Essential Features for Intermediate Creative Laptops

Previously we discussed the features you should consider when shopping for an entry-level creative laptop. The idea was to help you find something that would be suitable for the kind of software you’d be using at the beginner level; in other words, crawl before you walk. But what if you are further along in your creative career and you need something a bit more robust? Something that’s not quite at the pro level, but more powerful than what an entry-level laptop can provide? Well, today is your lucky day. Behold, the essential features of an intermediate-level laptop.

What is an Intermediate Laptop?

Before we dive into what makes a good intermediate-level laptop, let’s quickly go over what we mean by “intermediate.” Generally speaking, intermediate laptops are laptops that feature better hardware and are more capable than entry-level laptops. Now, to be fair, “better hardware” can mean anything from an upgraded display to additional ports and I/O to a more powerful processor. However, what separates an intermediate laptop from an entry-level laptop isn’t just the hardware—it’s what that hardware allows you to do. In other words, an intermediate creative laptop allows you to do more than a beginner creative laptop.

Processor, Memory, and Storage

In guide to entry-level creative laptops, we talked about the two main processor developers, Intel and AMD. Here, we are going to take a step up from their previous versions into Intel’s Core 7 Ultra and AMD’s Ryzen 7 series processors. This enhances performance and gives you a solid leg up when it comes to basic computing power. But this also unlocks additional utilities when it comes to memory bandwidth, storage bandwidth, and even port selection.

Generally speaking, a CPU controls so many aspects of the system and can easily handle system-specific logistics easier than a lower-tier processor. If you are going from photo editing to video editing, it is important to ensure you have the power to handle various aspects of that role. Scrubbing through footage in real time can take some resources, which is why we want a more powerful processor.

We also want more memory. This is where we go from 16GB to at least double. I’d say that 32GB of DDR5 memory is safe with 64GB being optimal for video editing tasks. You don’t have to go above and beyond as when you have an Intel Core Ultra 7 or AMD Ryzen 7 processor, you might get some diminishing returns.

Storage-wise, I will say that 1TB is still the normal baseline for this area. You can go with something smaller, but video files will fill that drive up quickly. As it stands, 1TB of storage is fine to handle anything. You could also leverage external storage drives to help offload and backup your essential data.

Graphics and Display

With an entry-level laptop, you are most likely going to use integrated graphics for your editing tasks. These can handle the basic functions without getting too caught in the weeds. But a dedicated graphics card will be able to handle graphically intensive tasks from the CPU. By taking these tasks and applying them directly to the graphics card, you give the processor a bit of a break. On top of that, you can leverage a whole slew of additional options depending on the manufacturer of those graphics cards.

Right now, NVIDIA is the brand with the largest footprint. They can be found in many different laptops from gaming-centric ones to creative laptops. For creative purposes, a laptop with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 or the 5070 Ti are both solid options. The RTX 5070 features 8GB of GDDR7 memory while the RTX 5070 Ti features 12GB, ideal for those who just want a tiny bit more power under the hood especially if you are working with a nicer display.

When it comes to displays, we are going to definitely look for an upgrade here. While 1080p and 1200p display options are suitable for many cases, you may want something a bit sleeker. A 1440p display is a split-difference resolution between low- and high-end displays. It lands right in the middle, and in many cases, this is good enough for many creatives.

Laptops with the specifications I discussed previously can easily handle 4K editing and rendering, but there might be a bit of a performance issue when it comes to these tasks. This is due to 4K resolution taking up a lot of resources. But, as long as you’re not overloading your project with plugins, animations, or other desired effects, you will be fine.

Ports

With upgraded components like a better CPU means that you can leverage a whole lot more in terms of ports and connectivity options. I wrote a rundown that discusses all the ins and outs of USB connections and how they are used in various systems.

When we hit the intermediate level of laptops, we begin to see more robust port options in both number and speed. USB-A ports will be available with an upwards of 2 or three inputs available at any given time. You may also see a few USB-C ports with fast speeds like USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 or go right to Thunderbolt or USB4.

Finally, when it comes to the I/O, we can’t forget about Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Both of these technologies tend to be based on the same chip or sister board. This means that the latest version of Wi-Fi more often than not coincides with that generation’s level of Bluetooth technology. So, if the system has Wi-Fi 7, you’re more than likely to have Bluetooth 5.4 or even Bluetooth 6.0. How important are they to your experience? Well, I personally love using wired connections like Gigabit Ethernet (a port that might also be on your laptop) since they are stronger and more reliable than wireless technology. Alas, if a hardwired connection is not available you will be just fine with Wi-Fi.

Conclusion

Intermediate-level laptops are great for creatives looking to get into higher-grade photo editing and entering the world of video editing. I made a conscious effort to remove one area of expertise from this article and that is animation. A lot of folks like working in the field of either computer-generated graphics, rotoscoping, or other animation techniques that require a truly robust machine. Can we do these things on an intermediate laptop? More than likely, but there will be elements that ultimately wear your computer down faster because of it. Or, at the very least, take up way more time because your equipment just isn’t suited for these types of tasks. This is why we have a third level to explore. So, if you are looking for something grander, then come take a look at our next section intended for the pro-grade users.