Best Mac for Photo Editing
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Macs are fantastic for a wide variety of creative endeavours, including Photo editing. In addition to having speedy CPUs and the ability to encode Photo files in a short amount of time, these devices are sleek and well-built.
When you buy an iMac or a MacBook, you also receive a wonderful screen with high quality, which is ideal for producing Photo content and playing it back on your computer.
As they combine excellent functionality with sleek design, Mac computers have long been a favourite of artists and other creative types, including photographers.
It is not a coincidence that for many years, leading applications like Photoshop were only available for Mac.
However, if you are a photographer in the market for a new Mac, you will have to choose between two options. Which Macintosh model is most suitable for your needs?
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It’s possible that you simply want the largest screen possible so that you may examine your pictures in minute detail. Or, if you shoot a lot of images, storage may be a more significant consideration for you.
In this piece, we’re going to take a look at what we believe to be the best Macs on the market right now for photographers and photo editing software.
Check out our comprehensive guide, which is included in this post, for additional information on what to look for in a machine designed for PHOTO editing and how we concluded which Macs are the best for PHOTO editing.
NOTE: Please take into consideration that the criteria we used to compile this list of the top 10 best Macs for PHOTO editing include: Specs, Price , features, real-world performance, user reviews, and Popularity
11 the Best Mac for Photo Editing in 2023
- Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2021) — The MacBook Best for high-end performance( Our Top Pick)
- Apple MacBook Air 2020 — The most On-the-go Mac for Photo editing
- Apple Mac Mini 2020 — The best Mac on a budget for Photo editing
- Apple iMac (24-inch, 2021) — The best Big screen iMac for PHOTO editing[Overall]
- Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) — The best MacBook on a budget
iMac – best all-in-one desktop
- Apple iMac (24-inch, 2021) — The best iMac for PHOTO editing[Overall]
- Apple iMac (27-inch, 2020) — The best Mac for PHOTO editing with a Big display
- Apple Mac Studio Desktop 2022 — The best Apple Desktop Workstation for PHOTO editing
MacBook Air – best for PHOTO editing on the move
- Apple MacBook Air 2022 — The best Lightweight MacBook with a cool design
- Apple MacBook Air 2020 — The most On-the-go Mac for Photo editing
Mac mini – best for Photo editing on a budget
Apple Mac Mini 2020 — The best Mac on a budget for PHOTO editing
2021 Apple MacBook Pro
The 2021 MacBook Pro is the most recent iteration of Apple's flagship laptop, and it is an extremely capable device that can perform virtually any task.
It is four times faster than the version that came before it thanks to a groundbreaking performance chip known as the M1 Pro or M1 Max.
This chip has support for up to 32GB of RAM and can accommodate up to 32 cores in the graphics processing unit.
If you combine that with Apple's ProRes technology, you will be able to flawlessly edit up to seven streams of 8K video at the same time.
The MacBook Pro is offered in two different screen sizes, 14 inches, and 16 inches. I
t has a stunning liquid retina XDR display that is bright with 1600 nits of peak brightness and sharp, which makes editing videos on it a real pleasure to do.
The display also has a high contrast ratio.
Choose the resolution that is the best fit for your video, and you won't experience any lag while working on it even though the ProMotion technology can deliver refresh rates of up to 120Hz.
2021 Apple iMac (24-inch)
We believe that the new M1 iMac is the best option for video editing on a Mac, despite the fact that the Intel-based iMac Pro is also an excellent choice in this regard.
If you are going to purchase an iMac, we recommend that you go with the M1 model.
The display on this model measures 24 inches rather than 27 inches like the display on the iMac Pro, but it is still an excellent size.
Additionally, the 4.5K Retina resolution makes it an excellent choice for video editing.
The incorporation of Apple's very own M1 processor design is, of course, the most significant difference.
These chips are very efficient in terms of both speed and power consumption.
The more expensive Intel Xeon chips that are used in Mac Pros and iMac Pros have been defeated by M1 processors in a number of tests.
- There is a diverse selection of colors available Excellent value for the price
- Comes with both a Magic Keyboard and a Magic Mouse and Best-in-class 4.5K retina display
- No Ports available
2022 Apple MacBook Air Laptop with M2 chip
This MacBook Air, which is built on the M1 chip, is the best option to go with if you're looking for a portable laptop that's not just light but also powerful.
It is a 13-inch laptop with an option of two versions of the M1 CPU, including one with a seven-core GPU and one with an eight-core GPU.
The price for this model begins at $999. In any scenario, it will readily handle the majority of video editing chores, and the 2560x1600 display will make the edited videos appear fantastic.
You have the option of selecting either 8GB or 16GB of unified RAM, much like with previous M1 Macs.
You also have the option of selecting SSD storage with capacities ranging from 256 gigabytes up to two terabytes; however, the cost increases substantially as you select more space.
Apple Mac Mini with Apple M1 Chip
If you are interested in using a Mac for editing photography but have a limited budget, the M1 edition of the Mac mini is the best option for you to go with. It starts at just $699, yet it has more than enough power to run picture editing programs like Photoshop.
The beginning price is very reasonable.
If you choose to go with the standard model, you will be provided with an eight-core M1 CPU that already incorporates an eight-core GPU.
In addition to that, it has 8GB of unified memory that can be increased all the way up to 16GB, as well as a 256GB SSD that can be expanded all the way up to 2TB.
Even with 2 terabytes of storage space, it's possible that you won't have enough space for all of your photographs and videos if you take a lot of them.
Mac for Photo editing – Buying Guide
What are the steps to editing RAW photographs on a Mac?
On a Mac, you can edit RAW photographs by using the Photos program or by downloading third-party applications. You shouldn’t dismiss the Photos app just because it doesn’t have a lot of extra features and bells and whistles.
Your photos can have their brightness and contrast adjusted, as well as have a variety of other fundamental adjustments made with this program, which features an easy-to-navigate user interface.
Can RAW photographs be edited in Apple’s iPhoto software?
Double-clicking an image and then clicking the Edit button within the Photo app will allow you to edit RAW photos. After that, put the changes into effect by utilizing the editing tools that are located in the panel on the right.
Why are Macs popular among photographers?
As a result of the superior display quality that Apple products provide, numerous photographers choose to work on Macs. The performance of Macs is consistently excellent, whether the criterion in question is gamut coverage, color accuracy, or peak brightness.
It should come as no surprise that professional photographers place a significant amount of importance on these factors and use them to guide their purchasing decisions.
Which platform, Mac or PC, does Photoshop work more efficiently on?
In order to determine whether Photoshop works better on a Mac or a PC, it is necessary to test the performance of the app on machines whose setups are comparable to one another.
There is not a discernible difference in performance when doing tests on a Mac and a PC with comparable Intel CPUs. The M1 chip that the Mac employs, on the other hand, completely destroys the competition.
How do you decide which Mac laptop is best for editing Photos?
If you want to edit PHOTOs on a Mac laptop, you should opt for one that has the most desirable features at a price you can afford.
However, if you intend to work with 4K or 5K content, you must ensure that the Mac is configured to its greatest possible specifications.
Why should you edit your photos on a Mac?
As was mentioned earlier, people who work in creative fields, such as moviemakers and app developers, adore using Macs. The power and longevity of Macs will also be beneficial to photographers in the long run.
Macs also have a greater propensity to keep their value for a longer period of time compared to other kinds of computers. If you like to buy a new Mac every few years and sell your old one to help pay for it, this is fantastic news for you.
In addition, macOS comes packaged with its very own Photo app, which provides a convenient means of uploading and organizing the images stored on your Mac.
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About the Author:
Manny Acharya is the co-founder of Artmellows. Your Goto place for Design, Digital Art, Digital sculpting, Photography, Tools & Gears Info, and Product Reviews. Manny is a Digital Artist, 3D Sculpt Designer, Ardent Photography, Drone flying Enthusiast & Tech Lover. He supercharges Digital Art & Design by crafting memorable 3d Sculpts & 2D Design & Art.
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