Best Laptops for After Effects: 2019 Buyer’s Guide!

If you’re into video editing, you are probably already familiar with Adobe After Effects, the industry-standard tool for video compositing. After Effects is used to create motion graphics and apply visual effects after your footage has been edited through other video editing software. Yes, that’s where the name comes from. If you’ve never used After effects on a laptop before, and wondering which laptop is best for After Effects, just keep reading. First, we will check some of the program’s system requirements, and also recommend some of the best laptops for After Effects as usual.

What is After Effects used for?

After effects is a tool for video compositing, motion graphics design, and animation. Although when it comes to popular conception, a few people really know what After Effects can do. So many professionals use it, from editors, to designers and animators, that the purpose of it all may seem blurred. Simply put, with Adobe After Effects you can create, composite and stylize 2D footage layers in a three-dimensional space. Whether you’re learning how to properly use the software, or you’re already an established professional, you need a trustworthy laptop to handle your creativity. Read through our guide. At the end of it, we’ll be reviewing five of the best laptops for running Adobe After Effects.

What to look for in a laptop for After Effects?

Let’s first have a look at Adobe’s official System requirements for After Effects, which you can check here: https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/system-requirements/earlier-versions.html

As you can see from this table, After Effects relies heavily on the processor and RAM. But what about the graphics card? Here are our recommendations :

Processor and RAM: When choosing a laptop for Adobe After Effects, you’d better get the best processor and max amount of RAM you can get. We wouldn’t recommend going any lower than an 8^th generation Intel Core i5 processor and 8 GB of RAM. Adobe After Effects mostly utilizes the processor rather than the GPU for calculating the effects you’re applying; this means that the program will perform better on a higher base frequency (most of the work is done using a single core).

Storage: When it comes to the storage unit, we recommend choosing a laptop with a solid state drive (SSD) rather than a traditional HDD. Even if they’re a little more expensive, SSDs enable your laptop to boot so much faster and quickly recover your files as you build up a large library through your work.

Graphics Card: Even though After Effects only uses the GPU for a number of effects and 3D tasks, for a smooth performance, it is recommended to get a laptop with a dedicated GPU.The cheapest option for laptops is the entry-level Nvidia GeForce MX150 GPU. In our list, we’ll be reviewing both budget solutions as high-end ones. However, the MX150 is an entry level card, and despite it being better than an integrated chip, it’s still nit sufficient if you’ll be working on big projects. So consider spending a little bit more to get a more powerful Nvidia card, such as the GTX 1060.

What other features to consider?

If budget isn’t your concern, then you may choose your next laptops based on a few additional features. As you’ll be working on visual effects, you might want to pick a laptop with a good-looking display, with a high refresh rate, as 144Hz. The more expensive laptops in our list have wide view angle displays with excellent brightness, for the occasional outdoor use. Last, consider the connectivity options. As it becomes a worldwide standard, a Thunderbolt 3 port will come in handy for plugging in any of your other devices.

So, without further ado, here are five of the best laptops for After Effects.

Best Laptops for After Effects:

Acer Aspire E 15  E5-576G-5762

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The Acer Aspire E 15 E5-576G-5762 is a great all-purpose laptop, that we’ve recommended countless times before. It’s your definitive choice to go if you’re on a tight budget and want a cheap laptop for After effects. The Aspire E15 is equipped with an 8th generation Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM, a 256GB SSD and a dedicated Nvidia GeForce MX150.

The Aspire E15 is consistently performing on its own, but you can easily upgrade its raw power up to 32 GB of RAM. You could also add an additional HDD for more storage space for your files.

While Acer claims that the battery life lasts up to 12 hours, you can expect an average of 8 hours on average use. That’s simply excellent at this price range. And you can’t go wrong with this purchase!

ASUS VivoBook Pro 17 N705FD-ES76

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Next, we have the Asus VivoBook Pro N705FD-ES76, a thin and portable 17.3” Full HD laptop. It’s a nice option for you to consider if you wish for a wide view display. The VivoBook Pro 17 features an 8th generation Intel Core i7 processor, coupled with 16 GB of RAM. It offers a hybrid solution comprised of a 256 GB SSD and 1 TB of HDD for the additional storage space. The VivoBook Pro 17 is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card, with 4 GB of RAM.

The VivoBook Pro 17 includes a USB Type-C port, a fingerprint reader for fast login and secure online payments and a backlit keyboard with a separate numeric keypad. Despite the wide display, it’s designed to be thin and lightweight: a nice balance between portability and performance. It also offers a good amount of battery life on top of that.

Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G-700J

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The Acer Aspire 7 A717-72G-700J is another 17.3”, Full HD laptop that is suitable for gaming and editing software. It features an 8^th generation Intel Core i7 processor. On top of that, you can customize the amount of RAM and SSD storage, from a starting point of 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD. The Aspire 7 is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card, with 6 GB of RAM.

The Aspire 7 features a backlit keyboard with a separate numeric keypad. It includes a USB Type-C port and a fingerprint reader as additional features. It ultimately makes for a wide view powerhouse, considering its budget. On top of that, the Aspire 7 offers an average of 6 hours of continuous productivity.

MSI GS65 Stealth THIN-051

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At a similar price range, we recommend the MSI GS65 Stealth THIN-051, a sleek 15.6” Full HD laptop with a narrow bezel designed display. It features an 8^th generation Intel Core i7, 16 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. It’s packed with a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card with 6 GB.

The GS65 Stealth is a good looking, gold and diamond gaming laptop with a backlit, customizable RGB keyboard. Despite being thinner than a dime, it will run smoothly After Effects and all your other editing software. The GS65 Stealth also includes a USB Type-C port for the better connectivity. On top of that, you can upgrade the memory up to 32 GB of RAM to have all the raw power you wish for.

MSI P65 Creator 8RF-441

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Last, we have your high-end solution. The MSI P65 Creator 8RF-441 is an ultra-thin 15.6” Full HD laptop, with an anti-glare display with a refresh rate of 144Hz. That’s perfect for the occasional outdoor use! The P65 Creator features an 8^th generation Intel Core i7 processor, 32 GB of RAM and 512 GB of SSD. It comes with the Windows 10 Professional operating system. The P65 Creator is equipped with a dedicated Nvidia GeForce GTX1070 graphics card, with 8 GB of RAM.

Even though it comes for a price, you’ll have trouble finding another laptop with the same raw power as the P65 Creator. The processing power coupled with a remarkable amount of RAM will take your After Effects and editing experience to an all new level.

The P65 Creator also includes a fingerprint reader and a Thunderbolt 3 port. On top of that, it offers up to 8 hours of untethered productivity.