Are Gaming Laptops Good for Video Editing? [expert opinion]

Gaming laptops share almost similar hardware as a video editing laptop should have to be. So yes, gaming laptops are good for video editing. But that is not the case every time. If you want fluent video editing and rendering facilities on your laptop, you must look deep into the specifications that can make it possible.

So in this article, I am about to make this thing clear, are gaming laptops good for video editing? If that is so, then why? And what kind of laptops are suitable for video editing?

Recommended  System Requirements for video editing

CPUCore i7 10th Gen with 3.9 GHz Clock Speed or above
GPU8GB external graphics
RAM16GB
Storage512GB SSD with 2TB HDD
Screen Size15 inches or above
Battery Backup6-8  hours

Laptop requirements for video editing

Are Gaming Laptops Good for Video Editing?

Whether it is a gaming laptop or not, if you want a smooth video editing experience, make sure your laptop consists of the following hardware specifications. Without having knowledge about the laptop’s hardware, it is hard to conclude whether it is good for video editing or not.

CPU

First and foremost, you must ensure the laptop has a good processor. The processor is the most important part of the laptop when it comes to video editing. It is responsible for handling all of the tasks associated with video editing, so you need one that is powerful enough to handle the load.

I recommend always going for the latest CPUs. Or at least get a 10-generation core i5 to ensure a smooth video editing experience. But there is no boundary at all. If you can get Core i7 or even Core i9, that can handle bigger production. Also, AMD Ryzen 5 or Ryzen 7 are popular names for video editing.

Before purchasing a CPU, check out the number of cores and threads which is responsible for handling tasks better and better. Also, processor clock speed is essential in this case.

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GPU

A graphics card is another important factor that you need to keep in mind while getting a laptop for video editing. It is not that graphics cards make your video editing smoother. As a matter of fact, it has nothing to do with your video editing until you go for video rendering. And that is the time-consuming and hardest task of video editing. If you get a better GPU, it will ensure faster video rendering.

Usually, a normal 5 minutes of 4K video rendering takes around 3-4 hours without GPU. But you can speed up that process to one or two hours if you use a good-quality graphics card.

Currently, the GPU is the most precious component of a laptop or desktop computer. So having at least 2GB of dedicated graphics is the least you can expect for video editing. Indeed if you get a better GPU, it will make video rendering faster than ever.

RAM

After the processor, RAM is the most important component for video editing. And this is where your laptop struggles the most. So, how much ram do you need for video editing? Well, at least 16GB ram is necessary for it. All the video editing software such as adobe premiere pro, after effects, Da Vinci resolve, or even Filmora requires a lot of RAM. And the longer video you are up to edit, the larger ram required.

But if you want fluent video editing, I suggest going for 32GB RAM. But that is not always what you get in a laptop. So you have to manually upgrade the RAM for it. However, some new gaming laptops in the market have 32GB RAM.

Storage

Storage is an important consideration for video editing laptops because video files can be large. The amount of storage you need will depend on the type of video editing you plan to do. You can get by with a laptop with a 500GB hard drive if you are just doing basic editing. If you are doing more advanced editing or plan to store many video files, you will need a laptop with a 1TB or 2TB hard drive.

Well, there are two types of storage available in the market: SSD and HDD. SSD is the fastest, but HDD is affordable. You can get a 500GB SSD along with a 2TB HDD to store and edit the video fluently. But using cloud storage for edited footage can save a lot of space.

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Display & screen size

Having a 4K resolution and large size display is always the best option for video editing. Since I am talking about the laptop, 17″ is the recommended screen size. Or at least go for a 13″ display size. And 1080p resolution is the least you can expect for video editing. 

However, you get a retina-ready display in the latest MacBook laptops. These displays are great for experiencing true color that helps to edit video better.

Always go for an IPS display on the laptop. Normal LCD displays can not give you the true color that you need to edit your videos.

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Are Gaming Laptops Good for Video Editing?

As you can see, the above-mentioned specs are usually available in every gaming laptop. Maybe not all of these, but you get most of the specs in a gaming laptop. Usually, you need a lot of processing power, good RAM, and a decent graphics card for gaming. And that is what you need to do in video editing. So yes, gaming laptops are good for video editing.

But gaming laptops have some downsides. Most gaming laptops are built for speed and performance rather than for stability and reliability. This means that they can be more prone to crashes and other errors when running video editing software. Additionally, gaming laptops often come with powerful graphics cards and processors, which can make them less efficient when running editing software.

Is there any better solution than a gaming laptop for video editing?

Workstations are better than gaming laptops. Workstations typically have more processing power than gaming laptops. This extra power allows you to run more applications and tasks at the same time, which is important for businesses that need to be able to multitask.

Workstations also have better graphics capabilities, which is important for businesses that need to create or edit graphics or videos. Finally, workstations are more reliable than gaming laptops. This means that they are less likely to crash or freeze, and they are usually easier to fix if something does go wrong.

Therefore when you need to do video editing, you get better performance in a workstation. Also, you always have a chance to upgrade the components in a workstation. But for a gaming laptop, you do not have the chance to upgrade the components that much. All you can do is upgrade the RAM and storage.

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Difference between a normal laptop and a gaming laptop

There are plenty of differences between a normal laptop and a gaming laptop, but the most significant difference is indeed the performance. Normal laptops usually handle light tasks that do not require too much power in them. Let’s check the normal laptop vs gaming laptop comparison.

CPU

For a normal laptop, you do not need a higher clock rate or a huge core processor at all. On the other hand, you need a massive processor for gaming. A normal laptop CPU is designed to be efficient and last a long time on a single charge. It is also designed to be cool and quiet.

A gaming laptop CPU is designed to be fast and powerful. It is designed to handle the heat and noise that come with gaming.

RAM

A normal laptop has anywhere from 2 to 8GB of RAM. But a gaming laptop needs 8GB to 32GB of RAM. This is because gaming laptops need to have higher-powered processors in order to handle the intense graphics that gaming requires. The extra RAM helps to keep the game running smoothly, without any lag or slowdown.

GPU

You can run a normal laptop without an external graphics card. But that is not possible on a gaming laptop. If you want a lag-free smooth gaming experience, you must have a laptop that consists of a dedicated graphics card.

Display

You do need a bigger screen in a gaming laptop. Also, a higher refresh rate ensures better and smooth gaming. But that is not particularly necessary in a standard laptop.

Price

Since you need higher specs, it surely costs a lot of money. So normal laptops are a cost-efficient option for you if you do not need to do any heavy tasks such as video editing.


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FAQs on Are Gaming Laptops Good for Video Editing

Are gaming laptops good for Adobe?

Yes, gaming laptops are good for Adobe. Gaming laptops are more powerful than traditional laptops, making them better suited for certain applications like Adobe Photoshop Premiere Pro, Illustrator, After effects, etc.

However, other users may find that a traditional laptop is more than adequate for their needs and that a gaming laptop is an overkill. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide which type of laptop is best for them.

Is a good gaming PC good for video editing?

A gaming PC is good for video editing because it is more powerful than a regular PC. A gaming PC has a better graphics card and more RAM, which allows it to handle more complex video editing tasks.

Can you edit youtube videos on a gaming PC?

Yes, editing youtube videos on a gaming PC is a great way to ensure your videos are high quality and look great. Editing videos on a gaming PC allows you to use the graphics card’s power to help render your videos quickly and smoothly. Additionally, the powerful processor on a gaming PC can help you quickly and easily edit your videos without any lag or delay.

Which brand of laptop is best for video editing?

It depends on personal preference. However, some laptops that are good for video editing include the Apple Macbook Pro, the Dell XPS 15, and the HP Spectre x360. These laptops have powerful processors and graphics cards that make them ideal for editing videos. They also have large screens that allow you to see your work clearly.

Is it worth getting a gaming laptop?

Yes, a gaming laptop is considered the market’s best hardware combination. So that is a good choice for gaming as well as handling other heavy tasks that a normal laptop can not do. According to the performance, your money is worth getting a gaming laptop.

What laptop do YouTubers use to edit?

Most popular YouTubers use MacBooks to edit their videos because they offer great performance and are easy to use. Some use PCs, but they are in the minority.

Does a graphics card help with video editing?

A graphics card helps with video editing by providing a dedicated processor that is specifically designed to handle the complex calculations required for video editing tasks.

This can be helpful in speeding up the editing process and improving the overall quality of the finished product. But mainly, it helps to render the edited video faster.

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Conclusion

In the end, I can say with confidence that gaming laptops are good for video editing. Perhaps this is the best possible solution for a laptop while you seek it for video editing. However, this is not the ultimate solution at all.

Still, there are some creators laptops that have better efficiency than a gaming laptop. But a gaming laptop is a perfect alternative to your desktop computer for handling daily light tasks as well as doing heavy gaming and editing your youtube videos.

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