Are Surface Laptops Good for Video Editing?

Introduction

Microsoft’s Surface Laptops have been making waves in the technology market since their release. They are known for their sleek design and high-end performance, making them a popular choice among professionals.

However, if you’re a video editor, you may be wondering if these laptops are suitable for your needs. In this article, we’ll explore whether surface laptops are good for video editing or not.

Hardware Requirements for Video Editing

Before we dive into the specifics of Surface Laptops, let’s discuss the hardware requirements needed for video editing. Video editing is a resource-intensive task that requires powerful hardware to handle complex tasks like rendering and exporting videos. The following components are essential for any video editing machine:

  • CPU: A powerful processor is essential to handle heavy video rendering tasks.
  • RAM: At least 8GB of RAM is required to run video editing software smoothly.
  • GPU: A dedicated graphics card is necessary to accelerate video rendering and playback.
  • Storage: An SSD with at least 256GB of storage is recommended to store large media files.

Surface Laptops Specifications

Now let’s take a look at the specifications of Microsoft Surface Laptops:

  • CPU: Intel Core i5 or i7 processors
  • RAM: 8GB or 16GB LPDDR3 RAM
  • GPU: Intel UHD Graphics 620 or NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 with Max-Q Design
  • Storage: Up to 1TB SSD storage

As you can see, Surface Laptops meet the minimum hardware requirements for video editing. However, the base model with an Intel UHD Graphics 620 GPU may struggle with rendering and playback of high-resolution videos.

Performance and User Experience

To get a better idea of how Surface Laptops perform for video editing, we tested the Surface Laptop 3 with an Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB RAM, and a dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 GPU. We used Adobe Premiere Pro to edit a 1080p video with multiple layers and effects.

The Surface Laptop 3 handled the task without any lag or stuttering. The preview playback was smooth, and rendering times were reasonable. However, when we tried to edit a 4K video, the laptop struggled to keep up, and rendering times were significantly longer.

The user experience on Surface Laptops is excellent. The keyboard is comfortable to type on and has good key travel.

The touchpad is responsive and accurate, making it easy to navigate through timelines and menus. The high-resolution display provides excellent color accuracy and detail for video editing work.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Microsoft Surface Laptops are suitable for video editing tasks but may struggle with high-resolution videos due to their limited GPU options. If you’re working with 1080p or lower resolution videos, Surface Laptops are an excellent choice due to their sleek design and high-end performance. However, if your work involves editing 4K or higher resolution videos regularly, you may want to consider a laptop with a more powerful GPU.

Overall, Microsoft Surface Laptops are a solid option for video editors who prioritize portability without sacrificing performance.