#Best mac specs for video editing for free
#Best mac specs for video editing 1080p
#Best mac specs for video editing pro
#Best mac specs for video editing software
#Best mac specs for video editing Pc

To test rendering, we use a five-minute project consisting of a mix of 4K, HD, and SD clips, with a consistent set of various transitions and render it to H.264 1080p at 15Mbps, 60fps, using H.264 High Profile.

#Best mac specs for video editing software

Better video software enlists your GPU to aid in rendering, and the results show. If you want to create complex videos that are more than a few minutes long, you need a powerful computer with high-end components. Rendering a project with all your media, edits, and effects, is one of the more computationally intense processes today’s computers can perform. How Does Video Software Perform on macOS? Whatever the output, you don’t want to be waiting around for long periods while the program processes your project, and that’s what our next section discusses. Maybe you even want to output for VR headsets. The video editing software you choose must be able to output to your specifications, whether that’s a smartphone screen or a wall-size 4K TV. You may even want to create a DVD or USB key with your video to share as a physical gift or promotion. Does the program make it easy to format your project for your intended output? For most hobbyist video editors these days that means online social video-Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter, but you may want to share an HD or 4K file privately or to a more professional output like Vimeo, as well as embed it on your website, in a presentation, or a Zoom session. The final stage of editing is not to be ignored: Output. Want to make it sound like your video was recorded in a concert hall or stadium? The software can do that. iMovie’s Trailers and Premiere Elements' Smart Trim tools and templates are standouts among these capabilities.Īnd then there’s audio: Most Mac video editing apps let you add background music, voice-over narration, and effects and adjustments to your clips’ audio. The entry- and enthusiast-level programs include templates that help you arrange your content for a compelling, coherent presentation. Picture-in-picture, motion tracking, and chroma keying are further possibilities in the medium. Adding transitions between clips, text titles and captions, and fun effects all come in limitless variations. But there’s so much more that you can do with your video. The basics of video editing-joining, trimming, and splitting video clips and then outputting the result as a single file-are possible in all the software here. What to Look for in Mac Video Editing Software

#Best mac specs for video editing pro

We focus on the more consumer software that appeals to a general audience rather than these niche products that said, we include Final Cut and Premiere Pro among our reviews, because they’re of interest to enthusiasts as well as to professionals. Other (so-far unreviewed) pro-level editing software available for macOS include the far more expensive and complex Avid Media Composer ($1,299) and DaVinci Resolve ($295, with a limited free version available).Īll the apps in this category except Final Cut are available on Windows, too, whose users have a couple more choices as well, including Magix Pro X ($399) and Sony Vegas Pro ($399). Apple Final Cut Pro: What's the Difference?

Don’t think that means Final Cut Pro isn’t professional level, however: It can match and even beat Premiere Pro on deep editing tools, format support, and performance.įor more on these two higher-end apps, you can read Adobe Premiere Pro vs. The new version is a boon to enthusiasts and those moving up from iMovie, however, as its trackless timeline and simplified interface ease the transition. Adobe Premiere Pro has taken over much of Final Cut’s market share usage by professionals after Apple completely revamped the traditional Final Cut interface. The professional level is where choices on the Mac shine, particularly because that’s the only platform you can run Apple’s excellent Final Cut Pro. Other choices at this level include Wondershare Filmora and the free, powerful, and open-source Shotcut. The program tends to offer the best support for new formats and technology, and it was the fastest at rendering our test project of any software included here.

#Best mac specs for video editing Pc

A recent arrival in this space is our longtime PC Editors’ Choice-winning video editing application, CyberLink PowerDirector. Other entry-level options (not yet tested by PCMag) are Lightworks and Movavi.Īt the enthusiast level, the old standby is Adobe Premiere Elements, which offers a clear, simple interface and great tutorial content for getting that special effect you’re looking for. iMovie ties in very well with the iOS version of the app too, letting you pick up on the Mac where you left off with the iPhone.

#Best mac specs for video editing for free

It comes with Macs for free and it’s impressively capable. The best-known entry-level video editing application for macOS is Apple’s own iMovie. There are three tiers of video editing software for the Mac: the entry, enthusiast, and professional levels.

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