Best Laptops for Video Editing Under $500

As video content gets more demand, video editing has become an even more prominent profession/hobby for many people. While it’s certainly nice to have a $2,000+ computer that can handle 8k video editing, not everyone edits video professionally.

If you are among the people who need to edit video but have a budgetary limit, this article is for you. In this article, we’ve listed down ten of the best laptops for video editing under $500.

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10 Best Laptops for Video Editing Under $500

1. HP 14z-FQ1000

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The HP 14z offers a solid processor that can handle moderate video editing at the sub-$500 price point.

Its lowest-spec model comes with an HD display, which isn’t the best solution for video editing – but it gets the job done.

HP 14z-FQ1000 Features

• QuadCore CPU Processor (AMD Ryzen 3 5300U)
• High Speed and Multitasking
• 8GB DDR4 SDRAM

HP 14z-FQ1000 Full Specs

PROS
- Ryzen integrated graphics card
- Adequate RAM for video editing
- Reliable SSD for a faster import/export

CONS
- Only HD screen
- Small storage space

2. Acer Aspire 5

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At just under $479, the Acer Aspire 5 offers a reliable processor that fairly handles daily video editing load fairly well.

It comes with a non-standard 12GB of RAM, which is just perfect for moderate video editing.

Acer Aspire 5 Features

• 11th Gen Intel Turbo Boost CPU
• Sharp Details and Crisp Colors Display
• High-Bandwidth RAM

Acer Aspire 5 Full Specs

PROS
- Reliable performance
- Lots of ports
- Good battery life

CONS
- Bulky design

3. Acer Aspire 5 A515

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What the Aspire 5 lacks in RAM, it makes up for in the newer CPU architecture and integrated graphics card.

It only comes with 128 GB SSD storage, but it has plenty of USB ports to import/export your footage.

Acer Aspire 5 A515 Features

• Powerful CPU Productivity
• Stunning 15.6″ Full HD display
• Fingerprint Reader

Acer Aspire 5 A515 Full Specs

PROS
- 15.6 FHD IPS display
- Backlit keyboard
- Fast SSD storage

CONS
- Small storage space
- Only 4GB of RAM

4. Asus Vivobook 15 F515

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The Asus Vivobook 15 offers a great value-for-performance with its newer CPU architecture in the Intel Core i3-1005G1.

While the processor itself is reliable enough for light video editing, the lack of CUDA support may result in slower render time compared to AMD processors with Radeon graphics or other laptops with dedicated NVIDIA graphics cards.

Asus Vivobook 15 F515 Features

• Powerful Intel CPU
• Full HD NanoEdge bezel display
• Fingerprint Sensor

Asus Vivobook 15 F515 Full Specs

PROS
- Latest CPU architecture
- 15.6" FHD display
- Adequate RAM for video editing

CONS
- Only 128GB of storage space

5. Lenovo Ideapad 3

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Coming in at just under $400, the Lenovo Ideapad 3 is a solid and affordable video editing laptop. It has a 15.6″ IPS display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, which is great for daily video editing.

The built-in Intel UHD graphics processor also makes it possible to render videos faster with CUDA acceleration.

Lenovo Ideapad 3 Features

• Intel 10th Gen CPU
• Full HD Anti-glare Display 
• Dolby Audio Dual Speakers

Lenovo Ideapad 3 Full Specs

PROS
- FHD IPS display
- Radeon Vega graphics processor
- Fast SSD
- 15.6" screen

CONS
- Only 128GB of storage space

6. Dell Inspiron 15 3000

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The Dell Inspiron 15 3000 is a solid contender for the best video editing laptop under $500. It comes at around $439 but with specs that are better than its competitors.

It has a 1080p display with 4GB of RAM out of the box, but the latter is upgradeable up to 12GB.

The base model comes with hard drive storage, but optional upgrades are available.

Dell Inspiron 15 3000 Features

• 10th Gen Intel CPU
• Anti-glare LED-backlit Display
• M.2 Solid State Drive

Dell Ispiron 15 3000 Full Specs

PROS
- Latest CPU architecture
- Super affordable
- FHD display

CONS
- No USB-C
- Requires upgrades to be really viable

7. Acer Aspire 3 17.3″

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The Acer Aspire 3 17.3″ is a solid video editing laptop for under $400. It packs the latest CPU architecture from Intel with fast solid-state drive storage, which will make your import and export process much faster.

It has a 17.3″ 900p display, which is ok for light video editing.

Acer Aspire 3 17.3″ Features

• Tiger Lake-U generation Intel CPU
• Narrow-bezel Design
• High-Bandwidth DDR4 RAM

Acer Aspire 3 17.3″ Full Specs

PROS
- FHD screen
- Latest intel processor
- Adequate RAM for video editing

CONS
- Only 128GB of storage

8. Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5

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The IdeaPad Flex 5 offers a 2-in-1 laptop that’s powerful enough to do some light video editing on the go. It packs a vibrant 1920 x 1080 IPS display that’s also a touch screen.

Unfortunately, it only has 4GB of RAM, which may prevent you from editing higher-resolution footage. While this may not be the most powerful device on this list, it offers a different solution for a mobile lifestyle.

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Features

• AMD Quad Core Processor
• Integrated GPU
• M.2 NVMe SSD Storage

Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5 Full Specs

PROS
- FHD Screen
- Affordable

CONS
- Low RAM

9. Asus Vivobook 14

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The renewed Asus VivoBook 14 offers a lightweight but fairly powerful laptop that has AMD Ryzen  3 3250U Radeon Vega graphics card.

The 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD storage will become a lifesaver for resource-intensive tasks such as video editing.

Asus Vivobook 14 Features

• Powerful AMD CPU
• NanoEdge Bezel Display
• Ergonomic Chiclet Backlit Keyboard

Asus Vivobook 14 Full Specs

PROS
- Lightweight
- Powerful CPU
- Decent storage
- FHD 1080p display

CONS
- 14" display size limits working space

10. HP Pavilion X360

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The HP Pavilion X360 is a 2-in-1 convertible laptop that packs enough power to handle some light video editing on the go.

This convertible laptop is perfectly suitable if you have a mobile lifestyle for just under $500.

HP Pavilion X360 Features

• 10th Generation Intel CPU
• 360° flip-and-fold design Touch Screen
• RAM Advanced Multitasking

HP Pavillion X360 Full Specs

PROS
- Lightweight
- Touchscreen
- 8GB of RAM

CONS
- Less vibrant SVA display panel 
- HD screen resolution

Best Laptops for Video Editing Under $500 Comparison

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How to Choose the Best Video Editing Laptop for You

Since video editing is a resource-heavy task, you’ll need a laptop with a certain level of technical specification to do it comfortably. These are the factors that you’ll need to consider to pick the best video editing laptop for you.

Performance

There are many factors that affect the overall performance of a computer. Both the hardware or the software have their part in making the computer either faster or slower.

However, you can get a general impression of a laptop’s performance in video editing based on these components:

CPU

The CPU is the brain of the processor that does all of the calculations required to perform specific tasks, including video editing.

For a laptop to handle video editing reasonably well, you’ll need at least an Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 – preferably the latest generation of each brand.

RAM

Random Access Memory (RAM) is responsible for handling apps that are running simultaneously on your computer.

The more RAM a laptop has, the more apps it can run at the same time. Video editing apps like Premiere Pro or After Effects are known to consume a large amount of your devices’ RAM to run.

That’s why you should get a laptop that has at least 8GB of RAM if you want to do video editing on it.

Storage

Videos take up a lot of space in your storage, but cloud storage and an external hard drive can alleviate that.

However, having a laptop with solid-state drive (SSD) storage will tremendously help video editing tasks.

SSDs are much faster than a regular hard drive, and therefore you’ll be able to import and export your videos much more efficiently.

Graphics

Since video editing is also a highly visual activity, you’ll need some sort of reliability in your laptop’s graphics department.

There are two components that make up a laptop’s quality in graphics:

GPU

Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is another brain of your laptop responsible for outputting visual elements into your laptop’s screen. In video editing, some GPUs can help to speed up the video rendering process.

Budget laptops rarely have a standalone GPU like desktop PCs do because of the form factor restriction.

But generally speaking, you should buy a laptop with a reliable onboard GPU like Radeon Vega or Nvidia GTX/MX series.

Display

To get the best video editing experience, the display or screen of your laptop should also have a certain degree of size and color accuracy.

The most common display resolution for budget laptops is full HD (1920 x 1080) – but some laptops use lower display resolution in exchange for a more powerful CPU, larger storage, or more RAM.

Size

Depending on your preference, you may also need to consider the size of the laptop you want to buy.

Bulkier laptops usually have better cooling and airflow, giving the components more room to breathe and achieve their maximum performance.

Lighter and more compact laptops usually have worse thermal performance in exchange for mobility.

Operating System

You may also want to pick the laptop you’re using to edit videos based on the operating system it uses.

There are only two real contenders for consumer-end laptops: Windows or macOS. Windows have a wider range of options, while Macbooks offer better stability thanks to their closed-off ecosystem.

Connectivity

While connectivity isn’t a crucial factor, some cloud-based video editing software will require you to be online at all times during your video editing sessions.

Having Bluetooth is also beneficial if you want to use a wireless mouse or keyboard while editing.

Battery

As mentioned earlier, video editing is a resource-intensive task, which means it can drain your laptop’s battery quickly.

Choosing a laptop with enough battery capacity will help to ensure that you have enough power to finish your video editing projects.

FAQ About Video Editing

How much RAM do I need for video editing?

Ideally, 16GB is the minimum requirement for any sort of heavy video editing. However, you can get away with 8GB of RAM if you don’t run multiple apps while editing your videos.

What’s the best free video editing software?

You can find the best free video editing software here, in this complete guide, or the best free online video editors with no watermark here.

Is SSD good for video editing?

Absolutely. SSDs are much faster than a mechanical hard drive, which will result in better performance not only for video editing but also for performing general tasks on your computer.

What type of CPU should I choose?

Video editing requires a lot of power from your CPU. You’ll need at least Intel Core i3 (7^th gen or later) or AMD Ryzen 3 to use most video editing apps out there.

Can I use any laptop for video editing?

Yes, you can. Even Chromebooks can do some sort of video editing on mobile video editors like CapCut or Filmora Go. But the more hardware power you have in your laptop, the better video editing apps you can use.

If you’re looking for gaming laptops under $500, then check this article here.