Apple computers have long moved away from hardware for office clerks to powerful machines for creative professionals, especially when it comes to video editing.
Well, it’s a pity, but industry-leading software products such as Adobe Premiere are quite expensive. No worries. There is a great choice of other apps that will satisfy both novice and professional video editors.
We’ll talk about them today.
Choosing Mac Configuration for Video Editing
The macOS has been constantly improved over the years and is now one of the most streamlined interfaces that syncs perfectly with popular editing apps.
We think the 2020 27-inch iMac is the best Mac hardware for professional video editing existing on the market. Its large screen size and extremely powerful specs make it a real monster… if you’re willing to splurge on a top-notch configuration, of course.
Alternatively, there’s the stunning 2021 24-inch iMac which is a bit cheaper. It’s powered by Apple’s excellent M1 chip, which is both incredibly fast and super-efficient. It also has a very slim design and comes in 7 awesome colors, making it a real object of desire. However, it’s not the number one software as there is only 16 GB of RAM. This is not enough for professional editing and is likely to become a problem as video resolutions keep getting higher, and you won’t be able to boost your iMac’s RAM after you buy it.
If we are talking about Mac laptops for video editing, then all MacBooks, starting from Air 2010, are suitable. But unfortunately, the Air model is considered to be a weak machine suitable only for some TikTok clips or making a YouTube video.
You will need a MacBook with large RAM for professional editing. This is, for sure, a MacBook Pro produced since 2012.
In addition to memory, internal storage speed, and graphics card capabilities, the new MacBooks provide excellent screen images. Everything is crystal clear here – displays with Retina technology provide a great image and are the best 4K monitors. On such a screen, you can plainly observe the video’s flaws and modify the exposure and tints.
As a result, if you edit video for yourself and don’t anticipate exceptional quality or speed, a MacBook Air or older MacBook Pro model with an SSD disc will do. If you plan to do serious video editing, you should choose a more powerful laptop with a Retina screen.
What Software to Choose?
Let’s discover what apps are the best video editors in 2022.
#1. iMovie
Every Mac user has access to iMovie for free. The program is intended for inexperienced editors who wish to rapidly create films from content in their library. iMovie has a basic timeline without multitrack editing. Despite its simple user interface and line editing, iMovie can process 4K videos. It also supports PiP video and graphic effects in slow or rapid motion. iMovie allows you to make titles, transitions, and animated graphics.
The program is pre-installed with ready-to-use music and sound effects. Using the video you give, it can produce Hollywood-style trailers. But if you need to perform basic actions like trimming a video or splitting a movie into short clips, we suggest using the built-in QuickTime Player on Mac. But be careful with formats. As a rule, you’ll have to make some manipulations, for example, convert AVI to MOV format to make the editing go smoothly.
#2. OpenShot
OpenShot is a simple yet powerful video editor which is also an amazing app for learning editing. If you need to make something simple and don’t want to spend a lot of time on it, OpenShot might be one of your best options.
Aside from basic video editing, you can also create 3D animations for some games or marketing materials. This free Mac editor has the support of many languages. There’s no need to be concerned about a language barrier preventing you from editing videos.
#3. Kdenlive
Even though the development team has shifted totally to Linux, you may still use this fantastic free video editor by installing the packages accessible through MacPorts. Kdenlive supports nearly all major media formats and allows you to quickly add files to the software’s multitrack timeline.
You may make 2D titles, such as text alignment and rotation, to brighten up the project. It allows you to build a proxy file to make editing a large video file size easier.
#4. Blender
Blender is known as a free 3D graphics app, but it’s also one of the most-loved video editors for Mac that has a plethora of complex functions.
Blender may be used to compose and produce interactive 3D clips, animated videos for social media, gaming movies, and other visual effects as a non-linear editing program.
#5. DaVinci Resolve
There are also users that demand complex apps with a great range of features. A robust cross-platform professional-level program can run on discrete graphics as well. The DaVinci Resolve editor is extremely efficient.
The most recent version of the editor includes a Fusion module. It used to be a stand-alone app that included a number of high-performance video features. They allow you to edit films, change the colors, deal with music, add video effects, and create motion graphics.
Another fantastic feature of this video editor is the ability to collaborate with others. That is, several individuals can work on the same project at the same time and make real-time modifications to it.
Final Thoughts
When selecting an editor, note that it must provide at least one (better all) of the basic features: a preview, a playback window, a library of transitions and effects, and a timeline. Paid apps often provide extensive documentation and technical support. However, you can discover a great range of training videos on YouTube. Problems with them can emerge at the very final stage of the project. The fully free app may simply be incapable of saving the video in an appropriate format.
In any case, users searching for a powerful app with many built-in features and quick support should consider professional software like Adobe Premiere. Beginners, on the other hand, should search for the analogs mentioned in our article. They provide basic functions for free, and with time, it will be evident whether to purchase an extension or migrate to another option.
