Are you looking for the best MacBooks for photo editing in 2020? Apple's range of powerful – and portable – MacBook laptops are beloved by many photographers, and for good reason, as they pack powerful components that are essential for photo editing into slimline and stylish bodies.
They are easy to carry around, which makes them great for photographers who want to edit their photos while on the go, and they run the macOS operating system, which means you can use popular photo editing applications like Adobe Photoshop.
Crucially, the best MacBooks for photo editing also offer excellent battery lives, which mean you can go through a whole work day using them without needing to find a power supply.
If portability isn't too important for you, but raw power is, then we have also listed the best iMacs for photo editing as well. Apple's iMac range of all-in-one PCs include even more powerful hardware into a stylish body with a stunning built-in display. If you work with large files, for example high resolution photos and videos, then the extra power iMacs provide will definitely come in useful.
What to look for with the best MacBooks for photo editing
So, what should you look for when buying the best MacBook for photo editing? The most important thing is the specifications of the MacBook. Most modern MacBooks are powerful enough to edit photos with ease, but not all MacBooks are made equal, and there are some MacBooks out there that are better suited for photo editing.
You'll want a MacBook with a recent Intel processor, ideally a quad-core or above. The more cores a processor has, the better it is at multitasking, which can be essential for photographers.
The amount of RAM is also important, and we'd suggest 8GB or more. The more RAM you have, the faster and smoother the MacBook will feel to use. Applications will open more quickly, and you'll be able to have more open at once.
If you're working on particularly high resolution photos, then buying a MacBook with a discrete graphics card, like the MacBook Pro, is worth considering, as this will give you even better performance.
Storage space is also an important consideration, as unlike Windows laptops, you cannot open up and replace the hard drive of a MacBook. So, when buying a MacBook, you'll want to make sure it comes with a large enough hard drive. 500GB is the minimum we'd recommend if you're storing lots of photos.
Finally, there's the screens of the MacBooks. The larger screen you have, the more comfortable it will be to work on. Modern MacBooks come with high resolution 'Retina' displays, which helps ensure your photos look their best.
Best MacBooks for photo editing
1. MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019)
The best MacBook for photo editing
CPU: 9th-generation Intel Core i7 – i9 | Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 5300M – Radeon Pro 5500M | RAM: 16GB – 64GB | Screen: 16-inch Retina display with True Tone | Storage: 512GB – 8TB SSD
The new MacBook Pro came out in late 2019, and is the best MacBook for photo editing Apple has ever created. This is because Apple has packed it with some of the most powerful components you can find in a laptop, which means running photo editing apps like Photoshop is fast and smooth.
You can configure the MacBook Pro (16-inch, 2019) so that it comes with specifications that suit your needs – and your budget – as well.
Best of all, the new MacBook Pro comes with a larger 16-inch screen, which is simply stunning. The Retina display comes with a resolution of 3,072 x 1,920 and a pixel density of 226 pixels per inch, which means your photos will look incredibly sharp, with plenty of detail, and means you won't need to invest in an external monitor.
2. MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019)
A great alternative
CPU: 9th-generation Intel Core i7 – i9 | Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 555X – 560X, Intel UHD Graphics 630 | RAM: 16GB – 32GB | Screen: 15.4-inch, 2,880 x 1,800 Retina display | Storage: 512GB – 4TB SSD | Dimensions (H x W x D): 34.93 x 24.07 x 1.55cm
If you don't need the size of the 16-inch MacBook Pro, then the MacBook Pro (15-inch, 2019) is a fantastic choice that can save you money. Even though it was only released in the middle of 2019, Apple has replaced it with the 16-inch model.
Don't worry, though, that doesn't mean it's outdated. What it does mean is that the 15-inch model is no longer sold by Apple, but sold elsewhere, and there have been some decent price cuts as well.
So, you're getting a powerful MacBook with some of the latest tech, like hexa-core 9th-generation Intel processors and up to 32GB of RAM, plus Radeon Pro Vega 20 graphics, and some tasty discounts as well!
3. Apple MacBook Air (2019)
A lightweight and affordable option
CPU: 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 617 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch (diagonal) 2,560 x 1,600 LED-backlit display with IPS technology | Storage: 128GB – 1TB SSD | Dimensions: 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.61 inches (30.41 x 21.24 x 1.56cm; W x D x H)
The MacBook Air (2019) is a great MacBook for photo editing if you want a laptop that's thin and light, but also (relatively) affordable. This is currently the cheapest modern MacBook you can buy, and while it doesn't offer the performance of the MacBook Pro, it makes up for it with a brilliant design that's impressively svelte, meaning you can easily carry it around with you.
Despite its low price, it still offers enough oomph to handle photo editing apps, and the 2019 model also gets a screen upgrade, with Apple's True Tone technology added. This gives colors a more natural look depending on the ambient light you're using the MacBook Air in. While photographers who require precise image quality might want to turn True Tone off, it's still a nice feature to have.
4. MacBook Pro with Touch Bar (13-inch, mid-2019)
The same, but stronger
CPU: 8th-generation Intel Core i5 – 8th-generation Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel Iris Plus Graphics 645 – 655 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit display with IPS technology; 2,560 x 1,600 | Storage: 128GB – 2TB SSD | Dimensions (H x W x D): 30.41 x 21.24 x 1.49cm
If you're after the power of a MacBook Pro, but the 15-inch and 16-inch models are a bit too large for your liking, then the 13-inch MacBook Pro could be the best MacBook for photo editing for your needs.
While it's not quite as powerful as the larger MacBook Pros, it still offers some excellent performance thanks to modern components that bring the 13-inch MacBook lineup bang up to date. The 13-inch screen might be a bit too small to work on comfortably when editing photos, but it does the job when you're away from your studio, and Apple's Retina resolution means even if it's on the small size, it still looks fantastic.
5. MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid-2018)
Older, but better value
CPU: 6-core Intel Core i7 - i9 | Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 540X - 560X, Intel UHD Graphics 630 | RAM: 16 - 32GB | Screen: 15.4-inch, 2,880 x 1,800 Retina display | Storage: 512GB - 4TB SSD | Dimensions (W x D x H): 34.93 x 24.07 x 1.55cm
Buying older models of Apple's MacBooks is a great way to save money whilst still getting excellent performance, as 2018's model proves. With its hexa-core 8th-generation Coffee Lake processor and up to 32GB of RAM there is still not a single thing you can throw at this laptop that it can’t handle.
Apple doesn't sell the 2018 model any more, but loads of other stores still do, and there are often tempting price cuts that allow you to get hold of one of Apple's most powerful laptops for a (semi) reasonable price.
6. MacBook (2017)
Showing its age, but still good
CPU: Dual-core Intel Core m3 – Core i5 | Graphics: Intel HD Graphics 615 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 12-inch Retina (2,304 x 1,440) IPS | Storage: 256GB – 512GB PCIe SSD | Dimensions (W x D x H): 11.04 x 7.74 x 0.14~0.52in
If you're on a tight budget and don't mind using older tech, then 2017's MacBook is the one to get. Although Apple has officially stopped selling the MacBook, many third parties are still carry it. It also means this can be had for impressively low prices – for a MacBook, at least.
It's also a 12-inch laptop, which makes it the smallest and lightest MacBook in this roundup, another plus if portability is very important to you. Despite its age, it still offers good performance, and comes with a Thunderbolt 3 port, so it can still interface with modern peripherals.
7. Apple MacBook Air (2018)
Still a great productivity machine
CPU: 1.6GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 | Graphics: Intel UHD Graphics 617 | RAM: 8GB – 16GB | Screen: 13.3-inch (diagonal) 2,560 x 1,600 LED-backlit display with IPS technology | Storage: 128GB – 1.5TB SSD | Dimensions: 11.97 x 8.36 x 0.61 inches (30.41 x 21.24 x 1.56cm; W x D x H)
Here's a sneaky little secret: although Apple released a new MacBook Air in 2019 (which is featured higher up in this list), it actually didn't upgrade any of the internals compared with the 2018 model. Instead, it merely added True Tone technology, and if that's a feature you can live without, then the 2018 model offers even better value for money, as its price has been discounted since the 2019 model came out.
Again, Apple doesn't sell the 2018 model directly any more, but there are plenty of places that still do, and there's still enough power in this older hardware to handle most photo editing tasks.
Best iMacs for photo editing
What to look for with the best iMacs for photo editing
If you're shopping for the best iMacs for photo editing, then the same applies. Make sure the specs of the iMac are powerful enough to handle what you want to use the computer for. Especially consider hard drive space, as again, you can't open up and upgrade an iMac.
If you find that you've run out of storage space, you can always invest in an external hard drive, which is an affordable way to give you more space to keep your photos. Look for external hard drives that include SSDs (Solid State Drives) and use the Thunderbolt 3 port, as this gives you the fastest possible transfer speeds. This is essential if you work with a lot of large files.
1. Apple iMac (27-inch, 2019)
A brilliant all-in-one photo editing Mac
CPU: up to 3.6GHz 8-core Intel Core i9 | Graphics: AMD Radeon Pro 570X – Radeon Pro Vega 48 | RAM: 8GB – 64GB | Screen: 27-inch (diagonal) Retina 5K display 5120 x 2880 | Storage: 1TB Fusion Drive – 2TB SSD | Dimensions (H x W x D): 51.6 x 65.0 x 20.3 cm
The iMac is an iconic all-in-one PC that's a huge hit with creative professionals. It offers great performance with cutting edge components, all packaged up in a brilliant design that will look great on anyone's desk.
The latest iMac comes with 8th- and 9th-generation processors, with up to 8-cores for fantastic multitasking performance. It's not the most powerful iMac (we'll come to that in a moment), but it's arguably the best value, and the best iMac for photo editing for most people.
2. iMac Pro
The most powerful iMac for photo editing
CPU: 8 to 18-core Intel Xeon W | Graphics: Radeon Pro Vega 56 - Radeon Pro Vega 64 | RAM: 32GB – 256GB DDR4 ECC | Screen: 27-inch 5K (5,120 x 2,880) Retina display (P3 wide color) | Storage: 1TB – 4TB PCIe 3.0 SSD | Dimensions (H x W x D): 65 x 20.3 x 51.6cm
While the iMac above is the best for most photographers, if you're after the most powerful iMac money can buy right now, then the iMac Pro is the one to get. This packs some seriously powerful hardware, which means it can handle pretty much any workload you throw at it. So, you get Intel's most powerful CPU, along with professional graphics curtsy of AMD.
You can also pack it with up to 256GB of RAM and 4TB of storage. Best of all, it comes with a stunning 27-inch 5K display with a P3 wide color gamut, making this the ultimate iMac for photo editing – though many people may find it overkill, and too expensive for their needs.
3. Apple iMac (21.5-inch, 2017)
An affordable compromise
CPU: Dual-core Intel Core i5 – quad-core i7 | Graphics: ntel Iris Plus Graphics 640 – AMD Radeon Pro 560 (4GB) | RAM: 8GB – 32GB | Screen: 21.5-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080; sRGB) – 4K UHD (4,096 x 2,304; P3 wide color) Retina IPS display | Storage: 1TB HDD – 1TB Fusion Drive SSD | Dimensions (H x W x D): 20.8 x 6.9 x 17.7 inches (52.8 x 17.5 x 45cm)
As with MacBooks, if you don't mind getting slightly older hardware, you can save a decent amount of cash when buying an iMac for photo editing. The 2017 model is a great example of this. Even though it is showing its age, it still offers excellent performance when it comes to photo editing.
It also features that iconic all-in-one design we've come to love about the iMac, and the 21.5-inch model is less dominating when placed on a desk. Perfect for smaller offices and studios. Even with the smaller screen, it still looks fantastic, and with up to 4K resolution, you continue to get excellent image quality, and a whole load of workspace for photo editing.
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