$600 VideoStudio Laptop - Which one?

[JPW]

I've been a long time VideoStudio user. I've thought of switching to some other video editing programs, but I know VideoStudio so well and it pretty much easily does what I want that I don't feel all that compelled to switch. With this in mind I thought this forum might be the best place to ask my question.

The Desktop PC I use for video editing is pretty old now. I think I probably built it just before Windows 7 came out. Now that I'm on Windows 10 and VideoStudio has advanced some it is really showing its age. Notably, it crashes every time when I'm trying to manipulate the speed of 120fps video. I want to say it does this as well on 60fps video. It just feels like the PC can't keep up and this is attempting to use it with Smart Proxy.

So I've essentially given up and its time to move to something that will just work well with VideoStudio. Ideally, I would really like a laptop instead of a desktop now so that I can edit video on the go. Back in the day I want to say the graphics card was no where near as important as the CPU for video editing. I suspect this is still the case to some degree, but I still can't really narrow down where my money might be best spent on a laptop strictly for VideoStudio.

If someone could perhaps offer a recommendation of a laptop somewhere in the $600.00 range that would work well with VideoStudio I would appreciate it.

[Ken Berry]

You need to give us an idea of where you live since the value of $600 varies enormously in computer terms. $600 Australian will not get you much; ditto for New Zealand dollars. But it will probably get you something much better in North America (where I am guessing you probably live...)

[JPW]

Sorry, yes, I'm in the US.

[JPW]

I may be answering my own question here, but I would appreciate any arguments against the following as the best ~$600 laptop for video editing:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LD4MGY4/re ... XVE5ZSJLI2

First, it has a 7th generation Intel processor. I don't know what magic lies in store for me here, but after some reading it seems like this might be important for video editing. I'm still not sure exactly why, but I've got to believe it can't hurt.

Secondly, it has a built-in SSD and even takes it a step further by having it physically adhered to the motherboard. This should really provide optimal write times when using this drive. Additionally, it has a bay available to add another SSD drive. This seems like it would be great for video files you are working on with one drive and then your apps / OS on the other.

[aljimenez]

The problem I see is your first post says you are dealing with 120fps video, and if this is 4K resolution with high bitrates, $600 is not going to do it. IMHO you need an i7, >3GHz, 16GB and lots more hard drive than 256GB and this laptop will be pushing $1200 (or more than double your budget). Ask yourself what you are going to do in video over the next couple of years.

[JPW]

The problem I see is your first post says you are dealing with 120fps video, and if this is 4K resolution with high bitrates, $600 is not going to do it. IMHO you need an i7, >3GHz, 16GB and lots more hard drive than 256GB and this laptop will be pushing $1200 (or more than double your budget). Ask yourself what you are going to do in video over the next couple of years.

4K @ 120fps? I wish. I don't shoot any 4K, only 1080 i/p.

I don't really see 4K in my future, and if I did, it would probably be at the lower fps. So for the sake of this conversation maybe consider 4K at 30 fps or less.