7 Best Laptops for 4K Video Editing in 2023

Whether you are a professional video editor who spends lots of time working with 4K footage or have just developed an interest in video editing, choosing the right laptop for 4K can get overwhelming.

Should you just go for a MacBook Pro and forget about gaming? Why are all the Windows laptops for 4K editing so heavy? Is it even possible to get everything you want?

With 4k editing being among the most performance-hungry tasks for laptops, we delved deep into all hardware aspects.

This article will cover different options and the best 4K video editing laptops for different needs. We’ll start with a buying guide and the required specs, then dive into our top picks.

Excited? We sure are.

Minimum & Recommended System Requirements

Laptops with the minimum set of relevant specifications are good enough for almost every 4K video editing task. However, more complex projects and seamless editing experience will tilt the scale toward recommended specs.

If you can use the full potential and have a budget for powerful devices with recommended system requirements, they can perform on desktop or workstation level.

Top 7 Laptops for 4K Video Editing

Itching to find out which laptops we thing are the best for 4K video editing? Well, the wait is over.

1. Portable Beast: ASUS ROG Zephyrus

ASUS ROG Zephyrus

• CPU: 3.3GHz AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS
• RAM: 16GB DDR5
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 15.6-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440)
• GPU: 8GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060
• Battery: Up to 10 hours

$1,279.95

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If you want a great gaming laptop for 4K video editing — and a portable machine — then look no further than ASUS ROG Zephyrus.

Zephyrus has been one of the most popular and appreciated ASUS laptops, and for a good reason. With one of the latest Ryzen 9 processors and a capable RTX 3060, this device works amazing for both gaming and video editing. AAA titles, DaVinci Resolve or Adobe CC Suite — you name it, the dude’s got it.

What I like about Zephyrus is that ASUS engineers made a really good display. A 15.6” hi-res WQHD panel isn’t only fast, but also very color-accurate, which works great with color-grading and calibration.

Moreover, Zephyrus is one of the few gaming laptops that’s portable. At just a little over 4 lbs, it’s super easy to carry around. And the battery life is pretty good too — I got around 10 hours in my tests.

For video editing, I kinda see an issue with the storage. 512GB is a good starting point, but it will fill up quickly, so I’d get an external disk — or upgrade the storage.

Plus, let’s face it, this particular model isn’t the sleekest bad boy out there — its design looks like an older MacBook.

However, if you don’t care about the looks, with ROG Zephyrus you’ll get a worthy and powerful laptop for 4K video editing. It’s one of the best price-to-value offers on this list.

2. Light and Long-Lasting Productivity: LG gram 17

LG gram 17

• CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i7-1260P
• RAM: 16GB DDR5
• Storage: 1TB SSD
• Display: 17-inch WQXGA (‎2560 x 1600)
• GPU: 4GB ‎NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050
• Battery: Up to 12 hours

$1,499.00

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LG’s Gram series has been talked about — a lot — over the last few years. These laptops are super portable, sleek, powerful, and great for video editing.

LG Gram 17 comes with a 17” WQXGA display that’s DCI-P3 approved. This means that color-calibration is cinema-grade, which I imagine any aspiring video editor would appreciate.

But, more importantly, this 17-inch laptop measures only 2.98 lbs. Yes, you read that right — it’s easily THE lightest laptop this size.

Not only that, but the battery pulls around 11-12 hours on a single charge, which I have to say is impressive. Not MacBook-M2-impressive, but quite enough for a full workday and then some.

I also like that you get 16GB of DDR5 RAM and 1TB of storage for the price. It’s a great combo that will prevent any lags or stutter during the editing workflow.

Now, the main part: Gram comes with a 12th Gen. i7 processor and an RTX 2050. This combo is quite enough for light-to-mid photo editing and will give snappy performance. But if you’re into super-heavy and long videos with loads of FX, you might want to reconsider the GPU.

Overall, if you’re a professional video editor and want a reliable, portable laptop, but don’t need to tackle GPU-intensive tasks, Gram 17 might just be the best for you.

3. Amazing 18-inch Display: ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18

ASUS ROG Strix Scar 18

• CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i9-13980HX
• RAM: 32GB DDR5
• Storage: 2TB SSD
• Display: 18-inch WQXGA (‎2560 x 1600)
• GPU: 12GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
• Battery: Up to 8 hours

$2,759.00

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Hailing from ASUS, Strix Scar is another awesome laptop for 4K video editing. With the biggest screen on the list, crazy-good specs and good cooling, this laptop is one of the top contenders.

Performance-wise, Strix Scar 18 often comes on top in benchmark tests. And how could it not: with a 13th-gen. i9 and RTX 4080, there’s not much this laptop can’t do. For video editing, you can expect flawless execution, smooth sailing, and lag-free ride.

The star of the show is, of course, the 18” QHD display with super-high refresh rate AND awesome color accuracy. This is very rare in a gaming laptop, so kudos to ASUS. What it means for you — if you’re working with fast-moving images or color-sensitive tasks, you’re covered in both scenarios.

I also like the battery life on this thing. In my tests, I’d get around 7-8 hours of juice which is awesome for a laptop this powerful and big.

Of course, this is a bulky machine, so do note that it weighs around 6.7 lbs, without a charger.

I love the overall design, but I can’t say I’m sold on the material. For the price, it feels like the plastic shouldn’t feel as cheap.

But still, with incredible specs, awesome display and a whopping 32GB RAM and 2TB of storage, Strix Scar is a great laptop for all 4K video editors who want to see every detail.

4. Amazing Value: Sager NP8875D

Sager NP8875D

• CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i9-13900HX
• RAM: 64GB DDR5
• Storage: 2TB SSD
• Display: 17.3-inch WQHD (2560 x 1440)
• GPU: 8GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060
• Battery: Up to 5 hours

$1,799.00

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Sager’s been the amazing underdog for a few years now. This Clevo laptop is an excellent choice for 4K video editing, with awesome ROI.

Sager houses the latest and greatest 13th-gen. i9 and RTX 4060, just like some of the more expensive laptops on this list. But the laptop also comes with massive 64GB of DDR5 RAM and 2TB of SSD. What? That’s some crazy horsepower that will blow the socks off the video editing tasks.

Not only that, the 17.3” display comes with 240Hz and 100% DCI-P3, just like the Strix Scar above. So whatever kind of video editing you’re doing, these two laptops will handle it like a pro.

I’m also a fan of Sager’s design. It’s distinctly gamer, but I love the polished chassis and the elegant look. Plus, the backlit keyboard feels quite comfy to type on.

Granted, the laptop tends to be on the heavier side, at a little over 6 lbs. And don’t expect the battery to last long — you’ll get 4-5 hours, tops. But this is a gaming laptop first and foremost, and these numbers are quite usual.

Still, when you look at the price, it’s just incredible what this laptop has. Sager is easily one of the most valuable laptops in this price range and a great laptop for 4K video editing.

5. 4K Video Editing & Gaming: Acer Predator Helios 16

Acer Predator Helios 16

• CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i9-13900HX
• RAM: 32GB DDR5
• Storage: 2TB SSD
• Display: 16-inch WQXGA (‎2560 x 1600)
• GPU: 12GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
• Battery: Up to 8 hours

$2,399.99

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So, you’re into laptops for 4K video editing AND gaming? I like you, and so does Acer — why else would they make a super-powerful, gamer-inspired Predator Helios 16?

Helios 16 smokes most of the other laptops here in terms of specs: a 13th-gen. i9 13900 coupled with a powerful RTX 4080 is simply amazing for video editing and gaming. Expect fast renders, laughable loading times, ultrahigh settings, and high fps. Throw in 32GB of RAM to the mix, and it’s hasta la vista to those annoying lags and stutters.

All of the specs don’t mean much without a good display. Helios’ 16” panel comes with mini LED technology which makes it super bright, with a crazy 250Hz.

I’m also a fan of the design. Acer chose a more compact look, with backlit keyboard and prominent, thin-bezel display. It’s a subdued gamer vibe, but still very fancy.

The chassis is, like in most gaming laptops, on the heavier side, but not that bad. At 5.7 lbs, this 16” laptop is still relatively portable.

I did get annoyed with the cooling system, though. The temperature was fine, buut every now and then, you’d hear fans kick in, loudly. This will happen more with AAA titles, so do get a nice pair of headphones.

Overall, Predator Helios 16 works wonders for both AAA gaming and 4K video editing. It’s an amazing laptop for pro gamers and video editors, or YT streamers, who want the best.

6. M2 Chip Power and Efficiency: Apple MacBook Pro 16 M2

Apple MacBook Pro 16 M2

• CPU: 3.5GHz Apple M2 12-Core
• RAM: 16GB DDR5
• Storage: 512GB SSD
• Display: 16.2-inch Retina XDR (3456 x 2234)
• GPU: Integrated Apple 19-Core
• Battery: Up to 15 hours

$2,199.99

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When it comes to video editing, MacBook is an evergreen choice. The latest MacBook Pro 16 M2 is a great option for 4K tasks: powerful, with a gorgeous display, and excellent portability.

Apple’s newest model packs M2 chip and 19-core GPU, which, as you’d imagine, zap through video editing workload. 

The interesting thing about Macs is that it doesn’t really matter how much RAM they have — they will always outperform Windows laptops with double the RAM.

I’m also a fan of Mac’s display: a beautiful 16.2” Retina display is amazing to look at, doesn’t strain the eyes, and hits the sweet spot between high resolution and energy consumption.

Pro M2 comes with one of the best battery lives on the market. I got around 15-16 hours of juice on a single charge, which is enough for 2 full workdays.

Apple also reintroduced MagSafe to the Pros, and added all sorts of ports, like HDMI, USB-C, and even a microSD. This is something we’ve been waiting for some time — and great news for video editors with loads of peripherals.

Make sure you know your storage needs. This model comes with 512GB, and Macs are notoriously non-upgradable. Even with the iCloud and external disks, you want to have enough space for rendering videos.

Still, the good ol’ Mac is one of the best laptops for 4K video editing you can get — if you’re ok with the budget, it’s gonna last long and bring amazing performance to your video masterpieces.

7. Ultimate Specs: MSI Titan GT77

MSI Titan GT77

• CPU: 2.2GHz Intel Core i9-13980HX
• RAM: 64GB DDR5
• Storage: 2TB SSD
• Display: 17.3-inch UHD (‎3840 x 2160)
• GPU: 12GB NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080
• Battery: Up to 5 hours

$3,579.68

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MSI Titan is often at the very top of the gaming and video editing laptops. This bad boy brings awesome specs, a hi-res display, and a mechanical keyboard to the mix.

Titan GT77 runs on a 13th-gen. i9 and RTX 4080, the versions of which outrank those in Predator Helios 16. This is a legit beast in terms of performance, especially when you consider the 64GB of RAM. Needless to say, you won’t have any issues with DaVinci Resolve, After Effects, or Premiere Pro.

The machine sports a UHD 17.3” display which is quite fast, color-accurate and comes with mini-LED technology. In other words, this panel is bright, contrasty, vivid, and color-calibrated.

As for the design, I love the premium feel Titan gives, along with a mechanical MX Cherry keyboard, nesting comfortably under the display. The ergonomics make it very easy to sit for hours on end and work on your projects.

Titan deserves its name, since it is one of the heavier laptops at the incredible 7.28 lbs. So I hope your video editing station is wherever the laptop is. Plus, make sure to bring the charger if you’re out and about, since the battery lasts about 5 hours.

If portability and the price aren’t that big of an issue for you, then you’ll surely enjoy what MSI Titan GT77 can do. It’s a super-capable, sleek, gorgeous laptop for 4K video editing that will last many years ahead.

Buying Guide for Laptops for 4K Video Editing in 2023

Creating a 4K video requires four times more information than Full HD, and laptops are pushed to their limits to handle such a complex project. You can work on more midrange equipment if you edit short social media videos. For complex 4K video editing projects, aim higher as you will need it.

CPU Is Still the Most Important Component

High clock speeds in CPU are still favored by video editing software. In recent years, tools like Adobe Premiere Pro, Da Vinci Resolve, and others utilize high core count more effectively. 

All this means you should rely on CPUs like the 12th or 13th Gen of Intel Core i7 as a starting point, and Core i9 for a better user experience.

Intel CPUs are also better for workloads that use H.264 and H.265 files because of their QuickSync feature. AMD Ryzen CPUs, especially Ryzen 7 and 9, are powerhouse processors with high core count and potent multithread performance.

GPU Acceleration for Effects, Encoding and Rendering

A dedicated GPU became increasingly important in video editing as software solutions adapted to their raw power. Utilizing CUDA cores and VRAM of Nvidia and AMD graphics cards can significantly speed up editing and rendering.

GPU hardware acceleration for encoding HEVC formats can reduce exports by 5x. Software like Premiere Pro highlights effects and functionalities that can utilize GPU acceleration. Overall, it can help with various effects and rendering.

Nvidia Quadro professional cards or RTX series 3000 or 4000 will be the best choice for your laptop. You will still get benefits if you use AMD RX 6000 graphics cards.

Best gaming laptops are suitable for video editing because a dedicated GPU is key component of such systems.

You Will Need a Lot of Storage

Editing 4k video means you need storage for raw materials, project files, and exports. Required storage space depends on the length and complexity of the video. With 512GB, you can work on smaller projects, and 1TB will grant you more flexibility. 

Ideally, a laptop for 4K video editing should have at least 2TB, and consider getting an external disc to store finished projects so that you can have enough space for current video edits. Laptops for photo and video editing often have this kind of storage.

You should use SSD for 4k video edits because old HDDs will bottleneck your workflow. M.2 SSD is the preferred option for seamless editing workflow.

Video Edits Eat up a Lot of Ram

While some video editing software state 8GB of RAM as a minimum, for an enjoyable editing experience, don’t go below 16GB. Mac laptops are more efficient in RAM usage, so you can work effectively with 16GB, even on complex projects.

Windows laptops require at least 32GB if you want a rig for professional 4k editing. 

Bigger Display for Workspace

The user interface of video editing software has source material, preview, and project timeline. You can fit your project’s workspace on any display size, but a bigger screen has clear benefits.

Ideally, go for a 16-inch or more prominent display with at least 1440p resolution. Best 4K gaming laptops cover the GPU and high pixel density of the ideal 4K editing laptop.

Most modern laptops use IPS panels, which are okay for video editing. Look for displays with a high percentage of DCI-P3 coverage, and if you have a budget, opt for OLED displays.

You Can Edit in 4K, Even on a Budget

Not all have the means to invest over $2000 on monster laptops. Also, some mainstream models come with an i7 CPU and dedicated GPU like 3050, which is good enough to work on 4k files.

Because software can utilize high-end components in 2023, high-end laptops will give you better performance in video editing, and this will especially show in rendering projects.

FAQs about Laptops for 4K Video Editing

Verdict

You should aim for as much power available within your budget, as 4K video editing is incredibly demanding on the system. 

Students can start editing on devices with minimum requirements, but as you progress to professional or more complex waters, you will need to invest more.

Because there is no one laptop to satisfy all users, here are a few devices that stand out from our reviews:

• If you don’t have to worry about the price, the MSI Titan GT77 comes with ultimate specs and will crush all 4K video projects.
• It’s hard to call a laptop affordable in 4K editing, but Sager NP8875D delivers a ton of value and high-end specs for its price.
• Apple MacBook Pro 16 M2 is a clear choice for Apple users, and its M2 Chip delivers on performance, efficiency, and reliability. You also get a Retina XDR display.

If you’re still in doubt about the ideal system, maybe checking on our detailed laptop buying guide can solve some of your dilemmas.