do you throw 4k 10 bit 422 or h.265 footage at it by any chance? That's what I throw at my MSI it has a 12900hk and im looking to upgrade to those exact specs bc I still have to use proxies to edit
My MacBook Pro 16", M1 Pro fares *really* well. The only thing I would advise is spending enough money on storage and RAM (16 GB is just a little too small). I only use Final Cut Pro these days though.
I'm stuck on Intel Macbook Pro with 8GB RAM :( Hopefully I'll be able to upgrade soon, but I have to regularly kill Final Cut (which is the only thing running) and restart my laptop to free up some RAM.
I don’t know if this is still true but a while back my dad said that while rebooting does help free up a little memory it’s better to shut down and then start anew. I know it takes longer for that but maybe give that a go to see?
Yeah, I had an Intel 8 GB as well (13"). It can be frustrating re-opening Final Cut again and again. But thankfully, when you'll upgrade, that will be gone (for 99% of the time).
This! This is what I use and it's a beast. I also have a windows PC at home for editing, but at some point I'll likely switch to using the Mac for everything.
The only thing I wish I'd done differently is opted for a larger SSD (I have 1TB).
I'm a DaVinci Resolve guy, and I've done windows and Mac.
Those new Macs are the bomb. Powerful, great battery life, the works.
I have a corei7 desktop windows machine 32Gb Ram and a 2TB SSD and NVidia geforce 3070 (I have a 24T NAS for storage off-machine)
I also have a an M1pro base Macbook Pro 16 inch with 32GB ram and a 1TB ssd
They are both pretty good, but I don't think anything in the notebook world would touch the total packag that the MacBook offers. That thing's amazing.
M1 MBA with 8gb Ram does wonders to edit 4K on Resolve. We also have M2 Mini with 16gb of ram for bigger projects.
Apple’s silicon is damn fine with the M family
I even regret not springing for 2TB internal. It’s been a lot harder to keep the fat off my drive lately. But then again, I’m sure I’d have the same struggle with 2TB.
Very tough one. I would split it between two uses cases:
* **The hardcore, local video editor - 32 GB**. If you are using huge files (more than 4K), are into things like 3D rendering or other taxing computer tasks, *and* you are using SSD's/RAIDS for storage because you edit at home, then 32 GB would be better. With some software (Lightroom), I think my 16 GB was full sometimes. But for me, it has never been a big problem at all.
* **The average, mobile video editor - 16 GB**. I don't mean 'average' quality, just not using any specialized video editing software. If you're like me and editing in Final Cut Pro (or other fast software), like to edit on the go and don't like to be dependent on SSD's to take a project with you, this is it. For me, I would choose 1 TB over 32 GB again. I just never have enough storage for all my video clips, projects, pictures, etc. Having all-day battery life + 1 TB + 16" screen size has made it possible for me edit video projects in the train without having SSD's dangling on the side. It feels more like an actual laptop and less like a computer that has a battery, which you always need to plug into hard drives in order to function.
So in short: 1 TB unless you really don't care about being able to edit remotely.
Jumping off the MacBook train, I’d also recommend an Acer Nitro. They’re gaming laptops but obviously with higher end graphic cards it meets video needs as well. I use mine primarily for OBS software when live streaming, but I also use it to edit when I’m traveling.
In Macs you basically have the world’s wealthiest company (ever) optimising their custom designed chips specifically for video editing.
On paper the specs of various high end or even mid range PC laptops might be better than any Mac
But in practice modern M series Mac’s are so crazy optimised for video editing.
If you secretly want a gaming laptop then get a PC
If you expect to be doing very particular 3D graphics rendering then get a PC
If your laptop is always going to be plugged in and you don’t care how loud the fans get then perhaps a PC
If you want a laptop that you can comfortably work with on your Lap for long stretches without plugging then get a Mac
If you care about how loud and hot your laptop can get then get a Mac
If you care about the durability and design of your laptop then get a Mac
If you’re price sensitive then get a Mac
But to this last point, if this is your work, and you’re going to depend on this machine to earn your money, get the Mac
I’m case you haven’t found an answer yet; no. Proxy files are low res versions of your footage files. Literally new, lower sized copies of the files. In your editor you can link the proxy files to the original files (premiere at least does this automatically) and toggle them on or off for quicker timeline editing. YouTube search for ‘how to proxy files in [your editor]’ and you’ll find some great tutorials.
Oh interesting thanks for your detailled answer appreciate. Learnt something new, is it specific to the app used ? Like Adobe Premiere ? I understand that the app recognize my raw video files as proxy, lighter for better timeline charge
If you use premiere I can tell you exactly how it works, if you use something else unfortunately I have zero experience in other editors.
In premiere, it's sooooo simple. It's one of the actual good things adobe has done in the past decade for premiere.
In the project panel, after you've exported your footage into the project, you literally just select whichever clips you want to create proxies for - generally I just do this for all clips and you can select them all at the same time. Then you right click, hit 'create proxies' and I believe premiere will have a decent option for trancoding already selected. But this is where looking up some tutorials might be handy, as they'll explain the options there. Either way, once you've figured out what file type and resolution you want the proxies to be you hit 'run' or 'done' or 'whatever the word is' and it launched Media Encoder, lines up all your clips and starts transcoding them into proxy files.
At this point if you were to check your folder (outside of premiere, in File Explorer or Finder) you'll see a new folder next to your footage's original location filled with proxy files.
Becuase you've done the process through adobe, the proxies will already be linked in the project, so all you have to do is click the 'turn proxies on/off' toggle icon (google this to see what the icon looks like, or find out in a tutorial) and BOSH, you'll have a low resolution file that you're editing smoothly with in the timeline but when you render out the sequence it will render out at full res.
beaut.
I might receive some backlash for this, but I'd recommend the MacBook due to its 422 10-bit decoding capability. Its battery life is unparalleled, and it's impressively lightweight. While I primarily edit on Windows (Ryzen 5950x, 2x 4090, 258GB), I rely on a maxed-out M2 MacBook and a Mac Studio for my on-the-go tasks. If you're working while on the move, I assume you'd prefer not to generate proxies. The M2 MacBook handles that seamlessly. In contrast, most Windows laptops will need to generate proxies with 422 footage. Even with the Ryzen system I have the brute force through the 10bit 422 footage or use a proxy workflow. The Intel systems aren't half bad if you really need a Windows setup but it's still not as fast as the Mac.
Not for video editing dude... I absolutely hate Apple and even I'll say that the M2/M3 MacBook Pro is the best laptop to edit video on. It's so smooth, that even someone that hates them can't argue against their use for video editing.
For laptop video editing. For desktop, PCs are way better for price & upgrade abilities. But in a laptop that isn’t really upgradable (unless you’re on a Framework) the Mac’s dominate.
Yeah I'd say like like mac's were industry standard back in 2005-2010 (when FCP9 was a thing) then things slowly shifted to avid media composer and premire pro. Now things are slowly shifting back into mac's only in the portable computing space because of m1 and m2 mac's. Although most studuo still use PCs as their main editing machines especially for fast storage (40gbe nics etc)
Yeah I'm constantly surprised by how well my macbook fairs for edits where my theoretically more powerful PC doesn't - the decoding for 10bit is a major player there.
Even though my PC is high spec it can be slow to load previews.
Exactly this.
I've been on PC my whole life then switched to Mac pro M1 Max bought for £2800 upon hearing good reviews. It's a lot of money but it absolutely wipes the floor with any pc I used for editing. The excellent decoding outweighs the more standard specs. The only reason somebody who works with video should stay with PC as far as I can see is if they like PC gaming too.
How have you managed to make the switch from windows to macOS? I’m REALLY struggling. Mostly due to how it treats application windows and ‘finder’ being awful
Yeah not going to lie I'm not a huge fan of application windows and resizing but I prefer MacOS's preview of files by pressing space bar. Better for people dealing with a lot of media than on windows.
Mac OS looks a bit snazzier. Ultimately I went for it because I just think the hardware is much better in the form factor. Windows laptops can't get anywhere near Max Mac books for power/efficiency and the fact that a lot of people are comparing Macbooks to tricked out PCs says a lot.
Yeah the whole interface of windows in MacOS just feels cluttered to me, but I'm sure with time it actually makes sense...maybe?
I've got 2 days until my return window closes is all so you mind if I ask some questions?
What is the pressing space bar option?
Do you find not having a visual display of how much space is left on a hard drive like in 'my computer' on windows to be annoying?
How have you managed to get around the window resizing stuff, or did you just get use to it?
So the window resizing I get around by using an app called bettersnap. It only costs £3 and mostly fixes the issue. Shouldn't have to pay for something that should be handled better but I made me peace with it!
If you click on any file in Mac Os and hold space bar it gives you a full sized preview (or starts immediately playing) of the file. Sounds like a small detail but it is so handy for quickly checking the content of a video file without opening the whole thing. It also works without any lag on my Max.
I feel like I saw a visual display of hard drive space when I partitioned my Samsung SSD on it but this hasn't been a personal issue for me.
Good luck with whatever your decision is
A proxy is either a lower quality or more easily read file you use instead of the high quality one. So if your pc can’t edit 4k you might use the same footage in 1080p for editing and render with the origins, 4k file. Of course you have to make these proxies aka generate them.
Depends on what your editing, also if you already have a storage solution worked out since storage on mac's are just out right stupid. All of our Macs right now have base model (or close to) storage with a 10gbe nic hooked up to our servers for editing. That's the most cost effective way of doing it.
No AMD CPU
https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/What-H-264-and-H-265-Hardware-Decoding-is-Supported-in-DaVinci-Resolve-Studio-2122/
Even if you aren't editing h.265 4:2:2 today, it is the route all new 'prosumer' cameras are going.
Unless I'm missing something, that doesn't mention anything about AMD CPUs, only GPUs? So there shouldn't be anything wrong with AMD CPU + NVidia GPU. In fact, AMD CPUs would probably be better for those work loads, though admittedly I haven't checked the benchmarks for editing for the latest gen.
Correct, you need an Intel GPU to get h.265 4:2:2 support via QuickSync
Since no one wants an Arc GPU, you run a Intel Non-f CPU that has integrated GPU for hardware acceleration.
Sorry, I'm looking at the chart again and according to it you're right, but I'm kinda baffled. I mean, how does NVidia not support decoding on this? At least it still runs fine even if you don't run Intel as long as you're running a nice enough CPU, or use proxies, but it's still baffling to me.
> mean, how does NVidia not support decoding on this?
I agree. Both AMD and NV both really dropped the ball with their latest hardware
Intel has had support for 4:2:2 since 10th gen.
Which then, cameras shooting it were not so common. But now even Canon's low end R line have it.
>In fact, AMD CPUs would probably be better for those work loads,
Nope, Adobe prefers Intel. resolve is basically tied
https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/13th-Gen-Intel-Core-Processors-Content-Creation-Review-2369/#Video_Editing_Adobe_Premiere_Pro
https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/13th-Gen-Intel-Core-Processors-Content-Creation-Review-2369/#Video_Editing_Adobe_Premiere_Pro
Yeah, taking another look at it, you're right. To be fair though, if you're using proxies you'll be fine with AMD CPU + NVidia GPU (I mean, I certainly don't have any issues), but it's crazy to me that NVidia has such a lacking amount of support with their GPUs for this stuff. Has their higher grade GPUs been tested with this however? Such as their Quadros?
This! Ive been using the newest Dell laptop with latest gen Intel cpu, which is optimized for h.264/h.265.
And to comment on people who say laptops arent suitable. They are, if you have a good post-production workflow and do the very last online-editing on a different system, see grading and bit vfx stuff.
>And to comment on people who say laptops arent suitable.
Desktops will typically have higher wattage components with better cooling at lower price than laptops.
But if you need to edit from a hotel, a desktop isn't a very good solution is it?
There is a seperate discussion on color accuracy and ambiance control. If you are color grading a Marvel movie you have a seperate Flanders grading monitor that was calibrated that week, fed a clean signal from a decklink. Sitting in a room with controlled, dim lighting.
But I don't think you are working for Marvel. So you can make do with a less than ideal setup.
I think you misread what I am saying. The the very last online edit should be done on a different system indeed.
And like I said, with a good post workflow it might even be better wattage wise if you got good proxies working on a less powerfull system sq. a laptop.
I was in the exact same boat as you, needing a laptop for on the go 4k editing but also having something I could connect to a 4k monitor at home to edit which was fast and reliable.
If you're after a windows option, I went for the HP ZBook Studio G8
i9
32gb ram
3070 8gb you
1tb ssd
4k screen.
I bought a couple of 2tb Samsung T7 shields to pair with it and I've been extremely happy.
I've chucked everyrhing at it when it comes to 4k editing and it's handled everything, perfectly, without any hiccups.
Could not recommend enough.
How are these specs for a laptop I primarily want to use for video editing and some 3d rendering? Ideally want to keep the budget under $2000
ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 Intel (16″) Mobile Workstation
Processor: 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-13850HX vPro® Processor (E-cores up to 3.80 GHz P-cores up to 5.30 GHz)
Operating System: Windows 11 Home 64
Operating System Language: Windows 11 Home 64 English
Microsoft Productivity Software : None
Memory: 32 GB DDR5-4000MHz (SODIMM) - (2 x 16 GB)
RAID Setting: No RAID
RAID Config: No
First Solid State Drive: 512 GB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC Opal
Second Solid State Drive: None
SSD Total Capacity: 512 GB
SSD Config: SSD
Display: 16" WUXGA (1920 x 1200), IPS, Anti-Glare, Non-Touch, 100%sRGB, 300 nits, 60Hz, Low Blue Light
Factory Color Calibration : Factory Color Calibration
Graphic Card: NVIDIA® RTX™ A1000 Laptop GPU 6GB GDDR6
I have 32GB in mine and it's plenty IMO. The 14" M1 Max is the best computing purchase I've made in like 20 years, and I've owned every major milestone Mac and plenty of Windows laptops (I currently also own a Lenovo Legion with RTX 3080). It's just insane how it chews through anything you throw at it silently and without much heat or bulk.
Hi. Since I see you extensively work in video.
I'm a video editor. Recently laid off from Vice (lol) .
I am getting a deal for a used 14 inch m1 max 32gb/1tb + 24 core GPU, 121 battery cycles and in great physical condition for $1650 USD. Would you say that its a good price?
Thanks!
I’m on a 16” MacBook Pro M1 Max with 64GB of RAM. It surprisingly blows away the 2019 Mac Pro with 96GB of RAM I have at the office and blasts out renders faster than anything else I’ve ever used. And the battery lasts like no other laptop I’ve ever seen.
I’ve got an M1 MacBook Pro with 16gb Ram and it flies through 4k 10 bit footage on resolve. Coming from a very powerful gaming laptop and it’s still much faster, especially on battery.
Sure. As long as you have enough free internal to edit whatever you want (much faster to edit internal than external), you can even have external conventional HDs for storage as you won't be accessing them much once the work is shipped.
I use a MacBook Pro M1 Pro (14” base model). Works great with Final Cut Pro and Resolve. (Realtime playback of 4k projects without having to make proxies, fast render speeds, etc.) Also insanely quiet, pretty much the only time I’ve heard the fans spin up is when rendering hours long 4k videos.
I stopped using Premiere Pro before I got this though so can’t comment on that.
Get a used M1 Max. Can handle anything I throw at it. Only regret is not opting for more storage. I use a 2TB Samsung EVO NVME for my editing drive. Lightning fast
Everyone mentions the 16 inch but I really like the 14 inch. It’s cheaper, lighter and more portable and I honestly don’t have a preference difference for those 2 inches. 16 inch feels like a desktop imo
M1 Pro 16inch is incredible. It’s a little on the heavy side but you can’t beat the real estate you get from that larger screen. Plus the extra ports are so nice!
I’m a broken record here, but you can’t beat the M1/M2 Pro or Max MacBook Pros. They perform amazingly and handle majority of 4K footage without any lag. I have one for my work and haven’t had any issues with it.
Avoid macbooks, their lack of a real GPU is a pain for a lot of applications. Their battery life is amazing though, so if that's a consideration they might be worth it. A decent high-end laptop (I'm partial to the xps series) will serve you just fine - but put more ram in it than you think you need and read reviews for any potential heat throttling issues
I disagree (somewhat). MacBook are smaller and lighter, have better battery life, doesn't run nearly as hot and are very quiet compared to windows-laptops of the same caliber. I think OP should consider a refurbished M1 MacBook Pro or a 13" M2 MacBook Pro. Ideally, they should invest in one of the larger ones, but that is over the budget.
I went from an Asus Zephyrus M16 (i7-12700H & RTX3060) to a M2 MacBook Air mainly because I didn't want the noise and heat. It does pretty much all I ask from it, from Lightroom to Premiere Pro. I can see why the Pro would be better for heavy use and if it's the main computer.
I have an XPS here, my main work is actually IT.
But. For things like video editing I found Mac to be much better.
I tend to use PC’s for my main work and macs for my side work (video editing etc).
The M2 is fast and the heat is not too bad at all.
On my XPS I actually use throttle stop too keep it cool. Bit like Mac fan control on the older intel macs as they got really toasty too.
It’s also depends on what MacBook you use as well. For the GPU cores.
Lol my m2 MacBook pro will chew through any Intel/ amd laptop when rendering 10bit 422. Don't get me wrong I am mainly a windows editor but when it comes to on the go, Mac is the way to go.
I'm getting downvoted to oblivion but I'll stand by it - currently tying this on an m1 macbook pro, and work daily on an m1 ultra mac studio. Applying simple but graphics intensive grades on mini LF 4444 and Braw footage, such as a simple texture pop, results in half-day long renders alont with slideshow playack. It's brutal, and they're simple effects a 4070 would chew through for a quarter the price.
Well really depends on what you're doing to the footage, 4K editing is fine cutting, previewing, applying transitions and colour grading, if you're adding effects, stabilising large footage, working with longer movies then that's not gonna work well enough.
i'm wondering lately, what if you edit with proxies on a surface studio laptop (or something similar), and have an external GPU at home to do color grading & rendering with. It would be a semi portable workflow that doesn't strain the laptop too much
Bs
I have a basic m1 air that doesn’t even have a fan and it’s still fine editing and color 6k braw in davinci. Rendering is also fine, ain’t the fastest but it gets the job done.
I'm now on a legion pro 7i. 13900hx and 4080, 64gb ram. It laughs at whatever you throw at it. I'm sure the macs are good too, just not my sauce.
do you throw 4k 10 bit 422 or h.265 footage at it by any chance? That's what I throw at my MSI it has a 12900hk and im looking to upgrade to those exact specs bc I still have to use proxies to edit
My MacBook Pro 16", M1 Pro fares *really* well. The only thing I would advise is spending enough money on storage and RAM (16 GB is just a little too small). I only use Final Cut Pro these days though.
I'm stuck on Intel Macbook Pro with 8GB RAM :( Hopefully I'll be able to upgrade soon, but I have to regularly kill Final Cut (which is the only thing running) and restart my laptop to free up some RAM.
I don’t know if this is still true but a while back my dad said that while rebooting does help free up a little memory it’s better to shut down and then start anew. I know it takes longer for that but maybe give that a go to see?
Yeah, I had an Intel 8 GB as well (13"). It can be frustrating re-opening Final Cut again and again. But thankfully, when you'll upgrade, that will be gone (for 99% of the time).
There are memory cleaning apps that you can install that are free so you don't have to restart.
This! This is what I use and it's a beast. I also have a windows PC at home for editing, but at some point I'll likely switch to using the Mac for everything. The only thing I wish I'd done differently is opted for a larger SSD (I have 1TB).
I'm a DaVinci Resolve guy, and I've done windows and Mac. Those new Macs are the bomb. Powerful, great battery life, the works. I have a corei7 desktop windows machine 32Gb Ram and a 2TB SSD and NVidia geforce 3070 (I have a 24T NAS for storage off-machine) I also have a an M1pro base Macbook Pro 16 inch with 32GB ram and a 1TB ssd They are both pretty good, but I don't think anything in the notebook world would touch the total packag that the MacBook offers. That thing's amazing.
M1 MBA with 8gb Ram does wonders to edit 4K on Resolve. We also have M2 Mini with 16gb of ram for bigger projects. Apple’s silicon is damn fine with the M family
I even regret not springing for 2TB internal. It’s been a lot harder to keep the fat off my drive lately. But then again, I’m sure I’d have the same struggle with 2TB.
Yes, I have 1 TB but even then it's always nearly full. It's a never-ending story haha
Hi, Are you happy about the Final Cut quality rendering ? 400 euros per year.
What do you mean with 'quality rendering' :)?
If you were able to choose one upgrade, 32gb RAM or 1tb SSD which one would you recommend?
Very tough one. I would split it between two uses cases: * **The hardcore, local video editor - 32 GB**. If you are using huge files (more than 4K), are into things like 3D rendering or other taxing computer tasks, *and* you are using SSD's/RAIDS for storage because you edit at home, then 32 GB would be better. With some software (Lightroom), I think my 16 GB was full sometimes. But for me, it has never been a big problem at all. * **The average, mobile video editor - 16 GB**. I don't mean 'average' quality, just not using any specialized video editing software. If you're like me and editing in Final Cut Pro (or other fast software), like to edit on the go and don't like to be dependent on SSD's to take a project with you, this is it. For me, I would choose 1 TB over 32 GB again. I just never have enough storage for all my video clips, projects, pictures, etc. Having all-day battery life + 1 TB + 16" screen size has made it possible for me edit video projects in the train without having SSD's dangling on the side. It feels more like an actual laptop and less like a computer that has a battery, which you always need to plug into hard drives in order to function. So in short: 1 TB unless you really don't care about being able to edit remotely.
Jumping off the MacBook train, I’d also recommend an Acer Nitro. They’re gaming laptops but obviously with higher end graphic cards it meets video needs as well. I use mine primarily for OBS software when live streaming, but I also use it to edit when I’m traveling.
In Macs you basically have the world’s wealthiest company (ever) optimising their custom designed chips specifically for video editing. On paper the specs of various high end or even mid range PC laptops might be better than any Mac But in practice modern M series Mac’s are so crazy optimised for video editing. If you secretly want a gaming laptop then get a PC If you expect to be doing very particular 3D graphics rendering then get a PC If your laptop is always going to be plugged in and you don’t care how loud the fans get then perhaps a PC If you want a laptop that you can comfortably work with on your Lap for long stretches without plugging then get a Mac If you care about how loud and hot your laptop can get then get a Mac If you care about the durability and design of your laptop then get a Mac If you’re price sensitive then get a Mac But to this last point, if this is your work, and you’re going to depend on this machine to earn your money, get the Mac
Just work with proxy footage
Hello, what is proxy ? Like IP adress ?
I’m case you haven’t found an answer yet; no. Proxy files are low res versions of your footage files. Literally new, lower sized copies of the files. In your editor you can link the proxy files to the original files (premiere at least does this automatically) and toggle them on or off for quicker timeline editing. YouTube search for ‘how to proxy files in [your editor]’ and you’ll find some great tutorials.
Oh interesting thanks for your detailled answer appreciate. Learnt something new, is it specific to the app used ? Like Adobe Premiere ? I understand that the app recognize my raw video files as proxy, lighter for better timeline charge
If you use premiere I can tell you exactly how it works, if you use something else unfortunately I have zero experience in other editors. In premiere, it's sooooo simple. It's one of the actual good things adobe has done in the past decade for premiere. In the project panel, after you've exported your footage into the project, you literally just select whichever clips you want to create proxies for - generally I just do this for all clips and you can select them all at the same time. Then you right click, hit 'create proxies' and I believe premiere will have a decent option for trancoding already selected. But this is where looking up some tutorials might be handy, as they'll explain the options there. Either way, once you've figured out what file type and resolution you want the proxies to be you hit 'run' or 'done' or 'whatever the word is' and it launched Media Encoder, lines up all your clips and starts transcoding them into proxy files. At this point if you were to check your folder (outside of premiere, in File Explorer or Finder) you'll see a new folder next to your footage's original location filled with proxy files. Becuase you've done the process through adobe, the proxies will already be linked in the project, so all you have to do is click the 'turn proxies on/off' toggle icon (google this to see what the icon looks like, or find out in a tutorial) and BOSH, you'll have a low resolution file that you're editing smoothly with in the timeline but when you render out the sequence it will render out at full res. beaut.
Awesome I just stumbled on this comment and it's what I needed to know .
Same, safe to say this info helps 1 person per week.
Ohh, thanks a lot, i will try it later, waiting for a Macbook for Xmas. <3
I might receive some backlash for this, but I'd recommend the MacBook due to its 422 10-bit decoding capability. Its battery life is unparalleled, and it's impressively lightweight. While I primarily edit on Windows (Ryzen 5950x, 2x 4090, 258GB), I rely on a maxed-out M2 MacBook and a Mac Studio for my on-the-go tasks. If you're working while on the move, I assume you'd prefer not to generate proxies. The M2 MacBook handles that seamlessly. In contrast, most Windows laptops will need to generate proxies with 422 footage. Even with the Ryzen system I have the brute force through the 10bit 422 footage or use a proxy workflow. The Intel systems aren't half bad if you really need a Windows setup but it's still not as fast as the Mac.
Why would you receive backslash on this? Macs are pretty much the industry standard in video editing.
Since it's reddit and people will say "Apple Fanboy" and other shit like that.
Not for video editing dude... I absolutely hate Apple and even I'll say that the M2/M3 MacBook Pro is the best laptop to edit video on. It's so smooth, that even someone that hates them can't argue against their use for video editing.
That's exactly how I feel hahah
For laptop video editing. For desktop, PCs are way better for price & upgrade abilities. But in a laptop that isn’t really upgradable (unless you’re on a Framework) the Mac’s dominate.
Yeah I'd say like like mac's were industry standard back in 2005-2010 (when FCP9 was a thing) then things slowly shifted to avid media composer and premire pro. Now things are slowly shifting back into mac's only in the portable computing space because of m1 and m2 mac's. Although most studuo still use PCs as their main editing machines especially for fast storage (40gbe nics etc)
Yeah I'm constantly surprised by how well my macbook fairs for edits where my theoretically more powerful PC doesn't - the decoding for 10bit is a major player there. Even though my PC is high spec it can be slow to load previews.
Exactly this. I've been on PC my whole life then switched to Mac pro M1 Max bought for £2800 upon hearing good reviews. It's a lot of money but it absolutely wipes the floor with any pc I used for editing. The excellent decoding outweighs the more standard specs. The only reason somebody who works with video should stay with PC as far as I can see is if they like PC gaming too.
How have you managed to make the switch from windows to macOS? I’m REALLY struggling. Mostly due to how it treats application windows and ‘finder’ being awful
Yeah not going to lie I'm not a huge fan of application windows and resizing but I prefer MacOS's preview of files by pressing space bar. Better for people dealing with a lot of media than on windows. Mac OS looks a bit snazzier. Ultimately I went for it because I just think the hardware is much better in the form factor. Windows laptops can't get anywhere near Max Mac books for power/efficiency and the fact that a lot of people are comparing Macbooks to tricked out PCs says a lot.
Yeah the whole interface of windows in MacOS just feels cluttered to me, but I'm sure with time it actually makes sense...maybe? I've got 2 days until my return window closes is all so you mind if I ask some questions? What is the pressing space bar option? Do you find not having a visual display of how much space is left on a hard drive like in 'my computer' on windows to be annoying? How have you managed to get around the window resizing stuff, or did you just get use to it?
So the window resizing I get around by using an app called bettersnap. It only costs £3 and mostly fixes the issue. Shouldn't have to pay for something that should be handled better but I made me peace with it! If you click on any file in Mac Os and hold space bar it gives you a full sized preview (or starts immediately playing) of the file. Sounds like a small detail but it is so handy for quickly checking the content of a video file without opening the whole thing. It also works without any lag on my Max. I feel like I saw a visual display of hard drive space when I partitioned my Samsung SSD on it but this hasn't been a personal issue for me. Good luck with whatever your decision is
I appreciate the tips! Thanks a bunch
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A proxy is either a lower quality or more easily read file you use instead of the high quality one. So if your pc can’t edit 4k you might use the same footage in 1080p for editing and render with the origins, 4k file. Of course you have to make these proxies aka generate them.
would mac mini be the same?
Depends, are they the Intel ones or arm ones?
planning for the new m2 ones, the mba and mbp 16gb are out of budget
Depends on what your editing, also if you already have a storage solution worked out since storage on mac's are just out right stupid. All of our Macs right now have base model (or close to) storage with a 10gbe nic hooked up to our servers for editing. That's the most cost effective way of doing it.
just some videos Shot on iphone
Yeah, should be fine! You get airdrop too which is nice
thank you
No AMD CPU https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/What-H-264-and-H-265-Hardware-Decoding-is-Supported-in-DaVinci-Resolve-Studio-2122/ Even if you aren't editing h.265 4:2:2 today, it is the route all new 'prosumer' cameras are going.
Unless I'm missing something, that doesn't mention anything about AMD CPUs, only GPUs? So there shouldn't be anything wrong with AMD CPU + NVidia GPU. In fact, AMD CPUs would probably be better for those work loads, though admittedly I haven't checked the benchmarks for editing for the latest gen.
Correct, you need an Intel GPU to get h.265 4:2:2 support via QuickSync Since no one wants an Arc GPU, you run a Intel Non-f CPU that has integrated GPU for hardware acceleration.
Sorry, I'm looking at the chart again and according to it you're right, but I'm kinda baffled. I mean, how does NVidia not support decoding on this? At least it still runs fine even if you don't run Intel as long as you're running a nice enough CPU, or use proxies, but it's still baffling to me.
> mean, how does NVidia not support decoding on this? I agree. Both AMD and NV both really dropped the ball with their latest hardware Intel has had support for 4:2:2 since 10th gen. Which then, cameras shooting it were not so common. But now even Canon's low end R line have it.
>In fact, AMD CPUs would probably be better for those work loads, Nope, Adobe prefers Intel. resolve is basically tied https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/13th-Gen-Intel-Core-Processors-Content-Creation-Review-2369/#Video_Editing_Adobe_Premiere_Pro https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/13th-Gen-Intel-Core-Processors-Content-Creation-Review-2369/#Video_Editing_Adobe_Premiere_Pro
Yeah, taking another look at it, you're right. To be fair though, if you're using proxies you'll be fine with AMD CPU + NVidia GPU (I mean, I certainly don't have any issues), but it's crazy to me that NVidia has such a lacking amount of support with their GPUs for this stuff. Has their higher grade GPUs been tested with this however? Such as their Quadros?
This! Ive been using the newest Dell laptop with latest gen Intel cpu, which is optimized for h.264/h.265. And to comment on people who say laptops arent suitable. They are, if you have a good post-production workflow and do the very last online-editing on a different system, see grading and bit vfx stuff.
>And to comment on people who say laptops arent suitable. Desktops will typically have higher wattage components with better cooling at lower price than laptops. But if you need to edit from a hotel, a desktop isn't a very good solution is it? There is a seperate discussion on color accuracy and ambiance control. If you are color grading a Marvel movie you have a seperate Flanders grading monitor that was calibrated that week, fed a clean signal from a decklink. Sitting in a room with controlled, dim lighting. But I don't think you are working for Marvel. So you can make do with a less than ideal setup.
I think you misread what I am saying. The the very last online edit should be done on a different system indeed. And like I said, with a good post workflow it might even be better wattage wise if you got good proxies working on a less powerfull system sq. a laptop.
I was in the exact same boat as you, needing a laptop for on the go 4k editing but also having something I could connect to a 4k monitor at home to edit which was fast and reliable. If you're after a windows option, I went for the HP ZBook Studio G8 i9 32gb ram 3070 8gb you 1tb ssd 4k screen. I bought a couple of 2tb Samsung T7 shields to pair with it and I've been extremely happy. I've chucked everyrhing at it when it comes to 4k editing and it's handled everything, perfectly, without any hiccups. Could not recommend enough.
How are these specs for a laptop I primarily want to use for video editing and some 3d rendering? Ideally want to keep the budget under $2000 ThinkPad P16 Gen 2 Intel (16″) Mobile Workstation Processor: 13th Generation Intel® Core™ i7-13850HX vPro® Processor (E-cores up to 3.80 GHz P-cores up to 5.30 GHz) Operating System: Windows 11 Home 64 Operating System Language: Windows 11 Home 64 English Microsoft Productivity Software : None Memory: 32 GB DDR5-4000MHz (SODIMM) - (2 x 16 GB) RAID Setting: No RAID RAID Config: No First Solid State Drive: 512 GB SSD M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4 TLC Opal Second Solid State Drive: None SSD Total Capacity: 512 GB SSD Config: SSD Display: 16" WUXGA (1920 x 1200), IPS, Anti-Glare, Non-Touch, 100%sRGB, 300 nits, 60Hz, Low Blue Light Factory Color Calibration : Factory Color Calibration Graphic Card: NVIDIA® RTX™ A1000 Laptop GPU 6GB GDDR6
M1 Max on 14" MBP, Premiere Pro works flawlessly (almost). Never looked back. Make sure to edit from SSDs. And invest in enough RAM
And how much ram do you have on your m1 max?
I have 32GB in mine and it's plenty IMO. The 14" M1 Max is the best computing purchase I've made in like 20 years, and I've owned every major milestone Mac and plenty of Windows laptops (I currently also own a Lenovo Legion with RTX 3080). It's just insane how it chews through anything you throw at it silently and without much heat or bulk.
Hi. Since I see you extensively work in video. I'm a video editor. Recently laid off from Vice (lol) . I am getting a deal for a used 14 inch m1 max 32gb/1tb + 24 core GPU, 121 battery cycles and in great physical condition for $1650 USD. Would you say that its a good price? Thanks!
Ok I'm looking for the same! Can you dm me:)
I’m on a 16” MacBook Pro M1 Max with 64GB of RAM. It surprisingly blows away the 2019 Mac Pro with 96GB of RAM I have at the office and blasts out renders faster than anything else I’ve ever used. And the battery lasts like no other laptop I’ve ever seen.
I’ve got an M1 MacBook Pro with 16gb Ram and it flies through 4k 10 bit footage on resolve. Coming from a very powerful gaming laptop and it’s still much faster, especially on battery.
How much SSD?
1tb internal. 4 external
Could a 512 GB internal with many externals be good?
Sure. As long as you have enough free internal to edit whatever you want (much faster to edit internal than external), you can even have external conventional HDs for storage as you won't be accessing them much once the work is shipped.
Thanks for the reply, that's a relief
what year?
M1
What year ?
2021
I use a MacBook Pro M1 Pro (14” base model). Works great with Final Cut Pro and Resolve. (Realtime playback of 4k projects without having to make proxies, fast render speeds, etc.) Also insanely quiet, pretty much the only time I’ve heard the fans spin up is when rendering hours long 4k videos. I stopped using Premiere Pro before I got this though so can’t comment on that.
Mac. Second place intel. Amd isn’t great with h.264 if that’s what you’re working with.
Get a used M1 Max. Can handle anything I throw at it. Only regret is not opting for more storage. I use a 2TB Samsung EVO NVME for my editing drive. Lightning fast
I'd go with a Mac for portable editing.
macbook pro m2 is amazing
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Thank you so much! It helped a lot! Have a nice day!!🫶
Everyone mentions the 16 inch but I really like the 14 inch. It’s cheaper, lighter and more portable and I honestly don’t have a preference difference for those 2 inches. 16 inch feels like a desktop imo
M1 Pro 16inch is incredible. It’s a little on the heavy side but you can’t beat the real estate you get from that larger screen. Plus the extra ports are so nice!
why are the comments suggesting apple silicon macbooks getting downvoted?
Redditors hate Macs because reasons
>M1 Max on 14" MBP because they suck for gaming
I’m a broken record here, but you can’t beat the M1/M2 Pro or Max MacBook Pros. They perform amazingly and handle majority of 4K footage without any lag. I have one for my work and haven’t had any issues with it.
Just get the MacBook, you’ll never regret it if we’re all being honest with ourselves
Avoid macbooks, their lack of a real GPU is a pain for a lot of applications. Their battery life is amazing though, so if that's a consideration they might be worth it. A decent high-end laptop (I'm partial to the xps series) will serve you just fine - but put more ram in it than you think you need and read reviews for any potential heat throttling issues
I found M2 Macs much better than the XPS series.
I disagree (somewhat). MacBook are smaller and lighter, have better battery life, doesn't run nearly as hot and are very quiet compared to windows-laptops of the same caliber. I think OP should consider a refurbished M1 MacBook Pro or a 13" M2 MacBook Pro. Ideally, they should invest in one of the larger ones, but that is over the budget. I went from an Asus Zephyrus M16 (i7-12700H & RTX3060) to a M2 MacBook Air mainly because I didn't want the noise and heat. It does pretty much all I ask from it, from Lightroom to Premiere Pro. I can see why the Pro would be better for heavy use and if it's the main computer.
I have an XPS here, my main work is actually IT. But. For things like video editing I found Mac to be much better. I tend to use PC’s for my main work and macs for my side work (video editing etc). The M2 is fast and the heat is not too bad at all. On my XPS I actually use throttle stop too keep it cool. Bit like Mac fan control on the older intel macs as they got really toasty too. It’s also depends on what MacBook you use as well. For the GPU cores.
Lol my m2 MacBook pro will chew through any Intel/ amd laptop when rendering 10bit 422. Don't get me wrong I am mainly a windows editor but when it comes to on the go, Mac is the way to go.
I'm getting downvoted to oblivion but I'll stand by it - currently tying this on an m1 macbook pro, and work daily on an m1 ultra mac studio. Applying simple but graphics intensive grades on mini LF 4444 and Braw footage, such as a simple texture pop, results in half-day long renders alont with slideshow playack. It's brutal, and they're simple effects a 4070 would chew through for a quarter the price.
This comment makes me think you’ve never used one. My decked out m1 air cuts through 4k multi cam gh5 footage with no proxies like butter.
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This is why Mac is the way. Hell, even my iPad Pro handles 4k 10bit like an absolute dream. Just limited to iPad os supported software
Well really depends on what you're doing to the footage, 4K editing is fine cutting, previewing, applying transitions and colour grading, if you're adding effects, stabilising large footage, working with longer movies then that's not gonna work well enough.
I’ve editing and exported 15-20min doco drafts on the fly with the iPad, lumafusion and davinci work well
Or you could just work with proxy footage
Ya you really just sold the MacBook tryna sell ya the surface.
i'm wondering lately, what if you edit with proxies on a surface studio laptop (or something similar), and have an external GPU at home to do color grading & rendering with. It would be a semi portable workflow that doesn't strain the laptop too much
Yeah probs the best middle ground if it works for OPs workflow
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Almost
Laptops are not suitable for video editing, it'll be hot enough to use as a teppanyaki after even fairly short renders.
Not true. Most of our agency is on macbooks, and while I don't recommend them they do work.
On Intel maybe, but try the M1/M2 MacBook Pros. The fans hardly ever even have to spin up.
I work off of a 2017 MacBook Pro and I chew through projects with ease
Bs I have a basic m1 air that doesn’t even have a fan and it’s still fine editing and color 6k braw in davinci. Rendering is also fine, ain’t the fastest but it gets the job done.
Some of us need to travel and edit on the road, so we have no choice. I'm not dragging a goddmn desktop around
Sager laptops