Choosing the right processor for Go Pro video editing
One would expect to pay a hefty price for professional video editing equipment and workstation software. Truth be told, I think high-end PCs cost too much and make online video editors jaded towards getting them. Still, you can't buy a laptop that shoots 4K or 120FPS without breaking the bank.
Well, I have both good and bad news to share with you – good news is that there are some gorgeous laptops that fit the bill; bad news is they aren't really affordable to people outside of YouTube videos whose videos get millions of views. In this post, we're going to break down everything you need to know if you want an affordable laptop for Go Pro video editing on a tight budget.
Deciding on a graphics
Deciding on a memory
5 Best Laptops for Go Pro video editing
$6401.ASUS Zenbook
ASUS Zenbook: The powerful ultrabook with a sleek design.- Compact and lightweight design
- Bright and high-quality display
- Powerful 8-core Ryzen CPU
- Excellent battery life
- Soldered RAM cannot be expanded
- Weak Wi-Fi
- Fan noise can be annoying at times
- High emissions under load
Summary
The ASUS ZenBook 14 UM425QA is a sleek ultrabook that offers a surprising amount of power with its 8-core Ryzen CPU. It comes in a compact chassis with a bright display and excellent battery life, making it perfect for on-the-go video editing. However, it has soldered RAM and weak Wi-Fi that may be a concern for some users.
Reviews
Alternatives
$730HP ZBook Firefly 15 G8
- Very good memory amount (64GB)
- Herculean 8TB SSD
- Garden-variety processor (i7-1165G7)
- Substandard graphics card (Iris Xe Graphics G7 96EUs)
$9602.Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i
Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 9i offers strong GPU performance and an attractive design, but the shallow keyboard and clickpad may not be ideal for intensive video editing.- Strong GPU performance
- Attractive design
- Lightweight and portable
- Respectable battery life
- No integrated SD reader, USB-A, or HDMI
- Shallow keyboard feedback
- Slippery and awkward clickpad
- Difficult end-user serviceability
Summary
Lenovo's IdeaPad Slim 9i is an attractive laptop that performs well in terms of GPU performance and battery life. However, its keyboard and clickpad may not be the most comfortable for long video editing sessions. It also lacks an integrated SD reader, USB-A, or HDMI port.
Reviews
Alternatives
$1,160Apple MacBook Air M2
- Slim, high-quality case
- Good input devices
- Neither Thunderbolt 4 nor Wi-Fi 6 at 160 MHz, only single external display supported
- Less efficient than the M1 SoC
$1,3503.Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro offers great specs for Go Pro video editing at a reasonable price.- High-quality 165 Hz IPS display
- Relatively easy serviceability
- Integrated numpad
- Very fast charging
- Low-resolution webcam with no IR or privacy shutter
- Warm CPUGPU temperatures when gaming
- Moderate-heavy uneven backlight bleeding
- Only average battery life
Summary
With its powerful AMD Zen 3+ CPU and 150 W TGP GeForce RTX 3070 Ti, the Lenovo Legion 5 Pro is a fast machine that can handle Go Pro video editing with ease. It has a high-quality 165 Hz IPS display and relatively easy serviceability, making it a great choice for professionals on a budget.
Reviews
Alternatives
$1,500Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
- High quality 165 Hz 16:10 IPS display
- Relatively easy serviceability
- Low resolution webcam with no IR or privacy shutter
- Very warm CPUGPU temperatures when gaming
$1,6004.GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4
GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4 is an Energy-hungry Powerhouse for GoPro Video Editing!- Highly responsive 165Hz panel and wide color gamut.
- Impressive system performance and PCIe 4.0 SSD.
- Free M.2 2280 slot (PCIe 4.0) and individual key lighting.
- Solid battery life and Thunderbolt 4 with Power Delivery.
- High power usage at idle
Summary
The GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4 is an ideal option for video editing with GoPro footage, thanks to its highly responsive 165Hz panel, wide color gamut, impressive system performance, PCIe 4.0 SSD, and the ability to accommodate two PCIe 4.0 SSDs. However, it has high power usage at idle and low load, no card reader, and only one USB-A port.
Reviews
Alternatives
$1,600Lenovo Legion 5 Pro
- Very bright display with good color reproduction
- Many connections and free M.2 slot
- Bulky chassis paired with hefty power brick
- Noisy fans on the Balanced and Performance profiles
$5,6005.Dell XPS 17 9720
Powerful laptop with an excellent display, but not suitable for high-end video editing.- Excellent 4K display with AdobeRGB
- High-quality case
- Thunderbolt 4 PCIe 4.0
- Fast card reader
- Lower graphics performance than the predecessor
- Performance not completely stable under combined load
- Not Wi-Fi 6E compatible
- 720p webcam
Summary
The Dell XPS 17 9720 is a powerful laptop with an excellent 4K display and high system performance. However, its reduced graphics performance and unstable performance under load make it less suitable for high-end video editing.
Reviews
Alternatives
$5,800Dell XPS 15 9520
- Premium design and build, portable form-factor for what it is
- Several excellent screen options, including the OLED panel
- Limited screen angle and still a few other ergonomic quirks
- Miniaturized IO
Table of the Best Laptops for Go Pro video editing
| Laptop | Price (approx) |
| ASUS Zenbook | $640 |
| Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 9i | $960 |
| Lenovo Legion 5 Pro | $1,350 |
| GIGABYTE AORUS 15 XE4 | $1,600 |
| Dell XPS 17 9720 | $5,600 |
