Mac mini
The Mac mini has always been a computer that very few users have used for heavy tasks, given the low power it has had historically. However, with the arrival of the M1 chip, this has completely changed, and it is now a device that is capable of carrying out many tasks that it was not really prepared for before. Among these tasks, video editing stands out
The fact of having an Apple Silicon chip has considerably improved its performance and temperature management, although in the end, if you want to have sufficient solvency for video editing, you must configure at least these settings:
- Chip: M1 with 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine.
- RAM: 8 GB.
- Storage: 512GB SSD.
MacBook Air
Another Apple device that has come to life if possible with the inclusion of Apple’s M1 chip is the MacBook Air. It has always been a computer that has been focused on an office use that does not demand a lot of power. However, the gap in this regard to its older brother, the MacBook Pro, has been shortened and it is now a fantastic option for all those video editors that do not require a lot of power.
Again, and in the same way that it happened with the Mac mini, it manages the temperature excellently despite not having a fan. Of course, its performance falls short when performing tasks such as video editing, since in order to precisely optimize the temperature, the general performance decreases to avoid problems and hence the rendering is ultimately slower than in other M1s, despite having the same configuration which, in this case, would again be the same minimum:
- Chip: M1 with 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine.
- RAM: 8 GB.
- Storage: 512GB SSD.
iMac (24-inch)
Contrary to what happens with the Mac mini, the iMac has been associated with tasks that require much more power and better performance. However, Apple with the different configurations available has made it also fully accessible in more basic configurations for users who do not really require so much power in their day to day.
Even so, in these cases this computer is still totally valid for occasional and sporadic video editing, of course, always taking into account the minimum specifications that you have to have in order to have a more or less optimal user experience when you put in front of your incredible screen. Then we leave them to you.
- Chip: M1 with 8-core CPU, 7-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine.
- RAM: 8 GB.
- Storage: 512GB SSD.
This configuration is the most basic you can find for the 24-inch iMac, but even so, it can be enough for a very basic edition or for the occasional use of more professional video editing programs such as Final Cut Pro. , you have to bear in mind that, obviously, the user experience will not be the most optimal possible.
The ideal for the most demanding
If Apple is characterized by something, it is by being able to provide all professionals with the necessary tools to carry out their work without having to worry about whether or not they will be able to carry out a task due to equipment limitations. Therefore, below we will talk about different equipment that you can use to edit professional and frequent video, going to much more advanced settings.
iMac (24-inch)
Surely you wonder how it is possible that the 24-inch iMac falls into the two categories of this post. Well, this is due to the different configurations that Apple makes available to users, so that a more basic and trimmed configuration can be valid for sporadic use and yet an iMac with advanced configuration can satisfy the demand of more users. professionals. These are the minimums that we think you should have for these cases:
- Chip: M1 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine.
- RAM: 16 GB.
- Storage: 1 TB SSD.
iMac (27-inch)
The 27-inch iMac is one of the few Apple computers that still does not have its own chip from the Cupertino company and that, therefore, still available with Intel chip. However, it is a team fully adapted to professional use, since Apple gives the possibility of configuring it with sufficient technical specifications for it. The minimums that we recommend are the following.
- Chip: 3.8GHz (10th Gen) 8-core Intel Core i7 up to 5GHz with Turbo Boost.
- RAM: 32GB of DDR4 memory.
- Storage: 1 TB SSD.
The fact that Apple computers that mount their own chip offer incredible performance does not mean that equipment like this 27-inch iMac with the technical specifications that we have discussed does not also offer a excellent performance and it is totally valid to give a great user experience to all those users who want to use it to edit video.
MacBook Pro (13-inch)
With the arrival of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros in 2021, the 13-inch MacBook Pro with the M1 chip seems to take a back seat. But nothing is further from the truth, since with a suitable configuration it is still more than suitable for powerful and frequent video editing. To do this, of course, you must choose a configuration that is at least the following:
- Chip: M1 with 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine.
- RAM: 16 GB.
- Storage: 1 TB SSD.
With these specifications, the 13-inch MacBook Pro M1 will give you a really great user experience when it comes to professional video editing. Unlike the MacBook Air, in this there are fans that will not slow down its rendering process or any other during editing, so in the end it is a team fully capable of having power without giving up portability.
MacBook Pro (14 and 16-inch)
If before we said that the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 was a fully capable computer for professional use, imagine the performance that even more advanced processors like those in these two laptops can offer. In this case there may be a bit more confusion because both can mount chips M1 Pro and M1 Max, the latter being the most powerful.
And yes, with an M1 Max chip and a more advanced GPU you will achieve better results, but unless it is a film or television edition, in the end you do not need to invest in it. In any case, here are the two minimums that we think you should choose in the case of each one:
- M1 Pro:
- Chip: M1 Pro with 10-core CPU, 16-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine.
- RAM: 32 GB.
- Storage: 1 TB SSD.
- M1 Max:
- Chip: M1 Max with 10-core CPU, 24-core GPU and 16-core Neural Engine.
- RAM: 32 GB.
- Storage: 1 TB SSD.
Mac Pro
Obviously, if we talk about professional equipment for video editing, the Mac Pro has to be present in this compilation. It is the most loaded computer with specifications that Apple sells, so really with the minimum configuration offered by the company itself it is more than enough to carry out practically any video production task, except for the SSD storage which must be expanded. The configuration is as follows.
- Chip: Intel Xeon W 8-core 3.5 GHz and Turbo Boost up to 4 GHz.
- RAM: 48 GB (6 x 8) of ECC DDR4 memory.
- Storage: 1 TB SSD.
As you have seen, along with the 27-inch iMac, this Apple computer is the only one that you have not renewed your chip for an Apple Silicon. However, it is a device that is designed for an ultra-professional audience, hence also the price of the device and the wonderful user experience that it is capable of offering.
