4K Video Editing On Macbook 12 Possible?

[Rasta4i]

Hi, im looking for an ultra portable laptop to mostly cut down and trim 4K video editing projects that I work on as I find that the most time consuming part of the process. Once I do majority of the trimming the rest of my edit usually goes quite fast which I do on an iMac.

Of course I will also need todo things beyond trimming but the part that really slows down my process is not being able to trim footage until I get home and onto the iMac which is where I do my editing now. I'm wondering if I pair the MacBook with a Samsung T5 drive and create proxies on the iMac if the MacBook will be fine for me to trim using proxies in FCPX. I already have to carry quite a few things with me so I really value the lightness and size of this MacBook so opinions please

 

[JK_Zeng]

Hi, im looking for an ultra portable laptop to mostly cut down and trim 4K video editing projects that I work on as I find that the most time consuming part of the process. Once I do majority of the trimming the rest of my edit usually goes quite fast which I do on an iMac.

Of course I will also need todo things beyond trimming but the part that really slows down my process is not being able to trim footage until I get home and onto the iMac which is where I do my editing now. I'm wondering if I pair the MacBook with a Samsung T5 drive and create proxies on the iMac if the MacBook will be fine for me to trim using proxies in FCPX. I already have to carry quite a few things with me so I really value the lightness and size of this MacBook so opinions please

I can edit 4k on 12 inch macbook using FCP X and Samsung T3. The experience is snappy and I don't even use proxy media. The only bottleneck is when I export in 4k, it takes 45 minutes to export instead of 5 minutes using the 13 inch macbook pro (2018). I super love my 12 macbook and I find myself using it much more than the 13 inch macbook pro.

 

[BODYBUILDERPAUL]

As a vlogger / digital media marketing guy, I edit 4K 60fps HEVC and 1080p 60fps video every day in FCPX on my 2017 i5 MacBook. It's silky smooth and beautiful. Same for my 2016 at the time for editing 4K 30fps h264.
Apple really optimise their software well and FCPX is beautiful on the MacBook. Of course Premiere truly sucks on it but who wants to use that when FCPX is so lovely AND you buy it rather than monthly rent it for any Adobe software.

The Samsung T5 is absolutely beautiful too. Shame the Apple Store doesn't sell these as they really are great!

 

[FilmIndustryGuy]

I can edit 4k on 12 inch macbook using FCP X and Samsung T3. The experience is snappy and I don't even use proxy media. The only bottleneck is when I export in 4k, it takes 45 minutes to export instead of 5 minutes using the 13 inch macbook pro (2018). I super love my 12 macbook and I find myself using it much more than the 13 inch macbook pro.

i do the same thing as this guy. You need FCX and it works best for short videos. long projects you should go for a pro model. Had the 2017 15 macbook and it was a much smoother editing experience but for short videos 12 inch works.

 

[cynics]

You say trimming is the most time consuming task for you currently, care to explain more? Is this just because you have so much of it to do? Bottlenecks in current hardware? What software will you be using? iMovie, FCPX, Resolve? Etc..? Information on the types of files you are working with would be helpful too (ex. an iPad can quickly trim 4k video in iMovie).

 

[Rasta4i]

You say trimming is the most time consuming task for you currently, care to explain more? Is this just because you have so much of it to do? Bottlenecks in current hardware? What software will you be using? iMovie, FCPX, Resolve? Etc..? Information on the types of files you are working with would be helpful too (ex. an iPad can quickly trim 4k video in iMovie).

Trimming is the most time consuming process if we film events and produce a after movie from it or the types of projects where I spend most of my time analysing what I want in the video. once I've got the clips that I want to work with the rest of the process is usually faster for me than the selection part (trimming) the rest I can do on my iMac but while I'm away from home I want to be able to get through this stage of projects. mostly editing 4k shot on mirrorless cameras currently

 

[cynics]

Trimming is the most time consuming process if we film events and produce a after movie from it or the types of projects where I spend most of my time analysing what I want in the video. once I've got the clips that I want to work with the rest of the process is usually faster for me than the selection part (trimming) the rest I can do on my iMac but while I'm away from home I want to be able to get through this stage of projects. mostly editing 4k shot on mirrorless cameras currently

Honestly I don't know. Scrubbing through footage with laser precision is what you need. Not sure how well the MB can handle that. Overall this sounds critical to your workflow and for that I would want dedicated graphics. Generally having dedicated graphics (regardless of GPU) is the most important thing. One you have a GPU (any GPU) upgrades to it are more incremental.

 

[Dave245]

There are a few videos on YouTube showing how well the MacBook can handle 4K footage, trimming should be fine, however if you want to add effects or the videos are like movie length then the MacBook Pro is probably going to be better.

Updates are just around the corner so at this point unless you need one urgently I would wait. Apple are rumoured to be holding an event this month where Mac’s will get updated alongside iPad Pros.