC B-frame support. This feature allows more efficient video compression, reducing file sizes while maintaining quality.

Additionally, newer RTX GPUs (RTX 4000 and 5000 series) support AV1 encoding, making them even more efficient than HEVC for video compression—something GTX cards lack entirely.

If you work with video encoding, an RTX GPU is the clear choice over GTX due to better codec support and future-proofing.

Here’s a quick synopsis.

Optical Flow for Frame Interporlation

RTX GPUs use Optical Flow Acceleration, making them better at motion estimation for frame interpolation compared to older methods. This is useful if you’re working with AI-based frame generation or slow-motion processing in software like Topaz Video AI or DaVinci Resolve Optical Flow.

Additionally, if you’re using 3D rendering software like Redshift or Octane, an RTX GPU will provide a significant performance boost due to its RT cores and AI acceleration—making rendering much faster than with GTX cards.

If 3D rendering or AI-based motion interpolation is part of your workflow, an RTX card is a huge upgrade over GTX.

H264/HEVC Encoding and dGPUs

If you’re doing H.264/HEVC encoding, a Turing-based GPU (RTX 2000 series or GTX 1650) will give you roughly twice the encoding performance of Pascal-based GPUs (GTX 1000 series) due to the improved NVENC encoder.

However, if you want even better encoding efficiency, newer Ampere (RTX 3000) and Ada Lovelace (RTX 4000) GPUs provide additional improvements. RTX 4000 series also supports AV1 encoding, which is becoming the new standard for high-efficiency video compression.

For fast and high-quality video encoding, an RTX GPU is now a must-have.

Are Workstation GPUs (Quadro/FirePro) Worth It for Video Editing?

Workstation GPUs like NVIDIA Quadro (now called RTX A-series) and AMD FirePro/Radeon Pro are designed for professional workloads, but when it comes to video editing, they don’t offer much of an advantage over consumer GPUs (GeForce and Radeon RX).

1. Performance: Consumer GPUs Outperform Workstation GPUs

Benchmark studies consistently show that gaming/consumer GPUs (RTX series) perform better than workstation GPUs in video editing software.
The only time workstation GPUs are necessary is for specific industry workflows like CAD, scientific simulations, or specialized 3D rendering engines that rely on certified drivers.
For Adobe Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, and After Effects, GeForce GPUs offer better price-to-performance.

2. When Does a Workstation GPU Make Sense?

10-bit Color Support → Some workstation GPUs offer better 10-bit display support, which can be useful in Adobe Premiere Pro for color grading and HDR workflows.
- However, After Effects only supports 10-bit color through a video monitoring card, making workstation GPUs less relevant for AE users.
More VRAM for 8K Video Editing → If you’re working with high-resolution 8K+ footage, some workstation GPUs come with more VRAM than consumer-grade GPUs.
- Example: RTX A6000 (48GB VRAM) vs. RTX 4090 (24GB VRAM).
- DaVinci Resolve benefits from more VRAM for handling large video projects and multiple high-resolution layers.

Final Verdict – Should You Get a Workstation GPU?

For 99% of video editors, consumer GPUs (GeForce/Radeon) are the better choice—they’re faster, cheaper, and better optimized for editing software.
Only consider a workstation GPU if you:
- Work in a professional studio and require certified drivers.
- Need 10-bit color accuracy in Adobe Premiere Pro (but not After Effects).
- Work with massive 8K+ video projects that demand more VRAM than consumer GPUs offer.

vRAM

VRAM is arguably more important than having the latest and greatest GPU in your laptop.

The amount of VRAM determines how much video data can be stored and processed at once, directly affecting:

Timeline complexity (number of layers/effects/audio tracks).
Resolution of your footage.
Real-time playback smoothness.

In short, longer videos, higher resolutions, and complex effects demand more VRAM.

How Much VRAM Do You Need?

Puget Systems conducted a benchmark study outlining recommended VRAM for different resolutions:

Footage Resolution	Recommended VRAM
1080p	4GB
4K	6GB – 8GB
6K	8GB – 10GB
8K+	10GB+

Not having enough VRAM doesn’t mean you can’t edit at those resolutions, but expect slower performance, longer render times, and potential playback issues.

Multiple GPUs – Are They Useful for Video Editing?

Multiple GPUs aren’t available in laptops, so this isn’t something to worry about.

If you’re building a desktop workstation, here’s what you should know:

For Adobe Premiere & After Effects, multiple GPUs do not provide a major benefit—a single high-end GPU will always outperform multiple low-end GPUs.
For DaVinci Resolve, multiple GPUs can significantly boost performance, as it’s one of the few software programs that fully supports up to 8 GPUs (though performance gains start to plateau after 3–4 GPUs).
Since laptops are limited to a single GPU, this isn’t relevant to mobile workstations.

NVIDIA vs. AMD – Which One is Better for Video Editing?

Laptop Market – NVIDIA Dominates

NVIDIA has been the clear leader in video editing for laptops for years.
If you compare similar-tier GPUs from AMD and NVIDIA, NVIDIA outperforms AMD in most video editing tasks due to better driver optimization and CUDA acceleration.

Desktop Market – AMD Can Be a Budget-Friendly Alternative

AMD’s desktop GPUs often provide better price-to-performance ratios than NVIDIA in the mid-range segment.
However, high-end NVIDIA GPUs (RTX 4080, 4090, and 5000 series) still dominate for professional workloads.
AMD struggles to compete in the high-end range, as they still haven’t produced anything that matches NVIDIA’s top-tier cards for video editing.

AMD GPUs in Laptops

AMD GPUs are rare in laptops and are mostly found in MacBooks or select Windows laptops.

Here’s how modern AMD Radeon GPUs compare to NVIDIA’s offerings in both laptop and desktop markets:

AMD Radeon GPU	NVIDIA Equivalent	Laptop/Desktop
Radeon Pro 560X	GTX 960M+	Laptop (MacBook)
Radeon Pro 455	GTX 960M	Laptop (MacBook)
Radeon Pro 5500M	GTX 1060	Laptop (MacBook)
Radeon Pro Vega 16	GTX 1050 Ti	Laptop (MacBook)
Radeon Pro Vega 20	GTX 1050 Ti	Laptop (MacBook)
Radeon RX 6600M	RTX 3050 Ti	Laptop
Radeon RX 6800M	RTX 3070	Laptop
Radeon RX 7600M XT	RTX 4060	Laptop
Radeon RX 7800 XT	RTX 4070 Ti	Desktop
Radeon RX 7900 XT/XTX	RTX 4080 / RTX 4090	Desktop
Radeon Pro W7800	RTX A5000 (Workstation)	Desktop Workstation
Radeon Pro W7900	RTX A6000 (Workstation)	Desktop Workstation

Technical Findings – Mid-Range vs. High-End GPUs in 2025

GPU power does not significantly impact export times at the same resolution.
- If you have a mid-to-high-end GPU (RTX 3060, 4060, 4070, 4080, or Radeon 6800M/7800 XT), you will get similar export times.
Higher-end GPUs (RTX 4080, 4090) are more useful when downscaling from high to low resolution.
Preview generation at 1080p is faster with high-end GPUs, but there’s no noticeable performance boost when generating previews at 4K or higher.
OpenCL (AMD) and CUDA (NVIDIA) perform similarly for exporting at 1080p, but NVIDIA’s CUDA still has an edge in most Adobe applications.
RTX 4000 and 5000 series GPUs now support AV1 encoding, making them superior for future-proof video compression compared to older GPUs.

So, Which GPU Should You Get?

Just follow the VRAM table above—it still holds true in 2025.

If you’re editing at 1080p, 4GB of VRAM is enough, but 6GB+ is better for smoother performance.
If you’re working with 4K, aim for at least 8GB VRAM.
If you’re handling 6K or 8K video, go for 10GB or more—otherwise, you’ll struggle with real-time playback.
NVIDIA still leads the laptop market, while AMD can be a budget-friendly option in desktops.

At the end of the day, VRAM is one of the most important GPU specs for video editing—so make sure you choose a GPU with enough memory for your workflow rather than just chasing the latest model.

4. Storage

You can’t just settle for the largest storage drive you can find—if it’s slow, it’s going to bottleneck your entire workflow.

Video editing is a hardware-intensive process, and storage speed matters just as much as storage capacity.

Types of Storage Drives in Laptops (2025)

Modern laptops only use SSDs for storage. HDDs are obsolete, as they are far too slow for video editing, rendering, and general system performance.

Here’s a comparison of the three SSD types you’ll find in laptops today:

Storage Type	Speed Comparison	Best For
SATA III SSD	~550 MB/s (5x faster than HDDs)	Budget-friendly laptops, secondary storage
PCIe NVMe 4.0	~7,000 MB/s (12x faster than SATA III)	Mid-to-high-end laptops, smooth video playback, fast renders
PCIe NVMe 5.0	~14,000 MB/s (2x faster than NVMe 4.0)	High-end laptops, ultra-fast file transfers, extreme workloads

Note: NVMe SSDs (4.0 and 5.0) dramatically outperform SATA III SSDs in transfer speeds, which is beneficial for handling large video files.

How Much Storage Do You Need?

There’s no exact size recommendation, but as a rule of thumb:

256GB SSD – Absolute minimum, only enough for OS and editing software.
512GB SSD – Works for casual editing, but you’ll need external storage.
1TB SSD – Ideal for most video editors, lets you store projects without constant file management.
2TB+ SSD – Best for professionals working with 4K+ footage and large projects.

Why Storage Speed Matters for Video Editing

You might think having 32GB or more RAM should be enough for smooth editing, but your system still relies on storage speed when:

Loading source files into your timeline.
Generating previews and caching frames.
Rendering and exporting videos.

When RAM runs out, even 128GB of RAM has limits, your system uses virtual memory from storage—this is called a scratch disk. If your SSD is slow, performance will drop.

The solution? Use the fastest SSD you can afford.

PCIe NVMe 4.0 vs. 5.0 – Do You Need the Upgrade?

PCIe NVMe 5.0 drives double the speed of PCIe NVMe 4.0, but does that actually help video editing?

PCIe NVMe Version	Speed (Max Read/Write)	Best For
PCIe NVMe 4.0	7,000 MB/s	Fast editing, rendering, and playback
PCIe NVMe 5.0	14,000 MB/s	Extreme file transfers and high-end workflows

Do You Need PCIe 5.0 for Video Editing?

Yes, if you constantly transfer massive video files, such as multi-camera 8K RAW footage or large project backups.
No, if you mainly edit video within a single storage drive—NVMe 4.0 is already more than fast enough for real-time playback and rendering.

For most video editors, PCIe 4.0 is the sweet spot—offering excellent speed without the premium cost of PCIe 5.0.

Recommended Storage Setup for Video Editing

Modern laptops allow two storage drives, so here’s the best way to optimize performance:

Best Budget-Friendly Setup

512GB – 1TB NVMe SSD (PCIe 4.0) + External SSD for storage
SSD holds OS, Adobe Premiere, and media cache.
External SSD stores source files and exported videos.

Best Performance Setup

1TB PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD + 1TB PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSD
One drive (1TB PCIe 4.0) for OS and software.
One ultra-fast drive (1TB PCIe 5.0) for project files, scratch disk, and caching.

This setup maximizes both speed and storage space, ensuring zero bottlenecks in your workflow.

5. Display

When choosing a laptop display for video editing, you’re limited by what’s built into the machine—you can’t customize size or resolution like you would with a desktop monitor.

That said, some laptops offer better color accuracy and higher resolutions, making them more suitable for professional work.

Laptops like the MacBook Pro, Dell XPS 15, ASUS ProArt StudioBook, and Razer Blade are among the few that combine top-tier displays with powerful hardware, making them the best choices for serious video editors.

IPS vs. TN Displays – Budget Considerations

If you’re looking at budget or mid-range laptops, you’ll likely see IPS or TN panels.

Panel Type	Viewing Angles	Color Accuracy	Recommended for Video Editing?
IPS (In-Plane Switching)	Excellent	Great color accuracy	Yes – Ideal for accurate color work
TN (Twisted Nematic)	Poor	Washed-out colors	No – Avoid for video editing

Most laptops above $600 already have an IPS display, so it’s usually not something to worry about unless you’re buying a budget laptop.

For simple editing tasks, TN panels should still be avoided, as their poor color accuracy and viewing angles can make color correction difficult.

Matte vs. Glossy – Which One is Better?

Glossy displays produce richer colors and deeper contrast, making them better for accurate color grading. However, they reflect more light, which can be annoying in bright environments.
Matte displays reduce glare and are easier on the eyes, but colors may appear slightly duller compared to glossy screens.

Which one should you choose?

If color accuracy is a priority, glossy displays are better.
If you edit in bright environments or work long hours, matte displays help reduce eye strain.

Resolution – Does 4K Matter for Video Editing?

Resolution	Pros	Cons	Best For
1080p (FHD)	Standard resolution, more affordable	Not ideal for 4K editing	General video editing
1440p (QHD/2K)	Sharper than 1080p, good compromise	Higher power consumption	Semi-pro editors
4K (UHD)	Best for viewing 4K footage, sharper UI	Drains battery, expensive	Professionals

Do you need a 4K laptop display for video editing?

4K laptop displays are great for playback but not essential for editing.
Editing software scales down video previews, so you’re not seeing native 4K anyway.
For serious 4K work, an external 4K monitor is a better investment than a built-in laptop display.

OLED vs. Mini LED vs. IPS vs. TN – Which Display Tech is Best?

Modern laptops now come with four types of displays, each with its own strengths.

Display Type	Color Accuracy	Brightness	Best For
IPS LCD	Good (90-100% sRGB, decent AdobeRGB)	Average	General editing
OLED	Excellent (True blacks, 100% DCI-P3)	High	Color grading, HDR work
Mini LED	Very High (Close to OLED)	Extremely High	HDR editing, extreme brightness
TN LCD	Poor	Poor	Avoid for video editing

Which Display Tech is Best for Video Editing?

OLED and Mini LED offer the best color accuracy and contrast, making them ideal for professional color grading.
IPS is still the standard for most editing laptops, providing great color accuracy at a lower price.
Mini LED is a great alternative to OLED, offering higher brightness levels and no risk of burn-in.
TN panels should be avoided, as they lack color accuracy and viewing angles.

Which One Should You Pick?

For budget-conscious editors → IPS is fine.
For professional editors → OLED or Mini LED is best.
For those working in HDR → Mini LED is better than OLED due to higher brightness.

6. Design

Even with a high budget, you can’t just pick a laptop based on specs alone. Unlike desktops, laptops rarely hit their advertised speeds due to thermal limitations and power constraints.

Why Does Design Matter?

A laptop’s design impacts two major things:

Durability – Laptops should last at least five years, but poorly designed models can fail in one or two years due to overheating and poor build quality.
Performance – Many laptops fail to reach their advertised CPU/GPU clock speeds because temperatures get too high, forcing the system to throttle down performance.

Real-World Example: Ryzen vs. Intel CPUs

Take AMD’s Ryzen 9 4900HS and Intel’s Core i9 10th Gen as an example:

Intel Core i9 (10th Gen) needs 90W of power and massive cooling to reach its peak clock speeds.
AMD Ryzen 9 4900HS does the same or better performance using just 66W, meaning it runs cooler and more efficiently.

Because AMD’s Ryzen series is better optimized for laptops, it’s easier for laptop manufacturers to design efficient cooling solutions around them.

For Intel’s high-end CPUs (Core i7/i9 models), many laptops struggle with thermals, which means they never reach their full potential in thin-and-light designs.

Laptop Design Affects Performance More Than You Think

Even if two laptops have identical specs (same CPU, GPU, RAM, SSD), their real-world performance can be very different due to:

Cooling system quality (fan size, heat pipes, vapor chambers).
Chassis thickness (thicker = better airflow and heat dissipation).
Power limits (some laptops restrict CPU/GPU wattage to prevent overheating).

This is why benchmarks and real-world testing matter more than specs alone.

How to Avoid Bad Laptop Designs

If you’re spending big money on a high-end laptop with a Core i7/i9 or a powerful GPU (RTX 4060 and above), follow these steps:

Read Unbiased Reviews – Sites like NotebookCheck, LaptopMag, and YouTube reviewers test for thermal performance and clock speeds.
Check Amazon Reviews – If multiple people complain about high temperatures or thermal throttling, it’s a red flag.
Pick Thicker, Heavier Laptops for Better Cooling – Thin-and-light gaming or workstation laptops struggle with heat. Larger designs have more room for better cooling.

What Happens If Your Laptop Has Bad Cooling?

If your laptop isn’t well-designed for cooling, don’t panic—it won’t turn into a useless brick. However, expect:

Lower-than-advertised clock speeds under load.
More fan noise as the system tries to cool itself down.
Reduced long-term performance due to heat-related wear.

It’s not the end of the world, but it’s why specs alone don’t tell the full story when choosing a laptop.

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Miguel Salas

I am physicist and electrical engineer. My knowledge in computer software and hardware stems for my years spent doing research in optics and photonics devices and running simulations through various programming languages. My goal was to work for the quantum computing research team at IBM but Im now working with Astrophysical Simulations through Python. Most of the science related posts are written by me, the rest have different authors but I edited the final versions to fit the site's format.

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