Do you want to create great content on the go but are tired of your PC? A budget laptop under 500 can be a great start for video editing.
We tested and researched a lot of laptops to sniff out the best laptops under 500 in the market for you. We found that HP 15 is currently the most capable laptop to heavy-lift all the video content you can throw at it. It has a sleek design with a powerful processor and GPU to cover all aspects of video editing.
However, because every video editor has different priorities and usage differ, you can look into other options that fit your taste. So, let’s have a look at what else we’ve got.
Top 3 Picks for Best Laptop for Video Editing Under 500
- WLED IPS Display
- Multiple Card Slots
- Fingerprint Reader
- Excellent Graphics
- Long Battery Life
- Powerful Processor
- Spacious RAM and SSD Storage
- Modern Design
- Multiple Ports
- Full HD Display
- Study Chassis
- 15 - 30 FPS Speed
- Solid Build
- Quad-Core Processor
- High Performance
Comparison of the Best Laptop for Video Editing Under 500
| IMAGE | PRODUCT | RATING | PRICE |
|---|---|---|---|
Best Overall |
| 9.8 | View on Amazon |
Best for Video Editing |
| 9.7 | View on Amazon |
Best on Budget |
| 9.6 | View on Amazon |
Runner- Up  |
| 9.4 | View on Amazon |
Premium Option  |
| 9.5 | View on Amazon |
Best Value  |
| 9.3 | View on Amazon |
Best Performer  |
| 9.6 | View on Amazon |
The Powerhouse  |
| 9.2 | View on Amazon |
Creative’s Favorite  |
| 9.7 | View on Amazon |
Super Portable  |
| 9.2 | View on Amazon |
How We Did the Test for Best Laptop for Video Editing Under 500?
Video content has different genres. For instance, a video edited for social media ideally has text overlay and good sound quality. However, removing some objects from the raw video requires a different skill set. We have picked specifications across all modes to choose the best laptop for video editing under 500.
We evaluated the products with the highest rating to test their viability during the process. Our team reviewed each product thoroughly while keeping in view the following points:
Professor
Since saving time was one of the first priorities of video editors, our test was based on the options with the best processor speed and design. We analyzed the latest designs i.e. quad-core, six-core, dual-core, along with hyperthreading and clock rate. Preferring higher clock rates, we’ve ensured that none of our picks has a slow speed.
RAM
Video editing requires robust RAM and processing power to deal with the heavy workload and run intensive software like Premier Pro. Therefore, we’ve picked the options with faster DDR, and DRAM types with maximum channels connecting it to the CPU with at least 8 GB RAM.
Display
Visuals are the most important aspect of a video and having a good display can be a game-changer. We focused on products with better resolution and screen size so that there is minimal pixel distortion. Color fidelity is another crucial point for editors, especially for color grading a video. We tested various raw and graded videos in our products to come up with the best.
Storage
Video editing needs at least twice as much space is needed as the source file. Also, the laptop should’ve space for the final edit as well. Our team took the sample raw videos and stored them after basic editing to get the gist of performance with at least 256 GB of storage space.
After our team had tested all the products for over a week. Our editorial team gathered the best of those laptops matching our quality measures to form a list to help you choose the best laptop among the lot.
1. HP 15 Laptop
- Screen Size: 15.6 inches
- Resolution: 1920 X 1080
- Color: Silver, Blue, Powder Pink
- Weight: 3.75 lbs
It can be used as a gaming laptop as well as for video editing. Given its AMD Radeon Gen 5 Graphics it is quite good at keeping up with the speed. The screen display has sharp colors that can be adjusted to the user’s needs.
This laptop by HP boasts a WLED display. Considering that it has an IPS screen with Brightview micro-edge screen. As compared to Dell Inspiron 15 3000 it is far better. Our hardware technician, Anthony Mark, tested the product design thoroughly.
For video geeks, it has an integrated AMD Radeon graphics card that enhances the editing process. This gives a solid image quality for video editing but it may not perform well for animations. However, it can take on light games well.
Also, its high bandwidth 8 GB DDR4 RAM handles multiple commands at once. So, you can edit a video using heavy software like Adobe Premiere Pro without any worries. The AMD Ryzen 5 5500U gives a good processing speed to work with as well. Although it has Windows 10 OS it also has TMP 2.0 pre-installed so it is ready for Windows 11, any time you feel like upgrading it.
Our team found its battery time quite stunning. On a single charge, our test product lasted around 9 hours. It is stellar given the laptop was connected to WiFi and had been put through some benchmark graphics tests. It has 3 Li-ion batteries that power the laptop for at least 2 to 3 sessions of video editing.
Technical Specifications
| Screen Size | 15.6-inch |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| ROM | 256 GB |
| Weight | 3.75 lbs |
| Colors | Silver, Blue, Powder Pink |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Dimensions | 14.11 x 9.53 x 0.78 inches |
- MicroSD and USB card slot
- Fingerprint reader
- Good Contrast Ratio
- Thin and Sleek Design
- It has overheating issues while intensive use
2. ASUS VivoBook 15
- Screen Size: 15.6 inches
- Resolution: 1920 X 1080
- Color: Black, White, Blue
- Weight: 3.8 lbs
Asus Vivobook 15 comes with a lot of ports. It has USB Type-A, Type-C, 2.0, and 3.0 ports along with HDMI and audio jack ports. It can attach to all types of video-making and editing equipment with ease. Also, it has an option for MicroSD.
Asus Vivobook 15 is a reasonably priced laptop with long battery life. While editing a video, there are a lot of attached devices. It can be a hard drive, camera SSD, or just a microphone wire to record a voice-over. In all cases, many ports are needed and the Asus Vivobook has plenty.
This laptop is a fusion of simplicity and modern design. Its screen is almost bezel-less with integrated AMD Radeon Vega 3 graphics. However, it will struggle during intensive parts of video editing given its limitations as a budget laptop.
With an AMD Ryzen 3 3200U processor and AMD Radeon Vega graphics, editing a video will be a breeze. Our team member, Ryan Miles, ran a GPU health test and some benchmark tests using FurMark. The results were outstanding.
It may not be a powerhouse but it has a decent storage capacity. It does a decent job with 16 GB DDR4 RAM and 256 GB storage. In comparison, it performs better in multitasking at a faster rate than the Lenovo Ideapad 3 which has only 8 GB of RAM. However, some people find its 256 GB SSD storage a little restrictive.
Technical Specifications
| Screen Size | 15.6-inch |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
| Resolution | 1920 x1080 |
| RAM | 16 GB |
| ROM | 256 GB |
| Weight | 3.8 lbs |
| Colors | Black, White, Blue |
| Material | Plastic with Metal Lid |
| Dimensions | 14.4 x 9.1 x 0.8 inches |
- Wide Range of Port Selection
- Superior Performance in terms of Multitasking
- 45% NTSC Screen
- 1080 Full HD Display
- Battery lasts for about 5 hours only
3. Dell Inspiron 15-3000
- Screen Size: 15.6 inches
- Resolution: 1366 x 768
- Color: Carbon Black
- Weight: 4.48 lbs
It is a great option for texturing or rendering a video while editing because of its power-packed GPU. Dell Inspiron 15 3000 has 15 frames per second rate and can even handle 30 fps at 1080p, a sweet spot for animations.
Dell Inspiron 15 3000 is easily the most affordable laptop you can get for video editing for under 500. It is equipped with 8 GB RAM and 128 GB SSD storage memory that can be upgraded to 1 TB. Moreover, it has a sophisticated black look with sturdy chassis. According to Ryan, our team member, this is one of the best laptops for extensive use.
It has a 1366 x 768 resolution with an anti-glare LED screen that gives impressive color and clarity. However, our team found it okayish for video editing, given the color fidelity and depth are not that great. Also, we got a maximum of 261 nits in its brightness test which is not quite bright.
The shortcoming in the display is overcome by its amazing processing speed. If color grading is not the major focus then its speed is cherishable. With a dual-core Intel Celeron Processor 4205U, it surpasses Ryzen 3 and 5 and almost matches the speed of core i5.
It has Windows 10 operating system and other features like SSD and RAM can be upgraded by the manufacturer. Also, its sound system is good and can help in reviewing the final cuts of the video. As compared to the sound technology of Acer and HP laptops in this list, it fairs well given its lower price bracket.
Technical Specifications
| Screen Size | 15.6-inch |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| ROM | 128 GB – 1 TB |
| Weight | 4.48 lbs |
| Colors | Carbon Black |
| Material | Plastic |
| Dimensions | 14.96 x 10.16 x 0.78 inches |
- Solid Build
- Intel Celeron CPU
- Wide Range of Legacy Ports
- Comes with Intel HD Graphics 610
- It does not have a USB- C port.
- It does not have a touch screen.
4. Acer Aspire 5 Laptop
- Screen Size: 15.6 inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Color: Black, Silver
- Weight: 5.79 lbs
With Acer Purified Voice technology, it has four digital microphones that support voice recognition from far away. Also, it has the perfect beam-forming technology that is good for voiceovers and even dubbing any video.
Acer Aspire 5 gives a decent video editing experience with its bright and Full HD display. Moreover, the 82.58% screen-to-body ratio makes it even better with the integrated graphics card. Its 4.10 GHz clock rate is amazing that almost beats any other laptop on this list.
One of the best features that we liked about Acer Aspire 5 is its backlit keyboard. It gives extra visibility for video editing in the dark without draining any battery. This feature is a rarity in budget laptops.
You can store as much raw and finished video data on this laptop because it has almost double storage size. With a 512 GB SSD and 8 GB RAM paired with Intel Core i3 11154G processor, it can take on all sorts of video edits. This makes it a perfect choice for video enthusiasts and even professionals to try.
It has Windows 10 S operating system that is easy to use. Also, it is among the fastest laptops in terms of performance, battery life, display, and storage that we came across. It is easily one of the best laptops for video editing for under 500. Wouldn’t you want to grab one for yourself, too?
Technical Specifications
| Screen Size | 15.6-inch |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| ROM | 512 GB |
| Weight | 5.79 lbs |
| Colors | Black, Silver |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Dimensions | 14.31 x 9.39 x 0.7 inches |
- Full HD Anti Glare Display
- Backlit Keyboard
- 512 SSD + 500 GB HDD Storage
- Comes with Windows 10 S
- It does not have a touchscreen.
5. HP Notebook 15-dy2024nr
- Screen Size: 15.6 inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Color: Silver, Black
- Weight: 3.73 lbs
Unlike most speakers, it has front-facing speakers above the keyboard. This makes the sound quality quite good, and an option to edit videos without headphones in a quiet place.
The HP Notebook 15 is a sturdy laptop with a sleek design. It has a 6.5 mm micro-edge bezel display that makes video editing more fun. Its 82% screen-to-body ratio is perfect to notice even the small details in a video.
Our team tested its speed and with an 11th Generation Intel Core i5-1135G7, it is quite a workhorse. It performed better than Ryzen 5 5500U in terms of processing videos. The powerful processor allows it to go through intensive video editing. The Intel Iris Xe Graphics gives crisp and stunning visuals through a thin screen.
Apart from this, it is a lightweight laptop that can be moved around for shoots or video editing on the go. It also fits easily in a backpack. Our team tested it against various laptops and found that it is even lighter than an Apple MacBook Pro (15-inch).
Smooth operations are the slickest thing a video editor can get. Our team found it’s 17% faster than the old 10th Gen i5-1035G7 processor. It is impressive considering it gives video editing a speed boost. Also, the dual-channel 2 x 4GB DDR4 RAM and the Tiger Lake chip with a 2.4 GHz base speed adds to it.
Technical Specifications
| Screen Size | 15.6-inch |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| ROM | 256 GB |
| Weight | 3.73 lbs |
| Colors | Silver, Black |
| Material | Aluminum |
| Dimensions | 14.11 x 9.53 x 0.71 inches |
- Lightweight Sleek Design
- Latest Intel i5 Chip
- 8 Hours Battery Life
- No Dedicated Graphics Card
6. Dell Inspiron 15 3525
- Screen Size: 15.6 inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Color: Carbon Black, Dark Green, Speckle Platinum, Silver
- Weight: 3.71 lbs
It has the latest Windows 11 Home that makes operations easier for video editing. It is faster and more reliable than previous Windows versions with an upgraded Windows 11 video editor as well.
Imagine a wide-angle display with a full HD screen at a 120 Hz response rate. Mindblowing for video edits! Right? Well, with Dell Inspiron 15 3525 it is no longer an imagination. It’s a compact 15.6-inch screen with 100 PPI and 45% NTSC which makes it ideal for video editing while traveling.
However, when compared to Dell Inspiron 15 3000, it has only 250 nits. The screen brightness is subpar but the 120 Hz screen response speed along with AMD Radeon R5 Graphics card make up for it. James Ridge, our gaming geek, ran an FPS test and it performed well at 120 Hz in Premiere Pro.
Video editing takes hours upon hours and it causes eye strain. This laptop gives maximum comfort with LowBlue Light Software and ergonomic design. Resting on the lift hinge, the Dell laptop gives easy access to use the keyboard at all angles.
Also, Dell Inspiron 3525 has long battery life with an ExpressCharge outlet that charges the laptop in almost 60 minutes. This feature is such a time saver and when compared, is not present in Dell Inspiron 15 3000 on this list.
Our team was impressed by its 4.3 GHz processing speed by AMD Ryzen series CPU. Along with an 8 GB RAM, it is enough for smooth video editing sessions. It is one of the best laptops for video editing under 500.
Technical Specifications
| Screen Size | 15.6-inch |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| ROM | 256 GB |
| Weight | 3.71 lbs |
| Colors | Carbon Black, Dark Green, Speckle Platinum, Silver |
| Material | Plastic |
| Dimensions | 9.27 x 14.11 x 0.83 inches |
- Sustainable Design
- Easily Portable
- Fast Processing Speed
- Excellent Reception Quality
- Storage space is less in comparison
7. Lenovo V14
- Screen Size: 14 inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Color: Black, Grey, Iron
- Weight: 3.53 lbs
It has a unique keyboard design. The keys are printed so they can be easily seen in the dark. Also, the keyboard is spill-resistant so you don’t have to worry about stuff while typing, for instance, subtitles.
Lenovo V14 is a powerful laptop for video editing, and that too, within budget. Considering its superior display with 220 nits with a pixel density of 157 PPI and integrated AMD Radeon Graphics card it rivals top-of-the-line laptops. Moreover, it has a full HD screen that can be expanded to a monitor in 4K resolution. A jackpot for video editors!
To be surer of its display quality, our team tested this laptop for the sRGB color gamut and the Adobe RGB. We also included DCI-P3 standard color space. The results were acceptable for video editing, but not so for color grading.
It has a dual-core, four-thread, AMD Athlon Gold 3150U processor that performs even better than intel core i5 7200U. The turbo speed of 3.30 GHz is its evidence. Pair it with 12 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD memory, and it is heaven for editing videos.
One of the basic problems faced by editors in laptops is the limited card reading ports. But forget this problem with the Lenovo V14 laptop as it has a four-in-one SD card reader that can read MMC, SD, SDHC, and SDXC cards. Its stylish and thin design makes it a choice laptop to be carried everywhere for editing videos.
Technical Specifications
| Screen Size | 14-inch |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| RAM | 12 GB |
| ROM | 512 GB |
| Weight | 3.53 lbs |
| Colors | Black, Grey, Iron |
| Material | ABS Plastic |
| Dimensions | 12.9 x 9.5 x 0.8 inches |
- Durable Design
- Excellent Keyboard and Touchpad
- Strong Security Feature
- Amazing Display
- Short Battery Life
8. Lenovo IdeaPad 3 14
- Screen Size: 14 inches
- Resolution: 1920 x 1080
- Color: Grey, Blue, Red, Almond, Black
- Weight: 4.40 lbs
Lenovo Ideapad 3 has a sophisticated design with a fingerprint sensor. It is integrated into the power button. So, no authorized person can even turn the laptop on. It will keep the videos safe from theft in case of losing the laptop.
Video creation is an art and using the best tools makes the experience rich. Despite being a budget laptop, Lenovo Ideapad 3 has a premium feel to it. This laptop has excellent performance and it makes you forget that it is under 500.
Hard to believe, right? But our team has put it through various tests and found AMD Ryzen 5 5500U processor good enough. It not only performed easy video editing tasks without a hitch but also ran heavy editing software smoothly for long hours.
Heating up is another problem often faced by video editors. However, this laptop makes it a tale of the past with its enhanced airflow. You can select three different speeds from the Lenovo Vantage app based on the type of workload.
Moreover, it has a comfortable keyboard with a cool click sound of a mechanical keyboard. It is so much fun to write subtitles on this laptop, and our team enjoyed its fair share. Apart from this, it also has a full HD display with AMD Radeon 7 Graphics that gives an amazing video editing experience.
This laptop is a steal but some people may find the 8 DDR4 RAM and 256 SSD storage not enough. You can get customized RAM and added SSD soldered to make this gem yours.
Technical Specifications
| Screen Size | 14-inch |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Resolution | 1920 x 1080 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| ROM | 256 GB |
| Weight | 4.40 lbs |
| Colors | Grey, Blue, Red, Almond, Black |
| Material | Aluminum, Plastic |
| Dimensions | 19 x 11.5 x 3 inches |
- Sturdy Chassis
- Impressive Processor Speed
- Upgraded Privacy
- Added USB-C Port
- It has weak speakers that give a hollow sound
9. HP Pavillion 15
- Screen Size: 15.6 inches
- Resolution: 1366 x 768
- Color: Red, Silver, Black
- Weight: 3.99 lbs
It has a turbo max speed up to 2.7 GHz due to the Intel Pentium N500 Silver processor. The quad-core processor can multitask without lagging or freezing the laptop.
What hurts the most when you are editing a video and was about to save it when the laptop freezes? Before one can do something the draft is lost. However, with HP Pavillion video editing is just one seamless breeze.
HP Pavillion laptop has an amazing display with a micro-edge WLED screen. It is an upgrade from the previous versions of the HD screen. Moreover, it has UHD Graphics to give solid image quality. This laptop is well-built and covers all the needs of a video editor e.g. display, storage, RAM, you name it.
Also, the processing speed is phenomenal with a dual-core, four-way 1.1 GHz Intel Pentium processor. It is more fun with 16 GB DDR4 RAM which is enough to heavy-lift any editing software. Gone are the times for taking breaks because the HP Pavillion has a battery of a beast. It can go on for up to 10 hours without a problem.
Its fiery Scarlet Red color suits the artistic zest for video editing. The HP Pavillion laptop tops our list of recommendations for a reason. The only thing that may hold you back is the weight. But, you wouldn’t want to miss out on this laptop with all its amazing features, would you?
Technical Specifications
| Screen Size | 15.6-inch |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Resolution | 1366 x 768 |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| ROM | 500 GB |
| Weight | 3.99 lbs |
| Colors | Red, Silver, Black |
| Material | Plastic – Polycarbonate |
| Dimensions | 19 x 12 x 3 inches |
- Minimalistic design
- Comfortable Keyboard and Touchpad
- WLED Display
- Decent Battery Runtime
- It does not have a CD-DVD drive unit
- Its keyboard is not backlit
10. CHUWI Corebook X
- Screen Size: 14 inches
- Resolution: 2160 x 1440
- Color: Black, Silver
- Weight: 3.3 lbs
It has a fast SSD hard drive that makes transferring data easier and faster. Especially for transferring raw videos from any device to the laptop, it gets it done in a jiffy.
Chuwi Corebook is an excellent laptop for video editing under 500. It has a vivid impression display with an IPS screen, 70% NTSC color gamut, and 2K resolution. Such a rare combination in budget laptops. With an aspect ratio of 3:2 is perfect for editing a video. The sleek design also hints at the finish of a MacBook and looks classy.
Moreover, it is equipped with the latest 10th Gen Intel i3 10110U making its processing speed up to 4.1 GHz. It is more than enough for editing a video. Also, the integrated UHD Intel Graphics card makes the experience worthwhile. The screen response rate is also 120 Hz on this laptop.
It has a 46.2 Wh battery that is an asset if one has to edit a video on the go. The PD2.0 fast-charging system is a time saver. Compared to Dell Inspiron 3525, Chuwi Corebook has a better battery setup. However, it heats up at times when in intensive use.
Technical Specifications
| Screen Size | 14-inch |
| Refresh Rate | 120 Hz |
| Resolution | 2160 x 1440 |
| RAM | 8 GB |
| ROM | 512 GB |
| Weight | 3.3 lbs |
| Colors | Black, Silver |
| Material | Gray Metal and Plastic |
| Dimensions | 14.33 x 13.39 x 2.56 inches |
- Backlit Keyboard
- Lightweight
- Fast SSD Hard-drive
- Crisp and Brilliant Colors
- Intensive use heats it up
Conclusion
So, these were our ten top choices for the best laptops for video editing under 500. Now it is up to you to choose “the one* laptop for yourself. If you are looking for an all-rounder with exceptional performance in every field, the HP 15, Asus VivoBook 15, Dell Inspiron 15-3000, and Acer Aspire 5 are the way to go.
If you want the finest graphics experience, then Dell Inspiron Inspiron 3525, HP 15-dy2024nr, Chuwi Corebook X, and Lenovo Ideapad 3 will make the best buy. But if you are keeping your low budget as a priority, then of course Lenovo V14 and HP Pavilion are ideal for you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which feature is best to look for in a video editing laptop?
For editors, good graphics is the best feature to look for in video editing laptops. A high-performing GPU with good processing speed can save time and make visually aesthetic videos.
Are the low-budget laptops worth it?
Low-budget laptops are a great way to start any high-paying skill like video editing. Such a laptop may not have all the desired specifications, but if it fulfills the crucial requirements then you can decide if it is worth it.
