Want a powerful laptop for editing without spending a fortune? Dive in to find budget-friendly options that won’t let you down!

When you’re searching for the best laptops for video and photo editing, it’s less about brand names and storage space and more about finding components that suit your workflow. The right setup can make your editing experience smooth and enjoyable.

Big editing projects need powerful specs—think high-res screens, fast processors, and plenty of memory. While these features can add to the cost, planning ahead ensures you’re investing in what you need now and leaving room for future upgrades. Below, I’ve picked out some laptops with performance levels to fit a variety of budgets, so you can find one that’s right for you.

Which laptop is best for video and photo editing?

Whether you’re a pro video editor or just starting out, you need a laptop that delivers the performance you want. Video editing can be demanding on your system, so having a powerful machine will keep things running smoothly and save you a lot of time in the long run.

Apple M4 MacBook Pro

If you’re someone who juggles demanding apps and multitasking but doesn’t need the absolute peak performance, the M4 Pro is a fantastic choice. It combines extra CPU and GPU cores, faster memory bandwidth, and Thunderbolt 5 support. This makes it ideal for video editing, graphic design, and advanced multitasking.

With the M4 chip, the MacBook Pro is up to 1.8 times faster than the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 for tasks like editing gigapixel photos. For heavier workloads, like rendering complex scenes in Blender, it’s up to 3.4 times faster. Personally, I’d go for the upgrade just for the power and speed. Think of all the time you’d save breezing through tough tasks and taking on bigger projects without any hang-ups. That’s really what the Pro lineup is all about.

The 16-inch display is big, bright, and offers excellent contrast, so you won’t miss any details in your photos or videos. And when it comes to editing, the MacBook Pro works through video projects with the strength of a desktop computer.

If you need high-level performance from both the CPU and GPU, the M4 Pro is the way to go. It’s available only in Apple’s 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, starting at $1,999 for the 14-inch and $2,499 for the 16-inch.

Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra stands out as a solid Windows alternative to the MacBook Pro. While it may not be as lightning-fast, it still has a solid mix of display quality, lightweight design, handy ports, and reliable color accuracy.

The Galaxy Book4 Ultra is powered by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, so it’s all set for next-gen graphics and can easily handle intensive video editing and 3D rendering tasks. At the heart of this setup is the Intel Core Ultra 9 185H processor, Intel’s best in the Core Ultra lineup. WIRED’s Christopher Null even got 3 to 5 times the frame rates compared to machines running on integrated graphics.

On top of its performance, the Galaxy Book4 Ultra comes with a stunning 16-inch 3K OLED Dynamic AMOLED 2X touchscreen. With a 2880×1800 resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass DX, it’s designed to cut down on glare and reflections, making sure everything looks crisp and clear from different angles and lighting conditions.

Offering powerful performance and a stunning display, the Galaxy Book4 Ultra is an awesome choice for professionals in photography, video editing, and graphic design. Right now, it’s priced at $1,999.99, down from the usual $2,399.99.

Best midrange laptop

If you’re a 3D graphics artist, professional videographer working with 8K footage, or someone who does heavy color grading on LOG files, you might still need a MacBook Pro or Samsung Galaxy Book4 Ultra. But for most people, the MacBook Air is plenty. For students, 1080p video editors, and photographers, the Air totally does the job.

Apple M3 MacBook Air

The 15-inch MacBook Air with M3 chip ($1299) is a great choice for photo and video editing. It has a big screen with accurate colors, surprisingly good speakers, and Apple’s powerful M3 processor.

For photographers and video editors with simpler workflows, this MacBook Air might be a smarter choice than a MacBook Pro. It’s more affordable and 1.4 pounds lighter, which is helpful if you’re carrying it all day.

One thing I really like about the MacBook Air is its battery life. It can last nearly 2 workdays for basic tasks, and even with video editing, it holds up for around 4 to 5 hours, which outperforms most Intel-based laptops.

Best laptop for video and photo editing under $1000

You really don’t need to spend a fortune on a computer for video editing. While pricier options can speed things up, you can absolutely edit videos on a budget laptop. It might take a bit longer, but it’ll get the job done just fine.

ASUS TUF Gaming A16

I was talking to my animator friend, and he said he just needs a strong processor for video editing and content creation. He also mentioned decent graphics for casual and competitive gaming, along with enough memory and storage, and a nice display. Extras are cool, but the basics are what really matter. The ASUS TUF Gaming A16 laptop ($859) has all of that covered.

It’s got an AMD Ryzen 9 7845HX and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, plus 16GB of RAM and a 1TB NVMe SSD. This setup makes it perfect for gaming and handling tough tasks like 4K video editing.

The laptop comes with a full-size keyboard, including a numpad and arrow keys, and there are function shortcuts too. The RGB lighting adds a fun twist, and the large trackpad shows off the TUF logo. It’s a great option for gaming and content creation without a high price tag.

Factors influencing my laptop recommendations

When I was picking out my recommended laptops for editing, I focused on a few key components that make all the difference.

First up is the processor, or CPU, which is hands-down the most critical part of any editing laptop. For Windows users, you’ll want to choose between Intel and AMD. I recommend going with the latest Intel Core i7, either the 12th or 13th generation. If AMD is more your vibe, look for those Ryzen 5000 or 6000 processors—they’re solid choices.

Next, let’s talk graphics. For video editors and motion graphics pros, the GPU is essential. If you’re just editing short clips, you might not need a top-tier Nvidia or AMD card. But for more intensive production work, investing in a good graphics card is definitely worth it. Color accuracy is another important factor. You want a monitor that reproduces colors faithfully; otherwise, your photos can end up looking oversaturated or imbalanced when printed.

Lastly, consider the screen size. A 14-inch display is great for editing on the go. Meanwhile, something between 15.6 and 17 inches gives you plenty of room for all your editing tools. Ultimately, I aimed to recommend laptops that strike the right balance between power and practicality for all your editing needs.