Video editing setup with M1

My current MacBook Pro 15” (2016) got a hardware problem and I decided to get a new M1 Mac to be used for video editing with Final Cut. First, I tried the new 13” MacBook Pro, but returned it after a week as it’s only supports one external monitor by default and the 13” laptop screen is to small as a secondary display. Instead I ordered a Mac Mini with an external display and hub. The computer arrived before X-mas and I migrated the existing laptop setup during the holidays.

Newly bought

  • Apple Mac Mini M1 16 GB RAM & 1 TB SSD

  • OWC Thunderbolt 4 hub

  • BENQ 27” bildskärm, SW2700PT

Additional equipment

But it’s more than a computer and a monitor when working with post-production, and lots of other things need to be connected directly to the computer. Everything else that I use is listed below and will be attached when the OWC Thunderbolt hub is delivered.

  • Apple 27” Thunderbolt Display

  • Apple extended keyboard, magic mouse and magic trackpad

  • G-RAID 20 TB RAID0 drive with Thunderbolt 3

  • 1 TB LaCie SSD with USB-C

  • Lexar Workflow Four Bay card reader

  • Atomos dock station USB-C

  • Focusrite Scarlet 2i2 extern D/A with Sony MDR-7506 headphones

  • Røde NT-2A studio microphone

  • Aragon active hi-fi speakers and sub connected to the Focusrite

  • Intuos Pro Medium tablet

  • Samsung BluRay writer

  • Black Magic Design Mini Monitor & Mini Recorder to connect external monitors and cameras.

  • Canon 9000F flatbed scanner

The computer have 1 GB Ethernet and I have access to shared disks on other computers, NAS and printers via the network. I miss the 10 GB option on the Mac Mini as I plan to upgrade the internal network. Internet connection is 250/250 and it’s possible to upgrade to 1000/1000 for a reasonable monthly cost.

IMG_2257.jpeg

The image show a temporary setup as I have not unpacked the new monitor. My focus has been to get up a stable system with M1 supported software and new licenses.

Update: This is the new setup with two monitors and everything in place except the Thunderbolt hub.

IMG_2260.jpeg

How does it perform?

The answer is a little fuzzy as it depends how you measure performance.

Cinebench 23 was “only” 70% faster than the four year old laptop with maxed configuration, but for a much lesser cost with the Mac Mini.

Exporting the current 90 minute timeline (optimized media) to H.264 took less than 15 minutes and the old MacBook Pro always crashed due to a memory error, so the improvements in my case is infinite. When exporting the footage to ProRes instead of H.264 the time with MacBook Pro was between 45 and 60 minutes the last time I tried.

My summary is that this is a good enough machine until new faster Apple Silicon Macs arrive by end of 2021, but it’s not an optimal computer for me. Due to corona and other circumstances will I not travel next six months, and the need for a laptop is therefore much less than before when I regularly was traveling to other places.

However, software compability is another story and the reason why I still have the laptop nearby.