iMac M3 (2023) vs Mac Studio M2-Max for professional video editing

I am conflicted between buying an iMac M3 against the Mac Studio M2 Max for video editing for feature-length documentaries.


The major questions & observations are as follows:


  1. M3 being the latest chip is offered only at its base level in the new iMac 24" with 8-CORE CPU & 10-CORE GPU vs M2 Max an older generation offers greater 12-CORE CPU & 30-CORE GPU. Does it make sense as a video editor to invest in M3 (newer generation chip) over the better specs of M2 Max in the Mac Studio?
  2. My major concerns as an editor are about render speed, export speed and working with 4K material. I personally don't apply heavy effects at my stage of editing as color correction and sound happens in professional studios. Which chip would do better in both cases of working with proxies or raw footage? Of what I hear, proxies shall become a thing of the past soon with more powerful and intelligent computers. But of now, in simpler words, which of the two makes my life easier?
  3. Price Factor: both the configuration comes up to a similar price bracket but the Studio will require additional costs of buying a Monitor, Keyboard, mouse and Speakers. On the other hand, the iMac is an integrated system, all inclusive. Is the look and feel of an iMac above an assembled work station with more economical monitor etc to budget? (Personally, its a bummer to buy a mac and not have the feel of the apple retina screen.)

MacBook Pro 15″

Posted on Dec 11, 2023 11:42 AM

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4 replies

Dec 11, 2023 06:32 PM in response to Kopal Joshy

The M2 Max chip can take more memory, and has twice as many hardware video encoding engines. (Which might be useful if you have an application, and are using a codec, that lets you take advantage of them.)


https://www.apple.com/mac/compare/?modelList=iMac-24-M3_4,Mac-studio-2023,MacBook-Pro-16-M3

The M2 Max Mac Studio also has

  • Four multi-purpose USB-C (USB, DisplayPort, Thunderbolt) ports to the M3 iMac's two.
  • Two USB-C (USB) ports (like the two on the higher-priced M3 iMacs – but they're on the front panel)
  • A HDMI port and a SDXC card reader.
  • The ability to drive up to 5 displays. (The iMac can drive its own display, and one external display.)
  • 10 Gigabit Ethernet. (Can run at 1 / 2.5 / 5 / 10 Gigabit speeds, but not below.)
  • More CPU cores (8 + 4 instead of 4 + 4)
  • More GPU cores (up to 38 instead of 10)
  • The ability to take more RAM (32/64/96 GB vs. 8/16/24 GB).


The M3 iMac has

  • A nice built-in 4.5K Retina Display
  • A GPU that supports hardware ray-tracing (which might matter for some games and/or animation work)


Dec 11, 2023 06:37 PM in response to Kopal Joshy

Kopal Joshy wrote:

(Personally, its a bummer to buy a mac and not have the feel of the apple retina screen.)


If you've got money to burn, there are three 27" 5K (5120x2880) monitors out there – the Apple one, the LG one, and a Samsung one. If you've got a lot of money to burn, there is the 32" Apple 6K Pro Display XDR.


Otherwise the budget alternative might be a 27" 4K monitor or two.

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iMac M3 (2023) vs Mac Studio M2-Max for professional video editing

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