Mac vs. PC. A debate that live on for years to come, but there is really only one that is best for photographers. Read on to find out which.
Videomaker – Learn video production and editing, camera reviews › Forums › General › Video and Film Discussion › PC vs Mac for HD editing This topic contains 1 reply, has 8 voices, and was last updated by videolab 1 year, 11 months ago. Nov 06, 2017 My videos need very high video editing (music video songs, wedding shoots,etc) which includes a hell of a lot editing and what not. So, I was wondering which one should I go for an iMac or a Custom Built PC. I am a PC & Mac Technician and Editor/Videographer for more than 15 years. Based on my experience using both platforms in Photo. The best video-editing Mac for portability is the 15in MacBook Pro. The MacBook Pro was updated in July 2019. It offers powerful processor chipsets and, in the case of the 15in models, decent. Jul 27, 2018 After spending a TON of time on both sides of the fence, there are some BIG differences that you’ll want to consider before deciding on PC vs Mac if you’re editing video. In this video I run through the key benefits (and detractors) I’ve found of both Mac and PC for video editing!
Oct 2015 Update: Be sure to check out the Windows Photo Editing SUPER Guide article for updated recommendations on the best low price options for PCs that will run Photoshop and Lightroom well – including what hardware is worth spending more money on and what is not!
Short Answer
It depends! I hate it when photographers do that to me. OK, so bottom line is that either can work fine, but you have to spend the money to get the hardware you need. Really this article is mostly for the PC user who are into photography. If you are a Mac user, I doubt you are tempted to switch to a PC because you are a photographer. In fact, you may be a Mac user because you are a photographer, and that is great. You Mac users may be interested in the end of the article where I provide recommendations on which hardware upgrades are actually worth the money to make sure it can do a good job editing photos.
Now for you PC users. You are probably hearing constantly about doing photo editing on Mac. You may be seriously tempted to get a Mac just because you hear so much about it from the photography community. Maybe you are curious about if it really is better than the PC. You may want to give it a try and determine for yourself, especially if it is time to invest in a new computer, but if things are going fine for you with editing your photos on a PC then my recommendation is to stick with what you know. Why put a kink in your workflow and go away from what you know?
There, a photographer just gave you permission to use a PC for editing photos.
Instead of switching platforms from PC to Mac, your photography will improve much more by investing in lenses (check out my article recommending a “nifty fifty” lens as the second thing a beginner should buy), other equipment, and training (check out Jim and Darin’s awesome training courses at photoclasses.com).
Whether Mac or PC, I know how seriously frustrating it is to try and edit photos on a computer that doesn’t have enough power. Maybe you are still using the computer you had before you started into photography, and it isn't up to the challenge. If that's you, it is time to invest in a newer computer. Read the long answer to go through reasons to pick one over the other, but really neither has a huge advantage and I think it makes the most sense to stick with what you know.
Check out the last two sections of this article for help in the specifications of what you need in a computer (PC or Mac) for a good photo editing experience.
Long Answer
I think it would be easier to discuss religion or politics than to take a side on the Mac vs. PC debate. It is a debate that seems among photographers to be second only to the Canon vs. Nikon (or Sony, or Panasonic, or any of the other manufacturers). The discussion is a little easier when you put a photography related slant on it, but it can still be fairly heated.
Still, as the hobbyist editor here at improvephotography.com my job is to take a view on these kinds of things and recommend something based on my own experience as well as what I have learned from other great photographers. Remember this when you comment on the post, but please do comment.
At some point it is likely to become necessary to get a better computer than what you had when you started into photography. Photoshop, Lightroom, and many other photo processing tools run much better when you have a good computer. Gcc for mac. That machine you bought online for $200 last Christmas is simply not going to work well.
You can make due for some time, and you should for as long as you can. But when processing a shoot takes twice as long as it should because you are CONSTANTLY waiting for your computer, or the display connected to your computer is not good enough (1080p HD is NOT enough), you will want to do something about it.
At the point when you have decided it is time and the next photography investment you are going to make is a new computer, think of it in the same you think about investing in a new lens and be prepared to spend as much in a lot of cases. Check out the last part of the article here on recommendations of what the minimum hardware should be in both Mac and PC computers to make editing photos go well.
Why Should You Listen To Me?
Like the other articles I have authored for this website, I am writing this shortly after having gone through exactly this dilemma. I realized very quickly that even a as a beginning photographer I needed to “post process” my photos on the computer (see my article here about why a beginner needs Adobe Lightroom) in order to make my shots look anything close to those I was seeing online.
Although I consider myself to be a fairly solid hobbyist photographer at this point, I am still relatively new to photography. However, as an IT professional who has worked on and with computers for more than 20 years, I know computer hardware and software pretty well. I have built computers, written software for computers, and as of writing this article my full time job is to architect solutions for very large computer systems for a large financial institution. It is a subject area I have more qualifications to speak to than any other photography subject.
All that said, as I was trying to learn about photography any way I could (podcasts, YouTube, books, etc.) it felt like I was constantly being told that I needed a Mac in order to have photo editing go well. It seemed like every YouTube video was done on a Mac, ever podcast was about how the new Mac was so awesome, and every photographer I talked to was using a Mac. It was a full on Mac attack, and I am a PC user.
I was editing my photos in Lightroom and had become frustrated that the PC laptop I was running it so … s l o w l y. The laptop was dated and I knew that even if I wasn’t doing photo editing it was time to upgrade the hardware. Given all of the hype from the photography community about Mac, I was wondering if I should dump all of my limited hobbyist photography budget on a Mac, or save some $$$ and stick with PC?
Hopefully my story sounds familiar to some of you, especially the beginners out there who are just getting started into photography. If so, let me take you through a few questions you probably have.
Doesn’t Adobe Software Run Better on Mac?
Mac fanboys are probably going to disagree, but my experience has been that Adobe tools like Photoshop and Lightroom do not necessarily run better on a Mac vs. a PC. I believe they used to several years ago, although I don’t have personal experience with it from before 2011 to say for sure.
In fact, before Apple switched the architecture of the Mac from PowerPC to Intel in 2006, Adobe had to write their software products very differently for Mac than for PC due to the architecture differences. So I am pretty sure there really was something to this years ago, I just don’t think there is much to it today.
Like so many other things in life, you get what you pay for in a computer. There is a reason those cheap $200 PCs don’t really work that well for nearly anything. If a PC has equivalent hardware to a Mac, it will run Adobe software products just as well as a Mac. Really the biggest difference then is the cost (Mac is more expensive – initially) and personal preference of Windows vs. OSX – which can be extremely important. Betternet for mac.
If you are using a PC, I think you should stick with what you know best because I don’t think either has a big advantage over the other to run post processing software.
Don’t Macs Have Fewer Problems?
This is an area where I will give a very slight nod to the Mac, agreeing that in general they seem to have fewer issues than PCs. Again, you get what you pay for, and there is a reason a Mac has more of a “premium” initial price than a PC. Well, okay, it could be just because Apple can. No, Apple really does put a lot of work into making sure you have a good product in your hands when you fork over that much of your hard earned money. I am truly convinced this is a real difference between Mac and PC. Unfortunately, it seems Apple is also becoming a victim of their own success and the quality control has gone down as the demand has gone up.
I often hear the argument come up very quickly that PCs are virus magnets whereas Macs are impervious to malware problems. This is actually a topic very near and dear to my heart, but this isn’t an article on the topic of computer security, so let’s just say that there is more in it for the bad guys to write viruses for Windows. So yes, you are more likely to have a problem with malware on a PC than on a Mac.
Can a PC work without major problems? Can a PC be kept clean from viruses? Do Macs ever have problems? Yes, yes, and yes. Is this a reason to pick a Mac over a PC? Maybe. It may make sense if you are, or will be, doing photography professionally to save yourself from also having to be a PC technician by getting a Mac. Just remember that Macs are still computers, and all computers have technical problems (after all the hardware in the Mac is the same as in some good PCs).
If you aren’t used to a Mac, a PC will be just fine, so long as it isn’t a bargain basement model. I think it makes a lot of sense to stick with what you know.
Aren’t PCs MUCH Less Expensive?
As I have alluded to earlier in the article here, in general PCs are less expensive than Macs – at least initially. And that word “initially” is the key. The upfront cost of a PC that has almost exactly the same hardware can be as much as 50% less than a Mac. This is why many PC fanboys will often refer to the “Apple Tax” when you talk about Macs. But the truth is, unless you build a PC yourself, many of the PC models from the big box vendors like HP and Dell usually end up with some durability problems. They just don’t seem to last very long. Sigh.
The PC business is pretty much as cutthroat as it gets. The margins have gone down to the point that the manufacturers have to sell a ton of them to make any money. As they are building them they cut every corner they possibly can. It is worse for laptops than desktops. So you may be able to buy a PC for considerably less money than a Mac, but the Mac may last longer.
Will a Mac last long enough to make the higher initial cost worth it? Maybe. Depends a lot on your use. I think it is very similar to a car. The same car will last much longer for the old lady driving to church on Sundays vs. a teenager.
To me the costs of a computer, the full costs from beginning to end, depends on how much you know about PCs and computer hardware. Apple has chosen to make their computers much less upgradeable by anyone but them. There are some good reasons to do so, but you can’t replace almost anything yourself very easily on many of the most recent models. PCs on the other hand are much more open. Desktops a lot more so than laptops, but without too much trouble you can replace RAM, a hard drive, video card, and even a processor if you wanted to. This can help you increase the hardware in your computer a bit more slowly like I did, where I added almost one thing at a time. Takes some knowledge. Takes some time. But if budget is one of your key concerns you can minimize the up front investment.
If you are a beginner on a tight budget and are willing to be your own tech support then you can potentially save quite a bit of money on a PC and use the rest on photography gear! But be aware, even though the number may be smaller than the up front cost of a Mac, it still takes a good sized amount of money to build a PC good enough for editing photos. In the end I don't think the cost is all that different, at least not 50% less.
Desktop or Laptop?
Another trend I heard constantly from photographers was the use of laptops for photo editing. Maybe this has to do a lot with the Mac line of computers having a sweet spot with the laptop form factor with their MacBook models. Maybe there are just a lot more photographers who are constantly on the go and need a more mobile solution. Whatever the reason, I think this is one you really need to consider carefully.
Desktops are quite simply better for editing photos. Dragon professional individual for mac. Yes, that is a blanket across the board statement. Mac or PC, a desktop will run your editing software better than a laptop for less money. MacBooks are very capable of running editing software if you make sure they have some essential upgrades (see the Mac Recommendations section below). In fact, I think MacBooks are better suited than nearly anything from the PC world in the way of laptops. That is changing a bit, the “ultrabook” line of PC laptops are finally competing fairly well with MacBooks and some of the stuff shown by PC makers at CES 2015 looks really interesting. But going back to the cutthroat market of PCs I will bring up again how the vendors cut every corner they possibly can. I have owned numerous PC laptops over the years and haven't been truly happy with any of them – especially for photo editing.
As good as a MacBook can be, I still recommend a desktop. Laptop screens are mostly terrible. The MacBook retina screens are beautiful, but tiny. I have been shocked as I moved from a 24″ full HD (1920×1080) screen to a 30″ WQXGA (25650×1600) IPS screen at just how important this is for editing photos. There is a reason creative professionals are willing to spend $2,400 on a super high quality Eizo monitor (check out monoprice.com for great monitors for far less money), it really matters.
In general you can get more CPU, more RAM, and more disk with less money in a desktop than a laptop. Desktops also tend to last longer because heat is an enemy to computers and laptops are in such small packages their heat battle is going to be lost faster. Think through this one very carefully. If you REALLY need mobility then you have no choice and should use a laptop, but I suspect that for many who claim this to be a requirement their laptop actually rarely leaves their desk and they would have been better off with a desktop.
PC Recommendations (early 2015)
When I was faced this dilemma I knew both the Mac and the PC pretty well, so my own choice actually came down to cost. I knew how to build and maintain a PC very well, and could get a lot more hardware for the dollars by doing that. I decided that for me it was better to minimize my investment on computer hardware, end up with a PC better suited for photo editing, and save the rest of the budget for other photography gear.
Even though I had a lot of experience with computers, I didn’t have a lot of experience with photo editing software and understanding what hardware actually makes a difference. So I did quite a lot of research and was able to do some testing to see specifically what makes a difference.
Unfortunately there are too many PC manufacturers for me to recommend a specific model. I don't think in the PC world there is actually all that much difference between them. Some PC makers do better at customer support than others, although even that seems to change depending on who you ask. I will say that I doubt any of the PCs you find in a box at the store are going to meet your needs. Go online and customize your order based on the recommendations below.
Here is my advice on what things are worth “upgrading” in a PC to make sure it will run Photoshop and Lightroom well. Remember, this is very photography focused and is not a recommendation for a gaming or video editing PC (that would start off with maxing out the CPU and have some other differences). The recommendations are in order of priority to help you decide how to get it configured as you are ordering from a PC maker or if you are brave enough to try a custom build (Be sure to check out the Windows Photo Editing SUPER Guide article for updated recommendations):
If you are interested in building your own PC there are plenty of DIY build recommendations and instructions out there to make this very possible. It sounds really intimidating at first because hardware has such confusing names and not everything can fit together. But I can recommend Paul’s Hardware Channel and the PCDIY channel on YouTube along with the digital video editing DIY build recommendations from videoguys.com.
Mac Recommendations (early 2015)
You don’t have nearly as many different ways to configure a Mac as you do a PC, really just a few choices. I thought I would break out my recommendations for Mac differently that I did for PC based on the model choices from least expensive (not cheap) to outrageous
Mac mini
The Mac mini is the entry level machine from Apple really designed for people switching from a PC. It is a tiny little desktop computer that packs quite a lot of punch into a small space, and will run Photoshop and Lightroom very well. If after reading this article you think you might like trying a switch from a PC, this would be a really good way to try it out and see how you like the world of Mac. Here is how I would configure it minimally for photo editing (about $1,000):
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MacBook Air
The entry level laptop from Apple is very nice as far as a laptop goes. It gives you probably the ultimate in portability, but you will honestly get more power out of the Mac mini for less money. Here is how I would configure it minimally for photo editing (about $1,300):
MacBook Pro
PC manufacturers are catching up (some of them shown at CES 2015 looked pretty nice) but the MacBook Pro is arguably the best laptop money can buy and is awesome for photo editing. The Mac mini offers roughly the same power here, with 4x more storage, for less money, but here is the minimal configuration I recommend (about $1,800):
You’ll notice that I recommend the Apple Magic Mouse with each one, that’s because the mouse is so good it is worth the money to get one. I would also recommend that with either of the MacBook models you should also get a monitor to use with them when you are in your office. Editing photos on those tiny screens, nice as they are (and they are incredible), is not great. The Apple Thunderbolt Display would be a really good choice, but at $1,000 that pretty much doubles your cost. Yikes.
iMac
Apple just revamped the iMac in late 2014, making it one of the most desirable desktop computers for photo editing due to the 5k display. As of the writing of this article there aren’t really 5k options available for the PC world, and I can confirm that even as a hobbyist a high resolution monitor is a VERY big deal.
Could you save some dollars and consider the previous model iMac? Absolutely. You will still get a very good display with it, just not 5k. And the iMac has been a good machine very capable of doing photo editing for quite some time. In fact, at this point I think it is a fair statement across all these Mac models to say that a previous generation model will work pretty well – just look for the RAM.
Here is my minimum recommendation for an iMac, which isn’t the 5k version (Jim reports that the difference seems TINY to him), but isn’t the smallest model either (about $2,200):
Mac Pro
Now we enter the world of insanity for many. The Mac Pro is an incredibly powerful machine, but I don’t recommend it for a beginning photographer. It is something more for a power video editor. Of course you could edit photos on it without the machine breaking a sweat, but it is overkill in my opinion and you are much better served to spend the cash on lenses.
I don’t need to provide a minimum configuration here because anything you order of a Mac Pro is going to rock Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro. The most inexpensive Mac Pro starts at about $3,000, which may seem not too bad when you compare it with the iMac because that is only $800 more. Wait, did I just say ONLY $800? But there is no monitor that comes with that, so you have to add that on top ($1,000 thunderbolt display). So you could get an iMac and a MacBook Air for less than a Mac Pro and monitor, which would be better in my opinion.
Conclusion
A PC user doesn’t have to switch to a Mac in order to have a good experience editing photos. I think it makes a lot of sense for a photographer to stick with what they know. At some point it may make sense to go to Mac from PC, especially if you are a professional photographer, but it is really a matter of personal preference and neither has a big advantage over the other. Just make sure you have enough hardware for the job in whichever you choose.
OK, so now let me have it in the comments below ?
If you’re a professional photographer or serious hobbyist, you’ll be spending a lot of your time editing on a computer aside from taking snaps with your camera. Many photographers choose to use laptops for their photography, but if you don’t always have to be on the go, you’ll have a much more pleasant editing experience with a desktop computer.
Photo editing on Photoshop and Lightroom demands a lot of disk space and processing power — aside from a large monitor where you won’t need to struggle when editing small, intricate details. This is where desktop computers come in, as they are generally built to provide more multitasking power without any visible lag time.
But don’t just choose any desktop PC. There are certain desktop computer features and specifications that photo editing requires in order to ensure a faster and more efficient workflow, including a large high-resolution screen, fast processor (CPU), mid-range or higher graphics card (GPU), at least 8GB of memory (RAM), and at least 1TB worth of storage space.
To help narrow down your search, here’s our list of the best desktops for photography that the market — and Adorama — currently offers.
Best Desktop Computers for Photography![]()
Before you buy a desktop, it’s crucial that you understand its features and specs. From there, you can start determining whether or not it can meet your photo editing needs — and your budget.
Apple Mac Mini (Late 2018) ()
The new Mac mini was definitely worth the wait. While it comes in the same small and stylish body that’s familiar to Apple loyalists, it’s packed with brilliant new components — including the latest Intel 6-core processor, support for up to 64GB RAM, and up to 2TB of storage. These make it especially powerful for photo editing, spacious for storing thousands of images, and portable for on-the-go use with other Mac computer components.
Key Specifications:
Microsoft Surface Studio 2 ()
Microsoft’s line of Surface computer systems has gained massive popularity for its spectacular features, both on their laptop and desktop offerings. In fact, it’s considered to be the direct competitor of Apple products. So if you’re looking for an incredibly powerful and stylish all-in-one PC that’s a little more affordable, the Surface Studio is for you.
The newly released 2nd generation Surface Studio offers more than enough of the required specs for photo editing but its biggest edge is its 28-inch PixelSense Multi-Touch Display, which can be folded flat so that you can easily use the Surface Pen on it for a more intuitive touch navigation and editing experience.
Key Specifications:
Apple iMac Pro ()
The iMac Pro is considered to be the most powerful Apple computer, thanks to its excellent design and extraordinarily powerful all-in-one hardware system. Released in December 2017, the iMac Pro features advanced computer technologies, offers a selection of powerful Intel Xeon W processors, lots of graphical power, and massive RAM and storage space.
It does come with a premium price tag (more so for the higher end models), but if you have the budget for it, you’re sure to have all the power you need for heavy, high-resolution photo editing.
Key Specifications:
Apple iMac (2017) ()
For a more modest version of the iMac Pro, the latest Apple iMac is definitely worth considering. The 2017 release boats a gorgeous 21.5-inch Retina display with a maximum resolution of 4096 x 2304 for a truly immersive visual experience. Even more important for many photographers and editors is that it uses Apple’s P3 wide color gamut display to provide more accurate displays of your photos.
Paired with great graphics, a fast processor, lots of RAM and storage space (with hard disk drive support), most would still agree that it’s worth the investment.
Key Specifications:
Dell XPS Tower 8930 ()
The Dell XPS 8930 is a tower desktop computer component that excludes a display, yet it makes nearly every list of the best desktop computers for photographers. Those with a particular need for speed will love its Intel Core i7-8700 six-core processor, which has a maximum clock speed of 3.20 but can overclock at 4.60 GHz.
Aside from offering up to 64GB DDR4 SDRAM, the XPS 8930 can provide up to 1TB of hard drive (7200 rpm SATA) to match its powerful graphics. It’s also preloaded with Windows 10, so you can start installing your preferred editing software instantly.
Key Specifications:
Intel NUC 8 VR Mini PC Kit ()
The Intel NUC 8 VR Mini PC is also referred to as a Barebones system, which works well for advanced users who want a more customized approach to building a rig that can meet their demands for photo editing and other>)
The CyberPowerPC Gamer Ultra may not be marketed as a computer for professional imaging use, but its very “gaming” specs are what make it perfect for heavy editing workflows. Its AMD multi-core processor, excellent graphics card, and 1TB storage capacity make it a breeze to use several editing applications at the same time.
With its moderate price tag, preinstalled Windows 10 Home, included keyboard and mouse, and support for multiple monitors, this powerful gaming PC is an excellent choice for photographers who need stunning graphics and visuals for high-resolution editing.
Key Specifications:
Dell Alienware Aurora R7 ()Mac For Video Editing Computer
Like the XPS 8930, the Alienware Aurora R7 is another popular Dell tower desktop that promises high-speed operations, extraordinary graphics, and massive memory to boot. This feature-packed hardware, with its many connectivity options, make it a great system for any photographer or photo editor who’s looking to work professionally and produce multiple high-resolution photos on a regular basis.
Mac Or Pc For Video Editing 2019Key Specifications:The Best Pc For Video Editing
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