The four picks—and their limits
RTINGS divides its recommendations by workload and portability rather than declaring one machine suitable for everyone:
- Best overall: Apple MacBook Pro 16 (M5, 2026). Its recommendation emphasizes the Mini LED display and M5 Pro or M5 Max processing options.
- Best mid-range: HP OMEN Transcend 14 (2024). RTINGS now suggests a Core Ultra 9 285H, RTX 5070 Laptop GPU and 32GB RAM configuration. Its tested unit instead used a Core Ultra 9 185H and RTX 4060.
- Best budget: ASUS TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023). User-replaceable RAM and storage are useful strengths; heat and fan noise are trade-offs.
- Best ultraportable: Apple MacBook Air 13 (M5, 2026). RTINGS actually favors the 15-inch variant for editing workspace, while warning that the fanless design limits sustained performance.
What Windows buyers should check
Treat the exact configuration—not the laptop name—as the purchase decision. The OMEN recommendation does not establish measured export speeds or battery endurance for its refreshed hardware. My practical takeaway: do not transfer a review’s battery chart to a different CPU/GPU combination merely because the lid wears the same badge.
There is another useful compatibility distinction: RTINGS’ ASUS guidance identifies no Thunderbolt 4 support on the TUF A16. ASUS’s spec sheet shows one USB-C port is USB4-capable with DisplayPort support, however. That matters when planning a docking setup, even though the laptop’s other USB-C ports run at 10Gbps USB 3.2 speeds. Before buying, match your dock’s requirements against the laptop’s supported connections.
The sensible shortlist therefore starts with three questions: What software and footage will you use? Will editing happen mostly at a desk? Which exact configuration was tested? A “best laptop” badge is a starting point—not an export-time guarantee.
Correction (October 20, 2026): The article previously said the TUF Gaming A16 Advantage Edition (2023) had no USB4 support. ASUS’s spec sheet lists one USB4-capable USB-C port with DisplayPort support on this model; it does not have Thunderbolt 4. The text above has been corrected.