Video Editing is a technology heavy endeavor. Your laptop is the extension of your brain, and you need a dependable and quick machine in order to produce high-quality videos without sacrificing time in the process.
It’s not easy finding a video editing laptop under $1000 that has all the features you need, but we’ve done the research for you.
Let’s make sure you get a laptop that is powerful enough to handle the demands of video editing software, as well as display your work with pristine clarity.
Fortunately, you don’t need to break the bank to find some great options.
In this blog post, we will take a look at the best laptops for video editing under $1000.
Important Factors For Video Editing Laptops
Before we share our top 5 budget video laptop selections, let’s cover some of the most important factors you need to consider when making your decision.
We’ll share how each of our top picks compare in each of these categories.
1 – CPU Processor: Overall Performance
Video editing is a very demanding process that puts a lot of strain on your computer. This is why you need to make sure you get a laptop with a powerful processor. The processor is the most important factor when it comes to video editing laptops.
The Central Processing Unit or CPU will affect things like render time, export time, and how smoothly your footage plays back, so it is of upmost importance.
There are two main types of processors, Intel and AMD Ryzen. Both offer great options for video editing laptops. AMD processors tend to be a bit cheaper, but they still offer great performance for the price. Intel processors are more expensive, but they offer better performance and are more power efficient.
Rule of Thumb: top of the line CPU specs include an ‘H’ at the end, for example Ryzen 7 5800H vs. Ryzen 7 5700U, so when you see that pay attention and know that it’s a good thing. For those that tend to scan over all the numbers and letters 🙂
2 – RAM / Memory: How Many Programs At Once
Another important factor to consider is the amount of RAM.
Any time that you open an application on your computer, it is going to pull away from your available RAM. You want to make sure you have enough available on your overall system so that opening multiple programs at one time doesn’t bog down your computer.
The minimum amount of RAM you should get for video editing is 16GB. This allows for smooth 4k video playback. However, it does limit the number of RAM heavy programs you can run at one time.
Note: if you are someone who does a lot of multitasking while editing (this is me!), then you need to consider spending a little extra in this category.
Finding an option that includes 32GB of RAM allows you to use multiple programs at once, like Premiere Pro, Photoshop, and After Effects all at the same time.
3 – Storage: Amount of Space and Speed
Storage is another important factor to consider when choosing a video editing laptop. You want to make sure that you get a laptop with plenty of storage space so that you have room to store all of your video files.
It’s also important to consider the type of storage unit housed in your laptop.
There are two options: SSD and HDD. I have a full write on up on the differences between an SSD and an HDD external drive, so be sure to check that out if you’d like more in depth details as well as some of my favorite external drives for 2022.
The minimum amount of storage space you should get is 256GB. 512GB of storage space is even better.
You can always add an external hard drive or SSD later if you need more storage space.
Just make sure that the laptop you choose has enough USB ports for all of your external devices.
4 – Graphics Processing Unit / Video Card: Quality of Visuals
One final factor to consider is the graphics card. A powerful graphics card will allow you to edit video files without any lag or choppiness.
It’s an important consideration if you want to edit 4k videos.
GPU is critical for video editing and motion graphics design as it works to support the CPU. When the CPU receives a video task, it’s the GPU’s job to take over and interpret it.
It also helps keep your system running smoothly when connected to multiple external monitors, so if you plan to connect your laptop to an external monitor you need to make sure you are finding a laptop with a sufficient GPU.
5 – Editing Software of Choice
It’s important to consider which video editing software you will be using. If you are a dedicated Final Cut Pro editor, then you will need to narrow down your laptop choices to an Apple product since Final Cut Pro is only compatible on Mac products.
For Premiere Pro and DiVinci Resolve, either Mac or PC products will be fine.
6 – Price
And finally, price is always an important factor to consider when choosing any laptop.
Fortunately, there are plenty of budget friendly video editing laptops under $1000.
That’s where we come in. We’ve done the legwork for you and selected the top 5 picks that meet these criteria.
A few on this list may vary in price, slightly above or below $1000. Be sure to keep an eye on the prices as sales can affect these prices, as well as releases for newer versions of a similar laptop.
There are also a lot of options even within each of these picks that you can refine for your own needs. For example – the amount of RAM, type of processor, size of the monitor, and some other features.
These selections will all affect price, some more than others. Just keep that in mind as you are shopping. Some may be more important to you than others. Refer to the top of this post for a reminder of what we recommend for video editing.
Let’s take a look at our top 5 picks in depth.
Best Overall: Apple MacBook Air M1
Overview:
The new MacBook Air M-series is a video editor’s dream. It is a bit over the $1000 budget, but not by much, especially when you consider the value included in this little powerhouse. Let’s explore why we love it so much.
What we love:
Performance. With 16GB of RAM, you will be good to go with all your major video editing needs in Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, DaVinci, After Effects, and more.
Display. If you’ve ever used apple products, you already know that the quality and resolution of display is superior to any other PC equivalent.
To save costs we included the 13 inch display model for this review. This is a rather small size for a video editing screen, so if you can afford to upgrade to a larger size model or purchase an external monitor, it may be something to keep in mind.
Battery Life. The battery life on this machine is exceptional. It should last you hours even while using CPU intense functions.
Speakers. Superior speakers to all the PCs on this list. If audio output is important to you, this laptop takes the cake with much better sound output.
There is also no fan, so the computer is completely quiet.
What we don’t love:
Not enough ports. While the laptop itself is lightweight and sleek by nature, there are not as many usb ports on the laptop itself. Fortunately, you can always buy an expensive usb port for more options.
Overall Thoughts:
If you can afford to go with an Apple laptop for your video editing, it is our recommendation. The performance and video quality (our top two priorities for video editing and creative work) are simply superior in mac products. This is a great entry level option for optimal quality and performance.
However, we also understand the need to stay within a certain budget. Let’s take a little at some great PC options on the list next.
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best PC Overall: Lenovo Legion 5
Overview:
The Lenovo Legion is our top pick for the best video editing PC laptop under $1000. It’s a great all around choice that offers good value for the price.
The Lenovo Legion has everything you need to edit video files smoothly and without any lag.
What We Love:
Top performance in video editing. This laptop scores the highest when it comes to high-speed, smooth CPU performance. It’s even beat some desktop speeds available on the market.
Good battery life. Approximately 3-4 hours of battery life. This amount will vary depending on exactly how much you are doing on the laptop.
Plenty of Ports. Important for video editors who need to connect the laptop to external monitors, hard drives, or more accessories.
What We Don’t Love:
The size. It’s quite a bulky setup that weighs just over 5 lbs. The charger pack is also quite large and heavy. It’s not an idea setup if you plan to use it for travel or on-the-go editing.
- Escalate your game with up to 8 high-performance cores in the AMD Ryzen 7 5800H processor, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and 512GB NVMe SSD storage
- Includes free 3-month trial of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate - Play over 100 high-quality PC games on Windows PC; includes iconic Bethesda games, new day one titles, and the EA Play on PC catalog
- With NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics, enjoy the depth and visual fidelity of real-time ray-tracing; the 15.6" FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS display on the Legion 5 gaming laptop delivers speed and color clarity for full-fidelity gaming
- Legion TrueStrike keyboard with 4-zone RGB backlight; 2 x 2W speakers with Nahimic Audio for Gamers
- Connectivity: Built-in 720p webcam with e-shutter, WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.0, USB-C, 4 USB, HDMI 2.1, DisplayPort 1.4, RJ45 Ethernet
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Price: HP Victus
Overview:
The HP Victus is our second pick for the best video editing laptop under $1000. It’s a great choice for those who are looking for a more portable option that doesn’t sacrifice too much in terms of performance.
What We Love:
The price. A really great value for everything included in this laptop package. There’s also some flexibility with pricing depending on exactly which model you choose.
Performance. The HP Victus can handle full 4k video editing with ease.
Plenty of Ports. This is mportant for video editors who need to connect the laptop to external monitors, hard drives, or more accessories.
What We Don’t Love:
The screen. The screen wobbles and feels cheap. The aspect ratio is cropped. Not the best quality light and color overall (for the base model). This can be upgraded if you wish.
Battery Life. It doesn’t have great battery life for heavy video editing work – approximately 1-2 hours of dedicated battery life.
- Processor Manufacturer: AMD
- Processor Type: Ryzen 5
- Processor Model: 5600H
- Processor Core: Hexa-core (6 Core)
- Maximum Turbo Speed: 4.20 GHz
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Best Display & Size: Asus VivoBook Pro 15 OLED
Overview:
Another great budget friendly laptop on our list is the Asus VivoBook Pro 15 OLED. This is a great contender to keep on your list of options, it’s lightweight and portable (3.5 lbs) and at no sacrifice to performance.
What we love:
High quality display. The OLED display. This is a great feature that’s not often found in laptops at this price range. The colors and visuals are just stunning on this screen.
Performance. Equipped with an Intel i-series processor and 16GB of RAM, the VivoBook Pro 15 can handle video editing with ease.
What we don’t love:
The trackpad. The placement of the trackpad is directly in the center of the laptop, while the placement of your hands while typing is to the left of center. This creates a bit of an odd placement for use.
- Intel Core i7-1165G7 Processor 2.80 GHz (12M Cache, up to 4.70 GHz, 4 cores)
- 15.6" Full HD OLED non-touch display (1920 x 1080), Intel Iris Xe graphics
- 1TB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 Solid State Drive
- 16GB DDR4 RAM Memory
- Backlit Keyboard, Fingerprint Reader, Wifi AX, Bluetooth, Windows 11
Last update on 2024-04-23 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Fastest Performance: Acer Nitro 5
Overview:
This laptop isn’t the top on our list for display color or resolution, but it makes up for it with top performance for video editing and other creative applications.
What we love:
Performance. The Acer Nitro 5 does a great job with maximum speed and playback performance.
Cooling. This laptop will slow down performance once the internal components get to a certain temperature. This is important because it indicates the longevity of this device. The better job it does at keeping the internal temperature low, the longer the laptop is likely to last.
What we don’t love:
The display. The color gamma and display resolution isn’t the best on this list.
The size. It’s just over 5 lbs and a bit chunky in build. The battery charger is also bulky.
When it comes to selecting the best budget laptop for video editing, there are many things to consider such as cost, portability, and performance. We hope this guide helped you narrow down your choices so that you can find what works best for you. Thanks for reading!
