6 Best Budget Laptops For Video Editing in 2024

Best Budget Laptops For Video Editing
Best Budget Laptops For Video Editing

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We compare the best budget laptops for video editing, looking at areas like price, speed, display, audio, battery life, and ergonomics.

Right now, filmmaking has never been more mobile. Cameras are getting better, yet somehow also getting smaller. Similarly, this pattern has been repeated in the world of post-production. You no longer need a huge, top-of-the-range desktop computer.

We’ve found that nowadays, you can do everything you need on a cheap video editing laptop. Therefore, we’ve put together a list to help you find the best budget laptops for video editing.

1. DELL XPS 15 7590

  • CPU: 9th Generation Intel Core i5-9300H – i9-9980HK processor
  • Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 630 – NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650
  • RAM: 8GB – 64GB
  • Storage: 256GB – 2TB SSD
  • Display: 15.6″ FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge
  • Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS
  • Weight: 2KG
  • Battery life: Up to 13 hours

Firstly, our personal go-to favorite, is the Dell XPS 15 7590. The top-end specs when maxed out are exceptional, but even the budget options at the lower end will deliver.

Indeed, this is the definition of a budget laptop for video editing. It’s made for all things rendering and editing. The design is sleek, the display astonishing and it has all the internal components to back it up. In summary, a worthy investment.

ProsCons
Can be upgraded to exceptional specsA little pricey when upgraded
SD slot built-inBelow average battery life
Stunning displayWeak audio

2. Acer Predator Helios 300 Gaming Laptop

  • CPU: 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8750H 6-Core Processor
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060
  • RAM: 16GB
  • Storage: 256GB PCIe NVMe SSD
  • Display: 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080) widescreen LED-backlit
  • Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS
  • Weight: 2.48KG
  • Battery life: 7 hours

Secondly, when on the hunt for a budget laptop for video editing, note how often gaming laptops are recommended.

Gaming laptops were designed for a heavy workload and consequently, they double up as the perfect cheap video editing laptop.

In other words, if they can play the latest games at maxed-out specs, they’ll be more than happy rendering and exporting your 4K footage. This is a fantastic purchase, especially at this price.

ProsCons
Can be upgraded to exceptional specsPretty poor battery life
Doubles up as a gaming laptopTemperatures may creep up when exporting
Lots of portsBulky and flashy design

3. Huawei MateBook X Pro

  • CPU: 8th Generation Intel Core i7-8565U processor
  • Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce MX250
  • RAM: 8GB
  • Storage: 512GB SSD
  • Display: 13.9″ with 3K FullView 10-point Touchscreen
  • Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS
  • Weight: 2.64KG
  • Battery life: 13 hours

A lot of people have marveled at how quickly Huawei has caught up with the big players in the phone market. Likewise, it’s the same story when it comes to a budget laptop for video editing.

Despite being a relatively new entrant, this cheap video editing laptop will perform flawlessly. It’s on par with other, much more established and well-known brands. We love the large 3:2 screen that’s been designed gorgeously.

In short, apart from a few small things that could be ironed out in later iterations, I can’t fault this at all.

ProsCons
Great soundTemperatures and fan noise may creep up when exporting
Very sleek and portableTrackpad is a little clunky
Large, bright 3K screenPens and styluses do not work with touchscreen

4. HP Spectre 13 x 360 Budget Laptop

  • CPU: Intel Core i5-4210U
  • Graphics: Integrated
  • RAM: 8GB
  • Storage: 256 GB SSD
  • Display: 13.3″ Full HD Touch-Screen
  • Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS
  • Weight: 3.35KG
  • Battery life: 16 hours

Finally, rounding off the £1,199 club (a very popular price point for a cheap video editing laptop apparently), the HP Spectre 13 X 360. This beautifully designed laptop will be able to service your video editing and rendering needs competently. We’re particularly impressed by the great battery life.

However, it is a little heavy and doesn’t have a designated graphics card. Whilst HD footage will be handled fine, this may lead to some performance issues at the high end when it comes to grading, motion graphics, and 4K. So it’s something to bear in mind.

ProsCons
Solid all-round performanceDoes not have a specialized graphics card
Comes with a touch display and stylusQuite heavy
Great battery lifeKnown to overheat

5. Lenovo IdeaPad S540

  • CPU: Intel Core i5-4210U
  • Graphics: Integrated
  • RAM: 8GB
  • Storage: 256GB SSD
  • Display: 15.6″ Full HD (1920 x 1080)
  • Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS
  • Weight: 2.68KG
  • Battery life: 15 hours

Alternatively, the Lenovo IdeaPad S540 is another great option. This really is a budget laptop for video editing. It comes in a lot cheaper than the previously mentioned units yet, most importantly, it performs admirably – just as well as the others. Everything runs smoothly, it has great battery life and an array of useful ports.

Similarly to the HP Spectre, it lacks a specialized graphics card but, overall, it’s exceptional value for money and will get the job done.

Indeed, we think it sets a new benchmark at this price point. An option that won’t be beaten if you’re looking for an exceptionally cheap video editing laptop.

ProsCons
Exceptional priceDoes not have a specialized graphics card
An array of ports (USB-C, SD card, HDMI)Some teething problems with WiFi and networks
Great battery lifeAudio is not great

6. Acer Aspire 5

  • CPU: Intel Core i5-10210U Processor
  • Graphics: NVidia GeForce MX250 2GB DDR5 Graphics
  • RAM: 8GB
  • Storage: 256GB SSD
  • Display: 14″ Full HD (1920 x 1080)
  • Operating system: Windows 10 Home 64-bit OS
  • Weight: 1.5KG
  • Battery life: 12.5 hours

Likewise, the Acer Inspire 5 really ticks the ‘budget’ in ‘best budget laptop for video editing’. Whilst it has its limits and can’t be upgraded in certain areas, it’s exceptionally fast and performs flawlessly. In addition to this, it’s got the necessary ports to get you started and a full HD screen.

Lastly, we reckon it’s the perfect cheap video editing laptop for any students or beginners out there.

ProsCons
Very cheapNo SD card slot
Super lightweight and portableFans can be noisy
USB-C and HDMI portsNo option to upgrade RAM

Quick Tips About Laptops

Before you go on the hunt for your cheap video editing laptop, there are a few key things to consider.

#1 CPU

CPU

Video editing and rendering is a hefty task for any system. The CPU is the most vital component in any budget laptop for video editing because it’s effectively the brains of the operation.

It performs all of the calculations. So, prioritize getting something powerful in this department otherwise everything else is in vain.

#2 RAM

RAM

Essentially, the more RAM you have in your cheap video editing laptop, the better. This is your computer’s short-term memory. We recommend using something with 8GB at the bare minimum. So for 4K, perhaps 16GB.

#3 Graphics

Budget laptop graphics card

Having a graphics card onboard your cheap video editing laptop is not essential, but we can recommend it. While your CPU runs your programs, the GPU is specially designed to take care of the graphics part.

Subsequently, if you’re doing a lot of work on color and motion graphics then this is an important component.

#4 Storage

Laptop SSD

Naturally, you should be backing up your footage to multiple external and online drives. However, your budget laptop for video editing should come with ample storage on an SSD.

Solid-state drives can access files up to 10x faster than hard disk drives. Consequently, you’ll have a much better editing experience.

#5 Display

4K laptop display screen

Obviously, you need a good quality screen to get the most out of your edit and really see what you’re playing with, particularly when it comes to color grading and 4K footage. Ideally, you want something with a full HD resolution on any cheap video editing laptop.

#6 Ports (SD Card, HDMI Ports, USB-C)

cheap video editing laptop

Moreover, available ports are another factor on a budget laptop for video editing. If it comes with an SD card slot, that’s a winner.

Furthermore, if possible, an HDMI port too. This will allow you to hook up to external monitors when at home or in the office. Additionally, USB-C ports are useful for transferring your files between the PC and your external hard drives as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Wrapping Up – Best Budget Laptops For Video Editing

In short, there are a lot of options when it comes to hunting down the best budget laptops for video editing. As we’ve outlined, you’re looking for a few specific things such as the CPU component, the graphics card, the RAM, the storage, the display, and ports.

Above all, when looking at a cheap video editing laptop, you’re making the compromise between all of these, as well as the price point.

Indeed, there are a number of different sweet spots to be found here and there are many great options out there on the market so it’s worth doing your research but we feel you can’t go far wrong with any of the above choices!

Author
Josh Edwards
Josh Edwards
Josh is a filmmaker and YouTuber. He has a real passion for travel and documentaries. Follow him on Twitter and YouTube.
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