Since Apple introduced its new M1 and M2 silicon chips, its Mac computers have become more popular and powerful than ever, especially for video and movie editing.
They have become the standard in video editing, largely because they are able to seamlessly handle heavy applications like Final Cut Pro X.
Many film and video editors prefer Mac computers over other PCs because of their build quality and the stability of their software.
If video editing is your forte and you are looking for a good computer, you will not find anything better than the Macs reviewed below.
If you do not know where to start, look for a Mac PC with at least 8GB or 32GB RAM and no less than 256GB of storage, since you’ll tend to store a lot of videos.
Screen size is also important when it comes to video editing. Mac computers with high-resolution screens larger than 21 inches should be ideal for you.
Also, remember to choose a Mac that can handle 4k videos smoothly. Good speakers are also an important element. Mac computers usually perform well in this regard.
Finally, make sure your Mac of choice has enough USB and Thunderbolt ports so you can connect external peripherals and drives.
Reassuringly, Apple claims that the M2 MacBook Pro offers six times faster video rendering than previous MacBooks powered by Intel. That’s because the M2 chip offers 20 percent more power and efficiency than previous chips.
The 19-core GPU can deliver 30 percent better graphics for video and editing purposes.
Plus, this notebook’s Neural Engine is 40 percent faster at video and image processing. You can be sure that your videos will be sharp and clear.
The Mac Studio is the first computer to use Apple’s in-house silicon chip. Its memory can be expanded up to 64 GB, so it can easily handle all heavy tasks.
The Studio can run 18 streams of ProRes 8k files without breaking a sweat.
Its single SSD, expandable to 8 TB, is capable of processing 7 different files simultaneously.
Studio’s latest PRO Display XDR screen helps you with all your editing sessions. You get vibrant colors and a large enough monitor for multitasking.
With the latest Apple Mac Studio, you get high-quality speakers that are robust and accurate, as good as any other professional audio system.
As for the design, the Mac Studio is sleek and slim. It has a built-in stand that raises the screen to eye level, so you do not have to constantly bend your neck.
The Apple Mac Pro offers endless power for video editing. It runs macOS Catalina and performs like a beast.
The Mac Pro can ramp up to 28 Intel Xeon cores. This makes it capable of handling extensive video editing software that consumes a lot of power.
The Mac Pro can be expensive, but you can configure it to your needs, which can bring the price down a bit. Its modular design allows you to upgrade parts of the system if needed in the future.
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09/29/2023 09:58 pm GMT
The device is well thought out. You can see that immediately when you look at the design, especially the vents on the side.
These vents allow the system to cool down quickly if the computer is overloaded and gets warm.
However, the likelihood of this happening is low because of how fast the CPU works. And because the CPU has many more cores than other computers, you can get a speed boost in time.
With the raw power of the Mac Pro, watching full-resolution 4k video should be a breeze. You can also open multiple photo or video editing applications and multitask.
The Apple Mac Pro is one of the fastest computers for video editing on the market and has the potential to be a solid companion on your editing journey.
4. iMAC (2021)
The 24-inch iMAC is another fantastic candidate for video editing.
With Apple’s M1 silicon chip with 7- and 8-core GPU, you can be sure it has enough power to handle heavy software.
Although thinner than its predecessor, the iMAC screen measures 24 inches with a 4.5k Retina display, providing a beautiful display unit perfect for editing videos and images.
Apple’s True Tone technology adjusts the screen brightness to match the environment.
If you like to work at night, you can activate the built-in Night Shift mode for a warmer tone.
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09/30/2023 01:13 pm GMT
As for storage capacity, you have the option to expand it to 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2 TB.
The new iMAC comes with Apple’s Magic Keyboard and mouse. With their latest technology, you will notice that clicking on the keyboard is smooth and quiet. The same goes for the mouse.
You probably will not need an external sound system when using the iMAC. Its six-speaker system with force-canceling woofers provides clear, high-quality audio.
If you need a fast computer that can handle all your video editing programs while being reasonably priced, the iMAC 2021 should be the solution.
The Mac Mini 2020 is brilliant and compact for video editing. Combine it with a good monitor and you have a powerful computer that can single-handedly process immense amounts of data.
With Apple’s M1 silicon chip under the hood, you also get an 8-core CPU and 16-core Neural Engine on the Mac Mini.
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Two displays of up to 6k resolution are also possible with this device, as it has HDMI 2.0, USB 3.0, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports.
The M1 processor has 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. They ensure that the chip runs smoothly, no matter how heavy the software is. Apple itself guarantees that this makes video editing seamless and easier.
As for software, the Mac Mini is equipped with Apple’s latest Big Sur. This includes Rosetta 2, which is responsible for keeping the system running smoothly.
It does such a good job that you will not notice any lags, even when using heavy applications at the same time.
If you already own a monitor, but lack good hardware for video editing, the Mac Mini can easily fill this gap.
Final Words
Choosing the best Mac for video editing with high-performing chips can be confusing, mainly because there are so many options to choose from.
The Apple laptops recommended above are equipped to handle all your video editing needs.
If you want to check out a few other options, try the 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021) and MacBook Air (2022).However, if you would like to do a little more research and look at a few more options, check out computer resource pages and guides here.
David Adler is an entrepreneur and freelance blog post writer who enjoys writing about business, entrepreneurship, travel and the influencer marketing space.
Since Apple introduced its new M1 and M2 silicon chips, its Mac computers have become more popular and powerful than ever, especially for video and movie editing.
They have become the standard in video editing, largely because they are able to seamlessly handle heavy applications like Final Cut Pro X.
Many film and video editors prefer Mac computers over other PCs because of their build quality and the stability of their software.
If video editing is your forte and you are looking for a good computer, you will not find anything better than the Macs reviewed below.
[Unsplash]
Mac computer specifications for video editing
Video editing software requires a lot of CPU power.
If you want to use software like Final Cut Pro X and Davinci Resolve, Apple’s Mac computers are an excellent choice.
If you do not know where to start, look for a Mac PC with at least 8GB or 32GB RAM and no less than 256GB of storage, since you’ll tend to store a lot of videos.
Screen size is also important when it comes to video editing. Mac computers with high-resolution screens larger than 21 inches should be ideal for you.
Also, remember to choose a Mac that can handle 4k videos smoothly. Good speakers are also an important element. Mac computers usually perform well in this regard.
Finally, make sure your Mac of choice has enough USB and Thunderbolt ports so you can connect external peripherals and drives.
[Unsplash]
The 5 best Mac computers for video editing
#1. M2 MacBook Pro
The M2 MacBook Pro, launched recently in 2023, is Apple’s latest computer that has what it takes to be the best MacBook for video editing.
This latest and greatest laptop supports up to 95 GB RAM, which means faster data processing and less lag during intensive tasks.
With 22 hours of video playback, you can be sure you’ll be able to edit a full day of video on a single charge.
If you are worried about visuals, know that you are getting a Liquid Retina XDR display that supports the P3 color gamut.
Reassuringly, Apple claims that the M2 MacBook Pro offers six times faster video rendering than previous MacBooks powered by Intel. That’s because the M2 chip offers 20 percent more power and efficiency than previous chips.
The 19-core GPU can deliver 30 percent better graphics for video and editing purposes.
Plus, this notebook’s Neural Engine is 40 percent faster at video and image processing. You can be sure that your videos will be sharp and clear.
2. Apple Mac Studio
The Mac Studio is the first computer to use Apple’s in-house silicon chip. Its memory can be expanded up to 64 GB, so it can easily handle all heavy tasks.
The Studio can run 18 streams of ProRes 8k files without breaking a sweat.
Its single SSD, expandable to 8 TB, is capable of processing 7 different files simultaneously.
Studio’s latest PRO Display XDR screen helps you with all your editing sessions. You get vibrant colors and a large enough monitor for multitasking.
Software like Adobe Premiere Pro works seamlessly.
With the latest Apple Mac Studio, you get high-quality speakers that are robust and accurate, as good as any other professional audio system.
As for the design, the Mac Studio is sleek and slim. It has a built-in stand that raises the screen to eye level, so you do not have to constantly bend your neck.
3. Apple Mac Pro
The Apple Mac Pro offers endless power for video editing. It runs macOS Catalina and performs like a beast.
The Mac Pro can ramp up to 28 Intel Xeon cores. This makes it capable of handling extensive video editing software that consumes a lot of power.
The Mac Pro can be expensive, but you can configure it to your needs, which can bring the price down a bit. Its modular design allows you to upgrade parts of the system if needed in the future.
The device is well thought out. You can see that immediately when you look at the design, especially the vents on the side.
These vents allow the system to cool down quickly if the computer is overloaded and gets warm.
However, the likelihood of this happening is low because of how fast the CPU works. And because the CPU has many more cores than other computers, you can get a speed boost in time.
With the raw power of the Mac Pro, watching full-resolution 4k video should be a breeze. You can also open multiple photo or video editing applications and multitask.
The Apple Mac Pro is one of the fastest computers for video editing on the market and has the potential to be a solid companion on your editing journey.
4. iMAC (2021)
The 24-inch iMAC is another fantastic candidate for video editing.
With Apple’s M1 silicon chip with 7- and 8-core GPU, you can be sure it has enough power to handle heavy software.
Although thinner than its predecessor, the iMAC screen measures 24 inches with a 4.5k Retina display, providing a beautiful display unit perfect for editing videos and images.
Apple’s True Tone technology adjusts the screen brightness to match the environment.
If you like to work at night, you can activate the built-in Night Shift mode for a warmer tone.
As for storage capacity, you have the option to expand it to 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, and 2 TB.
The new iMAC comes with Apple’s Magic Keyboard and mouse. With their latest technology, you will notice that clicking on the keyboard is smooth and quiet. The same goes for the mouse.
You probably will not need an external sound system when using the iMAC. Its six-speaker system with force-canceling woofers provides clear, high-quality audio.
If you need a fast computer that can handle all your video editing programs while being reasonably priced, the iMAC 2021 should be the solution.
5. Apple Mac Mini (2020)
The Mac Mini 2020 is brilliant and compact for video editing. Combine it with a good monitor and you have a powerful computer that can single-handedly process immense amounts of data.
With Apple’s M1 silicon chip under the hood, you also get an 8-core CPU and 16-core Neural Engine on the Mac Mini.
Two displays of up to 6k resolution are also possible with this device, as it has HDMI 2.0, USB 3.0, and two Thunderbolt 3 ports.
The M1 processor has 8 performance cores and 4 efficiency cores. They ensure that the chip runs smoothly, no matter how heavy the software is. Apple itself guarantees that this makes video editing seamless and easier.
As for software, the Mac Mini is equipped with Apple’s latest Big Sur. This includes Rosetta 2, which is responsible for keeping the system running smoothly.
It does such a good job that you will not notice any lags, even when using heavy applications at the same time.
If you already own a monitor, but lack good hardware for video editing, the Mac Mini can easily fill this gap.
Final Words
Choosing the best Mac for video editing with high-performing chips can be confusing, mainly because there are so many options to choose from.
The Apple laptops recommended above are equipped to handle all your video editing needs.
If you want to check out a few other options, try the 16-inch MacBook Pro (2021) and MacBook Air (2022).However, if you would like to do a little more research and look at a few more options, check out computer resource pages and guides here.