Best laptops for video editing

[hattievane]

Hi guys,

I'm a freelance journalist looking to buy a new macbook pro. I work predominantly in video and need a decent spec as a result. Advice on what's the best option would be great. I'm thinking mac book pro lap top, but not got much beyond that. Help much much appreciated !! I mean even the minimum spec for serious video editing would be v helpful. Any cost guides are helpful also !

Hattie !

 

[monokakata]

I can tell you that I know someone who edited a feature film on a retina Macbook Pro with 16 gb RAM, the highest spec i7, 512 gb SSD, and the highest spec GPU.

Of course the footage was on an external thunderbolt drive.

But he ran 2 x 1080P monitors for cutting, and a TV monitor via HDMI, Wacom pad, USB audio interface, and so on.

It did the job, including the transcoding from RAW video to ProRes 422 (that took a day or so). Avid MC8.

You can cost a similar machine out on Apple's site.

 

[Mac-lover3]

First question: The screen size?

13":

- The base model: 2,6 GHz, (upgrade to 256GB recommended), 8GB RAM (if you have the money) upgrade to 16GB

= 1529€/1499$

15"

- The base model: 2,2 GHz, 256 GB is standard, 16 GB is standard

= 2029€/1999$

 

[maflynn]

Do you want a larger display or smaller one. 15" vs. 13"?

The 15" offers quad core processing, and a better GPU which should help you with your video work, on the other hand, 13" is a bit more mobile.

 

[phrehdd]

I am curious - how do these laptops hold up with the heavy CPU and GPU usage with respect to heat and are these laptops usually using AC power or mostly editing time done on battery?

 

[hattievane]

I can tell you that I know someone who edited a feature film on a retina Macbook Pro with 16 gb RAM, the highest spec i7, 512 gb SSD, and the highest spec GPU.

Of course the footage was on an external thunderbolt drive.

But he ran 2 x 1080P monitors for cutting, and a TV monitor via HDMI, Wacom pad, USB audio interface, and so on.

It did the job, including the transcoding from RAW video to ProRes 422 (that took a day or so). Avid MC8.

You can cost a similar machine out on Apple's site.

Hey I really appreciate the help, I'm not quite at movie making level yet!! I'm thinking of going

13"

3.1GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.4GHz

16gb of RAM with 512GB PCIe-based Flash Storage what do you reckon??

Part of me want to splurge to go, I want all the RAM and all the storage !!! But unfortunately I can't do that

----------

Do you want a larger display or smaller one. 15" vs. 13"?

The 15" offers quad core processing, and a better GPU which should help you with your video work, on the other hand, 13" is a bit more mobile.

Thanks for responding. In an ideal world I'd want a 15", but I've worked very successfully on a 13" thus far. Anyway my current plan is leaning towards the below?

Hey I really appreciate the help, I'm not quite at movie making level yet!! I'm thinking of going

13"

3.1GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.4GHz

16gb of RAM with 512GB PCIe-based Flash Storage what do you reckon??

Part of me want to splurge to go, I want all the RAM and all the storage !!! But unfortunately I can't do that

----------

First question: The screen size?

13":

- The base model: 2,6 GHz, (upgrade to 256GB recommended), 8GB RAM (if you have the money) upgrade to 16GB

= 1529€/1499$

15"

- The base model: 2,2 GHz, 256 GB is standard, 16 GB is standard

= 2029€/1999$

Ahhh screen size - in an ideal world I want the biggest one possible !! But more realistically I'd have to go for the 13"


I'm thinking the following spec

3.1GHz Dual-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.4GHz

16gb of RAM with 512GB PCIe-based Flash Storage what do you reckon??

----------

Do you want a larger display or smaller one. 15" vs. 13"?

The 15" offers quad core processing, and a better GPU which should help you with your video work, on the other hand, 13" is a bit more mobile.

It's a bit of problem because ideally I want both. I need a decent system for video working, but I'm sure I'll need some mobility at some point too.

Eleanor

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Thank you to all of you for the help by the way !!