Alright you beautiful humans, here's the deal: As you can see this MBA handled the footage, and I even tested the Sony A7siii footage (short clip at the end). I was only working with FCP and had one browser open, so keep that in mind that the RAM wasn't under heavy load all the time, but for multi-tasking (as I do), that's why I'm invested in 16GBs of RAM. As my video renders or exports, I then have PS or LR open making a thumbnail, and I've got browsers open with several tabs either writing notes or researching, so that demands RAM. Anyway, the machine got hot, it did throttle down, but it kept going. FCP didn't crash, there were no beachballs, but I'm sure I could keep adding to the timeline to make this happen. This is supposed to give you some perspective that for most creators, this machine is more than fine. I wanted to push this machine with the highest ProRes that it could handle (efficiently), and it still performed above my expectations. Now go rock faces and be awesome. 🤘
Thank you Kevin for putting in the time to make these videos, they are extremely helpful. I'm just curious how many displays do the M1 based systems support? Will they support an ultra-wide monitor like the one you're using and a 4k reference display at the same time without any hindrance in the performance?
Well, in my previous video I did mention that workaround and linked the video (I think I did ) to that creator getting 6 displays to work. This is something I really need to test for myself as I’d like to measure as to what (if any) performance loss may occur. So, yes, there seems to be a workaround, however I just haven’t tested it and would want to give you a more educated yes or no. Appreciate you asking though as it does give me more things to look into.
@@KevinRossRN, I remember you mentioning that in the previous video however, I didn't think that the linked video would address the dip in performance so didn't bother watching it, I'll check it out now. Learning a lot from your videos Kevin, thanks again!
I've been watching your UA-cam vids for 3 days straight, unheard of for me - but I know quality, and that you are! Please keep your awesome content coming, much appreciated!
Wow! Seriously, I’m blown away. Really appreciate you saying so, and glad you’re finding value. Welcome to the evolution of the channel, especially since it started off as a vlog 😆 I’ll be seeing you around.
I decided to buy an m1 air with 16gb of ram for school but also because I really want to get into simpler video/photo editing. I won't be any near the load you push with your footage but i'm happy to see how far I can push this machine.
I'm writing this on Air M1 entry level spec (I don't see more performance from reviewers with more than 8/256) using external SSD for extra storage when video editing 4K60.
I just exported a 25min edit 3 times while watching your video. I love how fast the Final Cut Pro is exporting edits on my little $999 M1 macbook.. Wish it was half the price, haha.
and yeah I am not editing Arri Alexa footage. haha. Just my 4K60 8bit Panasonic G9 footage. In the future I hope to upgrade to a 4K60 10bit H265 HLG camera (to perhaps occasionally color grade and publish all in HLG/HDR on UA-cam), once something much cheaper than the A7Siii comes out (me hoping for a GH6 with proper AF).
I’m interested in Panasonic, but I have to say the AF is what is holding me back. I mean, they are definitely amazing cameras with an awesome picture quality. Now, if I spent more time behind the camera, I’d definitely consider it, and once I’m doing more of that type of work as we start to get out and about again, then yes. But sitting in front of the camera, my Sony hasn’t failed me yet.
It just comes down to the multitasking....once you have FCP open then Photoshop or Lightroom, then a couple of browsers, that memory swap definitely increases, but yes still very capable.
I love the render times . I’ve been able to crank out pretty complex workflows in minutes that otherwise would have taken up to an hour...more complicated workflows and codecs that is.
Yep, I’ve got some of that R5 footage that I’ve worked with on the mini. Even though the fan never spins up, it’s obvious that it provides some additional thermal management. It is a little silly what these things can do.
Well I guess the question about kicking yourself with the M1X is release is that do you need the M1 now? It’s capable. And as far as the external, I do prefer the TB3 enclosures with the NVMe SSD. They perform just as well as the internal when it comes to read and write.
Really good video my friend, Interesting to see how far one are really able to push these machines with current tech. Pushed my poor Mac Pro 2013 to the limit yesterday during an edit. I have the new Mac mini as you know, but i don't dare to switch in the final days of my project. What made this video interesting was the fact that you did use just optimized/original. This means you would be able to actually work quite well with this in proxy.
Oh yeah...a proxy timeline would be a breeze. I just wanted to get this thing to heat up and throttle. It’s interesting to because I’ve never really worked with proxy files on my other machines, even when I should have 🤷♂️ Here’s to your 2013 holding up through that project, friend. 🍻
Could you please answer this question? Or you could make a video on it. Can I edit iPhone 16 pro 4K 60p, 120p, ProRes log videos on MacBook Air m1.? Even HDR videos. Please help me out, it would be much appreciated thank you 🙏
The iPhone camera codec works really well with the M-Series chips. The only limitations will be the thermals. Basically, if you’re adding a lot of footage (large timeline) with multiple LUTs, grading, or any other modifications to the timeline. I always recommend rough cutting the footage first, and then grading it. You’ll be fine.
Thank you for the video. Now after watching I'm returning my mac mini and keeping the air. I think for simple editing tasks on the go it will suffice. Then hopefully come summer the next chip comes on a mac mini pro model in space grey.
I appreciate the video! Am about to jump into the M1 universe (upgrade from my 2015 Macbook Pro), and trying to decide between the different M1 machines.
Such a great video. Entertaining, informative, and great quality -- nice job! I have a question about my choices right now though. I've been researching M1 Computers (I'm kind of stuck to the Apple Ecosystem, I've been using it for a while and I love it) and my main use cases are some Blender modeling, VFX in Blender (with a few layers of clips, color grading, some masking and tracking, etc., some basic 1080p-4K editing with some color grading and maybe a little bit of masking, and some Photoshop and Lightroom. I wouldn't be doing these ALL the time, maybe 6 hours a week or something. Would the Air with 16GB be enough for me? Or do I need the Pro for better thermal efficiency? I appreciate any response! My budget's around 1300.
For video editing it’ll be just fine. Especially with FCP or Davinci Resolve. I used it often prior to the M1 Max. As far as Blender, the alpha release is promising and using more of the GPU vs the CPU, and this will only get better over time. I need to perform another test on the MBA with the updated Blender app, but I’d say that this will likely be your biggest hurdle to get over. Not impossible, but it’ll push the machine harder than video editing for sure.
@@KevinRossRN Okay, got it. So do you think that it could be a good choice to get the 16GB Air and instead of visual effects editing in Blender, I use the fusion page of Davinci Resolve and then wait to see how Blender plays out? Also thank you for the quick response!
Yeah, like I said the video editing should be just fine. And the alpha of Blender has cut times in half, but also keep in mind that when compared to even a base model Ryzen it’ll still be beat by quite a bit with that modeling. So if it’s not your primary, and you’re good to just walk away during those renders then you’ll be fine.
@@KevinRossRN I really appreciate all this help. Yeah, that all sounds pretty fitting for me -- it'll work. Sorry, just one more question haha, how were the thermals on your Air, do you think it'll impact the performance too much? I'm a little worried about the long-term stuff with the heat impacts. Like I said though, this isn't a primary thing with the amount of intensive work I'll do on it -- semi-infrequent.
So Apple really sets the thermal throttling at a level that should be fine longer term. It’ll start to throttle at around 93C (give or take), but there’s still enough room in the case to allow for cooling. So the several hours a week should be just fine.
@@KevinRossRN I mean they are going to have a price point and products for everyone!!! People who loves and wants apple and don’t really want to ball out and the people who want to ball out, either way you are getting great value and great things either way you choose to go!!
Yeah, I agree. And there are going to be plenty of consumers that will still use the M1 machines. I mean, if you take the example of consumers choosing a baseline MacBook Air for most tasks, and these machines were way under powered for any heavy lifting. And now, the baseline MacBook Air keeps up with machines that are in a completely different category and three times the price. 🤷♂️
@@KevinRossRN Finally got to watch. My wife bought me the Pro with 16g and this video’s got me hyped to get back into video editing. You’re the real deal. Great video! 🙌🏼
How is the video editing performance, confused with the 2018 2019 16 inch and m1 air all refurbished costing around the same, ofcourse the m1 consumes way less power but the screen real estate in the 16 inches is unparalleled, 4k editing iphone footage web browsing typing any recommendations or could you do a 4k video editing test thanks
So I just wanted to clarify that you’re looking at the 2018 or 19 MBPs because those have the x86 architecture in them…Intel. Those machines certainly have more screen real estate, but their performance will be different than the M1. Are you looking at the MacBook Air or have you considered the M1 MacBook Pro? The air can handle the iPhone footage.
I’m pretty mad this year... I bought a 13 pro with a bunch of upgrades and spent like 3k on it and 4 months later the m1 comes out for a fraction of the price and it’s pretty awesome
@@KevinRossRN yea works great but I spent quite a bit to upgrade to an i9 upgraded the ssd, upgraded the ram pretty much maxed out the options on it. I mostly use my 27” iMac for my videos on my channel but the other one was primarily on location or traveling computer
Gotcha...and not sure if you’re in the same boat, but seems like travel isn’t often on the table these days. Understand though. We have a 15” MBP that was upgraded, probably around 3500USD and the M1 MB air and the mini just dominate. 🤷♂️
Have you heard any news on the final version of Resolve on the mac pro m1 chip? I believe there's one now? Not a lot of people are talking about it...just wondering if you know if resolve is indeed performing well on the m1 chip. I'm a resolve pc and looking at buying a laptop to take with me on trips and perhaps some light edit on the go - main edits would be done on my desktop.
Yeah, so 17.1 works really well on the M1. The only thing I would say is whether you’re working with a pretty heavy codec. The funny thing is, BRAW does drop frames from time to time, surprising. But the Blackmagic footage I’ve tested is certainly able to be cut and you can scrub through, it just doesn’t perform as well as Canon or Sony 🤷♂️
I know, it’s a massive value. I would recommend 16GBs of RAM if you can swing it because all the editors I know can attest that 16 helps. Not exactly sure if your timing, but Apple refurbished has these in there from time to time.
I do UA-cam and record with a Scarlet audio interface. Will a MacBook Air with 16gb of Ram and 512gb of storage be good ? I record on garage band and edit videos in iMovie
I literally have a video coming out tomorrow where I have an audio interface connected to the MB Air, and a walkthrough on that process. What are you filming with?
The idea that we can do something like this on a bottom-end ultrabook with no fans is simply stupid! This should not be happening. What are these machines going to be capable of when they have 8-12 performance cores and 16-24 graphics cores?
Nail on the head friend. Exactly! It’s just silly to think that I’d ever be able to work with this kind of footage on a MBA...yes, it’s ProRes, but it’s at a high to highest quality ProRes. The future is bright 😎
The M1 air with 16gb ram and 512 gb ssd costs me around 1500 Euros, the M2 Air with the same config costs almost 1800 Euros just the same as the 14 M1 pro. I have started video editing as a hobby and currently use my desktop pc (R5 5600x, 3080, 32gb ram) for that but I want something as well for the go since I am often on the go. Which model would you recommend me? I want to keep the device at least for 5 yrs and use davinci resolve.
@@KevinRossRN thanks for the quick response. yeah I wanted to learn a new os to keep learning something new basically. going to check them out :) in your opinion is the 14"mbp still portable enough to carry around all day and working on the lap?
@@KevinRossRN thanks a lot in advance. definitely subscribed to your channel ! really appreciate your help I have two more questions: How is battery life when doing light work webbrowsing, netflix.. , and how is it under heavier load video editing? esp. compared to the air. has been reading a lot of different opinions from there is almost no difference to several hours (with ligh work). Second question if you can comfortably use the 14" on your bed cover or let it be on the couch without suffocating it? Since the inlets/vents are on the bottom to pull air, I'm concerned that it might be suffocated.
For light use and really day to day, it’s all day battery life. As far as using on the bed or sofa, and setting it down, the M1 pro should be fine. The fans will rarely spin up on the M1 Pro. Happy to have you around here. 🤘
Thanks sooo much for this video I edit on a Pc with a etc 3090 and a 5950x cpu and needed something small and just picked this thing up and was wondering if it could handle pro res raw from a Sony a7siii and it looks like it can what ssd were you using ?
Great video! I’m currently at a dilemma as I’ve found the MBA 16GB 512 at a good price. But it’s the 7 core not 8. How much am I really going to miss 1 core. From many reviews it’s seems like not much at all but I’m not sure. I’m just getting into video editing so I know it’s more than enough machine for me but I want it to be future proof. I plan on keeping it for many many years.
@@KevinRossRN sorry man, last bit of reassurance lol. I’m going to be shooting with a Sony a6300 in 4K and hopefully more once I learn more, and iPhone. With 16gb’s of ram I won’t get any lagging or beach balls or anything. I’ll be using DaVinci Resolve. I know it must be able to because what you’re editing is way heavier, but just wanted to ask. Thanks in advance
Yeah, this was cinema level stuff. I shoot with a6400 all the time and have no issues with FCPX, and I’ve tested the latest Resolve and it cuts like butter. There’s always an effect or two you have to be patient with, such as denoiser as an example. But I’ve edited quite a bit on the MBA. Even though I have the 14 inch MBP, I still think the Air is hard to beat for the price.
Kevin, I make videos for hobby mostly in 1080-4K using GoPro 12 Black and DJI action 5 pro and iPhone 14, and record audios using DJI Mic 2 , I love to use CapCut. No fancy editing, just montage the footages and add the audio. I never had a laptop. (Only CapCut on iPhone) Would you recommend me MBA M1 8/256, which is the cheapest one I could get here in Sri Lanka. Even M1 MB Pro is out of my reach at this point, but I could go far as MBA M2 16/256 at the most. What do you suggest? I’d appreciate your opinion. Thanks
I would say the M1 could serve your needs. The M2 would be marginally better, but some of that would be due to the extra memory. The GoPro footage may take a little longer to transcode just because it’s pretty compressed to begin with, but the iPhone footage will certainly be more optimized. What’s the price difference between the M1 MBA and M2 where you are?
Gotcha. I was thinking about the M2 not so much for the processor, but just having that extra memory. If you decide on the M1 (or really the M2) I would just make sure you keep the majority of your workflow on an external drive as you will find that the 256GBs in the machine will fill up pretty quickly and you’ll certainly want a little extra space on the internal for that memory swap. I still have the M1 and it’s still cruising. I do use the M2 daily as my general use machine. With the latest updates from Apple (Apple Intelligence), the M1 can still take advantage of this and we’ll start to see programs taking advantage of it, but this is also why they’ve now started to include 16GBs of memory to start. But going back to the M1, I do still think it’s worth it and can serve your needs for casual use.
@@KevinRossRN Kevin, I’m going to the city to buy a MacBook now, 200+ Km bus journey. Haha. Well, I’m thinking about I could go up a little bit, M3 Air 16/256,, think I’m doing so much research, sometimes it makes me confuse haha M3 Air is almost $100 expensive than M2 16/256,, does it make sense? Help me out :)
Do you have a recommendation for a usb c dongle hub that can do 1440p at 120 hz? I think the hootoo one you recommend is an older hdmi standard that doesn't do it, not sure though. (I think the one that does 120hz needs to be able to do 60hz on 4k)
So I’m actually testing this one from Anker: amzn.to/3wUUHWR It definitely pushes 1080p at 144, but I’m waiting on a 1440 gaming monitor to review with it, so I can’t confirm with certainty on that particular aspect ratio.
Most definitely friend. At the very end there’s a very short clip of me working with the the Sony A7siii footage, which I thought I was going to put in the video, but it was already so long. But yes, the M1 handles the codec well. A7c being 8-bit (still an awesome camera), it’ll chew through it.
If you use FCP or iMovie, you should be fine. Davinci resolve is great, but there’s still some stutter and lag that can happen. Not sure where you are, but there have been some deals on the M1 floating around.
@@KevinRossRN i'm a dentist from india..here the base model is for 1220 Dollars including taxes..i plan to use Parallels too for using my Dental software which work only on windows..whether Parallels or FCP, i'll be using one software at one time and wont be using Opening multiple applications at one time !
I’ve got the latest parallels loaded up and the developers version of Windows for ARM. It runs okay so far. Not all software can be run on ARM so just double check that, but it’s getting better all the time.
@@KevinRossRN absolutely will check on the software support..but generally speaking will 8gb suffice to run Parallels or should make the jump to 16gb..i dont plan to keep the macbook for more than 2 years or so
Well, 8 should suffice, but how do the programs you’re using for your practice run on 8? Just remember though, you can always add storage, but that RAM is fixed and if your programs aren’t quite optimized for ARM then they may require more.
I plan to occasionally edit 4k and 1080p videos from a Sony a6300 in FCPX, and I do graphic design and photography work as a full-time job using Photoshop and Lightoom. Is the base model M1 Macbook Air enough for these tasks? I can say that I won’t have the programs open all at the same time but would there be any benefits in getting the Pro instead? (because of the fan)
Sure the base will definitely handle those tasks. This footage was pretty complex, so with your a6300, you’ll be just fine. I do recommend bumping the RAM, but if it’s not within your budget, then certainly don’t put yourself in a bind.
I am really conflicted I don’t know which one to get when editing with premiere pro. I either would by the MCA with 16 gb ram and 256 ssd and use an external drive ,or the MCA with both 16gb and 512 , or the MCP with 16gb and 256 gb. I just have a budget of 1500 so what would you recommend?
Well for Premiere, I would have said a Windows machine, but just the other day Adobe finally has an update that seems to work better on the M1... before the update it was just miserable for anything intense. The Air is hands down the best ultrabook right now in my opinion, but with Premiere I feel you’ll need better thermal management, which would be the MBP.
thank you so much and what do you think which upgrades are essential for each MacBook considering the ram and the ssd , thought of using an external ssd but I don’t know if internal 256 would be enough. Also I honestly like the air more because it has no Touch Bar 😅
I would agree on the no Touch Bar, but that’s just me. The RAM for sure as a first upgrade. You can definitely edit on an external. I still do even though I have a 1TB internal. Just be patient with Premiere. It runs pretty okay on the M1. I know they’re working on continuous updates.
Hi there from South Africa 🇿🇦👋🏼 I want to start making videos for UA-cam, I have a question, Hauwei Matebook D14 compared to this M1.. What is the better choice.... I have never owned a Mac just so you know. So I don't know what to expect.
Well with the Mac you can start with iMovie for free. Start simple. Although the machine is definitely capable to handle much more. Are there any other programs you use that you think (as far as you know) that aren’t compatible with MacOS?
Just that if you are currently using certain apps or software on a Windows machine (if you currently use a Windows machine). Many programs work just fine on a Mac, but there are those rare times where an app or software isn’t available or works well with Mac.
Hi thanks for the video! Question...I'm getting an M1 Macbook soon (still deciding between Air or Pro). My primary use will be recording and editing voiceover audio through an interface, and on something like Adobe Audition, as well as some relatively light video editing. When recording voiceover I can't have my laptop making fan noise. I know the Air has no fan, and the Pro does, but everything I've seen has said the Pro's fan won't kick on unless you're doing really processor-intensive tasks. Would you recommend the Air or the Pro for someone with my purposes? And also, to save $$$ would you only buy the 16GB Ram/256GB storage version, and supplement with an external hard drive?
Yeah so I've pushed these machines really hard and I've even pushed the CPU and GPU simultaneously and I've still never heard the fan ramp up. The Air will definitely handle what you're throwing at it and personally I like saving money where I can. I'd save the difference in cost between the Air and Pro and bump both the RAM and the internal drive, but still have the option of the external. I really think the MBA is the most capable and aggressively priced ultrabook that exists right now.
@@KevinRossRN thank you! I’ve been leaning towards the Pro because of the better battery life, brighter screen, better speakers and I thought it may be a bit more powerful. You think any of that stuff is worth spending the extra dough for the Pro?
Honestly, those would be the last to consider in my opinion. For Audio I use an interface and studio headphones, the monitor brightness is really more of a marketing feature vs focusing on color accuracy, which they’re both pretty much the same and the battery life, well it’s nice, but the Air is still an all day beast...even more. But, that’s just my take. You won’t go wrong with either one, but I opted for the air because of everything it does for the price and I seriously can’t find any major (or minor) differences in performance between my mini and the Air.
For editing, always the RAM. And I know everyone has a certain budget, so don't break the bank, but do keep in mind these machines (with optimized software) are doing the work of Intel based machines that are twice or three times the cost. Just sayin' RAM 👍
@@KevinRossRN Yup as I have the Xrite I1 Display Pro and that's yet to work on the M1. I've bought both the Air and Pro M1 and loving the Pro M1 (with 16GB) but the colour is preventing me from using it for my photography.
I haven’t looked (lately) if they had any updates on their drivers for M1, which is unfortunate for their users. Seems like you’re finding other Xrite users in the same situation?
@@KevinRossRN I've been chatting to Xrite and they'll let me know when the software is ready for testing, but was wondering how pros are coping with the colour management tools.
if you ha done this on a imac 7gpu /macbook 7gpu could you have a similar efficiency? i mean it is possibile also with 7gpu and 8gb ram with only more time for rendering? or it is impossibile?
Not impossible, but the extra RAM helps. Not to mention FCPX being very efficient. I just heard from another creator that got the 8GB iMac and they’re returning it for the 16GB….but what kind of codec are you working with?
@@KevinRossRN thanks for the answer! so do you mean is more important an extra 16gb ram instead 8, but is ok a 7gpu instead 8gpu? I completely understand that more is better but I try to understand what could be impossibile with an iMac 24 7gpu 8gb ram...the heaviest thing that I could do is editing a 4k video with some transition, color grading and I want to improve my editing and I want to use some effect, or 3d title or something heavier as now...that was my doubt
So the MacBook Air in this video is a 7 Core, but 16GBs of RAM. Also, this is cinema camera footage at 6.5K Not all 4K is the same though. That’s why I was inquiring about which camera you were using. If you’re editing in Davinci or FCPX and you get that 16GBs of RAM then you should be able to handle quite a bit.
@@KevinRossRN i am an amateur and not a pro. I edit video of my mavic drone 4k... I will stay on this type of things...sure not work video for other persons because is not my work...I would to use final cut, now I use filmar..fcp or davinci in case..not more that 4k sure, sure 60fps for the future...that is the heaviest thing that I can do...maybe any project for a 3d printer
Not every source. This codec was just really “heavy” as far as how much data was in there. DJI does tend to be a weird codec to work with sometimes, but with 16GBs of RAM you should be fine. I’ve got Sony FX6 and FX9 footage currently in a timeline and it’s fine.
I am going to edit video 2 to 4 times a week from GoPro hero 9 and Sony A6600 4k 60p on both and sometimes use the iPhone 12 pro for Videos as well on 4k60p is the M1 Air 8ram good enough for this kind of editing?
I don't know why I'm watching this? I can't even think about a cinema camera. Costs me money just thinking about them. LOL! Only thing I wasn't happy about with purchasing FCP is that I wasn't aware that I needed to also purchase Compressor to be able to edit HEVC files. That's on me for not researching more. But the edits with the cinema files looks to be on par with what you've shared with us in previous videos. That's a good thing. Obviously they do tax the system a bit more. But that is to be expected.
Ha! Well it’s really just a benchmark to show what’s possible on these machines. Speaking of compressor, that reminds me that I need to do a video on using it within FCP for UA-cam uploads. That’ll be a quick one...I just need to record it 😀
@@KevinRossRN It really should. But I am on the fence about buying it. I spent 299 on FCP and can't use it with out compressor. UGH...hate the pay to play game.
Yeah. And honestly, I don’t really go into compressor all that much. I just created a workflow that helps me within FCPX (using compressor) to get a h.264 file that UA-cam doesn’t destroy with their processing.
Well, the MBA is plenty capable. The footage I worked with in this video would typically be something that is edited on a more powerful machine. Either one will handle quite a bit. The chipsets are the exact same, it just comes down to the MBP potentially handling more sustained demands because it has a fan in it.
for editting twice a week choose air and save money for some accessories, if your job or hobby is to edit videos every day then probably pro, if you edit only at home then maybe mac mini.
@@KevinRossRN i will be editing mark 2 1080p 24 FPS and soem 4k from My iPhone XR . I am sure that this 2 Canera will be my only source . If I feel More enthusiasm I might try to learn and out basic VFX shots abs colour grading . With audio track
Gotcha. Well Final Cut is very optimized for the Mac, but Adobe Premiere and Davinci Resolve have also released silicon versions of their apps. I think you’d be fine based on my testing, and I would just recommend 16GBs of RAM.
The Raw files just aren't supported in FCPX. I used the ARRI Converter. But honestly I wanted to show the capability at the most extreme, but the conversion has very little loss, and I'd say anyone cutting ARRI Alexa is using something else primarily.
@@KevinRossRN We’ll be using the Arri Alexa in a few months, but we’ll also be using AVID’s software. Not sure if it’s compatible with Premiere Pro or DaVinci, but I would find it strange if it wasn’t.
That’s awesome! I believe with Premiere you’ll be fine with some of that footage. Potato Jet filmed with his ARRI Alexa and edited the footage in a M1 Beta version of Premiere.
Thanks! And, that would be the 7 core. Pretty silly to think how awesome it managed this footage, even though most wouldn’t need or want to mess with it.
Hey Kevin! I keep stumbling on your videos and find they provide the best context on products I either have and need to know more about or ones I'm looking to purchase. For that reason, you've earned my sub! I do have a question... Picked up a base model M1 MBA for $740 open box at BB however think I'll get into video editing in the future and concerned that 8gb might be limiting. I see you did this with the 16gb version, however didn't know if you had any experience with 8gb and feedback that could help. Didn't know if it's true that swap memory really made 16gb non-essential, etc. There's so many videos out there that it's hard to know what's legit. Thanks again!
Welcome back. So here’s what I know based on my own testing and hearing from my colleagues out there that I talk to almost daily about these machines. First, congrats on the score. That’s a great deal. Now for the M1 and really all of the Apple silicon, optimized software is key here. Final Cut is an obvious, and Davinci Resolve is really tied for first or even a close second on how well it works. And, you can use the free version of Resolve. The whole swap memory being so efficient that 16GBs isn’t necessary is a somewhat nuanced…actually a lot nuanced and dependent on what you’re working on. Any of the Adobe products will just hog that RAM from the get and you’ll be swapping almost immediately. So the fact that the memory sits where it does in relation to the SSD, and the fact that SSD is really fast makes it a more fluid experience, BUT there does come a point where it really won’t matter how efficient that swap is because at some point if you’re really pushing that machine, it’s going to need all of that RAM, and you may get an error message stating that you’re out of application memory and it’ll ask if you’d like to close some programs. So in a scenario like this it would be something like working in Final Cut, adding some effects, doing some color correction, etc, and then let’s say you want to have a few browser tabs open and maybe another program or two that you’re working with simultaneously…this is where it starts to slow down and it’ll want to put the available RAM where it’s needed most, so you may start to see some hang ups. AND, let’s say you’re just working in Final Cut and you’re working with some stubborn footage. GoPro footage for example which is heavily compressed and has to be unpacked and may require more resource. So, it really comes down to your workflow and the MBA is great for “most” workflows and even dabbling in some fairly straightforward editing. I have personally worked on the MBA with my own 4K multi-cam timelines with effects and color correction, but I’ll be honest that I personally think the 16GBs does help this along, however I mainly use these machines for editing anyway. With 8GBs I do think you can manage with it, but you’ll likely observe some hang ups and beach balls from time to time, but I don’t think it would be crippling like a base model Intel MacBook. I don’t know your particular situation, but honestly I’d try the free Final Cut trial and do some testing with some footage you have or even something from your iPhone. Experiment a little and see what you think. Not sure if you might have an extended return policy, but what I will say is that these M1 machines are still being sold second hand for close to what folks are originally paying for them. So again, it will come down to how you’re using it, and what you expect out of it. These MBAs are almost nothing like the original MBAs that were so expensive and underpowered. I’m not sure if this helps, but it’s my nickel’s worth.
@@KevinRossRN 🤯 what a reply, kudos to you sir! Sounds like I just need to make a decision if I want to shell out the extra 💰 for 16gb performance. Cheapest I can mind is like $1050ish on Apple refurb, so a $300 increase over my current set up. Or just say scare it and go 16gb Mac mini since I have an iPad Pro. The perfect Apple Ecosystem is complicated to say the least lol 😂 Regardless, thank you so much for the feedback and VERY detailed response. So helpful!
@@KevinRossRN following up now that I have the base 14" Macbook Pro in hand and after doing some side by side DaVinci Resolve editing on both it and the base m1 Macbook Air. I'm not too concerned with export times as I just do stuff recreationally and my camera outputs in h.264 rather than prores. I was more concerned with the editing experience and found that the 14" mbp is faster when playing back a timeline with title and effects, but not by much. Really makes me second guess if the minor improvement, better screen and speakers are worth the extra $900. Having the 2018 iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard is kinda pushing me to consider returning both and just getting a 16gb ram Mac Mini and calling it a day. If only pro level macOS apps would run on the iPad Pro :-) Then we could rock the Mini and iPad Pro only. Anyway, just wanted to let you know my findings and that I'm still struggling to find the "perfect ecosystem". Enjoy your time away from videos, you earned it sir!
Hi James. This is really helpful for everyone here. I think with the MBA, one of the first things you may notice is with that thermal throttling, even with playback, especially as that GPU is getting pushed. However, with the mini, even with the fans basically running at idle it will give you a bit more headroom at a lower price point with the obvious sacrifice of portability. I agree with the opinion that if we could get a bit more pro functionality out of the iPad then this would be a great companion situation with the mini and iPad Pro. There’s definitely a premium with these MBPs, and even if the next iteration mini starts at a 400+ USD price point, it’s still going to be a “bargain” for what it will be able to do and still likely almost half the cost of the base MBP. But Resolve is really doing something right here and I have a feeling we may see more creators (slowly) transitioning over if Adobe doesn’t catch up. 🤷♂️ Again, appreciate your time here, and I know it can be a tough decision, but I’d say the current mini is still fantastic and a great choice.
@@KevinRossRN yes the base model because I bought yesterday my MacBook Air m1 8gb and 256s but I don’t know if this device can do that or not I just wanted to know that
It will edit video just fine. This footage I edited was very complex. It’s footage that most people wouldn’t consider. My MBA has 16GBs but your base will be able to edit quite a bit of footage.
I run them both side by side all the time. It runs just as well on the machine as it would any other I’ve worked with, which I’m not sure that’s saying much.... but yes I usually have them both open all the time.
@@KevinRossRN yep. I am thinkin about switching because of this machine performance but on the other side, I love my ports, so I still stay silent😂 btw I juct check the MBA with 16GB and 1 TB ssd, what do u reckon? For the price, I dont mind it for aussie dollar, all I need it is affirmation😂
If you can hang out until Tuesday, after the Apple event, is wait until then. Just in case they release an updated iMac. You may not want an iMac, but it’ll at least be good to hear of Apple has any updates to discuss about M1. I would definitely go for more RAM, most definitely. I also personally like having the bigger internal drive, but I also use a lot of external drives as well, but it’s because I always have multiple projects at once.
@@KevinRossRN i only use i movie for editing. At beginning it went smoothly and then when i tried with color grading it became slow even freeze. I have 16gb ram mba. Can u tell me what's wrong? 🤔
Alright you beautiful humans, here's the deal: As you can see this MBA handled the footage, and I even tested the Sony A7siii footage (short clip at the end). I was only working with FCP and had one browser open, so keep that in mind that the RAM wasn't under heavy load all the time, but for multi-tasking (as I do), that's why I'm invested in 16GBs of RAM. As my video renders or exports, I then have PS or LR open making a thumbnail, and I've got browsers open with several tabs either writing notes or researching, so that demands RAM.
Anyway, the machine got hot, it did throttle down, but it kept going. FCP didn't crash, there were no beachballs, but I'm sure I could keep adding to the timeline to make this happen. This is supposed to give you some perspective that for most creators, this machine is more than fine. I wanted to push this machine with the highest ProRes that it could handle (efficiently), and it still performed above my expectations. Now go rock faces and be awesome. 🤘
Thank you Kevin for putting in the time to make these videos, they are extremely helpful. I'm just curious how many displays do the M1 based systems support? Will they support an ultra-wide monitor like the one you're using and a 4k reference display at the same time without any hindrance in the performance?
Well, in my previous video I did mention that workaround and linked the video (I think I did ) to that creator getting 6 displays to work.
This is something I really need to test for myself as I’d like to measure as to what (if any) performance loss may occur. So, yes, there seems to be a workaround, however I just haven’t tested it and would want to give you a more educated yes or no.
Appreciate you asking though as it does give me more things to look into.
@@KevinRossRN, I remember you mentioning that in the previous video however, I didn't think that the linked video would address the dip in performance so didn't bother watching it, I'll check it out now. Learning a lot from your videos Kevin, thanks again!
Well I appreciate that friend. And yeah, if you find some additional info don’t hesitate to jump back over. I always love digging into data.
@@KevinRossRN Will do!
I've been watching your UA-cam vids for 3 days straight, unheard of for me - but I know quality, and that you are! Please keep your awesome content coming, much appreciated!
Wow! Seriously, I’m blown away. Really appreciate you saying so, and glad you’re finding value. Welcome to the evolution of the channel, especially since it started off as a vlog 😆
I’ll be seeing you around.
I decided to buy an m1 air with 16gb of ram for school but also because I really want to get into simpler video/photo editing. I won't be any near the load you push with your footage but i'm happy to see how far I can push this machine.
That’s awesome! And yes, this was really just to show the near impossible workflow. Sounds like you’ll be just fine my friend.
Honestly, the best reviewer when it comes to computer/workload/workflow. SOLID.
Well, and this is a solid comment. Much appreciated friend. 👊
My bro! Can’t wait to watch this when I go on break! 🤘🏻
Well, it's a lengthy one because I wanted to push this thing. Don't burn up all of your break 😄
Appreciate you friend. 👊
Great Test. i think i might buy the m1 macbook air 8GIG RAM..and just up the hard drive space to 2TB.
Thanks! Glad to help. Feel free to let me know how it goes when you get it.
I'm writing this on Air M1 entry level spec (I don't see more performance from reviewers with more than 8/256) using external SSD for extra storage when video editing 4K60.
I just exported a 25min edit 3 times while watching your video. I love how fast the Final Cut Pro is exporting edits on my little $999 M1 macbook.. Wish it was half the price, haha.
and yeah I am not editing Arri Alexa footage. haha. Just my 4K60 8bit Panasonic G9 footage. In the future I hope to upgrade to a 4K60 10bit H265 HLG camera (to perhaps occasionally color grade and publish all in HLG/HDR on UA-cam), once something much cheaper than the A7Siii comes out (me hoping for a GH6 with proper AF).
I’m interested in Panasonic, but I have to say the AF is what is holding me back. I mean, they are definitely amazing cameras with an awesome picture quality.
Now, if I spent more time behind the camera, I’d definitely consider it, and once I’m doing more of that type of work as we start to get out and about again, then yes.
But sitting in front of the camera, my Sony hasn’t failed me yet.
It just comes down to the multitasking....once you have FCP open then Photoshop or Lightroom, then a couple of browsers, that memory swap definitely increases, but yes still very capable.
I love the render times . I’ve been able to crank out pretty complex workflows in minutes that otherwise would have taken up to an hour...more complicated workflows and codecs that is.
6K? ha, my M1 Mac mini rips through 8K 12Bit R5 footage with LUTS applied without dropping frames.. its crazy...
Yep, I’ve got some of that R5 footage that I’ve worked with on the mini. Even though the fan never spins up, it’s obvious that it provides some additional thermal management. It is a little silly what these things can do.
Well I guess the question about kicking yourself with the M1X is release is that do you need the M1 now? It’s capable.
And as far as the external, I do prefer the TB3 enclosures with the NVMe SSD. They perform just as well as the internal when it comes to read and write.
Man this was pretty helpful , thank you
Glad to help. Also, I appreciate your time here.
Really good video my friend, Interesting to see how far one are really able to push these machines with current tech. Pushed my poor Mac Pro 2013 to the limit yesterday during an edit. I have the new Mac mini as you know, but i don't dare to switch in the final days of my project. What made this video interesting was the fact that you did use just optimized/original. This means you would be able to actually work quite well with this in proxy.
Oh yeah...a proxy timeline would be a breeze. I just wanted to get this thing to heat up and throttle.
It’s interesting to because I’ve never really worked with proxy files on my other machines, even when I should have 🤷♂️
Here’s to your 2013 holding up through that project, friend. 🍻
Gonna pick up an external cooling pad for my editing station
Keep us posted on what you think of it and how it’s working. Always curious.
Thanks brother, just got the Gold Air 16 ram 8/8 1 TB ssd refurbished from the apple store for a great price!!
Those refurbished models are an awesome way to go. I’ve purchased several items from the refurbished store.
Congrats and enjoy my friend. 🤙
Could you please answer this question? Or you could make a video on it. Can I edit iPhone 16 pro 4K 60p, 120p, ProRes log videos on MacBook Air m1.? Even HDR videos. Please help me out, it would be much appreciated thank you 🙏
The iPhone camera codec works really well with the M-Series chips. The only limitations will be the thermals. Basically, if you’re adding a lot of footage (large timeline) with multiple LUTs, grading, or any other modifications to the timeline. I always recommend rough cutting the footage first, and then grading it. You’ll be fine.
Thank you for the video. Now after watching I'm returning my mac mini and keeping the air. I think for simple editing tasks on the go it will suffice. Then hopefully come summer the next chip comes on a mac mini pro model in space grey.
Happy to help. The Air is a rockstar. 🎸🔥
Smart, no BS, real results. Yeah, I’ll subscribe for that.
Well thanks so much. Glad to have you around here and stoked you found it helpful. 👊🤙
I appreciate the video! Am about to jump into the M1 universe (upgrade from my 2015 Macbook Pro), and trying to decide between the different M1 machines.
Thanks!
M1 will definitely be a jump up for sure. They all pretty much perform the same. Portability, or desktop 🤷♂️
Subscribed instantly. Thanks for the effort
Happy to hear you enjoyed it. And glad to have you around.
Such a great video. Entertaining, informative, and great quality -- nice job! I have a question about my choices right now though. I've been researching M1 Computers (I'm kind of stuck to the Apple Ecosystem, I've been using it for a while and I love it) and my main use cases are some Blender modeling, VFX in Blender (with a few layers of clips, color grading, some masking and tracking, etc., some basic 1080p-4K editing with some color grading and maybe a little bit of masking, and some Photoshop and Lightroom. I wouldn't be doing these ALL the time, maybe 6 hours a week or something. Would the Air with 16GB be enough for me? Or do I need the Pro for better thermal efficiency? I appreciate any response! My budget's around 1300.
For video editing it’ll be just fine. Especially with FCP or Davinci Resolve. I used it often prior to the M1 Max.
As far as Blender, the alpha release is promising and using more of the GPU vs the CPU, and this will only get better over time. I need to perform another test on the MBA with the updated Blender app, but I’d say that this will likely be your biggest hurdle to get over. Not impossible, but it’ll push the machine harder than video editing for sure.
@@KevinRossRN Okay, got it. So do you think that it could be a good choice to get the 16GB Air and instead of visual effects editing in Blender, I use the fusion page of Davinci Resolve and then wait to see how Blender plays out? Also thank you for the quick response!
Yeah, like I said the video editing should be just fine. And the alpha of Blender has cut times in half, but also keep in mind that when compared to even a base model Ryzen it’ll still be beat by quite a bit with that modeling.
So if it’s not your primary, and you’re good to just walk away during those renders then you’ll be fine.
@@KevinRossRN I really appreciate all this help. Yeah, that all sounds pretty fitting for me -- it'll work. Sorry, just one more question haha, how were the thermals on your Air, do you think it'll impact the performance too much? I'm a little worried about the long-term stuff with the heat impacts. Like I said though, this isn't a primary thing with the amount of intensive work I'll do on it -- semi-infrequent.
So Apple really sets the thermal throttling at a level that should be fine longer term. It’ll start to throttle at around 93C (give or take), but there’s still enough room in the case to allow for cooling.
So the several hours a week should be just fine.
Can't believe i missed this video, If this is the M1 Now, omg the M1x is going to be crazy!!!
I know, right!? I’m going to be creating a library of footage to be testing on these new machines.
@@KevinRossRN I mean they are going to have a price point and products for everyone!!! People who loves and wants apple and don’t really want to ball out and the people who want to ball out, either way you are getting great value and great things either way you choose to go!!
Yeah, I agree. And there are going to be plenty of consumers that will still use the M1 machines. I mean, if you take the example of consumers choosing a baseline MacBook Air for most tasks, and these machines were way under powered for any heavy lifting.
And now, the baseline MacBook Air keeps up with machines that are in a completely different category and three times the price. 🤷♂️
@@KevinRossRN yep, why not, apple is like here is the cake and let use just throw the cherry on top and give you a badass chip with it as well!!!
Ha! That’s a way to look at it. 😀
Gonna watch video soon as I get chance today. Just wanted to acknowledge the notification. Happy Friday bro! ✊🏼
Hey, it's a long one, so I understand. Appreciate you popping over. And, Happy Friday to you as well. 👊
@@KevinRossRN Finally got to watch. My wife bought me the Pro with 16g and this video’s got me hyped to get back into video editing. You’re the real deal. Great video! 🙌🏼
Say what!? That’s so great my man. Be sure to let me know how it’s going. Always like to hear what you think. Appreciate you 👊
How is the video editing performance, confused with the 2018 2019 16 inch and m1 air all refurbished costing around the same, ofcourse the m1 consumes way less power but the screen real estate in the 16 inches is unparalleled, 4k editing iphone footage web browsing typing any recommendations or could you do a 4k video editing test thanks
This comment got buried. Did you end up making a decision on a MacBook yet?
@@KevinRossRN not yet please help me with the decision, thanks
So I just wanted to clarify that you’re looking at the 2018 or 19 MBPs because those have the x86 architecture in them…Intel. Those machines certainly have more screen real estate, but their performance will be different than the M1.
Are you looking at the MacBook Air or have you considered the M1 MacBook Pro?
The air can handle the iPhone footage.
Dude Audio so clean
Hey, it’s a family channel 😉😀
Much appreciated friend. Always working on geting better.
I’m pretty mad this year... I bought a 13 pro with a bunch of upgrades and spent like 3k on it and 4 months later the m1 comes out for a fraction of the price and it’s pretty awesome
Yeah, I think this has been the biggest influence of buyer’s remorse. Is your 13 at least performing well for you?
@@KevinRossRN yea works great but I spent quite a bit to upgrade to an i9 upgraded the ssd, upgraded the ram pretty much maxed out the options on it. I mostly use my 27” iMac for my videos on my channel but the other one was primarily on location or traveling computer
Gotcha...and not sure if you’re in the same boat, but seems like travel isn’t often on the table these days.
Understand though. We have a 15” MBP that was upgraded, probably around 3500USD and the M1 MB air and the mini just dominate. 🤷♂️
Have you heard any news on the final version of Resolve on the mac pro m1 chip? I believe there's one now? Not a lot of people are talking about it...just wondering if you know if resolve is indeed performing well on the m1 chip. I'm a resolve pc and looking at buying a laptop to take with me on trips and perhaps some light edit on the go - main edits would be done on my desktop.
Yeah, so 17.1 works really well on the M1. The only thing I would say is whether you’re working with a pretty heavy codec.
The funny thing is, BRAW does drop frames from time to time, surprising. But the Blackmagic footage I’ve tested is certainly able to be cut and you can scrub through, it just doesn’t perform as well as Canon or Sony 🤷♂️
I know, it’s a massive value. I would recommend 16GBs of RAM if you can swing it because all the editors I know can attest that 16 helps.
Not exactly sure if your timing, but Apple refurbished has these in there from time to time.
Good video man, thank you for sharing.
And thank you for being here.
I do UA-cam and record with a Scarlet audio interface. Will a MacBook Air with 16gb of Ram and 512gb of storage be good ? I record on garage band and edit videos in iMovie
I literally have a video coming out tomorrow where I have an audio interface connected to the MB Air, and a walkthrough on that process. What are you filming with?
@@KevinRossRN i use a Cannon G7X Mark II camera
You’ll crush it on that MB Air my friend.
@@KevinRossRN so I'm good with the MB Air ?
Indeed friend. 👍
The idea that we can do something like this on a bottom-end ultrabook with no fans is simply stupid! This should not be happening. What are these machines going to be capable of when they have 8-12 performance cores and 16-24 graphics cores?
Nail on the head friend. Exactly! It’s just silly to think that I’d ever be able to work with this kind of footage on a MBA...yes, it’s ProRes, but it’s at a high to highest quality ProRes. The future is bright 😎
The M1 air with 16gb ram and 512 gb ssd costs me around 1500 Euros, the M2 Air with the same config costs almost 1800 Euros just the same as the 14 M1 pro. I have started video editing as a hobby and currently use my desktop pc (R5 5600x, 3080, 32gb ram) for that but I want something as well for the go since I am often on the go. Which model would you recommend me? I want to keep the device at least for 5 yrs and use davinci resolve.
Definitely get the M1 Pro if you want a Mac. My latest videos on this subject can show you why.
@@KevinRossRN thanks for the quick response. yeah I wanted to learn a new os to keep learning something new basically. going to check them out :) in your opinion is the 14"mbp still portable enough to carry around all day and working on the lap?
It most definitely is very portable. I take it everywhere I go…or at least everywhere that I’m able or need to work on it. I love it.
@@KevinRossRN thanks a lot in advance. definitely subscribed to your channel ! really appreciate your help
I have two more questions: How is battery life when doing light work webbrowsing, netflix.. , and how is it under heavier load video editing? esp. compared to the air. has been reading a lot of different opinions from there is almost no difference to several hours (with ligh work).
Second question if you can comfortably use the 14" on your bed cover or let it be on the couch without suffocating it? Since the inlets/vents are on the bottom to pull air, I'm concerned that it might be suffocated.
For light use and really day to day, it’s all day battery life.
As far as using on the bed or sofa, and setting it down, the M1 pro should be fine. The fans will rarely spin up on the M1 Pro.
Happy to have you around here. 🤘
Thanks sooo much for this video I edit on a Pc with a etc 3090 and a 5950x cpu and needed something small and just picked this thing up and was wondering if it could handle pro res raw from a Sony a7siii and it looks like it can what ssd were you using ?
Yep…but I’ll say the 16GBs of RAM does help.
Great video! I’m currently at a dilemma as I’ve found the MBA 16GB 512 at a good price. But it’s the 7 core not 8. How much am I really going to miss 1 core. From many reviews it’s seems like not much at all but I’m not sure. I’m just getting into video editing so I know it’s more than enough machine for me but I want it to be future proof. I plan on keeping it for many many years.
In this video I am using the 7-Core, so not much. It’s a great machine at an awesome price. I’d still recommend it if you’re just starting out.
@@KevinRossRN that’s exactly what I was thinking. Thanks a lot man!
Indeed. Enjoy your new MBA when you get it. 🤘
@@KevinRossRN sorry man, last bit of reassurance lol. I’m going to be shooting with a Sony a6300 in 4K and hopefully more once I learn more, and iPhone. With 16gb’s of ram I won’t get any lagging or beach balls or anything. I’ll be using DaVinci Resolve. I know it must be able to because what you’re editing is way heavier, but just wanted to ask.
Thanks in advance
Yeah, this was cinema level stuff. I shoot with a6400 all the time and have no issues with FCPX, and I’ve tested the latest Resolve and it cuts like butter.
There’s always an effect or two you have to be patient with, such as denoiser as an example. But I’ve edited quite a bit on the MBA. Even though I have the 14 inch MBP, I still think the Air is hard to beat for the price.
Thanks bro 💯
Thank you 🤙
What a dude instantly subbed
An instant ❤️
Many thanks 🤙
Kevin, I make videos for hobby mostly in 1080-4K using GoPro 12 Black and DJI action 5 pro and iPhone 14, and record audios using DJI Mic 2 , I love to use CapCut. No fancy editing, just montage the footages and add the audio.
I never had a laptop. (Only CapCut on iPhone)
Would you recommend me MBA M1 8/256, which is the cheapest one I could get here in Sri Lanka.
Even M1 MB Pro is out of my reach at this point, but I could go far as MBA M2 16/256 at the most.
What do you suggest? I’d appreciate your opinion. Thanks
I would say the M1 could serve your needs. The M2 would be marginally better, but some of that would be due to the extra memory.
The GoPro footage may take a little longer to transcode just because it’s pretty compressed to begin with, but the iPhone footage will certainly be more optimized.
What’s the price difference between the M1 MBA and M2 where you are?
@ Thank you Kevin for the quick response, I’m so grateful. The price difference : 76 000 Sri Lankan Rupees/ 262.20 USD exactly at the moment.
Gotcha. I was thinking about the M2 not so much for the processor, but just having that extra memory.
If you decide on the M1 (or really the M2) I would just make sure you keep the majority of your workflow on an external drive as you will find that the 256GBs in the machine will fill up pretty quickly and you’ll certainly want a little extra space on the internal for that memory swap.
I still have the M1 and it’s still cruising. I do use the M2 daily as my general use machine.
With the latest updates from Apple (Apple Intelligence), the M1 can still take advantage of this and we’ll start to see programs taking advantage of it, but this is also why they’ve now started to include 16GBs of memory to start.
But going back to the M1, I do still think it’s worth it and can serve your needs for casual use.
@@KevinRossRN Kevin, I’m going to the city to buy a MacBook now, 200+ Km bus journey. Haha. Well, I’m thinking about I could go up a little bit, M3 Air 16/256,, think I’m doing so much research, sometimes it makes me confuse haha M3 Air is almost $100 expensive than M2 16/256,, does it make sense? Help me out :)
I think the M2 vs the M3 is negligible. Id take the savings and put it toward an external SSD or some other equipment to help you create.
Do you have a recommendation for a usb c dongle hub that can do 1440p at 120 hz? I think the hootoo one you recommend is an older hdmi standard that doesn't do it, not sure though. (I think the one that does 120hz needs to be able to do 60hz on 4k)
So I’m actually testing this one from Anker: amzn.to/3wUUHWR
It definitely pushes 1080p at 144, but I’m waiting on a 1440 gaming monitor to review with it, so I can’t confirm with certainty on that particular aspect ratio.
Brooooo thank you help me make my decision I'm going to be working with 1080 and 4k now I know I can get something done I sub your chanel thanks again
My pleasure. Really glad this helped with your decision. And, also stoked to have you around here. Best of luck with your setup.
Thank you for the effort on this video. Can it edit a simpler video such as 4k video from a sony a7c? Thank you.
Most definitely friend. At the very end there’s a very short clip of me working with the the Sony A7siii footage, which I thought I was going to put in the video, but it was already so long.
But yes, the M1 handles the codec well. A7c being 8-bit (still an awesome camera), it’ll chew through it.
@@KevinRossRN Thank you Kevin.
Thank you 🙏
Hi Kevin great video..
I primarily shoot 4k30 on my Sony ZV 1 and 4k60 on my iPhone 12..will 8GB RAM be enough for video editing ?
If you use FCP or iMovie, you should be fine. Davinci resolve is great, but there’s still some stutter and lag that can happen. Not sure where you are, but there have been some deals on the M1 floating around.
@@KevinRossRN i'm a dentist from india..here the base model is for 1220 Dollars including taxes..i plan to use Parallels too for using my Dental software which work only on windows..whether Parallels or FCP, i'll be using one software at one time and wont be using Opening multiple applications at one time !
I’ve got the latest parallels loaded up and the developers version of Windows for ARM. It runs okay so far. Not all software can be run on ARM so just double check that, but it’s getting better all the time.
@@KevinRossRN absolutely will check on the software support..but generally speaking will 8gb suffice to run Parallels or should make the jump to 16gb..i dont plan to keep the macbook for more than 2 years or so
Well, 8 should suffice, but how do the programs you’re using for your practice run on 8?
Just remember though, you can always add storage, but that RAM is fixed and if your programs aren’t quite optimized for ARM then they may require more.
Is MacBook Air m1 is good for video editing? Let me know.. sir im planning to buy one.. today.. ty …
What kind of video are you editing? Basically, what camera are you filming with?
I plan to occasionally edit 4k and 1080p videos from a Sony a6300 in FCPX, and I do graphic design and photography work as a full-time job using Photoshop and Lightoom. Is the base model M1 Macbook Air enough for these tasks? I can say that I won’t have the programs open all at the same time but would there be any benefits in getting the Pro instead? (because of the fan)
Sure the base will definitely handle those tasks. This footage was pretty complex, so with your a6300, you’ll be just fine.
I do recommend bumping the RAM, but if it’s not within your budget, then certainly don’t put yourself in a bind.
Hey! So I did purchase a MacBook air with the intent to do photography editing 4k videos and my youtube channel. Did I make the wrong choice?
I love the MacBook Air. It’s the best ultrabook for the money right now.
Which part would you think you made a mistake?
You're good. It's the perfect laptop to handle your demands.
I would agree...but that’s obvious 😉
I do 4K 30fps editing with footage from a Sony a6400 and use final cut and resolve. Is the MB air M1 with 16Gb ram, a good laptop for that editing?
I have that camera and use it everyday. It’ll crush that footage. 😉
@@KevinRossRN Thanks man. Have u had any problem while editing?
Zero. It’s been a real peach. FCPX is obviously optimized, but Resolve has their 17 Beta for M1 and it’s been fine 👌
@@KevinRossRN very happy to hear that, you just convinced me on buying it!😁🤣 thanks 🙏🏼
You’re going to love it 😍
Happy to help.
I am really conflicted I don’t know which one to get when editing with premiere pro. I either would by the MCA with 16 gb ram and 256 ssd and use an external drive ,or the MCA with both 16gb and 512 , or the MCP with 16gb and 256 gb. I just have a budget of 1500 so what would you recommend?
Well for Premiere, I would have said a Windows machine, but just the other day Adobe finally has an update that seems to work better on the M1... before the update it was just miserable for anything intense.
The Air is hands down the best ultrabook right now in my opinion, but with Premiere I feel you’ll need better thermal management, which would be the MBP.
thank you so much and what do you think which upgrades are essential for each MacBook considering the ram and the ssd , thought of using an external ssd but I don’t know if internal 256 would be enough.
Also I honestly like the air more because it has no Touch Bar 😅
I would agree on the no Touch Bar, but that’s just me.
The RAM for sure as a first upgrade. You can definitely edit on an external. I still do even though I have a 1TB internal.
Just be patient with Premiere. It runs pretty okay on the M1. I know they’re working on continuous updates.
Hi there from South Africa 🇿🇦👋🏼 I want to start making videos for UA-cam, I have a question, Hauwei Matebook D14 compared to this M1.. What is the better choice.... I have never owned a Mac just so you know. So I don't know what to expect.
Is there a massive difference in price? Also, have you thought about what you’re going to edit in (video editor)?
@@KevinRossRN small difference, no experience yet...?
Well with the Mac you can start with iMovie for free. Start simple. Although the machine is definitely capable to handle much more. Are there any other programs you use that you think (as far as you know) that aren’t compatible with MacOS?
Confirmation on the first part, thank you 🙏🏼and the last part, sorry I don't follow, please explain if you don't mind.
Just that if you are currently using certain apps or software on a Windows machine (if you currently use a Windows machine).
Many programs work just fine on a Mac, but there are those rare times where an app or software isn’t available or works well with Mac.
Hi thanks for the video! Question...I'm getting an M1 Macbook soon (still deciding between Air or Pro). My primary use will be recording and editing voiceover audio through an interface, and on something like Adobe Audition, as well as some relatively light video editing. When recording voiceover I can't have my laptop making fan noise. I know the Air has no fan, and the Pro does, but everything I've seen has said the Pro's fan won't kick on unless you're doing really processor-intensive tasks. Would you recommend the Air or the Pro for someone with my purposes?
And also, to save $$$ would you only buy the 16GB Ram/256GB storage version, and supplement with an external hard drive?
Yeah so I've pushed these machines really hard and I've even pushed the CPU and GPU simultaneously and I've still never heard the fan ramp up.
The Air will definitely handle what you're throwing at it and personally I like saving money where I can. I'd save the difference in cost between the Air and Pro and bump both the RAM and the internal drive, but still have the option of the external.
I really think the MBA is the most capable and aggressively priced ultrabook that exists right now.
@@KevinRossRN thank you! I’ve been leaning towards the Pro because of the better battery life, brighter screen, better speakers and I thought it may be a bit more powerful. You think any of that stuff is worth spending the extra dough for the Pro?
Honestly, those would be the last to consider in my opinion.
For Audio I use an interface and studio headphones, the monitor brightness is really more of a marketing feature vs focusing on color accuracy, which they’re both pretty much the same and the battery life, well it’s nice, but the Air is still an all day beast...even more.
But, that’s just my take. You won’t go wrong with either one, but I opted for the air because of everything it does for the price and I seriously can’t find any major (or minor) differences in performance between my mini and the Air.
@@KevinRossRN thank you! :)
You got it 👊
I want to get the MBA for editing in Final Cut Pro. If you could only upgrade one would it be the RAM or ssd storage?
For editing, always the RAM. And I know everyone has a certain budget, so don't break the bank, but do keep in mind these machines (with optimized software) are doing the work of Intel based machines that are twice or three times the cost. Just sayin'
RAM 👍
@@KevinRossRN gotcha, thanks for the response!
You got it 👊🤙
Wondering how are you guys managing to colour calibrate the MacBook Air and Pro M1?
You mean other than the color calibrator assistant in system preferences?
@@KevinRossRN Yup as I have the Xrite I1 Display Pro and that's yet to work on the M1. I've bought both the Air and Pro M1 and loving the Pro M1 (with 16GB) but the colour is preventing me from using it for my photography.
I haven’t looked (lately) if they had any updates on their drivers for M1, which is unfortunate for their users. Seems like you’re finding other Xrite users in the same situation?
@@KevinRossRN I've been chatting to Xrite and they'll let me know when the software is ready for testing, but was wondering how pros are coping with the colour management tools.
if you ha done this on a imac 7gpu /macbook 7gpu could you have a similar efficiency? i mean it is possibile also with 7gpu and 8gb ram with only more time for rendering? or it is impossibile?
Not impossible, but the extra RAM helps. Not to mention FCPX being very efficient.
I just heard from another creator that got the 8GB iMac and they’re returning it for the 16GB….but what kind of codec are you working with?
@@KevinRossRN thanks for the answer! so do you mean is more important an extra 16gb ram instead 8, but is ok a 7gpu instead 8gpu? I completely understand that more is better but I try to understand what could be impossibile with an iMac 24 7gpu 8gb ram...the heaviest thing that I could do is editing a 4k video with some transition, color grading and I want to improve my editing and I want to use some effect, or 3d title or something heavier as now...that was my doubt
So the MacBook Air in this video is a 7 Core, but 16GBs of RAM.
Also, this is cinema camera footage at 6.5K
Not all 4K is the same though. That’s why I was inquiring about which camera you were using.
If you’re editing in Davinci or FCPX and you get that 16GBs of RAM then you should be able to handle quite a bit.
@@KevinRossRN i am an amateur and not a pro. I edit video of my mavic drone 4k... I will stay on this type of things...sure not work video for other persons because is not my work...I would to use final cut, now I use filmar..fcp or davinci in case..not more that 4k sure, sure 60fps for the future...that is the heaviest thing that I can do...maybe any project for a 3d printer
That Mavic footage can be a bit of a hard workflow. It’s just the codec that DJI uses, but again, if you go 16GBs you should be just fine.
Hi Kevin, will every source of video have dropped frames? DJI Mavic Air 2, Iphone 12 pro, GoPro Hero 7. All of these 4K on 60 FPS or 24 FPS?
Not every source. This codec was just really “heavy” as far as how much data was in there. DJI does tend to be a weird codec to work with sometimes, but with 16GBs of RAM you should be fine.
I’ve got Sony FX6 and FX9 footage currently in a timeline and it’s fine.
@@KevinRossRN thanks man! You earned a sub!
Happy to help and glad to have you here.
I am going to edit video 2 to 4 times a week from GoPro hero 9 and Sony A6600 4k 60p on both and sometimes use the iPhone 12 pro for Videos as well on 4k60p is the M1 Air 8ram good enough for this kind of editing?
Which video editor?
Final Cut Pro
Yeah, with 8GB you may have a beach ball here and there, but you should be fine with that footage.
Thank You.
You bet.
What program is that your using to monitor cpu usage? Is that just the activity monitor?
iStat menus. Love it.
I don't know why I'm watching this? I can't even think about a cinema camera. Costs me money just thinking about them. LOL! Only thing I wasn't happy about with purchasing FCP is that I wasn't aware that I needed to also purchase Compressor to be able to edit HEVC files. That's on me for not researching more. But the edits with the cinema files looks to be on par with what you've shared with us in previous videos. That's a good thing. Obviously they do tax the system a bit more. But that is to be expected.
Ha! Well it’s really just a benchmark to show what’s possible on these machines.
Speaking of compressor, that reminds me that I need to do a video on using it within FCP for UA-cam uploads. That’ll be a quick one...I just need to record it 😀
@@KevinRossRN I'm just not sure if I want to drop another 50 bucks for it so i can use FCP they way it's intended with my codecs.
Of course! It really should come with FCP if you ask me.
@@KevinRossRN It really should. But I am on the fence about buying it. I spent 299 on FCP and can't use it with out compressor. UGH...hate the pay to play game.
Yeah. And honestly, I don’t really go into compressor all that much. I just created a workflow that helps me within FCPX (using compressor) to get a h.264 file that UA-cam doesn’t destroy with their processing.
I do video editing in FCP should i purchased this MBA or MBP with m1 chip ? And i edit web series and comercial projects
Well, the MBA is plenty capable. The footage I worked with in this video would typically be something that is edited on a more powerful machine.
Either one will handle quite a bit. The chipsets are the exact same, it just comes down to the MBP potentially handling more sustained demands because it has a fan in it.
for editting twice a week choose air and save money for some accessories, if your job or hobby is to edit videos every day then probably pro, if you edit only at home then maybe mac mini.
Good choice and it sounds like you’ve dialed in what matters for your workflow. 👍👊
@@KevinRossRN tysm ❤️ for your valuable feedback
It’s a team effort 😉
Can m1 air be good for editing if I have 1080p 5dmark 2 footage
What would you mostly be editing with? Program wise?
@@KevinRossRN i will be editing mark 2 1080p 24 FPS and soem 4k from
My iPhone XR . I am sure that this 2 Canera will be my only source . If I feel
More enthusiasm I might try to learn and out basic VFX shots abs colour grading . With audio track
Gotcha. Well Final Cut is very optimized for the Mac, but Adobe Premiere and Davinci Resolve have also released silicon versions of their apps. I think you’d be fine based on my testing, and I would just recommend 16GBs of RAM.
I love love this! Wow! I am fan!
Thanks! Happy it helped.
Wait, why can’t you open Arri raw in FCP? That’s concerning…
The Raw files just aren't supported in FCPX. I used the ARRI Converter. But honestly I wanted to show the capability at the most extreme, but the conversion has very little loss, and I'd say anyone cutting ARRI Alexa is using something else primarily.
@@KevinRossRN We’ll be using the Arri Alexa in a few months, but we’ll also be using AVID’s software. Not sure if it’s compatible with Premiere Pro or DaVinci, but I would find it strange if it wasn’t.
That’s awesome! I believe with Premiere you’ll be fine with some of that footage. Potato Jet filmed with his ARRI Alexa and edited the footage in a M1 Beta version of Premiere.
Nice ❤ Thanks
And thank you.
Another quality video! Hope to see more of you. Is this 7 or 8 core gpu btw?
Thanks! And, that would be the 7 core. Pretty silly to think how awesome it managed this footage, even though most wouldn’t need or want to mess with it.
Hey Kevin! I keep stumbling on your videos and find they provide the best context on products I either have and need to know more about or ones I'm looking to purchase. For that reason, you've earned my sub!
I do have a question... Picked up a base model M1 MBA for $740 open box at BB however think I'll get into video editing in the future and concerned that 8gb might be limiting. I see you did this with the 16gb version, however didn't know if you had any experience with 8gb and feedback that could help. Didn't know if it's true that swap memory really made 16gb non-essential, etc. There's so many videos out there that it's hard to know what's legit.
Thanks again!
Welcome back.
So here’s what I know based on my own testing and hearing from my colleagues out there that I talk to almost daily about these machines.
First, congrats on the score. That’s a great deal.
Now for the M1 and really all of the Apple silicon, optimized software is key here. Final Cut is an obvious, and Davinci Resolve is really tied for first or even a close second on how well it works. And, you can use the free version of Resolve.
The whole swap memory being so efficient that 16GBs isn’t necessary is a somewhat nuanced…actually a lot nuanced and dependent on what you’re working on.
Any of the Adobe products will just hog that RAM from the get and you’ll be swapping almost immediately.
So the fact that the memory sits where it does in relation to the SSD, and the fact that SSD is really fast makes it a more fluid experience, BUT there does come a point where it really won’t matter how efficient that swap is because at some point if you’re really pushing that machine, it’s going to need all of that RAM, and you may get an error message stating that you’re out of application memory and it’ll ask if you’d like to close some programs.
So in a scenario like this it would be something like working in Final Cut, adding some effects, doing some color correction, etc, and then let’s say you want to have a few browser tabs open and maybe another program or two that you’re working with simultaneously…this is where it starts to slow down and it’ll want to put the available RAM where it’s needed most, so you may start to see some hang ups.
AND, let’s say you’re just working in Final Cut and you’re working with some stubborn footage. GoPro footage for example which is heavily compressed and has to be unpacked and may require more resource. So, it really comes down to your workflow and the MBA is great for “most” workflows and even dabbling in some fairly straightforward editing.
I have personally worked on the MBA with my own 4K multi-cam timelines with effects and color correction, but I’ll be honest that I personally think the 16GBs does help this along, however I mainly use these machines for editing anyway.
With 8GBs I do think you can manage with it, but you’ll likely observe some hang ups and beach balls from time to time, but I don’t think it would be crippling like a base model Intel MacBook.
I don’t know your particular situation, but honestly I’d try the free Final Cut trial and do some testing with some footage you have or even something from your iPhone.
Experiment a little and see what you think. Not sure if you might have an extended return policy, but what I will say is that these M1 machines are still being sold second hand for close to what folks are originally paying for them.
So again, it will come down to how you’re using it, and what you expect out of it. These MBAs are almost nothing like the original MBAs that were so expensive and underpowered.
I’m not sure if this helps, but it’s my nickel’s worth.
@@KevinRossRN 🤯 what a reply, kudos to you sir! Sounds like I just need to make a decision if I want to shell out the extra 💰 for 16gb performance. Cheapest I can mind is like $1050ish on Apple refurb, so a $300 increase over my current set up. Or just say scare it and go 16gb Mac mini since I have an iPad Pro. The perfect Apple Ecosystem is complicated to say the least lol 😂 Regardless, thank you so much for the feedback and VERY detailed response. So helpful!
Glad to help…and that mini is a very sweet deal. Just saying 🤷♂️
@@KevinRossRN following up now that I have the base 14" Macbook Pro in hand and after doing some side by side DaVinci Resolve editing on both it and the base m1 Macbook Air. I'm not too concerned with export times as I just do stuff recreationally and my camera outputs in h.264 rather than prores. I was more concerned with the editing experience and found that the 14" mbp is faster when playing back a timeline with title and effects, but not by much. Really makes me second guess if the minor improvement, better screen and speakers are worth the extra $900. Having the 2018 iPad Pro with Magic Keyboard is kinda pushing me to consider returning both and just getting a 16gb ram Mac Mini and calling it a day. If only pro level macOS apps would run on the iPad Pro :-) Then we could rock the Mini and iPad Pro only. Anyway, just wanted to let you know my findings and that I'm still struggling to find the "perfect ecosystem". Enjoy your time away from videos, you earned it sir!
Hi James. This is really helpful for everyone here. I think with the MBA, one of the first things you may notice is with that thermal throttling, even with playback, especially as that GPU is getting pushed.
However, with the mini, even with the fans basically running at idle it will give you a bit more headroom at a lower price point with the obvious sacrifice of portability.
I agree with the opinion that if we could get a bit more pro functionality out of the iPad then this would be a great companion situation with the mini and iPad Pro.
There’s definitely a premium with these MBPs, and even if the next iteration mini starts at a 400+ USD price point, it’s still going to be a “bargain” for what it will be able to do and still likely almost half the cost of the base MBP.
But Resolve is really doing something right here and I have a feeling we may see more creators (slowly) transitioning over if Adobe doesn’t catch up. 🤷♂️
Again, appreciate your time here, and I know it can be a tough decision, but I’d say the current mini is still fantastic and a great choice.
Can I ask a question does the MacBook air m1 8
G 256 doing this Machine ???
Are you asking if it’s the base model? Just wanted to clarify.
@@KevinRossRN yes the base model because I bought yesterday my MacBook Air m1 8gb and 256s but I don’t know if this device can do that or not I just wanted to know that
It will edit video just fine. This footage I edited was very complex. It’s footage that most people wouldn’t consider. My MBA has 16GBs but your base will be able to edit quite a bit of footage.
@@KevinRossRN I hope so my brother thanks for helping me ❤️
You got it. 👍 what kind of footage would you be working with?
How it runs photoshop and illustrator side by side ?????
I run them both side by side all the time. It runs just as well on the machine as it would any other I’ve worked with, which I’m not sure that’s saying much.... but yes I usually have them both open all the time.
Good shit ! Can’t wait for iPad Pro to have this chip & run x86 that would be a real workhorse for all sorts of content creators
Wouldn’t it though? Looking forward to seeing how hard the iPad Pros can be pushed.
m1 and the current iPad pros chips are extremely similar
Well once these new iPad Pros get released, I’ll be testing them alongside the M1. Maybe next week 🤷♂️
Is premiere pro compatible with MBA?
It is, but it isn't as stable as Final Cut Pro or Davinci Resolve. But you can use it, yes.
@@KevinRossRN thank you mate! Btw is cut pro easy to use for beginner?
Out of all the editors I’ve used, I’ve found it the easiest as far as the major NLEs. Are you currently using Premiere?
@@KevinRossRN yep. I am thinkin about switching because of this machine performance but on the other side, I love my ports, so I still stay silent😂 btw I juct check the MBA with 16GB and 1 TB ssd, what do u reckon? For the price, I dont mind it for aussie dollar, all I need it is affirmation😂
If you can hang out until Tuesday, after the Apple event, is wait until then. Just in case they release an updated iMac.
You may not want an iMac, but it’ll at least be good to hear of Apple has any updates to discuss about M1.
I would definitely go for more RAM, most definitely. I also personally like having the bigger internal drive, but I also use a lot of external drives as well, but it’s because I always have multiple projects at once.
Why when i edited my video with color grading it become slower even freeze?? Helpp... It was not working.
What program are you editing in and what’s your hardware setup?
@@KevinRossRN i only use i movie for editing. At beginning it went smoothly and then when i tried with color grading it became slow even freeze. I have 16gb ram mba. Can u tell me what's wrong? 🤔
It’s likely that iMovie is having a hard time with the codec. What kind of footage?
@@KevinRossRN i thought i move is good for editing on mac and not heavy using this tool. I just edited few vlog. Or maybe mba is not for editing?
iMovie is fine to start out on. And the MB Air is plenty powerful. What camera codec are you trying to edit?
Gud one kevin
Many thanks 👍
OK, fine, you win, I'll suscribe
;)
Well don’t let me twist your arm or anything 😀
Glad to have you here 👍🙏
I can say that 8GB ram would be enough for my 1080 footage :D
Nothing wrong with 1080. Still plenty capable of a gorgeous look. 🎥🎬
@@KevinRossRN indeed, I mean MacBook Air will have no problem handling these files 😁
You got it 👍 Like butter 🧈
So, it did pretty good
You could say that.
So the M1 MBA is better, faster and cheaper. Win Win!
It just keeps winning. 🏆
you sound like hugh jackman..
Now that’s a first. I appreciate it 😉