Nov 28, 2018 - The Best Laptops for Video and Photo Editing. Microsoft Surface Book 2. The best laptop for creative professionals. Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (15-inch, 2018) For color-critical work. Dell XPS 15 Touch. A less expensive option that isn't as color accurate.
Apple didn’t get its reputation for performance and accuracy from nowhere.
Everything from phones to paper-thin notebooks are engineering to work efficiently, and this makes their MacBooks ideal for all levels of video editing.
Besides integrating extremely well with the Adobe Creative Cloud suite and many other third-party photo/video editing software, they offer a streamlined experience that will work well in any freelance or industry position.
In this guide, we’ll point out some key points for choosing the best MacBook Pro that will most effectively work for video editing at various levels, and showcase some of our own recommendations as well.
Quick Summary
For the casual creative, we recommend the 13-inch MacBook Pro with 256GB SSD, which offers quality performance without unnecessarily bulking up the specs. It doesn’t offer touch bar, but it is portable and sturdy.
If you certainly aren’t a hobbyist but not a pro either, 13-inch MacBook Pro with 512GB SSD is a better choice. The storage has been beefed up a bit, and the touch bar offers a new dimension of functionality.
Lastly, the professional creative looking to max out their performance power would be best served with a 15-inch MacBook Pro with i9 Processor and 512GB SSD. This model offers insane amounts of processing power, though you’ll likely still want an external monitor for the sake of screen space.
Is MacBook Pro Good for Video Editing?
In this case, it isn’t about whether or not a Mac will be effective for video editing, but a matter of how much power you really need.
If you just plan on doing minor work for youtube, you won’t be troubled by extensive renders or clamoring for screen restate, so it doesn’t make sense to pay for specs built for something ten times as processor-intensive.
However, if you plan on doing digital animation or working in 4K, it’s definitely time to look at higher end machines that will be able to handle what you’re throwing at them.
If you’re not planning on editing videos in some way, you should not treat this article as a collection of the most powerful MacBooks overall.
Intensive computer work demands different specs depending on what you plan on doing, so you can’t assume the best for editing will be the best for say, gaming.
Best MacBook Pro for Video Editing: What to Look For?
Graphics
The key to a fast render is a high quality dedicated graphics card, and while lower level work will likely be fine using an integrated card, you’ll want a dedicated one for anything beyond the casual home video or Youtube vlog. Dedicated graphics allow your computer to utilize RAM (Random Access Memory) specifically for the high-quality visuals you’ll be rendering as effectively as possible.
Processor
The processor is going to be handling every detail of your video as you build it, so you’re going to want to look towards the latest generations of the Intel i5 and i7 lines. Since video software can make use of multiple threads as well, these will benefit you while creating your project.
RAM
The final element that will make or break the performance of your MacBook while working on video editing is RAM. It’s used in every aspect of your computer’s execution of processes, and you’ll want a minimum of 8GB for amateur work, with a goal of 16GB if you’re editing professionally.
Best MacBook Pro for Video Editing in 2019: Our Picks
1. Casual Video Editing: 13-inch MacBook Pro (2.4GHz, Intel Core i5 processor, 256GB)
If you’re going to be editing home videos and content for Youtube, you probably won’t be doing intensive 3D renders or completely utilizing heavy programs even if they are installed. This version of the 13″ MacBook Pro comes with the processing power to reach your goal without unnecessarily overcompensating.
Pros:
- The 13″ model is extremely portable, so you’ll have editing power at your fingertips wherever you go.
- RAM is the perfect amount for this type of user and should last several years.
- SSD drive means that renders and saves will be completed faster than with a physical HDD disk.
Cons:
- SSD is pricey, which is why this model only comes with 256 GB in disk space. You’ll definitely want to purchase an external drive to compensate for this when storing your videos.
- Additionally, this model uses an integrated graphics card which will be fine for this level of editing but doesn’t offer room for growth.
2. For Amateur Movie Making: 13-inch MacBook Pro (2.4GHz, Intel Core i5 processor, 512GB)
Whether college student or budding short-film director, you need power and a modern flair without the expense of a professional setup. This model of MacBook is a great compromise, offering Apple’s latest touch bar and touch ID technology packed into a 13″ body powered by an integrated Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655.
Pros:
- Offering both portability and power, this modern masterpiece has all the specs to get you where you want to go without any unnecessary bulk.
- The brand-new touch bar is also included and known to have great integrations when working in Final Cut Pro or the Adobe Suite.
Cons:
- While offering more space than the aforementioned 256GB model, it’s still a bit on the small side for storing large video files.
- It also has an integrated graphics card, which is slightly less than ideal.
3. For Professional Creatives: 15-inch MacBook Pro (2.3GHz, Intel Core i9 processor, 512GB)
Truly a top of the line machine, this MacBook Pro model was built for precision and nothing less. The 8-core i9 processor can stand up to just about anything you throw at it, it has a powerful graphics card UHD Graphics 630. The 15″ screen offers some more real estate than the smaller 13″ models.
Pros:
- It has nearly unbeatable power between the mix of RAM, dGPU, and processor.
- The beautiful screen will produce accurate colors and the touch bar will allow you to work even more effectively in your favorite editing programs.
- You have the option to choose more storage space if needed.
Cons:
- When editing professionally, you need all the screen space you can get, and no size laptop is going to be able to offer that. If you don’t have an external monitor, check out our recommendations.
Useful Video Editing Resources
Just getting started with editing your own videos? LifeWire offers a great tutorial on getting started, from which software will be the most useful to whether you’ll fare better with some peripherals. Also, check out this complete video editing tutorial for non-editors on Mac:
A fan of iMovie? MacWorld has made a fantastic list of best tips on how to get the most out of Apple’s video editing software for macOS.
You could also check out this list of free and paid Mac video editing apps (TechRadar), which will let you experiment before deciding exactly what you need in a paid program.
Final Words
Video editing is a prime example of technical work that eats RAM and CPU power like no other. Luckily, a MacBook Pro was made to stand up to these things and is sure to perform if you’ve picked an adequate model.
What set up do you currently use to edit videos? Let us know and share which specs you think are most important for productive work.
Digital video editing has long been associated with massive machines packed with the most expensive components on the market, and with good reason. Dark and musty rooms crammed with tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment have been par for the course in the realm of high-end editing for decades. However, that’s been changing in recent years as laptops have become much more powerful. No longer are editors lashed to desks while working on a new project. Instead, they can actually join the rest of the world, and edit on the go.
Gigantic towers aren’t the only game in town anymore. But what exactly should an editor look for in a work laptop? The processor, RAM, storage, and display all play an important part of the equation. But more than anything, you need to pick a laptop that fits your specific on-the-job needs. Your budget, your existing workflow, and the needs of co-workers or clients all come into play here. It’s impossible to recommend just one laptop to fit every editor, so here is a selection of four laptops that offer a variety of features at different price points.
Apple MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
The MacBook Pro can make any video editor drool. Available in both 13-inch and 15-inch configurations, the Retina displays are superb. On the smaller model, the screen sports a 2560×1600 resolution (227 ppi), and the larger one jumps up to 2880×1800 (220 ppi). Which ever you prefer, you can edit in 1080p while the user interface of your editing suite stays on screen — incredible clarity packed into relatively small screens.
The display isn’t the only impressive aspect of this laptop though. The highest-end 15-inch configuration ships with a 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, 2TB of flash storage, 16GB of LPDDR3 RAM, and a discrete AMD Radeon Pro 560 GPU with 4GB of GDDR5 all in a thin aluminum case that weighs just 4.02 pounds. Unfortunately, all of that power comes at a cost — a whopping $4,199 when you max it out.
It’s worth mentioning that the most recent major revamp is a bit controversial. The top row of the keyboard has been done away with in favor of a dynamic Touch Bar that’s actually quite well-suited for scrubbing through footage. And the ports? Everything but the headphone jack has been removed in favor of four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports. On the upside, that’s a ton of bandwidth for accessories to use. The downside? You’ll need specialty cables for anything that doesn’t have a USB-C port built-in.
Adobe’s Premiere Pro CC will work on both Windows and OS X, but Apple’s video editing products are only available for OS X. If you want to use Final Cut Pro X, Motion, and Compressor, you’ll need a Mac. Depending on your work environment, a MacBook Pro might be your only suitable option for portable editing.
- Price: $1,499 and up
Dell XPS 15
Not content to let Apple hog all of the spotlight, Dell has really stepped up its game. If you’re looking for a high-res laptop with a slightly lower price point, the 15.6-inch Dell XPS 15 is no slouch. For $2,099.99, the suped-up configuration gets you an ultra HD 3840×2160 display, a 2.80GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 processor, a 512GB solid-state drive, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and a discrete Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 GPU with 4GB of GDDR5.
This machine is made out of high-end materials like machined aluminum, carbon fiber, and Corning Gorilla Glass, so it can remain very sturdy despite only weighing about 4.5 pounds. And while this model only sports a single Thunderbolt 3 port, it does have quite a few additional ports on offer. You’ll also find a USB 3.0 port, an HDMI port, a headphone jack, and an SD card reader.
- Price: $999 and up
HP ZBook 17 Workstation
Want a full-fledged desktop replacement? Try out the ZBook 17 Workstation from HP. The top-tier option has a huge 17.3-inch 1080p display, a 3.1GHz quad-core Intel Xeon E3-1535M v6 processor, a 512 GB solid-state drive, 16GB of DDR4 RAM, and an Nvidia Quadro P4000 with 8GB of GDDR5 for $3,309. Keep in mind, this is a huge laptop not suited for heavy traveling. It weighs in at about 6.9 pounds, and has an enormous footprint, so don’t expect to be able to edit on a crowded flight.
However, this is an extremely powerful laptop for video editors, and HP doesn’t skip on the ports. It has three USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, an HDMI port, an ethernet port, and a headphone jack. It also includes a built-in SD card reader, so your import and export options are numerous.
- Price: $1,367 and up
ThinkPad P70 Mobile Workstation
Lenovo certainly isn’t out of the game, and the P70 Workstation proves it. With the top-end configuration, it can go head-to-head with just about any other laptop. Coming in at over $4,300, you end up with a 17.3-inch ultra high definition (3840×2160) display, a 2.8GHz quad-core Intel Xeon Processor E3-1505M v5 CPU, 32GB of DDR4 RAM, a 512GB solid state drive, and an Nvidia Quadro M5000M graphics card with 8GB of GDDR5. It does weigh over 7.5 pounds, so that does hamper portability quite a bit. Even so, the performance and outstanding display are worth the additional weight when deadlines are right around the corner.
And if you need lots of external storage or additional displays, you’ll be well-covered with the P70. This model has four USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt 3 ports, an HDMI 1.4 port, a Mini DisplayPort 1.2, an ethernet port, a connector for a dock, a headphone jack, a 34mm ExpressCard slot, and an SD card reader. What else could you possibly need?
- Price: $1,890 and up
The best of the best
Video editing is definitely resource intensive, but laptops have finally become flexible and powerful enough to handle the task with aplomb. Even though these machines are expensive when compared with the average laptop, you’re getting a lot of bang for your buck. There will never be a single machine that fits everyone’s needs perfectly, but with variety like this, that’s not so bad. And truth be told, we’d be more than happy to use any of these machines to edit.
Now read: Best Laptops for Photo Editing