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Top 6 Best Macbook For Video Editing 2025
Video editing necessitates a high-performance computer along with an exceptional display. Because of their superior performance and precision in color accuracy, Apple’s MacBook line is favored by many video editors. In this article, we’ll be examining the most suitable MacBook for video editing.
When it comes to video editing, the most critical thing to consider is the hardware specifications. A powerful processor, high-end graphics card, and sufficient RAM are essential for smooth video editing. Additionally, a high-quality display with accurate color reproduction is crucial for accurate color grading.
While all MacBooks are capable of video editing, some models are better suited for the task than others. The MacBook Pro is the most powerful and feature-packed MacBook for video editing, while the MacBook Air is a more affordable option that sacrifices some performance for portability.
When choosing the best MacBook for video editing, it’s essential to consider your specific needs and budget. If you’re a professional video editor who needs the best performance and features, the MacBook Pro is the way to go. However, if you’re a casual editor or just starting, the MacBook Air may be a more suitable option.
In this article, we will be comparing the top MacBook models for video editing and highlighting their strengths and weaknesses. By the end of this article, you’ll have a clear understanding of which MacBook is the best for your video editing needs.
Best MacBooks for Video Editing
We have researched and tested the top MacBooks on the market to bring you our list of the best MacBooks for video editing. As a video editor, having a MacBook with powerful processing capabilities, high-quality display, and long battery life is essential. Our list includes MacBooks that meet these requirements and more, ensuring that you can edit videos with ease and efficiency. Check out our top picks below.
Apple MacBook Air M1 Chip
If you’re a video editor, the Apple MacBook Air M1 Chip is an excellent choice for all your editing needs.
Pros
- All-day battery life of up to 18 hours
- Powerful performance with the Apple M1 chip and 8-core CPU
- Superfast memory with 8GB of unified memory
Cons
- Limited storage space with only 256GB SSD
- Integrated graphics card may not be sufficient for high-end video editing
- No SD card slot for easy transfer of files
This MacBook Air offers a stunning display with a 13.3-inch Retina display that brings images to life with new levels of realism. The text is sharp and clear, and the colors are more vibrant, making it perfect for video editing.
We appreciate that this MacBook Air is easy to learn and set up, and it comes packed with apps to use right out of the box. It’s also simply compatible with all your existing apps, including Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, and Google Drive. Plus, you can use your favorite iPhone and iPad apps directly on macOS.
The fanless design of this MacBook Air ensures that it stays cool and runs quietly even while tackling intense workloads. Additionally, it’s environmentally friendly as it’s made with a 100 percent recycled aluminum enclosure and uses less energy for a smaller carbon footprint.
In conclusion, if you’re looking for a powerful and efficient MacBook for video editing, the Apple MacBook Air M1 Chip is an excellent choice.
Apple MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Intel Core i5, 13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB Storage Space Gray (Renewed)
If you are looking for a budget-friendly MacBook for video editing, then the Apple MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Intel Core i5 is a great option. It is a renewed product that has been professionally inspected and tested to work and look like new.
Pros
- The Quad-core 8th-Generation Intel Core i5 Processor delivers fast and efficient performance.
- The Brilliant Retina Display with True Tone technology provides accurate colors and sharp images.
- The Touch Bar and Touch ID make it easy to access frequently used apps and secure your device.
Cons
- The Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645 may not be powerful enough for heavy video editing.
- The Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports may limit the number of devices you can connect.
- The Up to 10 hours of battery life may not be enough for long editing sessions.
In terms of performance, the MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Intel Core i5 delivers fast and efficient performance thanks to its Quad-core 8th-Generation Intel Core i5 Processor. The Brilliant Retina Display with True Tone technology provides accurate colors and sharp images, making it easy to see details in your videos. The Touch Bar and Touch ID are also great features that make it easy to access frequently used apps and secure your device.
However, the Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645 may not be powerful enough for heavy video editing, so you may experience some lag or slow rendering times. The Two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports may also limit the number of devices you can connect, which can be frustrating if you need to connect multiple devices at once. Additionally, the Up to 10 hours of battery life may not be enough for long editing sessions, so you may need to keep your charger handy.
Overall, the Apple MacBook Pro With Touch Bar Intel Core i5 is a great budget-friendly option for video editing, but it may not be the best choice for heavy editing tasks. If you are a professional video editor, you may want to consider a more powerful MacBook Pro with better graphics and more ports.
Apple MacBook Air 2023
If you are looking for a laptop that can handle video editing, the Apple MacBook Air 2023 is a great option.
Pros
- The MacBook Air 2023 features a powerful 8-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and up to 24GB of unified memory, making it a great choice for video editing.
- The high-resolution, 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display with P3 wide color and support for one billion colors provides vibrant and detailed images.
- The MacBook Air 2023 has up to 18 hours of battery life, ensuring that you can work on your video editing projects all day long.
Cons
- The MacBook Air 2023 is quite expensive, which may not be suitable for those on a tight budget.
- The 256GB SSD storage may not be enough for those who need to store large video files.
- The MacBook Air 2023 does not have a dedicated graphics card, which may affect its performance when working with high-resolution videos.
We have been using the MacBook Air 2023 for video editing for a while now, and we have been impressed with its performance. The powerful M2 chip ensures that video editing software runs smoothly, and the 15.3-inch display provides a great canvas for editing videos.
One thing we love about the MacBook Air 2023 is its long battery life. We have been able to work on video editing projects for hours without worrying about running out of battery. The fanless design also ensures that the MacBook Air 2023 runs quietly, which is great when working in a quiet environment.
However, the MacBook Air 2023 is quite expensive, which may not be suitable for everyone. Additionally, the 256GB SSD storage may not be enough for those who need to store large video files. The lack of a dedicated graphics card may also affect its performance when working with high-resolution videos.
Overall, if you are looking for a laptop that can handle video editing and you have the budget for it, the Apple MacBook Air 2023 is definitely worth considering.
Late 2019 Apple MacBook Pro with 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 (16 inch, 16GB RAM, 512GB) Space Gray (Renewed)
If you’re in the market for a powerful MacBook for video editing, the Late 2019 Apple MacBook Pro with 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 is definitely worth considering.
Pros
- The 16-inch Retina Display with True Tone technology is stunning and makes video editing a breeze.
- The Touch Bar and Touch ID make it easy to access frequently used tools and keep your MacBook secure.
- The AMD Radeon Pro 5300M Graphics with GDDR6 memory provides excellent graphics performance for video editing.
Cons
- The MacBook Pro is quite expensive, which may not be feasible for everyone.
- The battery life could be better, especially when using intensive applications like video editing software.
- The MacBook Pro is quite heavy, which may not be ideal for those who need to carry their laptop around frequently.
Overall, we highly recommend the Late 2019 Apple MacBook Pro with 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 for video editing. Its powerful specs and stunning display make it an excellent choice for professionals who need a reliable and efficient machine. However, its price tag and weight may be a drawback for some users.
In our experience, the MacBook Pro performed exceptionally well when editing 4K videos and running multiple applications simultaneously. The Touch Bar and Touch ID were also very useful, allowing us to quickly access frequently used tools and keep our MacBook secure.
While the MacBook Pro’s battery life could be better, we found that it lasted up to 9 hours with moderate use. The four Thunderbolt 3 ports were also very convenient, allowing us to connect multiple devices and displays.
Overall, if you’re looking for a powerful and reliable MacBook for video editing, the Late 2019 Apple MacBook Pro with 2.6GHz Intel Core i7 is definitely worth considering.
HP Stream 14inch HD Laptop
If you’re looking for an affordable laptop for basic tasks like browsing the web, watching movies, and creating documents, the HP Stream 14inch HD Laptop is a good choice.
Pros
- The Intel Celeron N4020 processor provides decent performance for basic tasks.
- The 14-inch HD display with BrightView technology delivers clear and bright visuals.
- The laptop comes with 1-year subscription to Microsoft Office 365.
Cons
- The laptop has limited storage space with only 64GB eMMC and an additional 64GB memory card.
- The laptop only has 4GB of RAM which may not be enough for multitasking.
- The laptop does not have a touchscreen display.
This laptop is a great option for those on a budget who need a basic laptop for everyday use. The Intel Celeron N4020 processor provides enough power to run basic applications and the 14-inch HD display with BrightView technology is great for watching movies and browsing the web.
The HP Stream 14inch HD Laptop is lightweight and portable, making it easy to take on the go. The laptop also comes with a 1-year subscription to Microsoft Office 365, which is great for those who need to create documents and presentations.
However, the laptop has limited storage space with only 64GB eMMC and an additional 64GB memory card, which may not be enough for those who need to store large files. Additionally, the laptop only has 4GB of RAM which may not be enough for multitasking.
Overall, the HP Stream 14inch HD Laptop is a good choice for those on a budget who need a basic laptop for everyday use. However, if you need more storage space and RAM, you may want to consider other options.
HP 14″ HD Laptop Ultral Light for Students and Business
If you’re looking for an affordable laptop for basic video editing tasks, the HP 14″ HD Laptop Ultral Light for Students and Business could be a good choice.
Pros
- The 14″ diagonal HD (1366 x 768) micro-edge, BrightView display provides an ultra-wide viewing experience for seamless multi-monitor set-ups.
- The upgraded 8GB high-bandwidth DDR4 Memory and 64GB eMMC high-speed eMMC storage provide adequate high-bandwidth RAM to smoothly run multiple applications and browser tabs all at once.
- The Intel Celeron N4020 processor with Intel UHD Graphics 600 handles multitasking reliably with the perfect combination of performance, power consumption, and value.
Cons
- The laptop is a little flimsy and not very durable.
- The trackpad feels cheap and often clicks on links when your finger isn’t touching it.
- The laptop takes a while to load pages sometimes.
This laptop is a great budget option for basic video editing tasks. The display is wide enough to accommodate multi-monitor set-ups, and the processor and RAM are adequate for basic video editing tasks. However, the laptop is not very durable and the trackpad can be finicky. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly laptop for basic video editing tasks, this could be a good choice.
Buying Guide
When it comes to choosing the best MacBook for video editing, there are several factors that we need to consider. Here are some features that we should look at before making a purchase:
Processor
The processor is the heart of any computer, and it determines how fast and efficient the device can run. For video editing, we need a processor that is powerful enough to handle large files and complex tasks. We recommend choosing a MacBook with at least an Intel Core i7 or i9 processor.
RAM
RAM, or Random Access Memory, is another important factor to consider. It determines how much data the computer can process at once. For video editing, we recommend choosing a MacBook with at least 16GB of RAM. This will ensure that the device can handle multiple applications and large files without slowing down.
Graphics Card
The graphics card is responsible for rendering images and videos on the screen. For video editing, we need a graphics card that can handle high-resolution footage and complex visual effects. We recommend choosing a MacBook with a dedicated graphics card, such as an AMD Radeon Pro or NVIDIA GeForce.
Storage
Video files can take up a lot of space, so we need a MacBook with enough storage to store all of our projects. We recommend choosing a MacBook with at least 512GB of storage, and preferably 1TB or more.
Display
The display is where we will be editing our videos, so we want a MacBook with a high-quality screen. We recommend choosing a MacBook with a Retina display, which offers high resolution and accurate color reproduction.
By considering these factors, we can choose the best MacBook for video editing that suits our needs and budget.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the key differences in performance between the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro for video editing?
When it comes to video editing, the MacBook Pro outperforms the MacBook Air due to its more powerful hardware. The MacBook Pro comes with a dedicated graphics card, which allows for smoother video playback and faster rendering times. The MacBook Air, on the other hand, uses integrated graphics, which can struggle with intensive video editing tasks.
Which MacBook Pro model offers the best features for professional video editors?
The MacBook Pro 16-inch model is the best choice for professional video editors. It comes with a dedicated graphics card, a larger display, and up to 64GB of RAM. These features make it ideal for handling large video files and running multiple applications simultaneously.
How does the M1 chip in MacBooks enhance the video editing experience?
The M1 chip in MacBooks enhances the video editing experience by providing faster performance and longer battery life. The M1 chip is designed specifically for MacBooks and offers improved efficiency and speed compared to previous generations of processors.
What should I consider when choosing a used MacBook Pro for video editing purposes?
When choosing a used MacBook Pro for video editing purposes, it’s important to consider the age of the device, its hardware specifications, and its condition. Look for models with dedicated graphics cards and at least 16GB of RAM to ensure smooth performance.
Can the MacBook Air M2 handle intensive video editing tasks?
The MacBook Air M2 is expected to handle intensive video editing tasks better than its predecessor due to its improved hardware. However, it’s still recommended to opt for the MacBook Pro if video editing is your primary use case.
For both photo and video editing, which laptop provides the most efficient workflow?
For both photo and video editing, the MacBook Pro provides the most efficient workflow due to its dedicated graphics card, larger display, and higher RAM capacity. These features allow for smoother performance and faster rendering times, which can save time and improve productivity.
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