Rather than comment on specific models, I offer this general advice.

1. Check out the processor on this page. For high-def video, your processor should rate at least 10,000 on these benchmark tests. For UHD/4K, you may need a bit more power. https://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

Back that up with 12 or more gigs of RAM.

2. PowerDirector, like most consumer programs, does not depend heavily on a GPU. Put most of your money into a fast processor. But here's a list of the best graphics cards. https://www.videocardbenchmark.net/high_end_gpus.html

3. A solid state hard drive will get you the fastest performance. But that may limit how large your hard drive can be. A 1 terabyte drive is pretty minimal for video editing. I prefer a 3 terabyte, but I've also had success using a 1 terabyte SSD for my main drive an a 2-3 terabyte external drive, connected via USB, for my video and media storage.

Considering the speed processors run today, it's hard to go wrong. Just get a laptop with a good-sized screen and a fast processor and you should have no problem running this program IMHO.

Quote
I live in Spain and have a few friends who have bought from Backmarket and the quality of the laptops is first class, so i've been looking on there but I'm left a little bamboozled by lots of the figures on there. My budget is only around €400

Thhose money barely can buy a decent desktop. A laptop in that price range would be as useful as your old one.
Unless heavily discounted.

Good point, Sonic! How did I miss that detail?

Ironically, you could probably get a pretty powerful refurbed desktop for $400-600. But a laptop with the guts to do any real video editing would more like start at $600.

Quote Hi everyone,

In short, my current laptop is dying and i need a new one. However, funds are tight and so I'm looking at refurbished laptops and thinkpads. Having done some research, it would seem that core i5 is the minimum, i7, if possible,, even better. Then a decent graphics crd and minimum 256 SSD.

Hi,

Two things to consider:
What sort of editing, particularly effects and enhancements, will you normally do?
How much time do you have?

I still travel with a lightweight Asus i5 from 2011 with an SSD upgrade. I have never used the Nvidia GT520m GPU. It has been all over including the humidity of the tropics and the heat of the middle east.
BUT
It will not (realistically) do 4K, it is slow to very slow to terminal previewing and rendering with any sort of enhancements like color grading, but it is generally OK with straight 1080 or lower. By no means quick but OK!

So, if you are just doing straightforward HD edits, with no enhancements or multiple timelines or complex effects, then a low power laptop like those you mention may do your job, but you will need to be patient!

You may find it useful to alter your workflow to edit in many smaller sub-projects and then do a final compilation using SVRT to minimise any re-rendering rather than loading the laptop with a full project done as a single job.

If you have deadlines to meet and clients to keep happy then you need to raise the budget, if you are sitting in a nippa palm hut on a tropical island with a beer then set it going and have another beer and another......

One further thing, the basic requirements of the software do change over time, so please check the minimum system specs required and also note that some functions, like AI, will require a way more high powered system to even load!

Cheers
PowerDirector Moderator

1. Quote
   
   Thhose money barely can buy a decent desktop. A laptop in that price range would be as useful as your old one.
   Unless heavily discounted.

Hi. Backmarket is a website that seels refurbished laptops but for really low prices. I will keep looking as havenn't decided on exactly what i want yet, my budget is more like €650 now, so i should be able to get something decent.

Thanks