Apple MacBook Pro - Best Computer For After Effects & Video Editing?

MacBook Pro - Why It's The Best Laptop Computer For Using After Effects

The latest version (14 & 16) of the MacBook Pro was released in October 2021. Since then, it has gained popularity amongst After Effects users with its M1-powered chip. But with no rumors of a new model with the M3 Pro or M3 Max chips, it seems like this model will be the best we'll get for a while. So, In this article, we'll go over why now's the perfect time to snag a MacBook Pro if you're an AE user who's looking to buy a new laptop.

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MacBook Air & Pro Video Editing Overview

It has all the necessary technical aspects required to run After Effects, such as a minimum of 16 GB Ram and M1 chip. If you're looking to use After Effects on a MacBook, here are some of the reasons as to why we thought it's the best option.

• Big, beautiful screens make it easy to see your work
• The latest M1 Pro or M1 Max chips give you all the power you need for demanding video editing tasks
• Loads of RAM means no slowdowns or lag
• Fast SSD storage makes working with big files a breeze
• And, if you're already using other Apple tools, you'll love the seamless integration.

Is The MacBook Pro The Laptop For You?

Assuming you're planning on using it for video creation on After Effects + other tasks, the MacBook pro is the perfect laptop option for those looking for a great laptop computer in the $1000 - $4000 price range. Heck, if your budget was higher than that, you'll be saving money by purchasing a MacBook!

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Why It's Great For Running After Effects

We can't really say much about the MacBook Pro being a bad choice for running Adobe After Effects, apart from the fact that MacBook Pros come with a list of unnecessary features of which video editors simply disregard. Some of which include the touchbar, Full-Screen Mode, and the Spotlight Search, hence the hefty price tag.

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What To Consider When Choosing The Best Mac For Video Editing

Apart from the obvious compatibility, tech specs and usability. You should also be aware about past issues that MacBook users have claimed to have when using their devices for video creation with After Effects. A common bug (which has been patched as of January 2023) was known as the "VRT glitch". It caused users to shut down their software with the After Effects warning popup after simply adding a mask to 60FPS footage. Fortunately this bug most likely does not exist anymore, but it's good to know just for future reference.

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Best Free MacBook Video Editing Software

If you don't want to continue your free trial with After Effects, iMovie is another (not really) great alternative. We say not really because it has almost none of the features and editing tools that After Effects has. If you want a better free alternative to After Effects that can also run on your newly purchased MacBook Air, we'd highly recommend Hitfilm. Not only is it free, but it's basically a combination of Premiere Pro and After Effects. Read our full review of Hitfilm to see how it compares to After Effects in terms of functionality and included features .

Best Video Editing Software For MacBook Users

If you're willing to pay for software, the answer is always either Adobe After Effects or Final Cut Pro. It's no surprise that Final Cut Pro (commonly used in acronym form as FCPX) is the most popular video editing program for MacBook users after iMovie. After All, the software is made by Apple themselves, so they've specially designed it for Mac Users only.

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MacBook for video editing Reddit

For more information and genuine feedback regarding the usage of MacBook for video Editing, we'd recommend checking out popular reddit threads from existing MacBook users who edit videos. Here are some of the most informative posts we've found on editing subreddits:

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FAQ

Why do people prefer Mac for video editing?

Not only do they have the perfect tech specs for all types of editing processes, but MacBook Pros are known for being reliable with After Effects and FCPX. Most of the crashes, glitches and other difficulties with After Effects occur to Windows users, but rarely Mac users.

How much RAM do I need for video editing MacBook Pro?

Popular video editing softwares vary in RAM requirements. The two most popular (and industry leading) programs for VFX and video editing are After Effects and Premiere Pro. Both of which require a minimum of 16GB of RAM (random access memory) to run properly.

Is 16GB MacBook Pro enough for video editing?

A 16GB MacBook Pro can comfortably run popular editing programs such as Premiere Pro and After Effects with no issues.

Is a MacBook Pro or Air better for video editing?

We'd say the MacBook Pro because it has more powerful hardware, such as a faster processor and a dedicated graphics card, which are essential for handling the demands of Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro. The MacBook Pro also has more upgrading capabilities than the Air version, which means you can increase certain aspects if you plan on doing more intensive video editing tasks.

Conclusion - Best MacBook For Video Editing Review

The MacBook Pro really does stand out as the best laptop for video editing compared to its competitors such as the Acer Aspire Nitro series laptops. We say this because of the MacBook's user-friendly interface, hardware compatibility, high-quality performance, and reliable performance. It's got everything you need to bring your video editing dreams to reality.