How Can I Make My MacBook Pro Better for Video Editing?

If you are a MacBook Pro user who loves video editing, then you know that the performance of your device is critical. Video editing requires a lot of processing power, memory, and storage.

If your device doesn’t have enough of these resources, then you might experience lagging, crashes, and slow rendering times. However, there are several ways to make your MacBook Pro better for video editing. In this tutorial, we will explore some tips and tricks that can help you improve the performance of your device.

Upgrade Your MacBook Pro’s RAM

One of the most straightforward ways to improve the performance of your MacBook Pro is by upgrading its RAM. The more RAM your device has, the more tasks it can handle simultaneously.

If you’re using an older MacBook Pro with 4GB or 8GB of RAM, upgrading to 16GB or 32GB can make a significant difference in how smoothly video editing software runs. You can buy compatible RAM modules from third-party providers such as Crucial or OWC.

Upgrade Your MacBook Pro’s SSD

Another way to boost your MacBook Pro’s performance is by upgrading its storage drive to an SSD (Solid State Drive). An SSD is faster and more reliable than a traditional hard drive because it doesn’t have any moving parts.

When you install an SSD on your MacBook Pro, it will boot up faster and load applications quicker than before. You can also use an external SSD for storing large video files.

Close Unnecessary Applications

Before starting any video editing project on your MacBook Pro, make sure to close all unnecessary applications running in the background. Running multiple apps simultaneously consumes CPU power and RAM resources which slows down your video editing software’s performance. To avoid this issue, quit all applications that you don’t need while using Final Cut Pro X or Adobe Premiere Pro.

Use External Graphic Cards

If you’re using a MacBook Pro that doesn’t have a dedicated graphics card, consider using an external GPU (eGPU). An eGPU is an external device that connects to your MacBook Pro via Thunderbolt 3 and provides better graphics processing power. Some popular eGPUs are the Blackmagic eGPU, Sonnet Breakaway Box, and Razer Core X.

Use Proxy Files for Editing

Editing large video files on your MacBook Pro can be challenging, especially if you’re working with high-resolution footage. One way to make the editing process smoother is by using proxy files.

Proxy files are smaller versions of your original video files that you can use for editing. When you’re ready to export your final project, you can switch back to your original high-resolution footage.

Final Thoughts

These are some of the ways that you can make your MacBook Pro better for video editing. By upgrading your RAM or SSD, closing unnecessary applications while editing, using an external GPU, and using proxy files for editing large videos, you can significantly improve the performance of your device. Try out these tips and see how they work for you!