Apple didn’t gain all the fame without any reason. The company has always proved to provide the most powerful laptops under a wide range of budgets.
It is not about just running after the latest MacBook for video editing but, how much power do you need for your work. In order to get your hands on the top laptop for handling more graphics-intensive apps beyond video editing, you must determine the nature of your work.
Do you want to edit wedding videos for your clients, YouTube channel videos for family, or simply enjoy editing home movies? Since all of these tasks require different power intensities, you must be very clear about your work type.
Best laptops for video editing are incredibly powerful devices and MacBook is one of them. Therefore, to assist you in the hunt for a premium adaptable tool for creative work, we have brought to you the best laptop for a video editing guide.
From a fantastic mid-range video editing laptop to a perfect laptop for beginners, hobbyists, and experts, this guide explains everything. So, without any further ado, let’s dive in.
Best MacBook Pro for Video Editing
How about giving a quick look at the important and unique features of every product in our listings? You can also check the price of each Mac and compare easily through the chart below.
| Best MacBook Pro for Video Editing | Features | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Apple MacBook Air 512GB | 13-inch, M1 chip, 512GB SSD, 18h battery | Check Price |
| Apple iMac Pro MQ2Y2LL/A | 27-inch, 5120x2880p, 32GB DDR4 RAM | Check Price |
| Apple MacBook Pro ME665LL/A | 15-inch, 2880x1800p, 512GB SSD, macOS 10 | Check Price |
| Apple MacBook Pro 2020 | 13-inch, 10th Gen, True Tone Technology | Check Price |
| Apple MacBook Air Gold | 13-inch, 8th Gen, Intel Core i5, Retina display | Check Price |
| Apple MacBook Air 256GB | 13-inch, M1 chip, 256GB SSD, 8-core CPU | Check Price |
| Apple MacBook Pro 2019 | 16-inch, 9th Gen, Intel Core 9, 1TB SSD | Check Price |
#1. Apple MacBook Air 512GB
The affordable Apple MacBook Air equipped with the M1 chip performs way beyond your expectations. It’s a combo of affordability and specs for beginner and film enthusiasts that make it difficult to beat for designers, students, and everyone.
Design and Connectivity
MacBook Air’s gorgeous thin and light design is no surprise because the manufacturers have not changed much in this model. The superior quality all-metal design looks incredibly attractive and gives that true MacBook feels. This MacBook Air is one of the most luxurious and highly portable models launched by Apple, so if you are a regular traveler, this laptop is for you.
Unluckily, this model fails to offer generous connectivity ports. On the left side are present dual USB-C ports whereas, a headphone port is on the right.
Display
As incredible as ever, MacBook never disappoints when it comes to screen display. Rightfully so, the 13-inch laptop has a Retina True Tone Display that displays an amazing resolution of 2560x1600p.
The laptop utilizes IPS technology and serves incredibly sharp image quality that can give you a cut if touched, kidding. The whopping pixel density is 227 PPI so that you can do your color-intensive work with great details.
If you are wondering what True Tone is, let us explain. It is a pretty amazing feature that has been integrated into iPhones and iPads as well and has made a great difference since the beginning.
This technology adjusts the color as well as the intensity of a display by using advanced multichannel sensors. It also adjusts the Touch Bar so that it gets easier to work in ambient or darker surroundings.
All in all, keeping the True Tone enabled or disabled is totally everyone’s personal preference. Just remember, it adds warmth to the display.
Processor
The processor is a seriously powerful component and must be powerful enough to run video editing apps smoothly regardless of how complex the videos you are editing are.
The MacBook Air 2020 is Integrated with a dual-core 10th generation Intel Core i3-1000NG4 processor. Core i3 might not be a favorite for professional creators. However, this MacBook has the ability to be upgraded up to the Intel Core i7 to cater to your processor-intensive needs.
Moreover, in this system, Apple has used an M1 chip which is an ARM-bases system on a chip (SoC). This chip is designed to handle processor computations along with the graphics output simultaneously.
High 16 cores are included in the chip which is further divided into several groups to perform different tasks. For example, a set of four cores is dedicated to performing complex computing calculations whereas, the other four are assigned a lighter task of power conservation and improvement of efficiency.
Graphics Processing Unit
Since a lower-powered GPU struggles with editing super-high definition stuff, the MacBook Air 2020 is installed with the Intel Iris Plus graphics processing unit. With this GPU, this laptop from Apple is surely a dedicated media creation system for the perfect rendering required for professional video editing.
[i2pc pros_icon=”icon icon-check-4″ cons_icon=”icon icon-ban-3″ show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]Reasonable18h battery life
Improved performance
10thgen processor
[/i2pros][i2cons]Limited connectivity options[/i2cons][/i2pc]
#2. Apple iMac Pro MQ2Y2LL/A
This iMac Pro comes under the collection of the most powerful MacBooks overall having a cutting edge processor, unbeatable power, and a lot more. So, if you like editing projects with terabytes of assets then, this is the best premium laptop for video editing.
Design and Connectivity
The sleek and eye-catching design of the iMac Pro complements every space. Whether you set it up on your office desk or workspace at home, its slim body and metallic look are to die for.
Dual fans are also installed in the sleek body of the iMac Pro for advanced cooling. Moreover, it is incredibly compact and has a space-saving design which leaves a lot of room on your desk.
As far as connectivity is concerned, iMac Pro is stacked with a rich connectivity layout that includes, four Thunderbolt 3 ports, four USB 3.0 ports, 10GB Ethernet port, SDXC card slot, and a headphone jack.
Display
All the incredibly powerful components are tucked exceptionally in the 27-inch display. iMac Pro or iMac with Retina 5K display are great for professional video editors who require a larger screen. A great quality display is one of the most important aspects that creative professionals look for.
The iMac Pro has a tremendous resolution of 5120x2880p that guarantees brilliant image quality. It is about the small yet highly useful details that make the iMac Pro the best laptop for video editing.
Since this is a laptop designed for creative professionals, it must have the best color reproduction for great accuracy. A P3 color gamut that is responsible for accurate colors is incredibly important for video editors and luckily, this laptop has it.
Processor
If you are looking for an exceptionally fast processor to edit 8K videos, look no further than the iMac Pro. As most of visual editors require a process with staggering power that can handle any video editing app with ease, this machine has an 18-core Intel Xeon W chip.
The biggest issue for video editors is the hard fills up quickly that makes them delete some files. However, SSD makes renders save and complete much faster, and therefore, this Mac provides you with a massive 1TB SSD storage space and 256GB RAM.
Graphics Processing Unit
This new iMac for video editing is nearly flawless in every aspect. Speaking of the GPU, it has AMD Vega 64X graphics having 16GB and HDM2. As a video editor, you must be pretty much aware of how vital 16GB is especially while working with 4K or 8K material.
Considering all the impressive specs, this iMac Pro is indeed a brilliant modern masterpiece without unnecessary bulk for professional video editors.
[i2pc pros_icon=”icon icon-check-4″ cons_icon=”icon icon-ban-3″ show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]Highly powerfulEffective cooling fans[/i2pros][i2cons]Very expensive[/i2cons][/i2pc]
#3. Apple MacBook Pro ME665LL/A
Editing videos is a joy and to make it even more joyful, we have one of the best MacBook Pro that will effectively work for video editing at different levels. From smoother editing experience to handling details of video with excellence, this Mac works exceptionally regardless of the complexity of the job.
Design and Connectivity
Apple has kept MacBook Pro’s iteration pretty similar for several years now. The changes in the appearance are pretty minor and the same is the case with this Apple MacBook Pro. It is still pretty eye-catching because of the extra slim design with a metallic finish.
This mac has a pretty generous connectivity layout which has the following ports: HDMI port, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, two USB 3.0 ports, SDXC card slot, and an audio jack.
Display
This brilliant video editing laptop has a 15-inch Retina Display which exhibits awesome screen rendition having a resolution of 2880x1800p. Now imagine, if a standard 1080p IPS screen can efficiently handle video editing, how well would this display work.
Since this is a powerful computer with powerful video editing capabilities, it has an ultra-sharp pixel density of 220 PPI. The highly luminous peak brightness of 460-nits and 126% sRGB color gamut adds to the overall visual performance.
Processor
Intense CPU and GPU can provide power for most video editing projects and that is what the majority of the pros look for. The MacBook Pro is equipped with the Intel Core i7 2.7 GHz processor.
Video editing is a serious task for any OS and processor but, having the high-end one means the desired results of your efforts. Therefore, it also has four independent cores of the processors on a single chip made out of silicon.
Forget worrying about the storage of your favorite videos and projects as you will get an enormous 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. The RAM size however cannot be upgraded but, for a video editor, 16GB works fantastically.
Graphics Processing Unit
A powerful GPU can amazingly reduce the time of editing and rendering videos and hence, this Mac has a dual graphics processor i.e., NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M. The GPU offers 1GB of GDDR5 memory along with an integrated graphics card for the level of editing you want i.e., Intel HD Graphics 4000.
[i2pc pros_icon=”icon icon-check-4″ cons_icon=”icon icon-ban-3″ show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]Travel-friendlyGorgeous Retina display
Great connectivity ports[/i2pros][i2cons]Same old design[/i2cons][/i2pc]
#4. Apple MacBook Pro 2020
This being is one of the latest Mac will be effective for video editing especially when you require a higher-end machine for doing digital animation or 4K editing. Whether you are a filmmaker or regularly perform video editing, the MacBook Pro 2020 handles complex video processing with exceptional capabilities and has high portability.
Design and Connectivity
Apple has not changed a lot in the design of its MacBook Pro, especially from the outside. When closed, it is hard to distinguish between the different models of the Mac Pro. It has the same super-slim space gray body. The differences are seen in the thickness are dimensions of these models.
Port-wise, Apple has once again restricted the connectivity options and integrated only the following ports: four Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) ports and an audio jack. As a professional, lack of other important ports such as USB-A could be pretty disappointing.
However, for the wireless connection, the laptop has Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology and 802.11ac Wi-Fi connectivity.
Display
It is absolutely right that higher resolution makes video editing joy and therefore, the laptop has an amazing resolution of 2560x2600p. Moreover, the Retina Display performs really well and delivers bright, vivid, and clear visuals on this 13-inch MacBook Pro.
To ensure excellent color reproduction, it is integrated with a wide P3 color gamut. Since the display utilizes an IPS panel, the brightness offers in mind-blowing i.e., 500-nits along with a pixel density of 227 PPI that is responsible for supporting millions of colors.
Though the factory-calibrated 4K display helps videographers enjoy incredibly sharp content. But, if you have a MacBook Pro, optimizing Mac for video editing is what must be done first and foremost.
Processor
Lashing CPU can use any best digital art software with ease to encode videos faster than any standard laptop. Hence, this Mac Pro has a 10th Generation, 2.0 GHz Intel Core i5 processor.
If your work requires intensive 3D renders or utilizing heavy programs, your Mac must have aggressive power to reach your targets without unnecessarily overcompensating. So, if a 2.0 GHz quad-core processor doesn’t seem ideal for video editing, you can Turbo Boost it up to 3.8 GHz.
Graphics Processing Unit
Unlike, other larger MacBook Pros, this one lacks a dedicated GPU that can operate any type of video editing, image editing software, or 3D programs. So, whether you want to send a 4K video smoothly or chew through a 4K video and encode faster than a standard laptop, you have to rely on the Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645 GPU. Since it is an integrated GPU, it can’t perform as exceptionally as dedicated GPUs do
[i2pc pros_icon=”icon icon-check-4″ cons_icon=”icon icon-ban-3″ show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]Great visual qualityHuge SSD capacity[/i2pros][i2cons]Ungenerous connectivity
Lacks a dedicated GPU[/i2cons][/i2pc]
#5. Apple MacBook Air Gold
If you hunt is for the most affordable MacBook that can run the best video editing software for editing 4K videos, hold your horses. We have this monster for video editing which is ideal for doing minor work for YouTube as well as extensive professional work.
Design and Connectivity
Here Apple takes the line again to where it actually belongs, the sleek-looking thin and light MacBook. Despite its lightweight and slim design, the MacBook Air is highly solid and durable. It has the same LED back-lit top and comes in three different colors. Undeniably, the rolling out of MacBook Air in gold color is another best thing Apple has done.
Here we go back at it again, the disappointing connectivity ports integrated into this laptop features two Thunderbolt 3 (USB Type-C) ports. Moreover, the manufacturers have put both on the left side rather than one port on each. This has also impacted versatility and convenience both.
Display
The 13-inch Retina Display offers a native resolution of 2540x1600p that is responsible for vibrant colors and clear visuals. Having an IPS technology, pixel density delivered is 227 PPI, ensuring millions of colors to be displayed on the screen for enhanced color accuracy.
The display also has True Tone Technology that makes it warmer to provide more comfort to the eyes. This technology becomes more useful in a darker environment or at night as it minimizes the blue light effect and gets easier on the eyes.
Processor
This MacBook Air has an 8th Generation, dual-core 1.6 GHz Intel Core i5 processor that works effectively with your favorite editing programs. However, you can upgrade it up to 3.6 GHz through Turbo Boost.
Some other configuration basics include 128GB storage, 8GB LPDDR3 RAM. If you want improved specs, you can buy a configuration having similar specifications. However, if you want to extend the storage up to 256GB, it would be a little pricey.
Graphics Processing Unit
Whether you work with raw HD or 4K video to create special effects or simply trim small clips to 720p, having a high-quality GPU must be the priority. Get an ultra-high-definition screen with the MacBook Air as it is equipped with Intel UHD Graphics 617.
[i2pc pros_icon=”icon icon-check-4″ cons_icon=”icon icon-ban-3″ show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]Great screen specsPocket-friendly
Beautiful design[/i2pros][i2cons]Low storage
Expensive upgrades
Poor connectivity options[/i2cons][/i2pc]
#6. Apple MacBook Air 256GB
Apple workstation is a professional platform for video editing specialists and the MacBook Air 2020 is without a shadow of a doubt the modern masterpiece without unnecessary bulk. Integrated with the new M1 chip, the MacBook Air guarantees smooth sessions of video editing making it an impressive option for a college student or budding short-film director without breaking the bank.
Design and Connectivity
There’s no surprise that the MacBook Air is one of the sleekest looking ultra-thin laptops present. Available in 3 sharp colors of Gold, Silver, and Rose Gray, these paper-thin notebooks have a sturdy built quality and are very much portable to use.
If we look at the keyboard, it is compact and very easy to use. Let’s not forget the Touch ID key present at the top right of your keyboard that provides ultimate security and easily one of the best fingerprint scanners we’ve ever seen on a laptop.
However, the number of connectivity options is limited on the MacBook Air with only two Thunderbolt 3 slots and a 3.5mm audio jack present.
Display
The 13.3-inch display provides a spectacular resolution of 2560 x 1600 pixels. The high-res bright display is perfect for drawing, video editing, or watching YouTube videos and the accurate and true-to-life colors make the video look better. The retina display is a glorious beauty that oozes out with vivid colors.
Whether you’re working in a bright office area or editing your own videos in a dark room, the MacBook Air display will be careful and easy on your eyes by using the True Tune Technology that adjusts the color temperature with the environment.
The MacBook Air has a wide, colorful palette, which is 25 percent more than the sRGB color gamut. It also delivers a brightness of 400 nits with razor-sharp clarity. Even though the smaller laptop can be portable but still powerful enough to handle complex video editing tasks.
Processor
Get editing power at your fingertips with an M1 chip that has an insane amount of processing power to boost your image as well as video processing. The same ARM-based chip transforms the performance of your laptop to another laptop.
What impresses the most about this laptop is the option of Machine learning on applications that enhances your photos and detects everything like a human brain. These types of calculations require a lot of time to process but the 16-core neural engine’s powerful processor makes video editing apps run faster and smoother.
Graphics Processing Unit
The MacBook Air has a large Ram and powerful graphics and CPU which is the utmost need of many video editors. Integrated with an 8-core GPU, the thin notebook delivers smooth and fast performance 5 times greater than the normal GPU. These powerful specs make it a kick-ass video editing machine to have.
[i2pc pros_icon=”icon icon-check-4″ cons_icon=”icon icon-ban-3″ show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]Long-lasting batterySwift speed and responsiveness
Accurate colors with retina display[/i2pros][i2cons]Basic old design[/i2cons][/i2pc]
#7. Apple MacBook Pro 2019
Our final product for today’s guide is this 16-inch MacBook Pro loaded with high-end components. No matter if you work at a freelance or industry position, this is indeed a better laptop for video editing in 2021.
Design and Connectivity
At the first glance, you won’t be able to see any notable change in the design of this MacBook Pro. Having the same metallic look and slim body, this model is not too different from its 15-inch predecessor. But, the 16-inch model has a larger footprint than the 15-inch which is certainly impressive.
One thing that everyone wishes that Apple changes in its Macs is the connectivity layout. The company offers pretty restricted ports in most of its models and the same is the case with this Mac Pro. Unfortunately, you only get four Thunderbolt 3 ports here along with an audio jack.
Display
Video editing is much comfortable on a larger screen and high resolution is a cherry on top. Luckily, Apple has maintained incredible visual quality even on the bigger screen. Currently, this MacBook Pro has the largest display among all the Macs out there. Previously MacBook Pro 17-inch had that crown before the company discontinued it in 2012.
Talking about the resolution, a whopping 3072x1920p resolution ensures clear, crisp, vibrant, and sharp visuals. its Retina Display enhances the overall visual performance of the laptop.
The laptop is integrated with an IPS panel technology and therefore offers an impressively wide P3 color gamut. Another panel-related feature includes an exceptional peak brightness of 500-nits for amazing bright whites.
Processor
This MacBook Pro provides a whole new level of performance, thanks to the fast Intel Core i9 processor. Having 16 threads and 8 cores of the processor, this laptop sustains incredible power and can help you edit the most type of videos pretty seamlessly.
Not to forget, you will get nearly 2.1x times faster and improved performance than the quad-core processor. So, whether you have to spend months of post-production work on extensive renders or clamoring for screen restate or simply transcode a 4K video to 1080p in few minutes, this is one of the most innovative video editing laptops for these purposes.
Graphics Processing Unit
The graphics card from AMD Radeon Pro 5000M series makes its debut into the MacBook Pro. It not only provides this incredibly powerful mobile workstation with a boost of graphical grunt but also ensures top-tier performance.
Another surprise is that for the first time ever, you can configure this Mac up to an enormous 8TB of SSD storage and 64GB of RAM. These specs have made this product a supremely powerful and dependable laptop for video editing.
[i2pc pros_icon=”icon icon-check-4″ cons_icon=”icon icon-ban-3″ show_title=”false” title=”Pros & Cons” show_button=”false” pros_title=”Pros” cons_title=”Cons” ][i2pros]Large display screenHigh-quality built-in speakers
Brilliant overall performance[/i2pros][i2cons]Pricey
Limited to four USB-C ports only[/i2cons][/i2pc]
How to choose a Mac laptop for Video Editing?
MacBooks are ideal for all levels of video editing but, which apple model is best for video editing? Buying a video editing laptop that along with performing well, can be integrated with Adobe Creative Cloud or any third party photo/video editing software is crucial.
Choosing the best Mac for video editing is an important task, as you need to be sure of getting the best specs on budget. It is important to understand the type of video editing and software you will need. Following are some of the key features that you need to consider when buying a Mac laptop for video editing.
#1. Screen Size
As a visual designer, it is one of the most important aspects to look for a bigger screen size. A bigger display let you edit at any resolution so why not opt for the largest possible display that comes under your budget?
Video editing is a highly resource-consuming process and has eye-intensive tasks that require constant work for prolonged hours. Therefore, if you have a smaller screen, you won’t be able to multitask effectively and it might cause strain on your eyes as well.
Make sure you go for the screen that has an adequate screen size. Note that a large high-definition 4K panel is perfect for video editing so, keep it your top priority.
#2. Display
Retina Display is the ultimate glorious beauty of Apple’s Macs. It is integrated into MacBook and iMacs that results in improved color saturation, vibrant visuals, and enhanced clarity. Note that different iMac and MacBook models having a Retina display differ in display features. These differences are based on the size of the screen, find more about it below:
MacBook models
All models rolled out in 2015 or later years have a resolution of 2304×1440 along with a pixel density of 226 PPI. These Macs have great support for millions of different colors.
MacBook Pro models
- 13-inch: Models launched in 2012 or later have a resolution of 2560x1600p along with a pixel density of 227 PPI. Nearly millions of colors are supported by these displays.
- 15-inch: Models launched in 20120 or later have a resolution of 2880x1800p along with a pixel density of 220 PPI. These also support nearly millions of different colors. The only exception to this category is the 15-inch MacBook Pro, rolled out in mid-2012.
- 16-inch: Models launched in 2019 have a resolution of 3072x1920p along with a pixel density of 226 PPI. These are relatively bigger screen models and support millions of colors for excellent color accuracy.
MacBook Air models
All Air models that are released in 2018 or later years have a resolution of 2560x1600p along with a pixel density of 227 PPI. These MacBook Air models are known to have excellent support for millions of unique colors.
iMac models
- 5-inch: Except for the 21.5-inch iMac released in late 2015 and 2017, all the models launched in 2015 or later have an incredible resolution of 4096x2304p. The models launched in 2015 have support for millions of different colors. Whereas, all models launched in 2017 or later have support for a whopping billion colors.
- 27-inch: Models launched in 2014 or later have a resolution of 5120x2800p. All of the iMac models that were rolled out in 2014 and 2015 have incredible support for millions of different colors. However, models from 2017 or later are even better in terms of color support i.e., one billion of them.
iMac Pro models:
All iMac Pro models regardless of their date of introduction have a resolution of 5120x2880p. These models are also capable of supporting around one billion unique colors and hence deliver the best-ever image quality.
#3. Resolution
The more is always better and that is why expert video editors look for the highest possible resolutions. 4K has been the most favorite of them all however, editing massive projects in 4K requires a bigger system with a decent amount of power.
Since the 4K display ensures vibrant and accurate colors in videos, you must look for the MacBook having 4K or higher resolution. With such an amazing resolution, you will be able to edit any type of footage with guaranteed unimaginable performance in a compact laptop.
Editing on an Apple machine is all fun and games only if you get your hands on the best Mac with the desired native resolution. Another benefit of having a greater resolution is that the laptop would help in previewing 4K footage natively.
If you are inexperienced in this field and want a MacBook for casual home video or YouTube vlog, we suggest you go for an entry-level MacBook first. It is recommended to check out some video editing tutorials for non-editors on Mac if this is your first time so that you can make the most of your skills.
#4. Color Quality
Color quality depends on various factors such as color gamut, brightness, contrast ratio, etc. Adobe RGB is the most widely used color gamut for video editing and it really does the tricks. So, look for a laptop that covers a minimum of 90% sRGB color gamut. It is responsible for color reproduction therefore, the greater the percentage, the better the color reproduction.
Brightness plays a vital role in the overall color accuracy especially when you want to edit videos. Brightness is measured in nits and must be balanced within 150 to 250 nits.
Lastly, the contrast ratio is responsible for displaying brighter whites and deeper darks, the ratio must be at least 800:1. Remember that this is just the minimum ideal limit for the contrast ratio, the higher it goes, the better it gets.
#5. Processor
Since digital video places a ton of demand on processing power, you need to be sure that a powerful processor is present on your laptop. The new Apple M1 processor is certainly the future of Apple as it enhances the performance as well as the battery life.
Our sincere advice is: the more important your video editing job is to you; the more cores of the processor you must prefer. Core i7 and i9 are great options for video editing as they offer hyper-threading. You can also opt for a Xeon processor since it offers hyper-threading as well.
Gaming laptops are integrated with exceptional processors and the best gaming laptops are powerful enough to handle editing and deliver great results in different output formats. So, if you find a gaming laptop that meets the requirements of your favorite video editing software, purchase it right away.
#6. Graphics Processing Unit
The more important having a top-notch GPU is, the more hassle it can become for you with the MacBook. Apple has a limitation on graphics cards when it comes to its Macs. You won’t be able to find or use NVIDIA graphics cards in any of the MacBooks, AMD works here only.
But, just like Apple has made processor transitions by developing its own, we can expect the company to release its very own graphics card as an ultimate solution for all.
Graphics cards are the key to smooth and fast visuals without lagging and rendering issues. Remember that a dedicated graphics card is always better than an integrated one. You can make your lower-level graphics card work a lot better by using an integrated graphics card, a dedicated graphics card on the other hand would do everything exceptionally.
#7. RAM
RAM is another factor that you must consider while purchasing a MacBook Pro for video editing. Everyone wants to get as much RAM size as possible but, how much you actually need totally depends on the type of video you are working on and the size of editing software you use.
To get the ultimate Apple device for video editing, you need solid RAM. Since Apple doesn’t really provide great upgrading offers for RAM, we recommend you to go for the maximum one.
For working in HD or 4K, you need a minimum of 32GB RAM for a smooth experience. On the other hand, for working on the advanced editing tasks at 8K, 360-degree video editing or 3D modeling, 64GB of RAM is required.
#8. Storage
There is no denying the fact that storing larger video files requires a physical HDD disk. Also, many users complain about Mac being slow and overloaded with tons of unneeded files or duplicated videos of images. That is when a Mac memory cleaner must be used.
This highly useful app clears all the unnecessary data eating up a significant amount of your Mac’s storage. Moreover, video editing requires minimizing memory overload and maximizing disk space hence, the Mac cleaner would work for it as well.
Therefore, we suggest you buy nothing less than 512GB to enjoy a smooth and comfortable editing process.
#9. Connectivity
Editing videos means that you must require some of the most suitable peripheral and softwares to use with the laptop. Apple is really generous when it comes to the connectivity ports. So, if you are someone who requires different connectivity options, make sure you check the port layout of the Mac.
#10. Software compatibility
As we have just mentioned above, video editing is not complete without some additional peripherals and great editing software. Before you make the final purchase, don’t forget to check the compatibility of the MacBook with the requirements of editing software.
Generic Mac can crash or give kernel panics while running Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro and give Adobe After effects. Therefore, look for the MacBook that is compatible with the editing software you use.
#11. Budget
Most of the Macs are expensive which is why you must determine your budget before buying one. If you can’t afford the expense of a professional setup, check some low-priced Macs.
In our guide below we have a MacBook with a wide range of budgets. Set your budget, check the specifications, and get your hands on the most affordable MacBook.
#12. Additional features
Now that you have read about all the essential factors of a high-quality MacBook for video editing, what about shedding some light on the additional features?
Think about a good-quality webcam, powerful built-in speakers, and a nice keyboard. As the Touch Bar offers a new dimension of functionality, it must have a balanced yet efficient sensitivity.
While working on complex videos, you can totally forget the idea of recharging your laptop. Furthermore, if you travel more, make sure the laptop has a gives an adequate battery time because huge battery life increases the portability of a device.
Choosing a processor for video editing?
As mentioned above, processors are extremely crucial for performing intense video editing tasks on your MacBook. For choosing a processor, focus on the resolution you demand because the higher the resolution, the higher the processor.
Low-end GPU can create a bottleneck worsening video editing performance hence, don’t settle for less, do your research and find the best MacBook Pro with the top-tier processor.
Is GPU or CPU important for video editing?
Video editing is the process of retrieving therefore changing and storing data requires enormous processing power. There is plenty of video editing software available and each tends to use different hardware components.
Working with CGI and other 3D graphics requires a strong GPU meanwhile other software with lesser functions uses the CPU more heavily. You will also find programs such as Premiere Pro that require power from your Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) and the Central Processing Unit (CPU) hence both are important for them.
For software like Adobe Premiere, CPU is more important than GPU; however, if you plan on using software like DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Suite for editing stuff, a top-end graphics card is needed.
One of the most common debates you can look for is Intel vs Silicon. Apple introduced their very own Silicon Processor known as the Apple M1. The Macs to silicon processor based on Arm architecture is making Mac super powerful (hyper-threading) resulting in the creation of fan-less laptops with improved thermal efficiency and longest battery life.
In contrast to Intel’s Tiger Lake chip, the Apple M1 chip has 8 cores and threads, which results in delivering high-quality performance with swift speed. Although, Intel’s Tiger lake chip is suitable for playing AAA games like Call of Duty Warzone and Hitman 2. On the other hand, the M1 chip is capable of playing seamless 8K videos and 3D motion pictures.
When choosing the best MacBook for video editing, you need to be sure of what type of hardware components you require for your editing software to run smoothly. The majority of the Macs own GPUs will be using Tile Based Deferred Rendering (TBDR) compared with Immediate Mode Rendering (IMR) used by Intel, NVIDIA, AMD, etc. However, the macOS is only compatible with AMD graphics cards hence you have to very careful at the time of upgrade.
Our Final Thoughts
Video editing is the finest example of technical work that consumes the CPU power and RAM of a machine unlike any other. To our luck, we have some video editing winners from Apple that can handle the rendering software easily.
Whether you are less dedicated video editors aiming to produce top-quality content without using any demanding software, an amateur film-maker, a hobby video editor, or a professional editing geek, we have products for you all.
In the guide above, we have mentioned almost all Mac laptops most videographers need. We hope that you have carefully checked the system requirements, technical specs, and additional features of all the laptops above.
Well, good luck with the shopping, hope you find the best Mac for video production.
