With Apple's software tools optimized for video editing, the work becomes more comfortable and swifter, though not the fastest or most powerhouse MacBook, the redesigned Air does get the sturdiness of a. Best Affordable Apple Laptop for Video Editing MacBook Air. Usually, when people hear about Apple products, there is a common belief that the particular product in question is expensive. While it is true in many cases, the MacBook Air is the exception and is one of the most affordable laptops in the market today for editing purposes. My current Macbook Pro (13inch Ret / i5 2.7 / 16GB / 256GB) has suffered a total loss due to water damage, and after reading countless of articles and threads about which Macbook to buy, I'm still at a loss. Sorry to ask you guys, but I'm in serious need of advice. I use my MBP for photo and video editing. Mostly in RAW and 1080, but sometimes 4k.
- Which Macbook Should I Buy For Video Editing Free
- Which Macbook Should I Buy For Video Editing Quiz
- Which Macbook Should I Buy For Video Editing Test
- Video Editing For Macbook Air
- Which Macbook Should I Buy For Video Editing For Beginners
Looking for one of the best laptops for video editing? Whether you are a professional editor or someone who dabbles in video editing for personal or commercial reasons, you need a good product that has a great display and sufficient power to perform heavy tasks. Though this may sound simple, it's actually harder than shopping for gaming or entertainment laptops. The reason for this is because video editing is actually one of the most taxing tasks that can be performed on a desktop computer. So, finding a laptop for the same purpose is no easy task.
Editing small home videos or small clips may not be that difficult, nor would it require a powerful laptop, but working on short films or professional videos is a completely different feat. You need a laptop that can not only pack a serious punch performance-wise but also have a great display with great colors and clear visuals. A lot of laptops feature screens that often create a specific tint on the display. You should never go for such a laptop if you want to do editing work. You want the laptop to have accurate colors and a high definition display with a great resolution.
Apart from the display and performance you also, of course, want a laptop that looks and feels good too. Your laptop is essentially your workplace and you definitely want a workplace that will feel inviting instead of a machine that you constantly get frustrated about. If the laptop looks and feels good, chances are you will feel like working more, as it won't feel like a chore.
When buying a laptop you will use to edit the videos, there are several important things you will have to consider. Keep in mind that the best video editing software, won't run smoothly if your computer is slow. You will need a great processor and graphics card. When it comes to RAM memory, 8 GB is a minimum, but if you decide to get a laptop with 16 GB RAM, for instance, the better. You always need to have enough storage space, so a 1 TB hard drive sounds like a good idea. That way, you won't have to worry about how and where to store the material. The size of the screen and its quality is also important. Let's see the best laptops for video editing.
See also: Best laptop trackpad
Which Macbook Should I Buy For Video Editing Free
Buying Guide
Video editing is one of the most strenuous tasks on a laptop because obviously you can't develop and render video games or use it as a server. Therefore, editing videos will demand the highest processing power, RAM and a graphics card that would do justice to your professional requirements.
- Internal components are important – The hardware specifications of the laptop you are about to buy is extremely important. AMD processors are amazing at multi-core performance when you have lots of different plugins and edited videos to be run at varied resolutions while Intel is best for single-core tasks.
- Mac or Windows? This is a crucial question to ask because Macintosh by Apple has some exclusive video editing tools like the Final Cut Pro. If you are a fan of Avid or have used Windows video editing software programs, it will not be advisable to go for a Mac. If you aren't, you should definitely stick to your familiar ecosystem.
- Display resolution and color accuracy – The display resolution if it is in 4K is great but it will stress your graphics card while video editing is in progress. However, the advantage is that you can edit videos of the highest resolution and export it. Color accuracy on the display helps retain the originality of your videos.
- Heat management – Rendering videos after they are edited will always be taxing on the PC hardware. Laptops because of their compact design tend to heat up a lot and the design you choose should be able to withstand hours of video rendering. It is an essential requirement for professionals who work long hours on video content.
- Weight – The weight of the laptop should be manageable. If you are a photographer or a videographer who has to work in the field, a heavy device is not easy to move around with. Go for a well-balanced device that is durable yet lightweight.
Best laptops for video editing
Getting a top-quality laptop for video editing and rendering isn't as simple as you may think because there are many great laptops available in the market, but we are going to share some of the best ones.
A Great Laptop for Video Editing
Dell XPS 15
If you are looking for a 15-inch laptop for performing intense video editing tasks, then the Dell XPS 15 might be the product for you. It features an Intel Core i5-7300HQ / i7-7700HQ processor, a 4 GB NVidia GeForce GTX 1050, 8 GB / 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD / 1 TB HDD storage and an awesome 15 inch display.
Design-wise, the Dell XPS 15 looks very similar to its predecessor; the XPS 13 as the only key change is the refinement done on the keyboard. This laptop features very comfy keys and there's plenty of space on the keyboard, making typing easy and convenient. The touchpad has a nice click to it. This may turn some off, but there are many who love their keyboards to be clickety-clack.
One thing that stands out on the XPS 15 is the gorgeous display which features a pixel density of 282 PPI which is actually higher than the MacBook Pro which has 220 PPI. One thing though is the placement of the webcam which is on the left side due to the design of the display. This shouldn't be a big problem as it's more of an aesthetic issue than a functionality one.
This laptop isn't meant for high-end gaming but its more than enough for doing intensive editing work. The 4k display, 4 GB RAM and the Intel Core i5 processor will do a great job of providing sufficient power to allow you to edit videos with ease. Another good thing about this laptop is the improved battery life. For this model, Dell used a Kaby Lake processor and a 97Whr battery which is far more efficient than the previous 84Whr one.
All in all, this Dell XPS 15 is a great choice if your primary need is video editing. It's not by any means the most powerful machine available in the market, but you get great value for the price you have to pay.
Apple version microsoft office. Why should you buy this?
- This laptop is beneficial for students who are keen on high-performance.
- Regarded as one of the best models for video editors
- The CPU performance can take a maximum load
- The best bet for all gaming lovers
- Wi-Fi card offers faster connections.
One of the Most Powerful Laptops for Video Editing
HP ZBook Studio G4
If you like editing videos with a lot of power under the hood of your laptop, then there's no doubt this laptop is the best, perfect choice for you. It comes with an Intel Xeon E3-1505M v6 processor, NVidia Quadro M2200/HD Graphics P630, 16 GB RAM, 512 GB SSD and a 15-inch display. It looks absolutely stunning with its sleek design, stylized HP logo and aluminum body. It weighs about 5.73 pounds, making it relatively easy to carry around. The weight is by no means negligible, but it's great for the sheer amount of power this machine can give out.
One great aspect of this laptop's design is the number of ports it has. The left side has an Ethernet jack, 2 USB 3 ports and an SD card reader, while the right side comes with 2 Thunderbolt 3 connectors, a USB 3 port, an HDMI port and a headphone jack. So, if you like hooking up external devices when editing videos, this laptop will surely please you.
The display offers brilliant, vivid colors and sharp visuals perfect for video editing. When you watch a 4k movie on this laptop, you will spot colors that you never noticed before. All this is because of HP's award-winning DreamColor technology that allows the display to produce nearly 175 percent of the RGB spectrum which is pretty insane.
The performance is where this laptop truly shines. If you go for the upgraded version with 32 GB RAM, this laptop will glide through intense editing work like a hot blade on butter. When it comes to sheer power, it absolutely crushes most of the popular notebooks at the same price point. However, with all this power, you will lose out on battery life. The average battery life of notebooks in this range is usually 7 hours, but this laptop goes for only 4 hours and a few minutes. It's a small price to pay however for the immense power it packs.
Why should you buy this?
- Different video editor software can be supported
- The amazing 15-inch display offers amazing display quality
- Strong aluminum body for students with a carefree attitude
- Classy design makes it trendy
- The overall performance of the laptop is outstanding
A Mobile Workstation for Video Editing
Lenovo ThinkPad P70
The Lenovo ThinkPad P70 features a 2.8 GHz Intel Xeon E3-1505M v5 processor, a 2 GB NVidia Quadro M5000M, 16 GB DD4 RAM, 1.024TB (2x512GB) SSD storage and a 17.3 inch display. This laptop was the first in the market to come with the Intel's Skylake processor, which is in many ways far better in performance, than the standard Broadwell and Haswell chips. One part where this product is unique from its competitors is the extraordinary amount of storage space you get, as well as a wide array of ports for connecting external devices.
Design-wise this laptop surely isn't one of the sleeker thin ones on the market but if your job is to edit videos then performance and a great display are far more important. The Lenovo ThinkPad P70 offers you everything you need to have a great video editing experience, as it offers a great 4k display, amazing performance and plenty of ports to attach any external add-on devices. You get 4 USB 3.0 ports, an HDMI DisplayPort 1.2, an Ethernet jack, microphone and headphone combo jack.
What's great about the display of the P70 is the X-Rite calibration tool that sits on the keyboard deck. It can be used to calibrate the colors appearing on your screen, so you can get them to accurate levels based on your work needs. This, coupled with the great power you get from the Xeon processor, makes for one great machine that can perform intense tasks with ease. Another great aspect of this product is that you can configure the storage space to get about 3 TB total storage, which is great if you work with large video files.
Why should you buy this?
- Amazing storage space helps students to save large files.
- High-performance makes video editing tasks easier.
- A wide array of ports helps in connecting external devices easily.
- Fast performance CPU and amazing Graphics Card
- Great picture quality can be achieved by a 17.3-inch display
Best Affordable Apple Laptop for Video Editing
MacBook Air
Usually, when people hear about Apple products, there is a common belief that the particular product in question is expensive. While it is true in many cases, the MacBook Air is the exception and is one of the most affordable laptops in the market today for editing purposes. The MacBook Air comes with an Intel Core i5, Intel HD Graphics 6000, 8 GB RAM, 128 GB / 256 GB SSD storage and a 13-inch display. While it is far more powerful than the previous Air models, it is, however, important to note that this product is more for amateur editors and those who usually have to work on relatively smaller files.
The MacBook Air has enough power to help you with your editing works. However, it isn't made for exceptionally intense tasks. Moreover, the speakers are pretty mediocre compared to other products in the same price range. The trackpad offers a nice and fluid feel, making navigation a great experience. What makes this laptop unique is the number of ports which is more than what you usually see on MacBooks. The bundled software also allows you to get some assistance when it comes to editing videos.
All in all, when you look at the amount of performance you get, the great display, the bundled software and a great battery life of nearly 13 hours for just $1000, the MacBook Air is a great laptop to have.
Why should you buy this?
- One of the most trusted brands
- Students would love the looks of this laptop
- Best laptop for amateur video editors
- 13 hours of battery life is one of the key features
- The spectacular design makes it one of the best choices
Best Affordable Windows Laptop for Video Editing
Lenovo Yoga 720
The Lenovo Yoga 720 is perhaps the most affordable and best value Windows laptop in the market today, with an Intel Core i5 / i7 processor, NVidia GeForce GTX 1050 graphics, 8 GB / 16 GB RAM, 256 GB / 512 GB SSD and a 15.6-inch display screen. It really combines features and price at a great sweet spot, to give us a product that offers great value for the amount we have to pay. Moreover, you also get the added functionality of a 2 in 1 laptop.
This laptop looks absolutely gorgeous and it feels like your favorite pillow; comfortable and addictive. Once you use it, you really don't feel like going away from it. It has a very durable body, but it doesn't look bulky at all. You can rotate the screen to the angle you wish and enjoy your favorite content no matter where you are. The base model comes with only a 1080p screen, but you do have the option for a 4k display if you need it.
When it comes to performance, the Lenovo Yoga 720 crushes everything in its path. When you compare it to its competitors, it demolishes them even with half the RAM. It may not beat the most intense performance tests, but it easily offers as good or greater performance than products that come at a higher price. For the price point it comes at, it is an absolute beast.
As far as the battery life is concerned, the Lenovo Yoga 720 does a decent job of providing up to 7 hours with medium usage. What makes this laptop such a great value is that it offers a good bit of everything to give us a well-balanced, powerful and affordable product perfect for editing needs.
Why should you buy this?
- One of the suitable laptops for students from a cost perspective
- The keyboard of this laptop is user-friendly.
- Full-HD quality touch display makes it a perfect choice.
- Can be used as both laptop and tablet
- No need to carry a charger everywhere as the battery life is brilliant
Other laptops worth buying
Best Laptop For Gaming and Video editing
ASUS ROG GL551JW-DS71 15.6-Inch
In the world of top quality laptops, Asus is one of the leaders. This model, ASUS ROG GL551JW-DS71 15.6-Inch has the Intel Core i7 processor (2.6 GHz), 16 GB RAM, 1 TB HDD storage and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 M Discrete graphics, which makes it one of the best laptops for video editing and gaming. It runs with the Windows 8.1 Operating System.
Why should you buy this?
- 1 TB storage space makes it easy to store large files
- Considered to be one of the best gaming laptops for students
- Comes with high-quality video card suitable for gaming
- One of the most affordable laptops for students
- High-end Intel Core i7-4720HQ processor is used to make the processing faster
Which Macbook Should I Buy For Video Editing Quiz
Best Laptop From ASUS For Gaming
ASUS ROG G751JL FHD 17.3 Inch Laptop
If Asus is among your favorite brands, but you are looking for a screen that is bigger than 15.6-inch the model above has, then you should consider ASUS ROG G751JL FHD 17.3 Inch Laptop. This one comes with the Intel Core i7 processor (2.6 GHz), 1 TB HDD, NVIDIA GTX965M, and 16 GB RAM. It runs Windows 8 operating system. It is available on Amazon with a free upgrade to Windows 10.
Why should you buy this?
- A large screen makes it comfortable to play games.
- Supports almost all the video editing software
- Is designed to meet the expectations of new-gen
- Music lovers will love this laptop for amazing audio quality.
- Stronger body with aluminum chassis
Best Laptop From Lenovo With Excellent Features
Lenovo Y50 UHD Touchscreen Laptop
Another excellent laptop that is on the list of the best laptops for video editing is Lenovo Y50 UHD Touchscreen Laptop. It comes with the Intel Core i7 processor (2.6 GHz), NVIDIA GeForce 860M graphics, 256 GB solid-state drive, 16 GB RAM, and a 15.6-inch screen. Editing videos on this laptop will be a completely new experience, and if you like to play games this might be the machine for you as it is among the best. It runs Windows 8.1.
Why should you buy this?
- User-friendly features of this laptop make it ideal for this generation
- Intel Core i7 processor for a tremendous performance
- Best laptop for playing games
- Offers an amazing experience for gamers
- The 15.6-inch screen makes it superb for editing videos
Great Laptop With Long Battery Life
Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display (newest version)
It is hard to imagine any list of the best laptops or phones without Apple's products. Apple MacBook Pro with Retina display is a great choice for video editors. This laptop has an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB RAM, 13.3-inch Retina display, and 512 GB of storage, with up to 10 hours of battery life. It runs OS X Yosemite.
Why should you buy this?
- An amazing blend of advanced technology and user-friendliness
- It has a solid aluminum unibody construction
- Has the best combination of hardware and software
- SSD modules offer brilliant performance
- One of the best laptops for video editing
A Powerful Laptop With Excellent Video Cutting Features
Acer Aspire V17 Nitro Black Edition
When it comes to powerful laptops for video editing, Acer Aspire V17 Nitro Black Edition deserves to be on the list of the best ones. This model comes with the Intel Core i7 processor, 16 GB RAM, 1 TB hard drive, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860 M, 17.3-inch screen and 4-hour battery life. Windows 8.1 is the operating system.
Why should you buy this? Apple computer setup.
- Almost all the video editing software is supported
- The 17.3-inch screen offers an amazing crisp display
- Comes with NVIDIA GeForce GTX 860 M video card
- 1 TB HDD allows students to save large files
- 16GB RAM makes it pretty good in terms of speed
See it on Amazon
Best Laptop With Excellent Performance
Toshiba Satellite S55-C5262
Toshiba Satellite 15.6-inch laptop is an excellent choice for those who are looking for laptops for video editing. It comes with Intel Core i7-5500U 2.4 GHz Processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M Graphics, 1 TB 5400 rpm Hard Drive, and 12 GB RAM. Its price starts from $1,339.
Why should you buy this?
- Video editing becomes easy with a larger screen
- Intel Core i7-5500U, 2.4 GHz Processor, offers brilliant speed
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 950M video card gives great gaming experience
- It is easy to carry as it is very slim
- The competitive price makes it popular amongst the students
Best Cheap Laptop For Video Cutting From Dell
Dell Inspiron 15 i-5558-5718SLV
If you have a limited budget, this laptop is a great option because it comes with all the essentials for video editing. It has a 5th generation Intel Core i5-5200U 2.20 GHz with turbo boost technology, Intel HD Graphics 5500, 1TB 5400 RPM SATA Hard Drive, 8GB RAM, 10-finger multi-touch support, backlit keyboard, and HD LED-backlit touchscreen.
Why should you buy this?
- One of the most trusted brands of laptop
- Known for offering a high-quality gaming experience
- Latest features to provide high-quality video editing experience
- Brilliant audio quality provides a great experience for music lovers
- Widescreen makes it easy for working
One Of The Best Laptop With High-End specifications
Lenovo Z51-70 – 80K6002PU 15.6-inch Laptop
Another best option to look for that is powered with Intel Core i7-5500U processor, 16GB DDR3 RAM, 1 TB HDD storage to offer you the smooth experience. The screen is big 17.3 inches with 1920×1080 resolutions inches and runs on windows 8.1. Video editing is a great experience in this model and you can do that with the extreme comfort level.
Why should you buy this?
- Lenovo is one of the well-known brands.
- Light-weight feature of the laptop makes it easy to carry
- Students can consider this laptop as it is of low-maintenance.
- Long battery hours make it convenient to use
- Available at a competitive price
You may also read: Best computer for AutoCAD
FAQs
What is the maximum display size required for video editors?
A video editor can make use of any display size. The contents look bigger and better on larger displays. However, you shouldn't go beyond a 15-inch display because laptops are supposed to be portable and buying a huge gadget doesn't support portability.
Should I buy an external hard disk for storage?
The video files shot in 4K resolution or many hours of HD videos will definitely require terabytes of space. Most laptops are bundled with 2TB of hard disk and buying an external hard drive is the best way to handle your growing storage needs.
How do I choose the best hardware configuration balance for video editing?
The flagship Intel and AMD processors are capable of handling complex video editing tasks. At the same time, you should pair them up with a good graphics card and 16GB or 32GB of RAM so that the plugins can run simultaneously while you are editing the video.
What brand makes the best video editing laptops?
The brand list may be quite endless but the most popular choices are Dell, HP, Asus and Lenovo. A lot of newcomers have entered the market and it is up to you to pick the model based on your budget, hardware configuration and display size. You should also check the regional warranty before choosing the best-branded laptop.
Should I buy an Apple laptop or a Windows laptop?
Most video editors continue to argue over this point even though there is no straight answer to this question. If you have already been using a Mac for years and like Final Cut Pro or other Mac software for your video editing, you simply won't be satisfied with Windows operating system. For everyone else, Windows offers the most choices of software programs and ease of use.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to video editing, it comes down to having the right tools. With bad tools, you can spend hours or even days working on a single file, only to get frustrated and tired at the end product and experience. You may think that something as intensive as video editing may require an incredibly expensive high-end system, but in today's market, you can get yourself some awesome deals. The level of competition is so great in this space that every company has to innovate and offer more affordable products to dominate it. With a little bit of research and browsing a few reviews here and there, you can get a good idea of what will work for you.
These are some of the best laptops for video editing and all of them have powerful processors, enough RAM, and storage space. All these features are providing outstanding performance, and it will allow you to edit the videos smoothly.
Which Macbook Should I Buy For Video Editing Test
Last week, Apple updated both the 27″ iMac and the iMac Pro; though the iMac Pro got only a minor processor update. The question is, with the coming transition to Apple silicon, what should we do with these new systems?
Initially, there was a big kerfuffle about these new Macs using the existing hardware design, as if the size of a computer's bezels somehow affects its ability to process data. Design is valuable, but I don't buy a Mac because of how it looks, I buy it for what it can do. Looks are good, performance is gooder.
I am not losing any sleep over the fact that the bezels on both my 2017 iMac and the new 2020 iMac are an inch wide. And the 'chin' (lower silver part) of the system? That's the best possible place to park all my yellow sticky notes.
NOTE: Apple updated the 27″ iMac, but not the 21″. The smaller system is very capable, but for video editing the larger screen, combined with the ability to upgrade RAM after the fact, make the 27″ iMac a better choice.
(All iMac images courtesy of Apple, Inc.)
So the first question we need to ask is: If I buy this iMac now, will it be obsolete in the future? Of course you know the answer: Absolutely yes. That's been true of every computer made by every manufacturer for the last fifty years. The trend of continual hardware obsolescence will last long into the future.
A better question, though, is to ask: If I buy this Mac today, will I be able to use it for several years before it needs replacement? Here, again, the answer is: Yes. Every day I get emails from editors who are running their business on 2010, 2009, even 2008 Mac Pros and getting work done.
Macs are well-designed, well-built and any Mac you buy today will run for years. Period. You may not be able to fully upgrade it after a while, just as most 2010 Mac Pros are unable to run the latest version of the MacOS. However, you don't need to run the latest OS to get productive work done. Even the oldest system is still fully capable of editing media on a daily basis.
You don't need the latest gear to edit SD or HD video.
However, as we move into the world of HDR, 8K and 12K media and displays the size of moving vans, not to mention streaming multicam edits for these COVID times, you'll need computers with more heft. 8K video pushes a lot of pixels. 12K media requires a mind-bending 75 MILLION pixels per frame!
NOTE: According to recent articles, the human eye is roughly equivalent to a frame size of 100 million pixels. So, we probably aren't at the end of the 'frame size race.'
So, why buy the latest 27″ iMac? According to an analysis published by AppleInsider.com, the iMac released by Apple last week has essentially the same power as the current Mac Pro, for about half the price.
In this new system, Apple boosted the CPU, GPU, RAM and storage. These systems are designed for power users who create stuff – from video to audio to code. If all you need is word processing, spreadsheets or browsing the web, these systems are overkill.
WHAT SHOULD YOU BUY?
Most video editors continue to argue over this point even though there is no straight answer to this question. If you have already been using a Mac for years and like Final Cut Pro or other Mac software for your video editing, you simply won't be satisfied with Windows operating system. For everyone else, Windows offers the most choices of software programs and ease of use.
The Bottom Line
When it comes to video editing, it comes down to having the right tools. With bad tools, you can spend hours or even days working on a single file, only to get frustrated and tired at the end product and experience. You may think that something as intensive as video editing may require an incredibly expensive high-end system, but in today's market, you can get yourself some awesome deals. The level of competition is so great in this space that every company has to innovate and offer more affordable products to dominate it. With a little bit of research and browsing a few reviews here and there, you can get a good idea of what will work for you.
These are some of the best laptops for video editing and all of them have powerful processors, enough RAM, and storage space. All these features are providing outstanding performance, and it will allow you to edit the videos smoothly.
Which Macbook Should I Buy For Video Editing Test
Last week, Apple updated both the 27″ iMac and the iMac Pro; though the iMac Pro got only a minor processor update. The question is, with the coming transition to Apple silicon, what should we do with these new systems?
Initially, there was a big kerfuffle about these new Macs using the existing hardware design, as if the size of a computer's bezels somehow affects its ability to process data. Design is valuable, but I don't buy a Mac because of how it looks, I buy it for what it can do. Looks are good, performance is gooder.
I am not losing any sleep over the fact that the bezels on both my 2017 iMac and the new 2020 iMac are an inch wide. And the 'chin' (lower silver part) of the system? That's the best possible place to park all my yellow sticky notes.
NOTE: Apple updated the 27″ iMac, but not the 21″. The smaller system is very capable, but for video editing the larger screen, combined with the ability to upgrade RAM after the fact, make the 27″ iMac a better choice.
(All iMac images courtesy of Apple, Inc.)
So the first question we need to ask is: If I buy this iMac now, will it be obsolete in the future? Of course you know the answer: Absolutely yes. That's been true of every computer made by every manufacturer for the last fifty years. The trend of continual hardware obsolescence will last long into the future.
A better question, though, is to ask: If I buy this Mac today, will I be able to use it for several years before it needs replacement? Here, again, the answer is: Yes. Every day I get emails from editors who are running their business on 2010, 2009, even 2008 Mac Pros and getting work done.
Macs are well-designed, well-built and any Mac you buy today will run for years. Period. You may not be able to fully upgrade it after a while, just as most 2010 Mac Pros are unable to run the latest version of the MacOS. However, you don't need to run the latest OS to get productive work done. Even the oldest system is still fully capable of editing media on a daily basis.
You don't need the latest gear to edit SD or HD video.
However, as we move into the world of HDR, 8K and 12K media and displays the size of moving vans, not to mention streaming multicam edits for these COVID times, you'll need computers with more heft. 8K video pushes a lot of pixels. 12K media requires a mind-bending 75 MILLION pixels per frame!
NOTE: According to recent articles, the human eye is roughly equivalent to a frame size of 100 million pixels. So, we probably aren't at the end of the 'frame size race.'
So, why buy the latest 27″ iMac? According to an analysis published by AppleInsider.com, the iMac released by Apple last week has essentially the same power as the current Mac Pro, for about half the price.
In this new system, Apple boosted the CPU, GPU, RAM and storage. These systems are designed for power users who create stuff – from video to audio to code. If all you need is word processing, spreadsheets or browsing the web, these systems are overkill.
WHAT SHOULD YOU BUY?
To start, here's Apple's description of the latest systems.
Buying a new computer is always a balancing act between what you'd like and the money you have. Assuming you don't have an unlimited budget, here's how I suggest you spend it:
Processor. These iMacs offer i5, i7 and i9 processors. There is a BIG difference between an i5 and i9. I prefer an i7, simply for the price compared to an i9. Video editing does not require an i9. However, after using an i7 for years, then moving to an i5, I was surprised at the drop in interface responsiveness.
After a while, I stopped noticing. But, initially, the difference was dramatic. My next system will not have an i5 in it.
RAM. Apple RAM is desperately overpriced. There is no need to spend your dollars with Apple where, for half the price, or less, you can get far more RAM from OWC or Kingston or Crucial. It is easy to upgrade RAM in the 27″ iMac, unlike almost all other Apple devices. If this process makes you nervous, ask a friendly high school student to do it for you.
However, in your planning, I would aim for 32 GB of RAM. 16 GB is the minimum and there's no advantage to getting more than 64 GB – except for bragging rights. Your editing will never need it.
GPU. The sweet spot for most GPUs is the middle choice. In this case, the Radeon Pro 5700 with 8 GB of VRAM. If you are doing effects heavy work, that you KNOW uses the GPU, spend the extra $200 for more VRAM. However, for most of us, save your money for more storage.
NOTE: Not all apps use the GPU for graphics work. If the apps you rely on use the CPU, then an i9 processor will be a better choice. I'd still go for the mid-range GPU, though, because Apple is really encouraging developers to leverage the GPU as much as possible when they upgrade their applications.
Storage. Regardless of how much storage you buy, it is never enough. You will ALWAYS need to purchase external storage. My current iMac has 2 TB of storage; however, I'm only using 400 GB of it. Why? Because I have 150 TB of external storage. I recommend 1 TB for internal storage. This provides plenty of space for your apps, plus lots of room for work files. The difference in price between 512GB and 1 TB is minor, while the performance is worth it. You can spend more, but, again, you'll still need external storage. Save your dollars for a fast RAID or NVMe SSDs.
Ethernet. Unless you are hard-wired to a fast server, there's no need for 10 Gb Ethernet. WiFi doesn't provide that level of speed. However, if you, like me, are planning to upgrade your network to 10 Gb Ethernet, then this option makes sense. 10 Gb Ethernet will not make any difference in the speed with which you access the web.
Nano-Texture glass. Um, which is easier – spending $500 or turning your Mac so it doesn't face any windows?
Mice. I am not a fan of Magic Mice. I prefer third-party mice with an Apple keyboard. And I've never seen the benefit of trackpads for video editing. But that's just me.
PRICING
I started with the 27″ iMac with the i7 processor. (It's the iMac on the far right of Apple's iMac page.)
I kept the RAM at 8 GB so I can add 32 GB of third-party RAM (using 2 sticks) later. This would bring my total RAM to 40 GB, because the iMac holds up to 4 sticks of RAM.
NOTE: 32GB of additional RAM from OWC costs $119.76 vs. $600 from Apple.
I would add the mid-range GPU, along with 1 TB storage.
My final system is $2,799, plus $120 for OWC for a roughtotal of $2,920 (US).
WHAT ABOUT APPLE SILICON?
(An illustration of an Apple silicon processor. Courtesy of Henriok / CC0.)
Video Editing For Macbook Air
I am very excited about the potential for Apple silicon. I think it will change our industry. But, it isn't shipping yet. In fact, new iMac systems using Apple silicon have not yet started generating rumors. This means that high-end iMacs are not likely to be shipping for many, MANY months yet.
If you don't need a Mac 'right now,' think about this: Apple would not make the transition to Apple silicon in order to create systems with lower prices. That has never been their strategy. In every CPU transition – from 68K to PowerPC to Intel – performance has ALWAYS improved, while prices held steady.
NOTE: The original 128K Mac, released back in 1984, was priced at $2,499. And, yes, I bought one.
Which Macbook Should I Buy For Video Editing For Beginners
My expectation is that with these new systems prices will remain roughly the same, but performance will be SIGNIFICANTLY faster. But, Apple silicon is unknown technology. Apple's keynote not withstanding, until Apple actually ships a computer we can use for every day work, as opposed to systems for developers to test products, we won't actually know what the results of the move to Apple silicon will be.
So, if you are looking to make a safe choice, or you need a computer right now, the new 27″ iMac is an excellent choice. It runs all current Mac and, if needed, Windows software. It is proven technology in an established form-factor. You can be up and running 30 minutes after you open the box.
Plus, it has performance to burn.
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