Laptop for beginner videoediting

[raghi99]

Hi, I bought a DJI Mavic drone a couple of months ago but now I would like to buy a new laptop cause my Aspire ES 15 is very weak.
I'm a newbie and I don't want to spend big amounts for my new laptop, but at the same time I'd like to buy a decent one.
I was thinking to use Cyber link director suite for editing my footages.
The question is : What are the minimum requirements to run a decent videoediting software?
I've found a lot of contrasting opionons about CPU, video cards etc...
Thanks a lot

P.s.
I know desktop stations might be a good option but the laptop will be shsred Between me and my wife... So the boss decided for a Laptop.

 

[tropicola]

Laptop = not good for video editing, unless you have a beast like mine with a 1080/i7 etc

I use Cyber Link new one, very nice actually and I found it faster than sony vegas for uploading 4k resolution to youtube 60fps etc

I would say though things to look for;

i7 high speed CPU
8gb + high speed ram
separate harddrive for your OS and where you will render your videos, try to get fastest ones you can.
decent GPU (as most video render programs have hardware acceleration using new GPU technologies).

you can read more about powerlink requirements here -

https://www.cyberlink.com/products/powerdirector-ultra/spec_en_GB.html?&r=1

but note, that's MINIMUM which usually means SLOW AS HELL, video rendering can take a huge amount of time for 2k and 4k 60fps so depends on what you will render,.... to how much you will spend etc.

 

[AyeAyeAhoy!]

Video editing and laptops don't necessarily go well together...

That said, they are out there but not for cheap.

I have cut a few things on my fully spec'd XPS 15 and that's been fine, but it's by no means cheap.

Macbook Pro/Air are surprisingly good with FCP-X. You absolutely cannot find a windows laptop that will work so well at editing as a Mac with FCP-X for the price. you can genuinely edit 'properly' in a MacBook Air.

 

[tropicola]

Video editing and laptops don't necessarily go well together...

That said, they are out there but not for cheap.

I have cut a few things on my fully spec'd XPS 15 and that's been fine, but it's by no means cheap.

Macbook Pro/Air are surprisingly good with FCP-X. You absolutely cannot find a windows laptop that will work so well at editing as a Mac with FCP-X for the price. you can genuinely edit 'properly' in a MacBook Air.

that's because FCP is designed for Max OSX only....... possible to run in emulated versions of windows ofc that is always going to be slower than fully fledged windows.

Also Macbookpro/Air are extremely OVERPRICED for the power their offer, I have to completely disagree with you here, you will easily be able to find something more powerful than a mac for WAAAAAY less... and it will have more power....

you can't compare FCP-X as its specifically designed for mac as I said.... but my 1080gtx i7 7th gen would **** all over a MacBook (assuming we running vegas, cyberlink or some other editing tool.... and it cost way less lol XD


but as I said before if you want to video edit properly and fast, get yourself a desktop... you will thank me with the hours of render time saved each week XD

 

[tropicola]

MacBook air is pants also not even DDR4 memory, old technology for twice the price nice one XD

Intel HD Graphics 6000... smh

also would you buy from a company that turns down the performance of its phones via software after 2 years because the battery is pants and cheap? yet again double the price?

you can tell I dislike them... despite having to buy my gf a MacBook pro (top spec etc) for almost 3 grand and it cant play anything at a decent dps XD lol rendering I've tried on it also, it isn't faster.... not tried FCP tho...

 

[AyeAyeAhoy!]

that's because FCP is designed for Max OSX only....... possible to run in emulated versions of windows ofc that is always going to be slower than fully fledged windows.

Also Macbookpro/Air are extremely OVERPRICED for the power their offer, I have to completely disagree with you here, you will easily be able to find something more powerful than a mac for WAAAAAY less... and it will have more power....

you can't compare FCP-X as its specifically designed for mac as I said.... but my 1080gtx i7 7th gen would **** all over a MacBook (assuming we running vegas, cyberlink or some other editing tool.... and it cost way less lol XD


but as I said before if you want to video edit properly and fast, get yourself a desktop... you will thank me with the hours of render time saved each week XD

Woah, some strong anti-apple folk here! And no, before anyone starts I'm not getting into some drawn out Windows vs Mac nonsense. I use both and couldn't care less which I'm on, so long as it's doing the job.

In my experience (as a professional editor) there is no editing setup that runs so well as FCP-X, period. Nothing comes close. A lower spec Mac running FCP-X will out perform a highly spec'd PC running, say, Premiere, and for a lower price than the PC.

Do I like FCP-X? No. Can't stand it. Not fit for what I do, but potentially great for an amateur.

Cost-to-spec of Apples have been covered a million and one times, and I'm not going to. Put it this way... The fact that I have an XPS15 makes me the only editor I know without a MBP...

 

[tropicola]

Naw not a real Mac hater tbh just don't see why people flock to it.

Everyone has a mac as it like industry standard just like the corporate world tend to use cheap bulk buy Dell desktops for most of their drone workers etc

If you showed up without a mac in that industry you would probably lose work or not look the part..

Two things

Render times much improved with 10x series and i7 new gems etc. Making a laptop with 10x cheaper and faster render times with equally good program option s premiere etc...

Also touch screen..... Amazing for video editing software imo.... Shame apple only has the clunky touch bar

 

[Jetta_Soulek]

You can buy any secondhand laptop and I think it would not be expensive for you and you will able to get good specifications as well.

 

[Hades]

How about a used Thinkpad W530 which can be had for £300 to £400 or maybe less. It's old but most had quad core i7's, Nvidia GPU (old so not comparable to modern GPU), space for two HDD (replace optical drive with one), up to 32gb RAM, easily repairable and upgradable and has excellent docking features.

It's quite big and heavy though so not that portable. However the bang for buck is great. Also keyboard to die for (well as far as a laptop goes). Rubbish screen and trackpad unless you prefer the trackpoint though.

It used to be the workstation class Thinkpad.