Best Macs for Video Editing in 2024
Jul. 15, 2024Apple offers an impressive lineup of video-editing Macs. Right from the portable MacBooks to the powerful Macs, there are dozens of options to choose from. Whether you’re a studio-quality editor or a first-time video editor, there’s an Apple machine designed just for you. However, with so many options, it can be quite difficult to pick the best Mac that can handle your workflow. But, you need not break a sweat as we’re here to help you pick the best option. In this article, we’ve listed the 5 best Macs for video editing that cater to everyone’s needs. Without further ado, let’s begin!
Additionally, you have the remarkably powerful M3 Pro or M3 Max chipset that can handle video editing tasks with ease. Popular video editing apps like DaVinci Resolve Studio, Final Cut Pro, and Adobe Premiere Pro have been amped up to unlock the full potential of Apple M3 and macOS. Furthermore, thebuilt-in SD card slotlets you transfer photos and videos directly from your camera.
The bigger 16-inch display makes the best video editing Mac for creative workflows. In case you want a portable laptop for video editing, you can opt for the 14-inch model as well. If you don’t need this much power and want to save money, you can go for the M2 Pro variant.ProsConsBest-in-class M3 Pro & M3 Max capabilitiesSlightly bulkyExcellent color accuracyComes with a huge price tagGreat selection of portsBig screen experience
2. Mac mini M2 Pro: Best Portable Mac for Editing Videos
The Mac Mini lets youchoose your CPUpower with an array of customization options. Of course, the M2 Pro variant is pretty expensive, but it also packs an astonishing amount of power. So, for a balance of power and price, the M2 Mac Mini is the best for video editing in budget.
The Mac mini can easily handle demanding apps like Adobe Premiere Pro, Cinema 4D, 3DS Max, and others. Additionally, there are 4x Thunderbolt 4 ports forconnecting multiple external monitors, 2x USB-A, an HDMI 2.0 port, a 10 Gigabit Ethernet port, and a 3.5mm headphone jack too. The ports sit nicely at the back so you don’t end up having a cluttered workstation. All in all, the Mac mini is the best video editing computer for compact workspaces.ProsConsSpace-saving designRAM tops out at up to 32GBUp to 4 Thunderbolt portsCheapest Apple machineM2 Pro is powerful
If you’re a professional video editor looking for the best desktop Mac with unmatched power, theM2 Ultra Mac Studiois simply unbeatable. The Mac Studio is like an elder sibling of the Mac mini with a mighty chassis and some additional ports.
Under the hood, the latest Mac Studio has anM2 MaxorM2 Ultrachip. If the M2 Max chip wasn’t already powerful enough, the M2 Ultra is basically two M2 Max chips combined for an insane amount of power. So, you can edit videos using Lightroom or Photoshop while opening multiple browser tabs or checking out a YouTube video. The M2 Ultra chip can handle it all without any lag, stutter, or other performance issues.
The M2 Max model lets you hook up to 5 external displays. Whereas, the M2 Ultra model lets you work with up toeight 4K@60Hz displays, six 6K@60Hz displays, or three 8K@60Hz displays. To sum up, the M2 Ultra Mac Studio is a pro-level option and a superb alternative to the expensive Apple Mac Pro. That said, it’s a worthy investment that will last you a long time.ProsConsPacks enormous powerOverkill for non-professional or first-time video editorsSupports up to 8 external displaysComes with a premium price tagCompact and sleek designRequires separate monitor, mouse, and keyboardIt offers a silent performance
The Mac Pro withM2 Ultrais Apple’s most power-packed & customizable computer, designed for pro-grade users. With a24-core CPUand up to 76-core GPU, the M2 Ultra Mac Pro lets you tackle the most demanding editing workflows with unbeatable speed and efficiency. So, studio editors can craft a feature-length film or edit super-long videos without any performance issues.
However, the Mac Pro doesn’t offer much speed or performance benefits over the Mac Studio. The only major advantage is that you canplug in expansion cardsto enjoy additional storage. That said, you get this at a stupidly premium price tag of $6,999, which is $5000 more than the price of Mac Studio. So, unless you have a very niche use case that requires a massive workstation to unleash all the available power, you may not really need this Apple computer.ProsConsIncredibly powerfulCan be an overkill for some usersUnique designThe most expensive Apple machinePack a well-thought array of portsOffers various configurations
Those were the best MacBooks and Macs for video editors. We hope you’ve found this article useful and that it has helped you pick the video editing machine of your dreams. So, which video editing Mac are you planning to buy? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.
The latest M3 Pro and M3 Max are amongst the most powerful and fastest Apple machines for video editing.
The optimal RAM depends on your work demands and what type of videos you wish to edit. For instance, if you have to edit HD videos, a 16GB RAM would suffice. On the flip side, if you have to work with longer and 4K videos, at least 32RAM is recommended.
If you’re a beginner who’s looking for the best video editing Mac on a budget, then the M1 MacBook Air is a decent option. You can edit your photos, social media videos, and other stuff. That said, be ready to deal with limited RAM, storage, and I/O ports. Overall, it’s a good machine for beginners, but we won’t recommend it for mid or high-level creatives.
Well, it depends on your needs, working style, and how much you’re willing to spend on a video editing machine. If you crave portability and the freedom to edit videos on the go, then a MacBook is more suitable. On the other hand, if you have a dedicated workspace iMacs and Macs are a great option, and they are more powerful than their laptop counterparts.
