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What Is The Best Mac For Photo Editing?
Many photographers adore Apple’s line of strong – and compact – MacBook laptops, and with good reason: they cram powerful components needed for photo editing into slimline and fashionable bodies. Graphic designers also use Macs for creating designs. You can study graphic design and create your own designs with Blue Sky Graphics online!
They are portable, making them ideal for photographers who want to edit their images on the go, and they run the macOS operating system, allowing you to use the best picture editing software or the best video editing software.
Crucially, the best MacBooks for photo editing have long battery lives, which means you can use them for a whole workday without having to plug them in. If portability is not a priority, however raw strength is, we have a separate guide to the best iMacs for picture and video editing.
What to Look for When Choosing the Right MacBooks for Photo Editing
So, how do you choose the right MacBook for picture editing? The most critical aspect is the MacBook’s specifications. Most modern MacBooks are efficient enough to edit images easily, but not all MacBooks are created equal, and some MacBooks are better suited for photo editing than others.
MacBooks also have a range of Intel Core-series processors or Apple’s latest M1 chip, which can be used in the MacBook Pro M1 and MacBook Air M1. This ultra-efficient chip outperforms high-end Intel processors in terms of speed while consuming minimal battery power. The only major disadvantage is that memory is currently limited to a maximum of 16GB on any MacBook M1 computer.
The amount of RAM is critical, and we recommend 16GB or more. The more RAM you have, the quicker and easier it would feel to use the MacBook. Applications will open faster, and you will be able to get more open at the same time. 16GB of RAM will seem to be overkill, but since you will not update a MacBook’s RAM, later on, you will need to build it to last if you want years of silky-smooth support.
If you are operating on exceptionally high-resolution files, a MacBook with a discrete graphics card, such as the MacBook Pro, can have even better performance.
Storage capacity is also a vital concern since, unlike Windows laptops, the hard drive of a MacBook cannot be opened and replaced. So, when purchasing a MacBook, make sure it comes with a big enough hard drive. If you are keeping a lot of photos, 500GB is the bare minimum.
Finally, there is the screen to consider. The bigger the screen, the more convenient it is to work on. Modern MacBooks have high-resolution ‘Retina’ screens, which make your images look their best.
1. The MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
CPU: Intel Core i7 – i9 9th Generation | Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 5300M – Radeon Pro 5500M | RAM: 16GB – 64GB | Screen: 16-inch Retina monitor with True Tone | Storage: 512GB – 8TB SSD
The 16-inch MacBook Pro was released in late 2019, but it remains the only large-screen MacBook if you need more workspace than the 13-inch MacBook Pro M1 (below). In reality, we believe it is still Apple’s best MacBook for photo editing. This is because Apple has equipped it with some of the most versatile components available in a laptop, allowing it to run photo editing applications like Photoshop quickly and smoothly. You will customise the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) to have features that meet your requirements – and your budget.
Best of all, the latest MacBook Pro features a massive 16-inch screen that is absolutely breath-taking. The Retina display has a resolution of 3,072 x 1,920 and a pixel density of 226 pixels per inch, meaning your images will look amazingly bright and detailed, and you will not need to invest in an external monitor.
2. Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M1
The best MacBook for picture editing on the go
Apple M1 8-core processor | RAM: 8-16GB | Storage: 256GB-2TB SSD | Screen: 13.3-inch 2560 x 1600 IPS Retina display
The MacBook Air 13-in M1 is remarkable in three ways: first, in terms of architecture, finish, and ergonomics; second, in terms of sheer efficiency for a lightweight laptop; and third, in terms of value for money considering the first two.
Its Retina display is, as always, stunning. Apple claims it has a 25% broader colour spectrum than sRGB, but does not mention Adobe RGB, so we think it is right in the centre. The contrast, definition, and brightness are excellent, and although the 2560 x 1600 resolution is not 4K, it is a significant improvement over a standard 1920 x 1080 screen. It has the ‘Retina’ effect where you no longer see the dots, which create a shocking and subtle difference in the way you display, edit, and analyse visual images.
There are only two USB ports, which is inconvenient; it is not significantly smaller than a standard MacBook, despite appearances; and the 7-core entry-level model is a strange proposition, but these are slight quibbles. If you choose portability to larger screen size, this is a beautifully crafted laptop device that is ideal for smartphone image editing.
3. Apple 13-inch MacBook Pro M1
Apple’s entry-level MacBook Pro receives a significant processor update.
Apple M1 8-core processor | RAM: 8-16GB | Storage: 256GB-2TB SSD | Screen: 13.3-inch 2560 x 1600 IPS Retina display
Apple’s stonking M1 system-on-a-chip ‘CPU (it is not strictly just a processor – it integrates pretty much all the main features of a computer into a single chip, just like a phone or tablet) powers the latest 13-inch MacBook Pro. As a result, the MacBook Pro M1 is both extremely fast and extremely power-efficient – the holy grail of laptop computing. Add in Apple’s stunning 2560 x 1600 IPS Retina display, and you have arrived at photo editing nirvana.
The svelte 13.3-inch screen of this MacBook Pro makes it beautifully compact, but room for photo editing can feel a little small, particularly when you have got a range of Photoshop pallets extended.
As a result, we continue to consider the older Intel-powered 16-inch MacBook Pro to be a much more powerful MacBook for photo editing. If you need something smaller, consider the MacBook Air M1 (above) – it is just as fast as the Pro M1, has the same spectacular screen, but is slimmer and less expensive.
