10 Best Laptops For Photo And Video Editings 2026 in the United States

The Apple 2025 MacBook Air with the new M4 chip is a strong contender for photo and video editing, especially for users who value a lightweight and portable laptop. Its M4 chip, featuring a 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU, offers smooth multitasking and can handle creative apps like Adobe Creative Cloud efficiently. The 16GB of unified RAM supports smooth performance when editing large files or working with multiple apps at once. The 256GB SSD storage is fast but might feel limited if you work with many high-resolution videos and photos, so external storage could be necessary for bigger projects.

The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is a highlight, providing sharp, bright visuals with support for one billion colors and wide color (P3) gamut. This means photos and videos will appear vibrant and detailed, which is important for editing work. However, the screen size is on the smaller side compared to some editing laptops, so those preferring a larger workspace might find it a bit cramped.

Connectivity includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a headphone jack, and MagSafe charging, which are versatile for connecting external drives and displays. It supports up to two external 6K displays, giving flexibility for expanded editing setups. Battery life is impressive, offering up to 18 hours of video streaming, so you can edit on the go without frequent recharging. Although the integrated GPU is powerful for an ultrabook, it may not match dedicated graphics cards found in some higher-end editing laptops, possibly impacting performance with very demanding video effects or 3D work. The 256GB storage might require expansion for heavy users. The MacBook Air’s excellent build quality, color-accurate screen, and strong battery life make it a great choice for photographers and video editors who want a portable, stylish machine and primarily work with standard editing tasks.

The 2025 Apple MacBook Pro with the M5 chip is a strong choice for photo and video editing thanks to its powerful 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, which handle demanding creative tasks smoothly. With 16GB of unified memory, it supports multitasking and large files well, though professionals working on very heavy projects might prefer more RAM. The 512GB SSD offers fast storage but may require external drives for large video libraries. Its 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display delivers stunning visuals with high brightness (up to 1600 nits peak) and excellent color accuracy, essential for precise editing work. The ProMotion technology with adaptive refresh rates up to 120Hz ensures smooth on-screen motion, which is great when scrubbing through footage.

Connectivity includes three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port, SDXC card slot, and headphone jack, covering most needs for connecting peripherals and external displays. Battery life is impressive, offering up to 24 hours of video streaming, making it reliable for long editing sessions away from power outlets. The integrated Neural Engine and hardware-accelerated video codecs speed up AI tasks and video encoding/decoding, enhancing efficiency. While the integrated GPU is powerful, it may not match some dedicated graphics cards in Windows laptops for certain specialized effects or 3D tasks. Also, the 512GB storage might fill up quickly if you work extensively with raw video files or large photo libraries.

The MacBook Pro’s seamless integration with other Apple devices and macOS software like Adobe Creative Cloud makes it a smooth fit for users already in the Apple ecosystem. It is a premium, well-rounded laptop that caters very well to photo and video editors seeking high performance, excellent display quality, and good battery life, though those needing maximum storage or specific GPU-heavy applications might consider additional options.

The Apple 2025 MacBook Air 15-inch with the M4 chip is a strong contender for photo and video editing thanks to its powerful 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, which provide smooth performance for multitasking and creative software. Its 24GB of unified memory is generous, helping with handling large files and complex projects without slowdowns. The 512GB SSD offers decent storage speed, though some users may find they need external drives for heavier workloads.

The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display supports 1 billion colors and 500 nits of brightness, delivering sharp, vibrant visuals with accurate color—key for editing photos and videos. MacOS compatibility with popular apps like Adobe Creative Cloud ensures smooth software performance. Connectivity includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports and MagSafe charging, suitable for connecting external drives and displays, with support for up to two 6K external monitors enhancing workspace flexibility. Battery life is impressive—up to 18 hours for video streaming—making it portable for on-the-go editing sessions.

While the integrated GPU is powerful for an ultralight laptop, it may not match the raw graphics power of dedicated GPUs found in some Windows laptops designed specifically for intensive video editing. Storage might also be limited for very large media libraries. This MacBook Air suits photographers and video editors who value a balance of portability, excellent display quality, and solid performance, but power users working on highly demanding projects might prefer machines with more dedicated GPU power and larger storage options.