The Best Notebooks for Photo and Video Editing
One of the most common usage scenarios for notebooks is the storing, viewing, sorting and editing of pictures as well as videos. A laptop for this purpose should have a very high-quality display to represent your collections as accurately as possible and obviously provide the necessary performance to ensure a productive workflow. For this reason, we only list those laptops with the highest score in our test criteria display and application performance (weighted score) here. You can also use the following top lists for further research:
The Best Laptops for Photo and Video Editing
Position | Weighted Rating | Total Rating | Date | Image | Model | Screen | Weight | Resolution | Surface | Contrast | DeltaE Color | AdobeRGB (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 95.7 % | 93.9 % | 03/2023 new! | Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro Apple M2 Pro Apple M2 Pro 19-Core GPU 32 GB Memory, 2048 GB SSD | 14.20" | 1.6 kg | 3024x1964 | glossy | 25000:1 | 1.2 | ||
2 | 95 % | 89.5 % | 08/2022 | Asus ROG Flow X16 GV601RW-M5082W AMD Ryzen 9 6900HS NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 16.10" | 2.1 kg | 2560x1600 | glossy | 4527:1 | 1.87 | ||
3 | 94.9 % | 89.3 % | 11/2022 | Lenovo Legion S7 16ARHA7 AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX AMD Radeon RX 6800S 16 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 16.00" | 2.2 kg | 2560x1600 | matte | 1231:1 | 1.9 | ||
4 | 94.7 % | 87.6 % | 08/2022 | SCHENKER XMG Neo 17 M22 AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 Ti Laptop GPU 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 17.00" | 2.8 kg | 2560x1600 | matte | 965:1 | 1.44 | ||
5 | 94.7 % | 88 % | 03/2022 | Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16 G7 i7 RTX 3070Ti Intel Core i7-12700H NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti Laptop GPU 16 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 16.00" | 2.6 kg | 2560x1600 | matte | 1357:1 | 2.7 | ||
6 | 94.4 % | 89.6 % | 01/2023 new! | Asus ExpertBook B6 Flip B6602FC2 Intel Core i9-12950HX NVIDIA RTX A2000 Laptop GPU 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 16.00" | 2.8 kg | 2560x1600 | matte | 1467:1 | 2.81 | ||
7 | 94.4 % | 90.1 % | 11/2022 | HP ZBook Studio 16 G9 62U04EA Intel Core i7-12800H NVIDIA RTX A2000 Laptop GPU 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 16.00" | 1.8 kg | 3840x2400 | matte | 1179:1 | 1 | ||
8 | 94.4 % | 92.7 % | 11/2021 | Apple MacBook Pro 14 2021 M1 Pro Entry Apple M1 Pro 8-Core Apple M1 Pro 14-Core GPU 16 GB Memory, 512 GB SSD | 14.20" | 1.6 kg | 3024x1964 | glossy | 48900:1 | 0.8 | ||
9 | 94.4 % | 93.2 % | 11/2021 | Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro Apple M1 Pro 16-Core GPU 16 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 16.20" | 2.2 kg | 3456x2234 | glossy | 25700:1 | 1.4 | ||
10 | 94.3 % | 89.8 % | 11/2021 | Lenovo ThinkPad P1 G4-20Y4S0KS00 Intel Core i7-11850H NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Laptop GPU 32 GB Memory, 1024 GB SSD | 16.00" | 2 kg | 3840x2400 | matte | 1537:1 | 2.2 |
The table above contains an overview over the best notebooks reviewed by Notebookcheck over the course of the past 12 months as well as still relevant and available older products. In cases of identical score the more recent device is listed first. All prices in above table and price comparisons are updated daily and can thus differ.
Link: all devices in this class reviewed
1st – Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro
Apple MacBook Pro 14 was recently refreshed and will be powered by the new M2 Pro SoC with up to 12 CPU cores and 19 GPU cores in 2023. On the outside, everything has remained the same, such as the sturdy unibody case with its perfectly aligned hinges. However, up to 96 GB of RAM with a very high 400 GB/s bandwidth is now possible if you choose the M2 Max. The multi-core CPU performance increases by 20 percent from the M1 Pro to the M2 Pro. The long battery runtimes remain the same.
The mini-LED display is high-resolution, particularly contrasty, has a 120 Hz refresh rate and is already color-accurate without calibration.
The slow response times and the constant PWM flickering have to be accepted, just like in the predecessor model, in the otherwise very good display.
The device can be purchased either directly from Apple or through authorized resellers such as Amazon.
Top 10 Laptops
Multimedia, Budget Multimedia, Gaming, Budget Gaming, Lightweight Gaming, Business, Budget Office, Workstation, Subnotebooks, Ultrabooks, Chromebooks
under 300 USD/Euros, under 500 USD/Euros, 1,000 USD/Euros, for University Students, Best Displays
Top 10 Smartphones
Smartphones, Phablets, ≤6-inch, Camera Smartphones
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2nd – Asus ROG Flow X16
With the Asus ROG Flow X16, we tested a special notebook that turns into a 16-inch tablet with a foldable display and can be operated with the pen. This can be very useful for picture and photo work.
Thanks to mini-LEDs, the display is one of the best we tested and also one of the brightest, with up to 1,100 nits at peak HDR content. Contrast is very high and colors accurate, except for blue, which remained quite off with a Delta E value of 6.5 after our calibration. However, the model we tested extensively was a pre-release version, so the launch model could improve quite a bit.
The AdobeRGB and DCI-P3 color spaces are covered 100% and thus enable professional image and video editing. There are no compromises in performance either, a fast AMD Ryzen 9 6900HX and an RTX 3070 Ti, with a high 125 W TGP, deliver plenty of power. The hardware is equally suitable for gaming and can be enjoyed with the 165 Hz fast panel including 2.5K resolution and HDR1000.
The Asus ROG Flow X16 not only offers a high-quality mini-LED display and high performance, but also remains pleasantly quiet, cool and does not forget the frequent typists, who will appreciate the keyboard with 1.7 mm travel.
The overall package is rounded out with very good speakers, adequate battery life, 100-W power delivery, upgradeable RAM, and SSD that works very fast, which becomes especially relevant for large rendering files. However, Thunderbolt and USB 4 are not available, even though Asus could still add them via a software update. There are no other real drawbacks, even though PWM with 7,400 MHz is used to dim the display. The card reader is unfortunately only microSD.
Currently, users can purchase the device through manufacturer's online store for $2,399.
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3rd – Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16
The Lenovo Legion Slim 7 16 impresses with its very bright 16-inch display, quite long battery runtimes and a Radeon RX-6800S GPU. Our test device is powered by an AMD Ryzen 9-6900HX processor, which is why the Thunderbolt port is missing, though. Lenovo's laptop is very well manufactured, and there are no quality flaws in the aluminum chassis.
The Legion Slim 7's display brightness of almost 500 nits and the 16-inch 2.5K matte panel's contrast ratio of 1,231:1 are striking, but it does not cover the AdobeRGB color space very well.
An FHD screen is also offered, but the brightness, contrast, and color space coverage are lower here. Unfortunately, there is no longer a 4K display that would reproduce the AdobeRGB color space at 99%. The mini-LED option has also not appeared so far.
On Lenovo's official online store, we have various configurations starting from $1,151.
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4th – Schenker XMG Neo 17 M22
You should be careful with the latest Nvidia graphics cards: There are big performance differences due to different TGP settings, even though the models are labeled the same. You do not have to worry about this with the Schenker XMG Neo 17 M22. With 175 watts including Dynamic Boost, there is a decent amount of power and the RTX 3080 Ti can thus often take the lead.
Thus, you get a lot of power, but you also have to put up with a high noise development in 3D mode. There is also no Thunderbolt port, which limits the connectivity options. The 17-inch display in the 16:10 format, which is unusual for this size, is a feast for the eyes even for demanding creative workers and convinces with low response times, a 240 Hz refresh rate and a good color reproduction.
However, it does not offer full 4K resolution, only 1,440p, while the AdobeRGB color space is displayed at 70 percent. As part of the redesign of the stable Neo 17, Schenker relies on a mechanical keyboard from Cherry, which we liked very much.
A lot of graphics power, plus a great display. If you value that, you should take a look at Schenker's Gamer.
Schenker's devices are currently not yet available in North America.
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5th – Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16 G7
Lenovo’s 16-inch Legion 5 Pro 16 G7 offers plenty of performance and an above average display, and it thus secured a high spot on this top list of best photo and video editing laptops.
This updated model features a brand-new Intel Alder Lake processor, a fast GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, and an additional Thunderbolt 4 port over its predecessor. The 16:10 display remained largely identical in terms of specifications: a resolution of 2560 x 1600, a display ratio of 16:10, a peak brightness of 400 nits (HDR), and a refresh rate of 165 Hz. It is, however, now made by BOE.
Subjective image quality is superb with popping colors, great contrast ratio, and no visible pixel grain despite a matte panel.
Colors are very accurate and within specs by default, and we found no visible color tints either. We were also able to improve upon this even further through calibration.
The Intel-based Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16 is currently not available in North America.
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6th – Asus ExpertBook B6 Flip
Photo editing can also benefit from an input pen, as it is included with the Asus ExpertBook B6 Flip. The 16-inch 16:10 touchscreen resolves with 2,560 x 2,600 pixels nud offers a fast 120 Hz refresh rate. It is also a convertible like the ROG Flow X16, so the screen can be folded down completely.
The display of the 2.7 kg convertible workstation is rich in contrast and is well pre-calibrated. With 85% Adobe RGB, it is less suitable for photo editing than for video editing (98% DCI-P3).
The processor performance of the Core i9-12950HX is enormous even in whisper mode, plus there are a whole four RAM slots, super input devices and a comparatively long battery life of just under 9 hours. Besides the bulky case, a missing SD card reader and an SSD throttling that is not noticeable in everyday use, the Asus laptop hardly offers any weak points
Asus ExpertBook B6 Flip are currently not yet available in North America.
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7th – HP ZBook Studio G9
A mobile workstation that also supports Nvidia's RTX graphics cards with ray tracing is the HP ZBook Studio G9. The case is very high-quality, and there is also an equivalent model without a Quadro graphics card, which then comes with consumer features. However, it mainly impresses with its very well calibrated 4K display with 120 Hz in 16 inches and 16:10, while the AdobeRGB is covered by 86 percent. Great input devices and four great speakers are further advantages of the lightweight workstation.
Overall, the picture is very positive, making the ZBook Studio G9 a very solid choice, especially when a lot of graphics power is needed.
The Vision 14 offers plenty of connectivity, with two USB-A and two USB-C ports on each side, TB4, HDMI, and a full-sized SD card reader slot. Is it the perfect Ultrabook? Unfortunately, no, due to its poor battery life of just 5-6 hours in our Wi-Fi test.
HP offers various configurations of the device on online store, starting from $2,499. Amazon US lists some ZBook Studio G9 variants as well.
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8th – Apple MacBook Pro 14 2021 M1 Pro
Apple’s new entry-level Pro laptop is the MacBook Pro 14 2021 M1 Pro with Apple’s brand-new 14-core M1 Pro processor. The new case is slightly larger and heavier than its predecessor’s, and as before both build quality and hinge setup are perfect.
The new Liquid Retina XDR display achieves OLED-levels of blackness resulting in a very high contrast ratio. A completely black image will remain completely black even at maximum brightness.
Downsides include slow response times as well as constant PWM flickering.
The device is available through Apple. Select SKUs can also be purchased through the usual retail channels, such as Amazon, with prices start at $1,999 at the time of writing.
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9th – Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro
Like the smaller MacBook Pro 14 2021 M1 Pro the MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro was completely redesigned. The newer and slightly larger and heavier unibody aluminum case features Apple’s brand-new 16-core M1 Pro SoC. Build quality is superb, and we found the surfaces to be immune to fingerprints and smudges.
Instead of an IPS panel Apple now uses Mini LED panels with extremely low levels of brightness and thus a very high contrast ratio, not unlike OLED panels. Simply put, subjective image quality is absolutely perfect.
One gripe would be the device’s constant PWM flickering at 15 kHz. If you are sensible to display flickering you might want to stay away from Apple’s 2021 MacBook Pro series. We also suggest calibrating the display as the 16-inch model came with a color temperature shifted slightly towards the cooler end. This was not the case on the 14-inch model. However, Delta E deviations remain minimal overall, which means the panel is very well suited for professional photo and video editing nonetheless.
The device is available through Apple. Select SKUs can also be purchased through the usual retail channels, such as Amazon, with prices start at $2,249 at the time of writing.
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10th – Lenovo ThinkPad P1 G4
The Lenovo ThinkPad P1 G4 was recently updated by Lenovo and received a GeForce RTX 3070 as well as a 4K UHD+ panel. The P1 is more portable than Lenovo’s traditional ThinkPad P52 workstation laptop.
With a brightness of 610 nits the display is brighter than most of its 15 and 16-inch competitors. It also features low Delta E color deviations of just 2.2 by default.
Downsides include the slightly elevated black level of 0.41 nits, although its contrast ratio remained decent at 1537:1. AdobeRGB color space coverage is at 98.9 %, which means that the P1 is very well suited for professional photo and video editing. A good score of 10,241 in the PCMark 10 Digital Content Creation further emphasizes its good system performance.
The ThinkPad P1 G4 is available through Lenovo’s own webstore with prices starting at $1,600.
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Best Notebooks for Digital Content Editing in Comparison
Test Results
Apple MacBook Pro 14 2023 M2 Pro | Asus ROG Flow X16 GV601RW-M5082W | Lenovo Legion S7 16ARHA7 | SCHENKER XMG Neo 17 M22 | Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16 G7 i7 RTX 3070Ti | Asus ExpertBook B6 Flip B6602FC2 | HP ZBook Studio 16 G9 62U04EA | Apple MacBook Pro 14 2021 M1 Pro Entry | Apple MacBook Pro 16 2021 M1 Pro | Lenovo ThinkPad P1 G4-20Y4S0KS00 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Display | ||||||||||
Display P3 Coverage | 99.2 | 99.82 | 69.8 | 69 | 68.7 | 97.9 | 97.5 | 99.3 | 99.1 | 85.7 |
sRGB Coverage | 99.99 | 98.1 | 99.8 | 97.6 | 99.89 | 99.9 | 100 | 99.4 | ||
AdobeRGB 1998 Coverage | 90.21 | 71.9 | 69.6 | 70.9 | 85.52 | 86.3 | 88 | 98.9 | ||
Response Times | ||||||||||
Response Time Grey 50% / Grey 80% * | 35.2 ? | 11 ? | 10 ? | 10.8 ? | 17.6 ? | 36 ? | 15.3 ? | 58.4 ? | 42.8 ? | 55.2 ? |
Response Time Black / White * | 26.4 ? | 11 ? | 12.8 ? | 6.1 ? | 7.6 ? | 17 ? | 6.1 ? | 40.4 ? | 91.6 ? | 31.2 ? |
PWM Frequency | 14880 ? | 7400 ? | 14880 | 14880 | ||||||
Screen | ||||||||||
Brightness middle | 500 | 498 | 492.4 | 415 | 502 | 440 | 554 | 489 | 514 | 630 |
Brightness | 489 | 502 | 471 | 399 | 491 | 418 | 516 | 479 | 497 | 622 |
Brightness Distribution | 94 | 94 | 90 | 90 | 91 | 82 | 84 | 94 | 95 | 90 |
Black Level * | 0.02 | 0.11 | 0.4 | 0.43 | 0.37 | 0.3 | 0.47 | 0.01 | 0.02 | 0.41 |
Contrast | 25000 | 4527 | 1231 | 965 | 1357 | 1467 | 1179 | 48900 | 25700 | 1537 |
Colorchecker dE 2000 * | 1.2 | 1.87 | 1.9 | 1.44 | 2.7 | 2.81 | 1 | 0.8 | 1.4 | 2.2 |
Colorchecker dE 2000 max. * | 2.6 | 6.15 | 3.81 | 2.33 | 4.5 | 4.62 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 2.8 | 5 |
Greyscale dE 2000 * | 1.7 | 3.15 | 1.7 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 0.91 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.3 | 2.7 |
Gamma | 2.24 98% | 330.95 1% | 2.36 93% | 2.132 103% | 2.44 90% | 2.2 100% | 2.29 96% | 2.24 98% | 2.27 97% | 2.26 97% |
CCT | 6791 96% | 7294 89% | 6497 100% | 6327 103% | 6326 103% | 6600 98% | 6458 101% | 6792 96% | 6886 94% | |
Colorchecker dE 2000 calibrated * | 1.94 | 0.99 | 0.89 | 1.4 | 2.99 | 0.6 | 1 | |||
Noise | ||||||||||
off / environment * | 23.9 | 25.5 | 23.1 | 26 | 24.6 | 26 | 24 | 24.8 | 24.7 | 23.8 |
Idle Minimum * | 23.9 | 25.5 | 23.1 | 26 | 28.4 | 32.4 | 24 | 24.8 | 24.7 | 23.8 |
Idle Average * | 23.9 | 25.5 | 23.1 | 29 | 28.4 | 32.4 | 27.7 | 24.8 | 24.7 | 23.8 |
Idle Maximum * | 23.9 | 27.4 | 23.1 | 40 | 28.4 | 32.4 | 27.7 | 24.8 | 24.7 | 28.3 |
Load Average * | 26 | 49.9 | 31.4 | 47 | 49.4 | 51.9 | 39.8 | 27.8 | 26.1 | 38.6 |
Load Maximum * | 43.2 | 55 | 51.2 | 54 | 54.7 | 52.1 | 47.7 | 49.5 | 37.4 | 47.4 |
Witcher 3 ultra * | 51.4 | 52 | 49.4 | 44.3 | 27.8 | 47.4 | ||||
Heat | ||||||||||
Maximum Upper Side * | 46.9 | 55.1 | 46.6 | 49 | 45.3 | 48.4 | 38.7 | 46.8 | 41 | 51 |
Maximum Bottom * | 41.7 | 50.3 | 50.8 | 52 | 61.2 | 52.3 | 53.4 | 40.9 | 39 | 53.5 |
Idle Upper Side * | 21.4 | 35.5 | 26.4 | 30 | 28.6 | 27.8 | 27.3 | 24.2 | 24 | 28.8 |
Idle Bottom * | 21.4 | 36.1 | 27.2 | 33 | 31.4 | 30.3 | 31.6 | 24.2 | 24 | 29.3 |
Battery Runtime | ||||||||||
H.264 | 917 | 398 | 377 | 347 | 509 | 900 | 1048 | 429 | ||
WiFi v1.3 | 807 | 339 | 374 | 537 | 326 | 524 | 377 | 816 | 1016 | 417 |
Load | 70 | 53 | 109 | 37 | 104 | 63 | 69 | 74 | ||
Witcher 3 ultra | 51 | |||||||||
Reader / Idle | 722 | 752 |
* ... smaller is better
Benchmarks
3DMark 11 - 1280x720 Performance (sort by value) | |
Asus ROG Flow X16 GV601RW-M5082W | |
Lenovo Legion S7 16ARHA7 | |
SCHENKER XMG Neo 17 M22 | |
HP ZBook Studio 16 G9 62U04EA | |
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 G4-20Y4S0KS00 |
3DMark | |
1280x720 Cloud Gate Standard Score (sort by value) | |
Asus ROG Flow X16 GV601RW-M5082W | |
Lenovo Legion S7 16ARHA7 | |
Asus ExpertBook B6 Flip B6602FC2 | |
1280x720 Ice Storm Standard Score (sort by value) | |
Asus ExpertBook B6 Flip B6602FC2 | |
2560x1440 Time Spy Score (sort by value) | |
Asus ROG Flow X16 GV601RW-M5082W | |
Lenovo Legion S7 16ARHA7 | |
SCHENKER XMG Neo 17 M22 | |
Lenovo Legion 5 Pro 16 G7 i7 RTX 3070Ti | |
Asus ExpertBook B6 Flip B6602FC2 | |
HP ZBook Studio 16 G9 62U04EA | |
Lenovo ThinkPad P1 G4-20Y4S0KS00 |