A laptop is an essential tool for YouTubers that you can use in video editing and all other things related to video games, movies and images. You can have multiple features which make it easy for the type of work you do. When looking for a new laptop, it is crucial to consider the kind of work you do. If you are a YouTuber, you must be looking for a laptop for yourself. After all, it is essential to have a good laptop that runs your software and websites smoothly. The best laptops for YouTubers include powerful processors and graphics cards.
Many people operate their accounts from home and need a laptop that can run multiple applications simultaneously. Laptops are also lightweight and easy to carry around in case of travelling. Video editing and post-production challenges differ from the challenges faced by most individuals and businesses. Video editing tends to be intense work, and you’ll depend on your laptop for speed and reliability. This post is intended to inform you about the types of laptops available on the market and how YouTube content creators can use them.
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Best Laptop For YouTubers
When making a purchase, you always come across a ton of options. There are several options, from gaming laptops to thin & light notebooks. These options can create a lot of confusion, making it hard for you to find the best laptop. If you are looking for a laptop for YouTube, you are at the right place. In this article, we will share our top best picks for laptops for YouTubers.
1. MacBook Air M2 – Overall Best Laptop for YouTubers
The MacBook Air M2 is Apple’s newest addition to its Mac lineup alongside the MacBook Pro M2. The MacBook Air M2 features an all-new boxy design, keyboard and display. It mimics the design of the redesigned MacBook Pros released last year. It comes in a thinner body than its predecessor, making it even more lightweight (2.7lbs) and compact.
As for the performance, the MacBook Air M2 comes with the second generation of Apple Silicon— the M2 chip. It is said to have better CPU cores than the M1. The GPU performance is also excellent with the new 10-core GPU system. It has a beautiful 13.6″ Liquid Retina display, 1080p HD webcam hiding inside the notch, a keyboard with a full-size function row, and up to 18 hours of battery life. You also get the new MagSafe 3 charging solution and Touch ID integrated into the keyboard.
If you are into video editing or any other YouTube work, macOS offers pro-grade editing software— FinalCut Pro. The new M2 chip, combined with the well-optimized software, and up to 24GB of RAM, will help you edit and export high-resolution videos smoothly on this machine. It has two thunderbolt / USB ports for speedy data transfers.
Talking about the pricing, the MacBook Air M2 starts at $1199. The base configuration includes an 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 8GB unified memory, and 256GB SSD storage. You can configure the machine to up to 24GB unified memory, 2TB SSD storage, and a 10-core GPU. This should be the perfect MacBook for you if you are a Mac user coming from an old Intel Mac. Even if you are a Windows user, you can comfortably buy this machine. I’m sure you will love it.
Key Features
- 13.6″ Liquid Retina display with True Tone
- 8-core CPU and up to 10-core GPU with the M2 chip
- Up to 2TB SSD storage
- 18 hours of battery life
- MagSafe 3
- macOS Ventura
Pros
- Premium Aluminium build
- 13.6″ Liquid Retina display
- Thin & light
- Fantastic performance with the M2 chip
- Spatial Audio support with a new four-speaker system
- 18 hours of battery life
- Full-size function row on the keyboard
- 1080p HD webcam
- Better wireless connectivity
Cons
- 256GB SSD storage on the base model is unrealistic
- No ProMotion
- Extra cost for faster charging
- Supports only one external display
- Lack of upgradeability due to ARM-based Apple Silicon
- Lack of HDMI and USB Type-A ports
- Lack of an active cooling system (no fan)
2. MacBook Pro 14 – Most Powerful Laptop for YouTube
The second one on our list is the MacBook Pro 14″. It is an excellent package for YouTubers looking for stellar performance and software. Its performance puts any of the previous Intel Macs to shame. The incredible performance combined with a fantastic display, keyboard and software will surely mesmerize you.
As for the performance, the MacBook Pro 14″ comes with the powerful M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets. Apple calls them the first Apple Silicon designed for the pros. Despite the incredible performance, you get excellent battery life. With the M1 Pro, you get support for up to 200 Gbit/s of memory bandwidth. For instance, this machine can play back 20 streams of 4K ProRes video at once, as claimed by Apple. As for the M1 Max, it supports up to 400 Gbit/s of memory bandwidth and can play back seven streams of 8K ProRes video at once.
It has a beautiful 14″ Liquid Retina XDR (mini LED) display with 120Hz ProMotion, a new 1080p HD webcam hiding inside the notch, a keyboard with a full-size function row (no touch bar), three studio quality microphones, a six-speaker sound system, and up to 17 hours of battery life. You also get the new MagSafe 3 charging solution and Touch ID integrated into the keyboard. It also has a decent number of ports, including three Thunderbolt 4 USB type-C ports, HDMI, SDXC, and a headphone jack.
Talking about the pricing, the MacBook Pro starts at $1999. The base configuration includes an 8-core CPU, 14-core GPU, 16GB unified memory, and 512GB SSD storage. With the M1 Pro, you can configure the machine to up to 32GB unified memory, 8TB SSD storage, a 10-core CPU, and a 14-core GPU. And with the M1 Max, you can configure a 10-core CPU and a 32-core GPU with up to 64GB unified memory and 8TB SSD storage. If your YouTube workload is demanding, then this should be your pick.
Key Features
- Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion (mini LED)
- Up to 10-core CPU
- Up to 16-core GPU with the M1 Pro and up to 32-core GPU with the M1 Max
- Up to 32GB RAM with the M1 Pro and up to 64GB RAM with the M1 Max
- Up to 8TB SSD storage
- MagSafe 3
- 17 hours of battery life
- macOS Monterey (upgradable to macOS Ventura)
Pros
- Premium Aluminium build
- Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion
- Incredible performance with the M1 Pro and M1 Max chipsets
- Long-lasting battery life
- Studio quality mics and spatial audio with the six-speaker sound system
- Large trackpad
- Extensive display support
- Full-size function row on the keyboard
- 1080p HD webcam
- Better wireless connectivity
- A decent number of ports are available
Cons
- Bulkier and heavier than the 13″ Pro model
- Too powerful for most users
- Expensive configuration
- Lack of upgradeability due to ARM-based Apple Silicon
- Lack of USB Type-A ports
3. ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo
The Asus ZenBook Pro Duo is a perfect companion for YouTube video creators. It has dual-screen, stylus pen support and other unique features like detachable palm rest. The laptop is certified with military-grade standards, which means that this laptop is tough and durable.
As for the performance, the Asus ZenBook Pro Duo comes with up to Intel core i7-12700H processor (12-cores) for extreme CPU performance. You can also configure this machine to an Intel core i9-12900H CPU. The laptop can get up to GeForce RTX 3050 Ti with NVIDIA studio drivers on the GPU front. With these specifications, it can handle almost everything you throw at it. Video editing and photoshop will run very smoothly.
The display on this machine is an absolute beauty. The main display is a 14.5″ 2.8K 120Hz OLED display with Motion Clarity, touchscreen, anti-glare coating, and 100% DCI-P3 colour gamut. You also get a secondary screen with the same 2.8K resolution on a 12.7″ 120Hz OLED touchscreen. The screens also have stylus support with a response time of 0.2 ms. You can configure it to up to 32GB of LPDDR5 4800 MHz memory and 2TB of PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD with 6500 MB/s transfer speed. It comes with two Thunderbolt 4 USB-C ports, an SD Card reader, an HDMI port, and a headphone jack.
As for the pricing, the ZenBook Pro Duo starts at $1,999, which includes an Intel core i7-12700H and an Intel Iris Xe graphics card. At this price, the specifications you get are just great. A beautiful high-resolution OLED display and a secondary screen will help you do your work better. This one should be your pick if you want a laptop with an exceptional display. You can buy the ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo from here.
Key Features
- Up to Intel core i9-12900H CPU
- Up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 Ti
- Dual 2.8K 120Hz OLED screens
- Up to 32GB LPDDR5 4800MHz memory
- Up to 2TB PCIe Gen 4 SSD storage
- 76Wh large battery
- Windows 11 Pro
Pros
- Dual screen real estate for more productivity
- High-resolution OLED display with touch support
- Latest Intel 12th Gen CPU
- Thin & light (3.7lbs)
- Great GPU Performance
- Intel Evo Certified
- Long battery life
- Full HD IR Camera
- Detachable palm rest
- Full I/O support
Cons
- Smaller trackpad
- Lack of natural palm rest
- Lack of RAM upgradeability
- No additional storage slot
- A bit expensive
4. LG Gram 14 (14Z90Q)
The LG Gram 14 is a beautiful thin & light laptop made for YouTubers. LG Gram has a great battery life and decent performance. It has an Intel core i7 12th gen (1240P) CPU with Iris Xe graphics. It is a powerful chip for video editing. The Iris Xe graphics should handle most of your video editing with ease.
It has a 14″ WUXGA (1920X1200) IPS display with an anti-glare coating. The display also supports touch input. It comes with 16GB LPDDR5 5200 MHz memory and 512GB PCIe4 M.2 NVMe SSD, which allow faster processing of your work. LG claims the laptop to have 12.5 to 19.5 hours of battery life. As for I/O support, you get two USB-C ports with Thunderbolt 4 support, two USB-A 3.2 ports, a full-size HDMI port, a microSD card reader, and a 3.5mm audio jack. It is ultra-lightweight at just 2.2 pounds.
The LG Gram 14 (14Z90Q) starts at $999 for the Intel core i5 12th gen configuration with 8GB memory. The one we discussed above starts at $1,399. It has an Intel core i7 12th gen CPU with 16GB memory. If you want a thin & light laptop with Windows operating system, this one is for you. You can buy the LG Gram 14 (14Z90Q) from here.
Key Features
- Up to Intel core i7-1240P CPU
- Intel Iris Xe Graphics
- 14″ WUXGA IPS LCD with anti-glare coating
- Up to 16GB LPDDR5 5200MHz memory
- 512GB PCIe4 M.2 NVMe SSD storage
- 72Wh large battery
- Windows 11 Home
Pros
- Bright, colourful display
- Lightweight
- Impressive performance
- Long-lasting battery life
Cons
- The base variant comes with only Intel core i5 12th gen CPU
- Lack of RAM upgradeability
- No ethernet
5. HP Aero 13
The HP Aero 13 is the most affordable laptop on this list. It is a super value for money for its price. Plus, it’s super thin and lightweight at just 2.2 pounds. The performance is nearly as good as the more expensive LG Gram 14. It comes with AMD Ryzen 7 5800U CPU and Radeon graphics. Video editing and photoshop will run smoothly as butter.
It has a 13.3 inches WUXGA (1920 x 1200) screen with 400 nits and 100% sRGB. The display also has an anti-glare coating on top. The thin bezels provide a seamless experience when using the laptop. This is the best display in a laptop in this price segment.
The laptop comes with 16GB DDR4 high-bandwidth RAM and 512GB PCIe SSD. You get up to 10 hours of battery life with this machine. As for I/O ports, you get 1X USB Type-C (USB Power Delivery and DisplayPort), 2X USB Type-A, 1X HDMI 2.0, 1X AC smart pin and a headphone/microphone combo jack. It has a 720p HD webcam, fingerprint reader, and a backlit keyboard.
The HP AERO 13 is available for around $850 on Amazon. This has a great display and performance for the price. If you are a YouTuber looking for a great laptop at an affordable price, this one should be a great choice. You can buy the HP AERO 13 from here.
Key Features
- AMD Ryzen 5800U CPU
- AMD Radeon Graphics
- 13.3″ WUXGA IPS LCD with anti-glare coating
- 16GB DDR4 memory
- 512GB SSD storage at 497 Mb/s
- 10 hours of battery life
- Windows 11 Home
Pros
- Great display
- Ryzen 5000 series CPU
- Thin & light
- Full I/O support
- Affordable price
- Swappable SSD stick
Cons
- Average quality speakers
- The 512GB SSD is a bit slow
- Average performing graphics card
- Only 720p webcam
- Small deck
Comparison Chart
| Laptop | Display Size | CPU | GPU | RAM | Storage | OS | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MacBook Air M2 | 13.6″ | 8-core M2 | 8-core M2 | 8GB | 256GB | macOS Ventura | $1199 |
| MacBook Pro 14″ | 14″ | 8-core M1 Pro | 14-core M1 Pro | 16GB | 512GB | macOS | $1999 |
| Asus ZenBook Pro Duo | 14.5″ and 12.7″ | i7-12700H | Intel Iris Xe | 16GB | 512GB | Windows 11 Pro | $1999 |
| LG Gram 14 (14Z90Q) | 14″ | i7 12th gen | Intel Iris Xe | 16GB | 512GB | Windows 11 Home | $1399 |
| HP AERO 13 | 13.3″ | Ryzen 5800U | AMD Radeon Graphics | 16GB | 512GB | Windows 11 Home | $850 |
Laptops For YouTubers: Buying Guide
If you are running a YouTube channel and want to share your content, the best laptop for YouTube is one that won’t break down. That’s because technology constantly changes. This guide will help you select the right laptop for your YouTube videos.
Here are some of the things a YouTuber should look for in a laptop:
- Performance
- Display
- Portability
- Connectivity
- Battery
1. Performance
A good laptop for YouTubers has to have excellent performance. A powerful CPU will result in smooth and quick video editing. You should go AT LEAST for either the Apple M1 chip, an Intel core i7 (at least 11th Gen), or an AMD Ryzen 7 (at least 5000 series). These are the minimum you should be going for. However, you can always go beyond these CPUs. A powerful GPU helps in editing higher resolution videos with better graphics quality. The integrated Intel Iris Xe graphics and AMD Radeon should be fine for video editing. However, a dedicated GPU is always better than an integrated one. You can consider the Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 or 1080 or the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3000 series if you want more power.
2. Display
The display specifications on your laptop are also necessary for video editing and other YouTube-related work. A high-resolution display will give you a better experience when editing videos or photos. Some of you might prefer larger screens as well. That said, you should always go for a laptop with a resolution of at least 1920×1080. The resolution, display type (IPS LCD or OLED), color gamut, and refresh rate also matter.
3. Portability
Some of you might have no problem with portability if you plan to work mostly from home. On the contrary, portability might be a big deal for others. If you are looking for a portable laptop, you might want to look into the dimensions and weight of the laptop.
4. I/O Ports
Ports on a laptop are also essential to consider when buying a new one for video and photo editing. You will need a variety of ports, including USB-A, USB-C, and HDMI. Some of the latest laptops do not include a USB-A or HDMI port. So make sure to check the ports on a laptop before buying. Look for a Thunderbolt port if your workflow requires data transfers of large files.
5. Battery
Battery life is another important thing to consider when buying a new laptop for YouTube. A good laptop should last through long hours of video editing on a single charge. Your laptop should last at least 5-6 hours on a single charge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the best laptop for YouTubers?
The best laptops for YouTubers are:
- MacBook Air M2
- MacBook Pro 14″
- ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo
- LG Gram 14 (14Z90Q)
- HP AERO 13
Is the MacBook Air M2 a good choice for YouTubers?
The MacBook Air M2 is an excellent choice for YouTubers. It is an affordable laptop with superb performance, display, and build. Plus, it weighs only 2.7 pounds which makes it super lightweight.
What are the best Windows laptops for YouTubers?
Here are our top picks for Windows laptops for YouTubers:
- ASUS ZenBook Pro Duo
- LG Gram 14 (14Z90Q)
- HP AERO 13
Which is the best video editing laptop for YouTubers under $1000?
Under $1000, the MacBook Air M1 is the perfect editing laptop for YouTubers. However, if you can stretch your budget by just $200, you can get the MacBook Air M2. It has a better display, chip, and keyboard and is thinner and lighter than the MacBook Air M1.
Final Words
If you’re a YouTuber, a great laptop can play a crucial role in helping you grow your brand. It’s the computer you use to record, edit, store and upload all your videos. Choosing the right laptop will help you do all this effectively, delivering top performance and quality. That’s why we have taken it upon ourselves to review five awesome laptop options for YouTubers, so you can find the one that’s best for you. We are confident that these laptops are some of the best available options today, and we highly recommend them. We hope this post will help you narrow down to the best laptops for you. And if you have any questions, feel free to contact us via the comments section below.
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