What's the best Mac for video editing right now? The answer to that question is constantly changing, because Apple doesn't sit still for long. 2026 has already reshuffled the video editing hierarchy twice: first with the base M5 chip landing in the MacBook Pro and Air, then with the super-powerful M5 Pro and M5 Max arriving in March. That's good news if you're in the market right now, because it means capable older models like the M4 MacBook Pro are dropping in price.
For anyone who wants desktop power without compromise, our overall pick remains the Mac Studio (M4 Max, 2025), but we've also listed a range of MacBooks to suit everyone from a beginner cutting 4K YouTube videos on a budget to a seasoned veteran who dealing with serious ProRes workloads.
The models below cover a wide range of video editing needs, at a range of prices. Meanwhile, if you're refreshing your entire setup, also see our guides to the best monitors for video editing and best video editing software.
Erlingur writes and edits reviews for an endless stream of laptops. He knows power, performance, display and battery life (the key components for a good video editing laptop). So he is perfectly placed to handpick machines for this list, and advise on who they're best suited to.
Best Mac for video editing
30-second review: The Mac Studio M4 Max is designed to run heavy-duty creative software, including video editing tools, and boy does it succeed. It's got super-powerful components, including an M4 Max chip delivering up to 16 cores of CPU power and 40 GPU cores. Which means that even if you're editing 8K footage, it won't break a sweat.
Pricing: The Mac Studio with M4 Max starts at $1,999 / £2,099 and gets very expensive once you start upping the specs. So unless you have a very demanding video editing workload, it may well be considered overkill, and you may prefer something cheaper like the Mac mini (M4, 2024). But if your video editing workflow is intensive, we'd heartily recommend the Mac Studio.
Design: This computer boasts a minimalist aluminium design and is small enough to fit into tight workspaces. Front-facing USB-C ports and an SDXC card slot are helpful if you frequently work with external drives and SD cards. At the rear, you get four Thunderbolt 5 ports (a significant upgrade), two USB-A ports, HDMI 2.1, and 10Gbps Ethernet, and you can connect up to five external displays simultaneously.
Performance: The M4 Max processor delivers massive processing power and excels in multitasking, as well as handling graphically intensive tasks. It aced our benchmark tests working with 8K in Final Cut Pro and demanding 3D applications, all whilst remaining near-silent in operation. The built-in audio could be better, though.
Read more: Mac Studio M4 Max review
"It’s overkill for many situations: Photoshop will run almost as well on much cheaper machines, as will a web browser. But if you’re video editing, rendering, using AI or perhaps doing all three things at once, the Mac Studio is one of the best desktop PCs around."
Best MacBook for video editing
30-second review: Apple finally brought the M5 generation to its Pro and Max chips in March, six months after the base M5 arrived, and it's not a modest bump but a huge jump in power. You now get Neural Accelerators in every GPU core and Thunderbolt 5 across the board; a notable omission on the base M5 model at launch. The M5 Pro is the sweet spot for most editors who've outgrown the base M5, while the M5 Max is squarely aimed at motion and VFX professionals who need the maximum power in a laptop format.
Design: The physical design is the same as the M4 and base M5 MacBooks across both Pro and Max: a solid aluminium body, an excellent Liquid Retina XDR display (albeit LCD rather than OLED) , and Apple's sleek looks. The Max version is slightly heavier at 2.15kg versus the Pro, because of its larger cooling system.
Performance: In our test, the M5 Max beat the M4 Pro we tested in a Mac Studio by 23.7% in multi-core work, and its 40-core GPU landed somewhere around Nvidia's RTX 5070 in raw output, making it the fastest laptop chip we'd ever benchmarked. The M5 Pro isn't quite as powerful, with fewer CPU and GPU cores, but should still outpace the outgoing M4 Pro comfortably.
Price: The M5 Pro starts at $2,199 / £2,199 for the 14-inch model, rising to $2,699 / £2,699 for the 16-inch. The M5 Max starts considerably higher, at $3,599 / £3,599 for the 14-inch model and $3,899 / £3,899 for the 16-inch, and can climb a lot further still: our fully-specced review unit, with 128GB RAM and 4TB storage, came in at $5,699 / £5,699.
Read more: MacBook Pro M5 Max review
The MacBook Pro is the go-to laptop for creatives, and it's a wonderful thing to use, unlikely to be beaten until the M5 Pro and Max versions appear. Now that they have, they're exactly the leap you'd hope for.
Best value Mac
30-second review: Our reviewer found the base M4 MacBook Pro to be an exceptional laptop, let down slightly by its GPU. That trade-off is exactly what makes it great value now the M5 generation is here. So if your editing work leans towards lighter 4K projects, colour-graded social content or documentary-style cuts rather than heavy multicam or 3D-assisted work, this might well be your best option for the money.
Design: The physical design is identical to the newer M5 models: a sleek, all-metal aluminium body weighing 1.55kg, with the same Liquid Retina XDR screen delivering up to 1,600 nits peak brightness and superb colour accuracy.
Performance: In our benchmark testing, the M4's single-core CPU results were unmatched by any laptop we'd tested at the time, and multi-core performance remains strong for the price. The drawback is graphics: our GPU-intensive testing, including a Topaz Video AI pass, found this laptop trailing machines with dedicated GPUs. So if your workflow leans on GPU-accelerated effects, colour grading or 3D-assisted rendering, this won't be the fastest. For straightforward editing and static creative work, though, it's excellent.
Battery life: We measured 22 hours and 48 minutes in our streaming video test. That remains one of the best results of any laptop we've reviewed, Pro or otherwise.
Price: The base M4 MacBook Pro launched at $1,599 / £1,599, and with the M5 line now the current model, we're seeing it discounted at third-party retailers, making it a strong value pick if you don't need top-tier GPU power.
Read more: MacBook Pro (M4, 2024) review
The base M4 is a great productivity laptop, but 3D and moving-image processing is disappointing for such a high-end laptop, so if you work with heavy video rendering, you need to step up to a Pro or Max chip. As a value pick for lighter editing work, though, it's hard to beat.
Best all-in-one Mac for video editing: iMac M4
30-second review: The iMac M4 is an all-in-one desktop computer; an integrated machine-and-screen blessed with Apple's latest M4 silicon. It has enough power to get through most video editing tasks smoothly, but if you're wanting true power for heavy workloads or 3D-based video/rendering tasks you'll likely need something more powerful like the top-spec MacBook Pro above.
Design: Even for Apple, this is a gorgeous piece of kit. The iMac M4 was reviewed by our resident Apple enthusiast Daniel John, and he was utterly charmed by this ultra-slim all-in-one, with its palette of pastel hues to choose from. The display, a 24-inch (4480 x 2520 pixels) specimen, is gorgeously bright if not as dazzling in quality as the MacBook Pro, and can be bought with a nano-texture option to reduce glare. The two main caveats are oddly paradoxical: for one, the 24-inch screen may be too small for some editors, and for two, the overall package may be too big! At 4.44kg, this is not a computer you'll slip into a backpack.
Performance: With M4 silicon on board, this iMac was always going to get plenty of business done. Dan tested the 10-core version, as is his wont, with Final Cut and Photoshop running simultaneously, as well as a clutch of tabs open in Google Chrome, and the iMac didn't stutter for a second. Exporting an edited 4K video in Final Cut Pro took barely a minute. Fundamentally, there's nothing to complain about here.
Value: At a starting price of $1,299/£1,299, the iMac M4 is pretty expensive (though we've seen discounts come and go). Now, that isn't a wildly outlandish price for a powerful computer, and you'd spend a similar amount to get one of the MacBook Pros at 2 and 3 on our list. But! But – the immovability of the iMac means that you might also need a laptop or iPad to supplement it if you're not always going to be editing in the same place, and that's going to send the costs climbing.
"For the right user, it's a winsome machine, packing power enough for vidoe editors in one of Apple's most beautiful designs ever."
Best value desktop Mac for video editing
30 second review: The Mac mini (M4, 2024) exceeded our expectations in terms of just how much of an improvement it is over the previous Mac mini (M2, 2023). Offering a significant hike in performance and configurable memory (if you've got the cash), it’s an excellent machine for video editing, especially thanks to the base model now doubling its unified memory to 16GB.
Design: Apple’s smallest ever computer takes up a minuscule 127 x 127 x 50mm, making it an excellent choice if you like a clear workspace. Its simple design belies careful consideration of the necessary functions and features; you get three front USB-C ports, an HDMI port and three Thunderbolt 4 ports (or even Thunderbolt 5 if you go for the M4 Pro). Of course, it wouldn’t be a contemporary Apple product if it wasn’t for a slightly bizarre design choice to accompany the fantastic ones, and with the M4 mini, it’s the awkwardly placed power button underneath the unit. This got a little annoying in our testing, but it's hardly a deal-breaker.
Performance: We were expecting to be impressed, but boy oh boy, the Mac mini delivers the goods. Its CPU scores were among the best we've seen for any computer in its price range, and while the integrated GPU can't hope to match up to discrete unit, it's more than capable of handling any video editing tasks you throw at it. The Mac mini is quiet too, even under heavy loads, meaning it won’t disturb your editing work with the loud whir of fans. You're not going to have any problems here.
Value: The base M4 model starts at £599, but scales quickly if you opt for the £1,399 M4 Pro variant. Still, it’s offering fantastic value for money as a desktop PC, especially if you already have a capable monitor and peripherals, and it handily beats pretty much anything else we've tested in its price bracket.
An ideal desktop computer for video editors, a compact computer that can do pro-level work, the Mac mini M4 offers incredible value.
Best portable Mac for video editing
30-second review: For editors who prioritise portability above all else, this a very capable machine, provided you know where its limits lie. The M5 MacBook Air impressed our reviewer by landing much closer to MacBook Pro performance than its lower price might suggest. In Geekbench's single-core test, it trailed only the MacBook Pro M5 and M5 Max among every machine we've tested, and its Photoshop scores were only 14% behind the M5 Pro.
Design: The Air is Apple's thinnest MacBook, with a 13-inch or 15-inch Liquid Retina display that's bright, colour-accurate and perfect to reviewing footage on the move. This model now includes a fingerprint reader on every configuration, alongside a 12MP Center Stage webcam.
Performance: Passive cooling is the main limitation for video editors. So while our benchmarks found the Air's raw CPU and GPU scores sit remarkably close to the MacBook Pro M5, within single digits on several tests, in sustained work with raw video in Adobe Premiere, it delivered just 52% of the Pro's score. That's a clear sign the lack of a fan starts to matter once you're pushing serious export workloads.
Battery life: Apple claims up to 18 hours, and in our real-world testing we enjoyed 15+ hours with moderate use, easily covering a full working day.
Price: The MacBook Air M5 starts at $1,099 / £1,099, placing it as a mid-range option now that the cheaper MacBook Neo exists, while still undercutting the MacBook Pro.
Read more: MacBook Air M5 review
"The MacBook Air can't really be called the middle ground in the MacBook range any more: it's a low-end MacBook Pro in all but name. If the Pro seems like too much for your needs, the Air is a genuinely compelling alternative."
Best iPad for video editing
30 second review: The iPad Pro M5 is Apple's most powerful tablet yet, and for video editors seeking portability, it's a compelling alternative to a MacBook. With its M5 chip delivering up to 3.5x faster AI performance than the M4 model, this tablet handles 4K video editing in Final Cut Pro and DaVinci Resolve with remarkable ease. The 13-inch Ultra Retina XDR OLED display is absolutely gorgeous for reviewing footage, with accurate colours and deep blacks.
Design: At just 5.1mm thick and weighing 579 grams (13-inch model), the iPad Pro M5 is impressively portable. The sleek aluminium body houses a stunning tandem OLED display with 120Hz ProMotion technology, delivering up to 1,000 nits of sustained brightness. However, there's only one Thunderbolt/USB 4 port, which handles both charging and connectivity – a significant limitation for professional workflows. You'll also need to invest in the Magic Keyboard (£349/$349) and Apple Pencil Pro (£129/$129) to unlock its full potential.
Performance: Our testing confirmed the M5 chip's impressive capabilities. The 10-core CPU and GPU with Neural Accelerators handled multi-track video editing smoothly, and the upgraded 12GB RAM (16GB on higher storage models) made multitasking across apps seamless. iPadOS 26's improved multitasking features finally make the iPad Pro feel more like a laptop replacement. The 30% increase in memory bandwidth over the M4 and 2x faster storage speeds translate to snappier exports and file transfers.
Battery life: Apple claims up to 10 hours of video playback, and our testing found this to be accurate for typical editing work, though intensive rendering tasks will drain it faster.
Price: At time of writing, the iPad Pro M5 costs from £999/$999 for the 11-inch model and £1,299/$1,299 for the 13-inch version from Apple. However, once you add the Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil Pro, you're looking at £1,577/$1,577 for the complete setup – approaching MacBook Pro territory. That said, if portability is your priority and you're committed to the Apple ecosystem, it offers tremendous value in an ultra-thin package.
Read more: iPad Pro (M5) review
What we look for in Macs for video editing
We look for several things when looking at MacBooks to include in our list. We don't assume newer Macs are always better, and we examine all the features of each Mac, considering who they are best suited to. We'll also take budget into account, particularly as when newer MacBooks come out the older ones are often discounted.
We look at the tech in each machine, especially the processor; considering which chip each contains, and what that actually means for video editors as well as its number of graphics cores. We're look at the specs on offer, such as the RAM and storage available, as we know that video editors will want as much storage and power as possible, and of course the quality of the display.
How to choose the best Macs for video editing
What you need to know: When choosing the best Mac for your video editing work, there are a number of things to consider – from how powerful the processor is through to its memory and display size and quality. All of these considerations are factored into our tests in order to help you select the best one for your projects:
Processor: Look for a Mac with a powerful processor, preferably something from Apple's M3 or up. A more powerful processor will handle video-editing tasks faster and more efficiently. M1 and M2 chips will usually be powerful enough, though, and getting cheaper with more frequent discounts. If you're working on a tighter budget, look for an M1/2 based machine from a third party seller.
Graphics card: These days, Macs don't come with discrete graphics cards. Instead, the graphics processor is built right into the chip itself. Look out for graphics core counts when shopping around: Apple's top-tier Ultra chips offer dramatically more GPU cores than the entry-level versions of the same generation, which translates directly into faster rendering and export times.
RAM: Apple chips use what the company calls a 'unified memory architecture, which means the CPU and GPU can share a common memory pool. In layman's terms, this means 8GB of unified memory should perform better than 8GB of regular memory. Still, it's a good idea to choose a Mac with at least 16GB of RAM, as video editing software can be memory-intensive. If you're planning to work on more complex video projects or 4K footage, consider getting a Mac with 32GB or 64GB of RAM.
Storage: Video editing requires a lot of storage, so look for a Mac with a large SSD. Consider getting a Mac with at least 512GB of storage, or even 1TB or more if you plan to work on larger projects.
Display: A high-quality display is essential for video editing. Look for a Mac with a Retina display that offers high resolution and colour accuracy. If you're getting a Mac without a display, such as a Mac mini, you'll need to buy a monitor as well. Thankfully, our guide to the best monitors for video editing will help you find one that's ideal for your needs.
Software: Consider the video editing software you plan to use and ensure it is compatible with the Mac you choose.
Budget: Macs can be expensive, so take your budget into account and choose a Mac that offers the best balance of performance and features within your means. A MacBook Pro might have more power, but maybe a MacBook Air will do everything you need. Consult our guide to MacBook Pro vs MacBook Air, to find out all the differences between the two models.
How we test the best Mac for video editing
We rate the best Macs for video editing by testing the machines with the leading software for this task, benchmarking on speed and capability. Each laptop or desktop is put through the same benchmark tests when reviewing them – and add extra tasks for candidates for video editing. See below for more detail on how we benchmark and rate the hardware, or find out more on our how we test laptops, PCs and workstations page.
- GPU: We use 3DMark's benchmark test, which tries out the graphics processor through 3D modelling and video game physics tests.
- CPU: Geekbench 5 measures the system's multi-core and single-core thoroughput, and Maxon's Cinebench R20 determines the hyperthreading capabilities. We run each of these three times.
- Battery: We use the PCMark 10 battery life test, and perform 'in use' tests like continuous video playback or tasks like video editing.
- For video editing: We test the smoothness and speed of video editing using applications like Da Vinci Resolve and Adobe After Effects, editing with multiple streams whilst using the browser tabs and even playing YouTube videos.
We appreciate that not all video editors are working with heavy duty, studio-quality footage. Many content creators – for social media, for example – won't need the highest specs or newest model, which is why we've included older Macs and the MacBook Air as well.
As with all of our buying guides, we consider the affordability and availability, covering a range of price points. Next, we look at the performance and components, weighing up the processors and graphics card power alongside the RAM and storage. Lastly, we consider practical and design elements; how light is it and how easy would it be to stow away for editing-on-the go? Is it an eyesore (unheard of in Apple-land), does it have any further assistive features?
If you're also looking for a MacBook for other purposes, see our guide to the best MacBook for programming.
FAQs
How much RAM do I need for video editing?
Depending on the complexity and type of project you're working on, it depends, but the good news is that we've selected the devices on this list to meet the minimum standards necessary; for HD video, that's 16GB RAM, scaling up to 32GB if you want a laptop for editing 4K video, and higher still if you're doing colour-heavy or multicam work on a Pro or Max chip. Of course, bigger is always better, unless you know for sure you're mostly working with shorter projects, smaller files or will only ever have one power-hungry creative app open at once.
Why should I use a Mac or MacBook for video editing?
There are several reasons why Macs and MacBooks remain a popular choice for video editing:
Performance: Macs are known for their powerful hardware and software optimisation, which makes them capable of handling complex video editing tasks with ease. Macs come equipped with powerful processors, graphics cards, and high-speed storage, allowing faster rendering and export times.
Software: Macs come pre-installed with iMovie, a powerful video editing app that will do the job for most basic video editing tasks. Additionally, professional video editing apps such as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro are also available for Macs, and these are some of the most popular pieces of software in the category.
Stability: Macs are known for their stability and reliability, so they're less prone to crashes and other software-related issues that can halt your workflow.
Colour accuracy: Macs are also known for their high-quality displays, which offer accurate and consistent colour reproduction. This is particularly important for video editors who need to ensure their video footage looks the same across different devices and platforms, for example to meet a client's brand guidelines.
Integration: If you are already invested in the Apple ecosystem, using a Mac or MacBook for video editing will integrate seamlessly with other Apple devices such as the iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch. Macs also integrate well with other Apple services and features such as iCloud and AirDrop, making it easy to share and transfer files between devices.
Are Macs better than PCs for video editing?
Both Macs and PCs can be used for video editing, and each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Macs are known for their excellent performance, stability and software optimisation, making them a popular choice among pro video editors. Macs and MacBooks come equipped with powerful processors, high-speed storage and dedicated graphics cards that are optimised for video editing software such as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere Pro. They also have a reputation for colour accuracy and high-quality displays. See our best MacBooks for college guide if you're a student.
On the other hand, PCs offer a wider range of hardware options and can be more affordable than Macs, especially when it comes to building a custom system. Additionally, professional video-editing apps such as Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve are available on Mac and PC, so you can choose the best platform for you.
Ultimately, whether a Mac or PC is better for video editing depends on your personal preferences, budget and specific video-editing needs. Both platforms have their strengths and weaknesses, and the choice ultimately comes down to your individual requirements and preferences.
