If you are a photographer or videographer, this buying guide is for you. With a 100% DCI-P3 screen, a powerful 10th generation processor, etc., it's hard to find your way around. It's hard to find your way around. So come and discover our selection of the best laptops for photo editing and video editing. The ideal machine should be all muscle with a competitive processor.
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Our selection
"Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro is the ideal laptop for advanced office and multimedia use with its beautiful Retina Display with True Tone technology."
"Apple rarely disappoints and this is still the case with the MacBook Air with Apple M1. It combines power, reliability and autonomy at a more…"
"The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a great find that offers you a robust computer, a portable studio and a powerful tablet. Combining performance and…"
"The new MateBook X PRO 2021 adopts a 91% screen-to-frame ratio for a 3000 x 2000 pixel resolution. With a 14-inch display, it is armed…"
Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro is the ideal laptop for advanced office and multimedia use with its beautiful Retina Display with True Tone technology.
1 919 £ on AmazonThis time, Apple has introduced a new screen size: the 16-inch. And what better than the MacBook Pro to integrate it? This Retina IPS LCD panel has a resolution of 3072 x 1920p! The 500 nits luminance guarantees bright areas, bright whites and deep blacks. The P3 color palette enhances these pictorial details in your photos and videos. More realistic than the display on this screen, it does not exist (yet).
On the performance side, the 16-inch MacBook Pro has a lot to live up to. The Mac OS 10.15 operating system, 9th generation Intel Core i7 processor, AMD Radeon Pro 5300M graphics card with GDDR6 memory, 16 GB of RAM, 512 GB SSD and a lithium-polymer battery with 11 hours of autonomy are all on its technical sheet. Add to this the comfortable and responsive Touch Bar and Touch ID keyboard, the 6-speaker audio system, Thunderbolt 3 connectivity on 4 ports, Wifi 5 and Bluetooth 5.0.
Apple rarely disappoints and this is still the case with the MacBook Air with Apple M1. It combines power, reliability and autonomy at a more than fair price. You'd be wrong to miss out!
823 £ on AmazonIt's hard to beat the MacBook Air in its price range. It has a high-end display with its 13.3-inch Retina display. The latter broadcasts high definition images, sRGB 25% and True Tone technology, with its resolution of 2560 x 1600p. The videos of the camera are sharper, well helped by the Face Time HD and Neutral Engine.
Its real asset is its autonomy, huge, up to 18 hours. This is very useful to support the powerful processor of Apple: the M1. The latter has no less than 8 cores and 16 cores for the Neutral Engine. Coupled with 8 GB of RAM, this MacBook Air is more dedicated to Pro applications, such as After Effects or Photoshop. In order not to lose your work, store it in the 256 GB SSD.
The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a great find that offers you a robust computer, a portable studio and a powerful tablet. Combining performance and autonomy, this PC confers a quality and elegance that is matched only by its price.
2 478 £ on AmazonThe Microsoft Surface Book 3 offers you the versatility to perform many laptop tasks. Starting with the convertible format of the 15-inch screen. Components include the tenth-generation Intel Corei7 processor, Nvidia GeForce GTX 1660 Ti graphics card, 32GB RAM and 512GB SSD storage. The touch screen offers a resolution of 3240 x 2160 pixels for a singular fluidity and a surprising image quality.
In addition, the 42.2 Wh battery of the Book 3 ensures 15.5 hours of autonomy for office work or video. When it comes to connectivity, Microsoft has thought of everything! The brand sends the heavy with all the necessary in terms of USB ports, HDMI, SD card reader, Bluetooth and Wifi last generation. This marvel weighs barely 1.5 kg.
The new MateBook X PRO 2021 adopts a 91% screen-to-frame ratio for a 3000 x 2000 pixel resolution. With a 14-inch display, it is armed with an i5 1135G7 processor with 16 GB of RAM.
1 199 £ on AmazonDesigned in anodized aluminum, the MateBook X Pro 2021 has a clean and solid look with a 13.9-inch display in 3:2 aspect ratio for a 3000 x 2000 pixel resolution. At its performance, the 14-inch laptop is equipped with a Core i5, 11th generation soc, coupled with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. With a metal finish, it takes a weight of 1.3 kg for a thickness of only 14.6 mm. In use, the computer offers up to 12 hours of work on a single full charge.
On top of that, Huawei provides it with an LTPS screen with a touchpad that allows you to zoom, scroll and select as you wish. The keyboard is backlit with two levels of light intensity. The machine takes advantage of a Wi-Fi 6 wireless connection speed and Bluetooth 5.1 to boost your productivity as well as your creativity. As far as connectivity is concerned, it includes two USB-C Tunderbolt 4 ports, USB-A 3.2, HDMI, VGA and audio jack output. The audio system stands out with four speakers.
Any specific needs?
The best laptop for Photoshop and photo editing
The best laptop for entry-level Photoshop and photo editing
The best laptop for high-end Photoshop and photo editing
A great entry-level alternative
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| TOP OF THE TOP | NOT EXPENSIVE | Alternative entry-level | ||
In accordance with our commitment, this buying guide does not contain any sponsored products. |
8/10 |
9/10 |
7/10 |
9/10 |
| OUR SELECTION |
Apple MacBook Pro 16 inch
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Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1
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Microsoft Surface Book 3
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HUAWEI MateBook X Pro 2021
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Apple's 16-inch MacBook Pro is the ideal laptop for advanced office and multimedia use with its beautiful Retina Display with True Tone technology.
|
Apple rarely disappoints and this is still the case with the MacBook Air with Apple M1. It combines power, reliability and autonomy at a more than fair price. You'd be wrong to miss out!
|
The Microsoft Surface Book 3 is a great find that offers you a robust computer, a portable studio and a powerful tablet. Combining performance and autonomy, this PC confers a quality and elegance that is matched only by its price.
|
The new MateBook X PRO 2021 adopts a 91% screen-to-frame ratio for a 3000 x 2000 pixel resolution. With a 14-inch display, it is armed with an i5 1135G7 processor with 16 GB of RAM.
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Resolution
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3072 x 1920 pixels
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2,560 x 1,600 pixels
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3,240 x 2,160 pixels
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3000 x 2000 pixels (3 k)
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Screen size
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16 inches
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13.3 inches
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15 inches
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13.9 inches
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Processor
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Intel Core i7 6-core 9ᵉ generation
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Apple M1 CPU 8 cores
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10th generation quad-core Intel Core i7-1065G7
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Core i5 1135G7 at 4.2 GHz
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RAM
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16 GB
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8 GB
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32 GB
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16 GB
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Graphic card
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Intel UHD Graphics 630
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Apple GPU 7 or 8 cores
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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1660 Ti
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Intel® Iris® Xe
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Screen resolution affects the accuracy and definition of images. For creative work such as photo editing or Photoshop, having a laptop that can display as many pixels as possible is essential. That's why you should choose FHD or 1920 x 1080p panels, at least for those on a tight budget.
For the pros, opt for 2K (1440p) screens
that have a pixel density of at least 93 ppi. The higher resolution, 2160p, will dent your battery life and require you to find a power outlet.
This
processing unit handles all the tasks performed by the computer. This ranges from opening files to editing them. Since most photo editing software or Photoshop require significant resources, the machine you are interested in will need to have an Intel i5-3xxx S or Ryzen 3 2300U
at a minimum. These are true 4 cores.
In the professional field, don't hesitate to jump to 6 or 8 physical cores. Also, if you can afford it, always opt for the new generation of processors. They will be faster, compared to the same range, and will be more efficient.
A
laptop usually offers 2 of video cards: the iGPU and the dedicated graphics card or GPU. For photo or video editing, it is vital to choose a dedicated graphics card, with its own resources (VRAM and graphics chip) from manufacturers AMD or Nvidia. For Photoshop, an Intel UHD 620 iGPU, or equivalent, will be correct, but limited. You will notice slowdowns unless you decide to use an earlier version of the software.
For best results, we recommend mobile GPUs with 6GB
; unless your laptop has 16GB of Ram or more.
Also
plan for
plenty of RAM when buying a laptop for photo and video editing. Indeed, a lack of sdRAM can slow down the computer. Note that some manufacturers do not allow the addition of an extra memory strip. For flexibility, choose 8GB, at a minimum
, instead of the 4GB usually required for office use.
The
SSD drive is on the rise. This technology based on the flash storage system has interesting assets for photo and video processing. In addition to its speed, the SSD is less bulky and more robust than a hard disk. But its storage capacity rarely exceeds 256 GB, unless you pay the price. Ideally, you should take advantage of the speed of the SSD and the storage capacity of a traditional hard drive.
Check
for the presence of HDMI ports to transmit images and sound. The presence of USB 2.0 and 3.0 ports is also required. An Ethernet port may also be important, preferably Gigabit. To compensate for the low capacity of the SSD, an integrated SD card reader is a good idea. For wireless, favor Bluetooth and Wifi ac, which is faster than Wifi n.
Video editing drains the battery more than other applications. For mobile use, having a long battery life is a must. Also remember to take the AC adapter with you or buy an external battery, power bank, to never run out of battery.
First of all, it will be more interesting to have a processor with 4 physical cores than another with 2 physical cores and 4 threads. For photo and video editing, as mentioned above, you should prefer the 4 physical cores. For office or gaming, a 2/2 or 2/4 processor, with a good iGPU or GPU, will run games with the right settings.
Laptops equipped with i3 and i5 CPUs, of the 3rd and 4th generation, are still legion on the platforms. They have the advantage of being cheaper than the new ones, but you should be careful when choosing not to fall on a Dual Core. A Core i5 for mobile does not necessarily mean having a 4 cores.
For example, in Intel's 4th Gen, Quad Cores are those affixed with the letter S, a method maintained until the 5th Gen as the Core™ i5-4440S. For the 3rd Gen, all i5s are dual physical cores only the i7 QMs have 4.
AMD revolutionized the processor world with their entry-level lineup featuring 4 physical cores with a thinner architecture. This is one of the reasons why Ryzen is superior to Intel in multicore tests. So it's simpler and more readable. On a Ryzen 3 3200U (Mobile), you have two logical cores while on the 3300U you have 4. Up to Ryzen 5, 4 physical cores at least, just distinguish with the second number.
Since software such as Photoshop or After Effect CC, requires a lot of computing power, the more physical cores you have the smoother and faster it will be. However, this has a huge impact on the price. If you are a professional, it is advisable to opt for the latest generations such as i7-9750H, i7-10750H or an i9 of 10th or 9th generation. You also have the more economical solution of Ryzen 5000 series, Zen 3: HX, HS, H and U.
If you are a few hundred dollars away from a laptop equipped with these technological monsters, we suggest you go for the 4000 or 3000 series of Ryzen or the 8th generation of Intel like the i7-8550U.
Manufacturers also call it a notebook. The classic notebook PC for photo and video editing offers high performance, but does not always guarantee great flexibility of use. Prices differ depending on the graphics card, SSD storage capacity and screen size. This type of laptop combines performance and reliability.
Pros:
Disadvantages:
Who is it for?
Professionals and those who plan to use video and photo software extensively should go for a suitable classic laptop. If the presence of a touch screen is essential for you, turn to a convertible laptop.
It's also called an ultrabook or 2-in-1 computer, and with its touchscreen, it makes it easy to switch between laptop and tablet configurations. In general, you can flip or even detach the screen. The major drawbacks of this type of laptop remain the high price and the fragility. Some models come with a touchscreen style.
Advantages
:
Disadvantages:
Who is it for?
If you prefer to use a stylus or have an interest in what Windows Tablet mode has to offer, consider a convertible laptop. If neither of these things appeal to you, don't waste your money on this type of computer.
No
matter how much it's advertised, no tablet is powerful enough for image processing. In addition, the compactness of this kind of device limits the embedded hardware configurations. And beware of overheating and possible damage if you process images and videos with a tablet!
The iGPU is a graphics chip integrated into the processor. You have three grams at the moment: Intel Iris, Nvidia GMX and AMD Vega. Laptops with only this type of device are cheaper. The downside for people doing photo or video editing, they are limited in performance and some Adobe software requires a specific configuration.
The GPU or dedicated graphics card is the best solution for photo or video professionals. You have two major manufacturers of mobile GPUs: AMD and Nvidia. In general, these models have been throttled, by 10%, compared to the desktop version. But that doesn't take away from their enormous computing power. They support all protocols: 3D, Open CL,... And above all, with a dedicated GPU you can update your editing software without any problem.
If you do occasional photo editing, you may want to choose a laptop with an iGPU. However, choose an earlier version of Photoshop or Lightroom, as the smoothness and speed may not be there. On the other side, the GPU is perfect for professional-level use. You can even buy graphics cards with increased computing power, which is not the case with Gaming GPUs, specially designed for graphics: AMD Firepro or Nvidia Quadro.
In our opinion, the best brands of Laptops for Photoshop and photo editing in 2022 are :
The Taiwanese manufacturer continues to impress the computer world. Its recent productions have allowed Asus to become the fifth largest computer manufacturer in the world. In addition to its ROG line, the brand offers a number of machines that should catch your eye for photo editing or video production.
With more than 12,000 awards gleaned and more than 20 million motherboards sold each year, Gigabyte is one of the most sought-after brands for performance-minded users. In addition, the Taiwanese brand also produces Nvidia and AMD graphics cards. Its Aero laptops are among the most powerful and versatile in the world.
The Apple brand is a major player in the photo and video editing laptop market. Its flagship model, the MacBook Pro, has it all: design, exceptional performance, and innovation. As is also the case with smartphones and tablets, buying an ultra-powerful Apple laptop often hurts the wallet.
Dell is also one of the world's largest manufacturers of desktops and laptops. For the latter, the Inspiron and XPS series convertible models are definitely worth a look. Entry-level for the most part, these machines are interesting if you're just starting out in filmmaking and image processing. We particularly recommend the Dell XPS 15-9575.
The Chinese brand Huawei is best known for its telecom equipment, tablets and smartphones. The latter are even starting to overshadow iPhones and other Galaxy, which creates some tension! For beginners and small budgets, some laptops from the Matebook series can be very interesting.
The diagram below will help you to get an idea of the typical prices for each price range (entry-level, mid-range and high-end).
However, more expensive does not necessarily mean better.
We therefore advise you to always consult our ranking before deciding, rather than blindly relying on price ranges.
Maintain your laptop properly
In order to stay in good condition, your laptop must be maintained with the utmost care. Before cleaning it, remember to unplug it if it is plugged in. Then, start by dusting the screen and keyboard with a soft cloth. Once that's done, move on to cleaning the screen, using special LCD wipes.
Take into account the charging cycles
A charge cycle consists of lowering the battery level to 5% and then charging the battery to its maximum without interruption. This helps the battery in your new laptop last longer. If you use your PC regularly, it's a good idea to do this charge cycle once a month.
Remove the battery when you are on the mains
If you use your laptop more often on AC power, it's best to remove its battery. Indeed, flat on your workspace, your laptop heats up a lot and this heat is not harmless for its battery. That's why it's best to remove it and store it in a place protected from heat and humidity. But don't forget to recharge it before using it again.
Use an external mouse
Sometimes, the touchpad of a laptop doesn't give you enough comfort to work with. This is especially the case when you need to work on photo editing software. To remedy this, it is advisable to connect an external mouse to your computer. This way, you will be able to move the cursor at your ease.
Always carry your laptop in a case
It is important to always carry your laptop in a special case to protect it from shocks and scratches. Above all, make sure that the case in question is not too thin. The model must be sturdy and well reinforced to carry out its function.
Yes, the processor determines how fast a laptop will run. If you're a photo editing professional, you'd be better off with a machine that has a powerful processor, preferably the latest i7. So if you plan to work with RAW images and get a good result, pay attention to the design, clock speed and turbo processing capabilities of the processor.
Yes, for advanced photo editing, you need to work on a computer with a brilliant display. This is because bright screens allow for more accurate color and contrast reproduction. The higher the resolution of your monitor, the more detail you will see in the image and the more you will know what to do to process it quickly and efficiently.
It is important to know that the amount of RAM used is proportional to the resolution of the image as well as the number of files and software opened. The more memory you have, the smoother your computer will run. So if you're doing advanced photo editing, go for a device with at least 8GB of RAM. If you can afford it, go for a computer with 16 to 32 GB.
Photoshop remains an essential reference, but if it should fail, you have a range of software at your disposal. We can mention Photophiltre, Paint.NET, GIMP or Lightroom, JPEGView, FastStone Image Viewer, Photoscape and many others. You are spoilt for choice as there are at least 500 free software programs that allow you to retouch or edit your photos on your PC.
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