Best Laptop for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021

As a video editor, finding the best laptop for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 is crucial to ensure seamless editing and optimal performance. Having spent countless hours reviewing an extensive laptop spreadsheet of recent releases, comparing specs, and analyzing both professional and user-generated reviews, I've identified the top laptops suitable for video editing enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 demands specific hardware requirements to run smoothly, and not all laptops can handle the workload. You'll need a powerful processor, ample RAM, and a dedicated GPU to handle the software's real-time rendering and playback capabilities. Additionally, a high-quality display is essential for accurate color grading, and a generous storage capacity is necessary for managing large video files.

My experience with Adobe Premiere Pro has taught me the value of investing in a laptop tailored to video editing needs. In this guide, we'll focus on finding the best laptop for Premiere Pro 2021 that meets the unique requirements of video editors, ensuring a smooth editing experience without breaking the bank. Whether you're a freelancer working on client projects, an aspiring filmmaker, or a content creator producing engaging videos for social media platforms, this guide will help you find the perfect laptop for your video editing endeavors.

Deciding on a processor

In order to have a smooth editing experience, a processor needs to be powerful enough to play back your footage without it being choppy. As a result, the CPU is an essential component of a laptop for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021.

Requirements

You may have noticed that there are a few different types of processors out there: Intel Core and AMD Ryzen. What's the difference? AMD processors tend to offer more cores for lower prices, but they can't compete with Intel in single-core performance. So if you need as much power as possible for rendering and encoding, go with Intel Core. If you're trying to find the best bang for your buck, Ryzen 3 3250U might be the way to go.

Recommendations

What kind of CPU should you buy? If you're not sure, I recommend going with an i3-10110U since it offers plenty of power for most video editing tasks and is fairly cheap as well. On the other hand, if you're looking for the best performance without caring about price – i5-1135G7 is the way to go.

The right graphics card

GPU for simple cuts/transitions

If you're not working with many complex graphics and you're patient enough to wait for a longer rendering time – you can do without a dedicated GPU. Simple cuts/transitions don’t need a dedicated GPU.

If you want speed up rendering – you'll need to get a dedicated GPU. However, even then, I wouldn't recommend spending over $4000 on a laptop – unless you're an avid gamer who wants to game on the side. You'll need at least RTX 1660 Ti.

Integrated vs. Dedicated Graphics Cards

If you're looking for something cheap and easy – get an integrated chip (preferably Intel Iris Xe Graphics). They are cheap and will be enough for basic rendering tasks in Adobe Premiere Pro. If you want to get the most out of your computer – get a professional graphics card like RTX 3060 (over $1000).

TL;DR

integrated graphics chips are fine for editing videos in Adobe Premiere Pro
dedicated GPUs are needed for green screens and complex effects in Adobe Premiere Pro
if you want to work with transitions, filters, or other complex effects – get a dedicated GPU

What's the best memory for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021?

Minimum (8 GB)

8 GB used to be the standard for RAM capacity for the longest time. In 2021, 16 GB is becoming the new de facto choice for budget laptops, starting at around $650. If you can't go above that, 8 GB is still alright. In fact, it might be a wise choice if you're prioritizing the CPU, which is much more critical for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021.

Recommended (16 GB)

If you aren't limited by a very tight budget – you'll most likely end up with a 16 GB laptop. It just seems to do the job for most laptops under $2k. That's the sweet spot for work, gaming, and everything in-between. These days a fast SSD can soften the impact of running out of RAM. That might be one of the reasons why I've noticed a slowdown in the continuous climb of RAM capacities in laptops. Especially if you're buying a bulkier laptop that can be easily upgraded, there's no need to sweat about getting 16 GB.

Best (32 GB)

If you're only running Adobe Premiere Pro 2021, 32 GB is only necessary if you typically use lots of sample-based instruments (each running Multi-GB orchestral libraries & ROMpler style plugins, for example). But I doubt any of us are running Adobe "naked". I'd guess you'll have a browser running in the background and then a couple more applications on the side. In that case, 16 GB, while perfectly capable, is not optimal for the best laptop for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021. That's why I recommend 32 GB for anyone going over $2000, where 32 GB laptops are ubiquitous. On top of that, 32 GB is a sure-fire way to future-proof your laptop.

Deciding on a storage

Different types of SSDs

In this article, I've been exclusively focusing on laptops with NVMe SSDs. The reason for that is that they're the best performing type of storage device. To be more specific, they're made to push as much data as possible as quickly as possible. In general, there are two types of SSDs: SATA and NVMe. And while they both have their merits, NVM-e is a much better option for Premiere Pro 2021.

Getting the right size

If you're a typical Premiere Pro user, I'd recommend a 1 TB drive – especially if you plan on downloading/importing a lot of footage to edit with it. You can go up to 2 TB, but that would be overkill for most people. With an extra USB 3.0 port, you can always use a portable hard drive to store your files on the go – if you're editing from home and need space or if you want to edit from a remote location and don't want to use up all your laptop's internal storage space.

One downside is that the larger drives take longer to read and write data because they need more power and additional circuitry to make it happen – but considering how many professionals work with raw footage, this is usually not an issue.

Upgrading

I won't say upgrading storage devices on laptops is as easy as swapping out your RAM or adding an M.2 NVMe SSD – but it's close enough! Most laptops come with room for one M2 card or one hard drive slot. If that's not enough – find another laptop with more space! That said, we've listed out some solid suggestions in our list of best laptops for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021:

TL;DR

SSDs are faster than HDDs, but there are two types of SSDs: SATA and NVMe
NVM-e is the fastest type of SSD for laptops
If you're editing raw footage, you'll need at least 1 TB of storage space. You can get more, but it's not necessary. And if you're editing from home – just get an external hard drive. It's not expensive. It's just easier.

Display that will work optimally with Adobe Premiere Pro 2021

Displays can be very arduous to compare – there're too many variables. To help you out, I'm going to list the essential specifications, and you'll need to pick out what's indispensable and what's not. Then, I'll also provide some sensible recommendations for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021.

Panel and image quality

Panel type is a key to many display qualities. Here are three types of panels you need to know:

TN – the most basic display panel. Very common in entry-to-mid-range laptops. If properly calibrated, then it's not that bad for non-color-sensitive work.
IPS/PLS – better in nearly every aspect, nonetheless quite costly, especially professional-grade IPS. Common in mid-range and premium laptops.
OLED – latest, greatest, and the priciest panel technology. Exceptional color accuracy, often paired with HDR. Sometimes found in top-of-the-line models. Meanwhile, image quality consists of brightness, contrast, and color accuracy. These three observable characteristics can vary a lot from model to model. Panel type can be a decent proxy to gauge these metrics roughly. But it's always best to judge them in person or by reviews.

Laptop display recommendations for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021

For an affordable laptop for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 – look for a Full HD display with a TN panel. For a mid-range laptop – FHD IPS panel would be perfect. For a high end laptop – look for a OLED panel.

TL;DR

you should look at display resolution, panel type, image quality, and features when shopping for a laptop display for video editing
if you're on a budget, look for Full HD displays with TN panels
if you're in the mid range, look for FHD IPS panels
if you're looking for the best laptop display – look for OLED panels

Demystifying Premiere Pro Laptop Choices

Q: Which laptop is best for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021?

When it comes to choosing the best laptop for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021, it depends on your specific needs and budget. However, we can recommend a few laptops that offer excellent performance for video editing. The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16 and Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i are both great options with powerful processors and ample storage. If budget is not a concern, the MSI Summit E13 is a top-of-the-line choice. Additionally, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro and HP Omen 17 are worth considering for their performance capabilities.

What are the recommended laptop specs for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021?

To ensure a smooth editing experience with Adobe Premiere Pro 2021, we recommend the following laptop specs:

Display: For optimal color accuracy and viewing angles, go for a laptop with at least a Full HD (FHD) IPS display with high contrast.
Graphics: A dedicated graphics card is essential for video editing. The GTX 1660 Ti, Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, or RTX 3060 are all good options depending on your budget and performance needs.
Processor: Look for a laptop with at least a Ryzen 3 3250U, i3-10110U, or i5-1135G7 processor to handle the demanding tasks of Adobe Premiere Pro 2021.
Memory: Aim for a minimum of 8 GB of RAM, but if your budget allows, 16 GB or even 32 GB will provide better multitasking capabilities.
Storage: While a 1 TB HDD may be the minimum requirement, we recommend opting for a laptop with at least a 512 GB SSD, or even a 1 TB SSD, for faster read and write speeds.

Can I use Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 on a laptop?

Yes, Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 can be used on a laptop. In fact, laptops have become increasingly powerful, allowing for professional-grade video editing on the go. However, it's important to choose a laptop with the necessary specs to handle the software efficiently.

How much RAM do I need for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 on a laptop?

The amount of RAM you need for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 on a laptop depends on the complexity of your projects and the number of concurrent applications you plan to use. While the minimum requirement is 8 GB, we recommend having at least 16 GB of RAM for smooth performance. If you frequently work on large projects or use resource-intensive effects, consider upgrading to 32 GB for optimal performance.

What graphics card is recommended for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 on a laptop?

For Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 on a laptop, we recommend a dedicated graphics card for the best performance. The GTX 1660 Ti, Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, or RTX 3060 are all solid choices depending on your budget and requirements. A dedicated graphics card helps accelerate rendering and provides better playback performance, especially when working with high-resolution footage or applying complex effects.

What is the minimum processor requirement for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 on a laptop?

The minimum processor requirement for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 on a laptop is a Ryzen 3 3250U, i3-10110U, or i5-1135G7. However, if you want a smoother editing experience and faster rendering times, we recommend opting for a more powerful processor, such as an i7 or i9.

Which laptops have good performance with Adobe Premiere Pro 2021?

Several laptops offer excellent performance with Adobe Premiere Pro 2021. The Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16, Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i, MSI Summit E13, Lenovo Legion 5 Pro, and HP Omen 17 are all known for their strong performance capabilities. These laptops are equipped with powerful processors, dedicated graphics cards, and ample memory and storage capacities to handle the demands of video editing effectively.

Is a dedicated GPU necessary for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 on a laptop?

While Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 can technically run on a laptop without a dedicated GPU, a dedicated graphics card significantly improves performance. A dedicated GPU helps accelerate rendering times, improves playback performance, and provides better overall editing experience. If you're serious about video editing, we highly recommend choosing a laptop with a dedicated GPU, such as the GTX 1660 Ti, Iris Xe Graphics G7 80EUs, or RTX 3060.

What storage capacity is recommended for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 on a laptop?

For Adobe Premiere Pro 2021 on a laptop, we recommend a minimum of 512 GB SSD for faster read and write speeds. This allows for

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Table of Best Laptops for {topic}

Laptop	Price (approx)

5 Best Laptops for Adobe Premiere Pro 2021

$730

1.ASUS ZenBook 13 UX325EA-EH71

ASUS ZenBook 13 UX325EA-EH71: Powerful and Lightweight, But with Some Minor Flaws

Pros

Sleek, lightweight frame
Powerful overall and gaming performance
Excellent battery life
Very comfortable keyboard

Cons

Weak speakers
Display could be brighter
No headphone jack

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Summary

The ASUS ZenBook 13 UX325EA-EH71 offers great power and longevity with Intel's new 11th Gen chips. It has a sleek and lightweight frame, excellent battery life, and a very comfortable keyboard. However, it does have some drawbacks such as weak speakers, a display that could be brighter, and the lack of a headphone jack.

Reviews

Laptopmag

4.5/5

Asus ZenBook 13 UX325EA review

Notebookcheck

89%/100

Asus ZenBook 13 laptop review: Core i7-1165G7 versus Ryzen 7 5800U. Which one is the better ZenBook?

Alternatives

$580

Acer Swift 3 SF314-59-75QC

Pros

Compact, ultra-lightweight, and ergonomic design
Sturdy build quality

Cons

High thermals under heavy load
Poor audio quality

$960

2.Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i

Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i: A stylish and portable laptop with impressive GPU performance, but hindered by a shallow keyboard and clickpad.

Pros

Relatively bright touchscreen
Attractive chassis design
Lightweight and portable
Strong GPU performance

Cons

Turbo Boost sustainability could be better
No integrated SD reader, USB-A, or HDMI
Shallow and weak key feedback
Slippery and awkward clickpad

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Tech specs