HP ZBook is a laptop that I have used myself for many years in the past, and it has served me well. However, the hardware is aging with the older generations, but you can get some great deals on it renewed. This model is the G6, and it has a generous 32GB of RAM, the i7-9850 processor, and even a GPU despite it being on the weaker end. It comes with the NVIDIA Quadro T1000 and Windows 11 Pro.

This model was released in 2020, so it’s older than the others we’re mentioning on the list, but the main idea is that the older Gen Zbooks are a good option for a budget laptop for YouTube when they have a dedicated GPU. But keep in mind, these are bulkier models, so portability and battery life can be a concern.

The Apple MacBook Air 13″ (M4) is an awesome pick for YouTube creators on the go, thanks to its ultra-portable design, silent fanless operation, and excellent battery life, meaning you can edit, upload, and manage your channel from practically anywhere. We don’t usually pick Apple laptops for our laptop reviews, but when it comes to YouTube and content creation, it makes sense due to their amazing screens.

The M4 chip offers efficient performance for 1080p and many 4K workflows, and the macOS ecosystem gives lots of access to software like Final Cut Pro, Logic Pro, and Adobe apps. And due to the sharp Retina display, fast SSD, and great build quality, it’s ideal for creators who travel or shoot out in the field and still want serious capability packaged in a lightweight, reliable machine.

But do keep in mind, the port selection is very limited on this MacBook Air Series, and because it’s an Apple product, compatibility is more limited.

From my perspective, the MSI Creator A16 AI+ checks most of those boxes for a lot of creators. That’s because it’s been purpose-built with creators in mind, it comes with a powerful AMD Ryzen AI 9-365 processor and an RTX 4060 GPU, giving you solid hardware acceleration for rendering, effects, and exporting. You also have a very generous 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage and which allows you to multitask in editing, color grading, layers, and so on.

The 16-inch QHD+ display (2560×1600) is another plus, and its higher resolution gives you more screen real estate to work with timelines, scopes, and previews. That being said, it is a bigger laptop, but still, it’s not the heaviest. Weighing around 4.6 pounds, that’s pretty good for the hardware it’s packing.

Overall, it balances power, storage, and display quality in a package designed for creative workflows. The only thing I would say about these MSI models is that their build quality has faced issues. The hinges are known to be weaker than other laptops, and many people have shown them breaking after not much usage. For the price these go for, you’d hope MSI has fixed that.

The term content creation is a generalised term for the overall creative process for things like video and image editing, social media management, and workflows, so having AI features, a GPU, and good processing is a must. The Acer Swift X is a really good option for content creators because it balances portability, performance, and affordability in a way few laptops do.

With a dedicated 3050TI GPU, plus an AMD Ryzen 7 5800U CPU and fast 512GB SSD with 16GB of RAM, it can handle non-linear editing, layering, color grading, and exporting with confidence. I really appreciate this laptop for its portability too, its lightweight and thin chassis make it ideal for creators who move between shoots or cafés, and the vivid, high-contrast display helps you judge visuals more accurately. For creators who want serious editing power without hauling a heavy workstation everywhere, the Swift X delivers a very viable “sweet spot” option between ultraportables and gaming rigs.

This model is on Windows 10, but you can find similar models with Windows 11 and even a higher GPU, but that also comes with a higher price.

A few of the laptops we’ve already mentioned above are also good at handling games, such as the Acer Swift X and MSI A16 AI+, but if you really want to prioritise gaming as well as video editing for a decent price, then the Asus Tuf Gaming A15 and A16 are very decent options. This one is built for gaming as the name suggests, and its thermal management and durability are some of the best laptop hardware for an entry to mid-level gaming laptop.

This Asus TUF A16s got a 165Hz FHD display with the AMD Ryzen 7-7735HS processor paired with the Radeon RX7700S Graphics. This is similar to the 4060 RTX GPU in performance. It also has 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD, but that can be upgraded. You may want to choose a higher storage amount if you plan on downloading a game library.

The Radeon RX7700S Graphics is 8GB, and 8 GB is a strong amount for creative work. It gives you room to handle 4K timelines, effects, transitions, and color grading without running into memory bottlenecks. For gaming, it also allows higher detail textures and better performance in modern titles. But do note that this is quite a big laptop, especially if you go for the 16″ model, and it weighs around 5 pounds so it’s quite heavy too, like most gaming laptops, and you won’t get very far without a power outlet.