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What is the best laptop for video & photography editing?

Whether you're a professional photographer editing high-resolution images or a videographer cutting together 4K footage, the right laptop can amplify your creative workflow. In this guide, we take a look at what laptop specs are needed to achieve the best video editing results, along with our top recommendations for the best Samsung Galaxy laptops as a professional creative.

What kind of laptop do I need for video editing?

Video editing is a task that demands a lot from a laptop. It requires processing power, memory, and a dedicated graphics card to handle the software and large files used in editing. Therefore, a good laptop for video editing should have a powerful processor, ample RAM, and a high-resolution display to ensure smooth playback and precise graphics. That’s why Samsung’s laptops are a great choice for video editing. Models like the Galaxy Book4 Pro 360 and the Galaxy Book4 Ultra have super-powerful Intel® Core™ Ultra processors and NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 40 series graphics1. Plus, with 3K Dynamic AMOLED 2X screens you can view your footage and designs in accurate colours and clear visuals.

Interested to find out more about the video editing capabilities of the latest Galaxy Book 5 series? Check out our Introducing Galaxy Book 5 buying guide

1. NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 40 series graphics only available on Galaxy Book4 Ultra.

What specs are needed for video editing?

When it comes to video editing the specifications of your laptop are important as they determine whether it’s up to the task. The best laptop for video editing will have a powerful processor, plenty of RAM and enough storage to hold your files. We take a look at each of these specifications in more detail below.

What processor is best for video editing?

At the heart of the laptop is the processor and choosing the right one can make a significant difference in its performance. The best laptop processors for video editing are those that offer a balance of high core counts, fast clock speeds, and efficient multi-threading capabilities.

For high-end video editing, the Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 is one of the best on the market due to its impressive multi-core performance, which is essential for handling demanding tasks like rendering and encoding. Another top option is the Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 which offers fast performance and can easily handle multiple tasks and simultaneous processing, which is crucial when working with high resolution footage and complex editing software.

If you're on a budget the Intel® Core™ 7 is also a great option. It delivers exceptional performance for its price, making it suitable for video editing, especially if you're not working with extremely high-resolution projects.

Dive into our Introducing Galaxy Book 5 buying guide to learn more about the amazing processing power of our new Galaxy Book 5 series.

How much RAM is needed for video editing?

The amount of RAM you need will vary depending on the complexity of your video editing projects. If you're only looking to undertake small editing projects that are less than 1080p, 8GB of RAM might suffice. However, you may need to close other programs to free up memory and ensure smooth performance. For most video editing 16GB of RAM is recommended. This is enough for editing 1080p or 4K files with minimal disruption and slowdowns. For professional-level video editing (that’s 4K or higher) you'll want to opt for a laptop with 32GB RAM, ensuring you can use multiple apps simultaneously without experiencing any impact on performance.

Note: It’s worth checking the specifications of the video editing software you plan to use, as some may have specific RAM requirements.

How much storage is needed for video editing?

The amount of storage needed for video editing on a laptop will vary greatly depending on the type of projects you work on. Generally, SSDs (Solid State Drives) are preferred over HDDs (Hard Disk Drives) for video editing due to their faster data access speeds. Samsung laptops, including the Galaxy Book4 Pro, come with SSD storage as standard. What’s more, many Samsung Galaxy laptops have additional space for an external Micro SD so you'll have plenty of space to backup large video and graphic files should you need it.

So, how much storage should you opt for? If you're looking to edit short videos or projects with lower resolutions (like 1080p), a minimum of 256GB to 512GB of storage may be sufficient. If you're working with high-resolution footage, such as 4K or 8K, or you have larger projects, you'll likely need at least 1TB of storage with the option to add a further 1TB via an external hard drive or Micro SD.

What graphics are best for video editing?

For efficient video editing on a Samsung laptop you'll need a good-quality graphics card. The best graphics cards are those that offer a combination of high VRAM (Video Random Access Memory) and strong processing capabilities, and that’s why the NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ series stands out as an excellent choice. For example, the NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070 - available with the Galaxy Book4 Ultra - offers next-gen graphics performance with excellent rendering speeds and editing prowess. It’s capable of handling demanding video edits and 3D graphic rendering tools, providing solid performance.

Is a laptop better than a tablet for video editing?

When it comes to video editing, both laptops and tablets have their advantages, but laptops generally offer more power and flexibility for this task.

Laptops typically have more robust processors, which offer smoother editing experiences and faster rendering times. They also support a wider range of professional video editing software and have more options for upgrading components and adding external devices. you'll also find larger screens and better keyboard and mouse integration with laptops, providing a more robust setup for long video editing sessions. If you need the most powerful device with the ability to run fully-fledged editing software, a laptop is generally considered the better choice.

Laptops

Tablets

✓ Powerful processors

✓ More RAM and memory options

✓ Better keyboard and mouse integration

✓ Greater compatibility with editing software

✓ Windows operating system

✓ Intuitive touchscreens available on premium models

✓ Lighter and more compact for editing on-the-go

✓ Intuitive touchscreen can make certain editing tasks quicker and more efficient

Which laptop is best for photography, video editing & graphic design?

There are many excellent laptops for video editing and photography across the Samsung Galaxy Book range. But when it comes to the best? We recommend the Galaxy Book4 Ultra. It’s powered by the supercharged Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 185H processor and features an advanced NPU for next-level AI performance - essential for handling the intensive processing demands of creative software. Working in harmony with the processor is the NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 40 series graphics which ensures cutting-edge visuals, and smooth rendering of high-resolution images and videos.

With a 16-inch1 Dynamic AMOLED 2X touchscreen2 and 3K (2880x1800) resolution you've got a brilliant canvas for editing and creating on. The display also features Corning® Gorilla® Glass with DX, which reduces reflections and glare, ensuring that the content is sharp and readable from various angles and in different lighting conditions. What’s more, the responsive touch screen allows for direct on-screen editing helping to streamline your creative process.

The Galaxy Book4 Ultra also lets you seamlessly create and edit across different devices within the Samsung ecosystem, perfect if you often start your work on one device and finish on another. With its powerful performance, stunning display, and thoughtful design features, the Galaxy Book4 Ultra is the ideal choice for professionals in photography, video editing, and graphic design.

Looking to quickly compare specs across our best laptops for video editing and graphic design? Check out the handy comparison table below:

  • 1. Screen size is measured diagonally as a full rectangle without accounting for the rounded corners. Actual viewable area is less due to the rounded corners.
  • 2. The Dynamic AMOLED 2X display used in Galaxy Book4 Ultra has received the "Cinematic Experience" certification from SGS based on its wide colour gamut (120% of DCI-P3) and its low-luminance expression capability below 0.0005 nits. The display has a maximum brightness of 400 nits and can achieve peak brightness of 500 nits when displaying HDR content only, with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The Dynamic AMOLED 2X display used in Galaxy Book4 Ultra has received the "Eye Care" certification from SGS based on its ability to drastically reduce the harmful effects of blue light. The Dynamic AMOLED 2X display used in Galaxy Book4 Ultra has received the "Gaming Performance" certification from SGS, by recording respectively 0.2ms or less and 0.0005 nits or less in response time and perfect black. More information about this certification can be found on www.sgs.com/performance.

Galaxy Book4 Ultra

Galaxy Book4 Pro 360

Galaxy Book4 Pro

16”

Galaxy Book4 Pro

14”

Display

16” WQXGA+

(2880 x 1800)

Dynamic AMOLED 2X Touch, 120Hz

16” WQXGA+

(2880 x 1800)

Dynamic AMOLED 2X Touch, 120Hz

16” WQXGA+

(2880 x 1800)

Dynamic AMOLED 2X Touch, 120Hz

14” WQXGA+

(2880 x 1800)

Dynamic AMOLED 2X Touch, 120Hz

Processor/CPU Speed

Intel® Core™ Ultra 9 185H | Ultra 7 155H

Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 155H

Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 155H

Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 155H

Memory

16GB | 32GB (LPDDR5X)

16GB (LPDDR5X)

16GB (LPDDR5X)

16GB (LPDDR5X)

Storage

1TB |

2TB + microSD + SSD Slot*

512GB | 1TB + microSD

512GB | 1TB + microSD + SSD Slot

512GB | 1TB + microSD + SSD Slot*

Graphics

NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4050 | 4070

Intel® Arc™

Intel® Arc™

Intel® Arc™

Touch screen

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

S Pen

-

Yes

-

-

Ports

2x Thunderbolt 4,

1x USB 3.2, HDMI 2.1,

microSD,

HP/Mic-in

2x Thunderbolt 4,

1x USB 3.2,

HDMI 2.1,

microSD,

HP/Mic-in

2x Thunderbolt 4,

1x USB 3.2,

HDMI 2.1,

microSD,

HP/Mic-in

2x Thunderbolt 4,

1x USB 3.2,

HDMI 2.1,

microSD,

HP/Mic-in

Battery capacity

76Wh (Typical)

76Wh (Typical)

76Wh (Typical)

63Wh (Typical)

Operating System

Windows 11

Windows 11

Windows 11

Windows 11

Weight

1.86kg

1.66kg

1.56Kg

1.23kg

You can find out more about Samsung laptops in our ‘Which laptop should I buy?’ guide.