UPDATE: Larry has been bench testing his configured Mac Mini, and has updated his initial tutorial to reflect what he has learned. You can read it. By Last week, Apple announced to the venerable Mac Mini.
And this upgrade turned a diminutive system into a powerhouse. So much so that I’m getting a ton of email about whether we can use the Mac Mini for. The short answer is: Yes. Like all computers, you get the best possible performance by buying a fully-tricked out, top of the line system. And, like all computers, that may require more money than you have to spend. So the purpose of this article is to help you prioritize balancing cost vs.
Question: Q: Mac Mini / video editing More Less Apple Footer This site contains user submitted content, comments and opinions and is for informational purposes only. Most Accessible Apple Editor: Apple iMovie at Apple.com, “If you haven’t done video editing before, this is a good place to get started before moving on to more serious software. If you really just want to get started editing videos on your Mac, or even on your iPhone or iPad, then the easiest way is to get Apple iMovie. This is Apple.
SYSTEM DESCRIPTION (All images courtesy of Apple.) Based on my research, the new Mac Mini is a solid machine for video editing, with the ability to configure the system with up to 64GB of RAM, a 6-core i7 desktop-class processor, and a 10Gigabit Ethernet port. The I/O available on the new Mac mini allows users to connect a number of devices through its 4 Thunderbolt 3 ports, 2 USB-A ports, HDMI 2.0 port, and analog audio output jack. With these ports, you can connect a plus a separate 4K display, or up to three 4K displays. NOTE: The system offers Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, this means that you’ll need to purchase an adapter to connect any Thunderbolt 2 devices.
These are readily available from a number of vendors, including, for about $50. Links. Mac Mini Overview:.
Mac Mini Tech Specs: The system also natively supports:. Up to three 4K displays: Two displays with 4096-by-2304 resolution at 60Hz connected via Thunderbolt 3 plus one display with 4096-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI 2.0. – OR –. Up to two displays: One display with 5120-by-2880 resolution at 60Hz connected via Thunderbolt 3 plus one display with 4096-by-2160 resolution at 60Hz connected via HDMI 2.0 LARRY’S PRIORITIES When it comes to optimizing a computer system for video editing, when you can’t purchase the top of the line, here are my spending priorities:.
GPU. RAM. Storage speed and capacity. CPU speed Increasingly, both and are leveraging the GPU for effects, rendering and export. However, the Mac Mini does not give us an internal choice for GPU. When it comes to optimizing a computer system for video compression, my priorities shift:. CPU speed.
RAM. Storage speed and capacity.
GPU While some video transcoding and compressing codecs are multi-threaded (which means they take advantage of multiple cores in a CPU), many others are not. These single-threaded codecs take advantage of pure CPU speed more than the GPU. THOUGHTS ON THE GPU Here’s the key point behind deciding which GPU to get. A graphics processing unit is optimized for pixel manipulations: texturing, rendering, color grading, exporting anything that involves manipulating the colors of pixels. All you are getting when you purchase a “higher-grade” GPU is more speed.
Not better quality, just speed. If you are a student, a hobbyist, or someone with indeterminate deadlines, there’s no compelling reason to get a faster GPU; the faster speed doesn’t justify the cost. If you are someone living with constant deadlines, who does a lot of effects and color grading, and needs projects exported “yesterday or sooner,” then a faster GPU makes sense. One of the big limitations of the original Mac Mini was its reliance on an Intel Iris graphics card. This was woefully underpowered for any serious graphics work, such as video editing.
That changed with the latest release. All configurations of the new Mac Mini use the Intel UHD Graphics 630 card. For editors who are working primarily in HD with limited motion graphics and effects, or who have deadlines that are flexible, the Intel UHD Graphics 630 will work well. For users who need faster performance, for example, working at higher resolutions such as 4K, with video, or with more complex graphics and effects, the Blackmagic eGPU or newly announced are great options for these types of graphics-intensive tasks.
The updated eGPU Pro includes a Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics card with 8GB of high bandwidth memory. The card offers similar performance to the graphics card in. Links. Here’s a link for more information on the Blackmagic Design eGPU:. Here’s an Apple KnowledgeBase article on how to setup FCP X in macOS Mojave for an external eGPU: My recommendation is to go with the internal GPU, until you find yourself spending too much time waiting. A slower GPU does NOT mean you can’t edit, it simply means that tasks like and exporting may take a little longer. If you need more speed, add an external GPU as your budget allows.
Continued at, as Larry looks at the RAM, CPU, STORAGE, and his recommended configuration.
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If you're searching for the best computer for video editing, we can help. In this guide, you'll find our pick of the best video editing computers right now – at a range of different price points – to help make your footage sing, whatever your skill level. Why choose a desktop computer instead of one of the? Well, assuming you have a permanent desk, you'll benefit from better specifications for less money. Also, being able to work on a broader display allows you to pick out minute detail more easily, and see what your film will look like on a bigger screen. As well as highlighting our top choices of the very best Windows PC and Mac computers for video editing here, we've also got you covered if you're on a budget.
(And if you aren't sure which program to use once your computer's sorted, then you can check out our favourite, too.) Read on for the best computers for video editing. Chunky display bezel Once you go Mac, it's hard to go back. If you're used to cutting and chopping on an Apple machine and want an all-in-one setup for your desktop then the iMac with 4K Retina display is an absolute beaut – and it's a fraction of the price of the iMac Pro at number four on this list.
In fact, the price is pretty spectacular when you consider that a stunning 21.5-inch 4K retina screen is included. It features a wider range of colours than some competitors' monitors thanks to its DCI P3 colour space. Put simply, images can appear more life-like with accurate colours and a greater vibrancy, and this is the kind of little touch that can really add value to your projects. One piece of valuable upgrade advice, though, is to customise the iMac's storage and switch from the Fusion Drive that Apple offers by default and switch to an, which runs a lot quicker. It may increase the price a bit, but the extra speed you'll gain in everything you do on your Mac makes better long-term sense.
Overall, this is our pick of the best computer for video editing right now. Mid-range graphics card in default configuration. AMD's newest Ryzen 2700X processor features eight independent CPU cores, which really speeds up video encoding times, and comes at a fantastic affordable price. While the Chillblast Fusion Ryzen 2700X is a mid-range rig that won't break the bank, its nippy exporting of video will outperform more expensive computers.
And the rest of the default specification won't hold back your video editing software either. It comes with 16GB of memory, a 250GB SSD and a 4TB hard disk for large video files, with an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card, which can offer additional acceleration for specific tasks in all kinds of design software, including video editing applications.
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The price doesn't include a display, mouse or keyboard, so you'll either have to purchase these separately or reuse old hardware you already own. Select upgrades like a bump to 32GB of memory or an even more powerful graphics card such as a GeForce GTX 1080 are all available through Chillblast's site, which do add to the cost, but even without any changes to its specification, the Chillblast Fusion Ryzen 2700X is a formidable video editing workstation. Dell XPS 27 AIO. No HDMI in This is another PC that may stretch the budget, but hear us out. This astonishing all-in-one from Dell comes with a mighty 27-inch 4K Ultra HD touchscreen display and an ear-busting set of six speakers. That makes for the ideal platform from which to view – and hear – what you've shot and get the best from it in post-production. The Dell XPS 27 performs admirably against industry-standard graphics-based benchmarks, no doubt thanks to the pacey 3.6GHz Intel Core i7-7700 processor under the casing.
And this premium machine also gets premium peripheries in the form of a sleek and stylish wireless mouse and keyboard. Apple iMac Pro. Soooooooo expensive We know it's eye-wateringly expensive. But Apple's brand new iMac Pro is the new daddy of computers for designers: if you have the cash, this is the best video-editing computer currently on the market. (If you're after a more affordable model, try the excellent iMac at number two, above.) So what do you get for your money? Firstly, there's the 27-inch 5K resolution, which is 43 per cent brighter than standard Apple Retina monitors and delivers up to an astonishing one billion colours.
There aren't too many screens around that will flatter your footage more. Starting with an 8-core Intel Xeon processor, the least expensive iMac Pro option is already immensely powerful, with an outrageous 18-core option for those who can afford it.
1TB to 4TB of SSD internal storage means that you'll be able to store tonnes of 4K footage before you need to think about additional. And it's not short on ports, either, with four Thunderbolt 3.0 ports and a 10GB ethernet port. Plus, of course you get the benefit of the platform's formidable Final Cut Pro X editing software as well. Lenovo IdeaCentre 520-AAST 21.5in AIO PC. Nowhere near the power of others listed Complete with monitor, mouse and keyboard, it's not easy to find exceptional quality computing for under a grand. But this Lenovo PC is an adequate option if you're on a tight budget. It comes with a 23-inch Full HD monitor and packs in up to a 2TB hard drive and 7th-generation Intel processor.
If you're somebody requiring a heavyweight machine for professional video editing all day everyday, this machine probably isn't going to quite cut the mustard. But for keen amateurs and dabblers, the sub £1,000/$1,000 spend on this Lenovo all-in-one should be just fine. It's worth noting that you can buy an even cheaper AMD-based version, but it will be less powerful and you get a smaller monitor.