10 Best Video Editing Laptops 2026 in the United States

The Apple 2025 MacBook Air with the M4 chip is a strong choice if you're into video editing and want a lightweight, portable laptop. Its M4 chip, featuring a 10-core CPU and 8-core GPU, provides smooth multitasking and handles video editing software well, especially apps optimized for Apple Silicon like Adobe Creative Cloud. With 16GB of unified RAM, it can manage demanding tasks without slowing down, though some heavy projects might benefit from even more memory.

The 256GB SSD offers fast storage but might feel tight if you work with large video files regularly, so pairing this laptop with external drives could be necessary. The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is a highlight — it’s bright, sharp, and supports 1 billion colors, which helps your footage look true to life during editing. Battery life is impressive, offering up to 18 hours of video streaming, meaning you can edit on the go without constantly hunting for a charger. The MacBook Air includes two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a MagSafe charging port, offering good connectivity for external displays, fast drives, and other accessories.

The integrated GPU, while powerful for a thin-and-light laptop, may not match dedicated graphics cards found in some heavier video-editing laptops, possibly limiting performance in very graphics-intensive tasks. The 256GB storage could also limit how much footage you keep on the laptop itself. This MacBook Air suits video editors who prioritize portability, excellent display quality, and solid performance for most editing projects, especially if they are already invested in the Apple ecosystem. For very large projects or those needing top-tier graphics power, a higher-end model with more storage and a dedicated GPU might be better.

The Apple 2025 MacBook Air with the M4 chip is a strong choice for video editing if you value portability and smooth performance. Its 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU built into the M4 chip offer fast processing and good graphics power, making it capable of handling video editing tasks and multitasking without much lag. The 16GB of unified memory helps apps run smoothly, while the 512GB SSD storage provides decent space for video files, though heavy editors might need extra external storage. The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is a highlight, delivering bright, sharp images with support for 1 billion colors—great for seeing your videos with rich detail and true-to-life colors. Battery life is impressive, lasting up to 18 hours, which means you can edit videos on the go without worrying about finding a charger frequently.

On the downside, the MacBook Air has only two Thunderbolt 4 ports and a headphone jack, so you might need adapters if you connect many devices or external drives. Also, while the integrated GPU is strong for an ultrathin laptop, it may not match the raw power of dedicated graphics cards found in some larger video-editing laptops. This model suits video editors who want a lightweight, elegant machine that works well with Apple’s ecosystem and can handle most editing tasks efficiently, especially for content creators who prioritize portability and battery life over extreme performance or expandability.

The Apple 2025 MacBook Pro with the new M5 chip is a strong contender for anyone serious about video editing. Its 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU provide excellent performance for demanding tasks, including rendering and exporting videos smoothly. With 24GB of unified memory, it handles multitasking and large video projects well, reducing slowdowns. The 1TB SSD offers fast storage space, though heavy users may eventually want more capacity or external drives.

The 14.2-inch Liquid Retina XDR display is a standout feature—offering sharp detail, true-to-life colors (supporting 1 billion colors and wide P3 color gamut), and very high brightness up to 1600 nits. This makes it easier to work accurately on color grading and HDR content. ProMotion technology also adds smoothness with up to 120Hz refresh rate. Battery life is impressive, allowing up to 24 hours of video streaming and up to 16 hours of wireless web, which means you can work unplugged for extended periods. The laptop also has a good selection of ports for video editors: three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI port for external monitors, an SDXC card slot for quick camera media transfer, and MagSafe charging.

The integrated GPU with Neural Accelerators supports hardware-accelerated codecs like ProRes and AV1, speeding up video encoding and decoding. However, since the GPU is integrated rather than a dedicated graphics card, users with extremely GPU-intensive workflows might find it less optimal than some high-end dedicated GPU laptops. Additionally, the MacBook Pro works seamlessly with other Apple devices, which can be a bonus for those already in the Apple ecosystem. Its premium build, advanced audio system, and high-quality camera also add to the creative experience. The main drawbacks are the relatively high price and limited ports compared to bulkier Windows laptops. This MacBook Pro is well-suited for professional and enthusiast video editors who want a compact, high-performance machine with a stunning display and excellent battery life, especially if they prefer macOS and Apple’s ecosystem.