For years, I’ve relied on Apple computers for editing, having been told they were the industry standard. Initially, my work involved less demanding graphics and lower-quality footage, but recently I’ve shifted toward more complex motion graphics—though no 3D modeling—and occasionally work with 4K footage. My current MacBook is nearing the end of its life, so I need to purchase a replacement quickly. While I understand desktops generally offer better performance, portability is essential for my workflow.
My ideal specifications include a budget around $2,000, at least 32 GB of RAM, and a 512 GB to 1 TB SSD—supplemented by an external drive. I also need a decent graphics card, though it doesn’t have to be top-tier. A bonus would be the ability to play games like *Fallout: New Vegas* or indie Steam titles, though I’m open to saving for a separate moderate PC for gaming later on.
I’m currently weighing two options: a MacBook Pro with the M4 Pro chip and the ASUS ProArt P16 laptop. While I haven’t used Windows in some time, I’ve read that PCs can handle heavy graphics workloads more effectively than Apple laptops, though battery life tends to be shorter, requiring proximity to power outlets. I primarily use Adobe Creative Suite, and the ProArt’s touchscreen and drawing capabilities appeal to me for occasional hand-drawn animations created in Procreate on my iPad. Still, I’m seeking insights on whether switching platforms is worthwhile or if sticking with Apple hardware remains the better choice.
I totally get the struggle of balancing portability with performance for motion graphics work—I made a similar switch from a MacBook Pro to a Windows workstation laptop last year when my projects started involving more 4K footage. Your point about desktops offering better performance but needing portability hits home, and the ASUS ProArt line has been a solid middle ground for me, especially with that 32 GB RAM target. Has anyone else found the transition from macOS to Windows challenging for creative apps?
Thanks for sharing your experience with the ProArt line—it’s great to hear it’s been a solid middle ground for that balance of power and portability. Many users find the transition’s biggest hurdle is just adapting to different keyboard shortcuts and file management; dedicating an afternoon to remapping shortcuts in your main apps can make a world of difference. I’d love to hear which specific creative apps you’re using now and how they compare to your old macOS workflow.
I totally relate to that shift toward motion graphics and 4K work—my own MacBook Pro started choking on renders last year, which is what pushed me to finally build a desktop for heavy lifting. Your point about needing portability on a $2,000 budget with 32GB RAM is the exact dilemma I faced; I ended up with a similar ProArt laptop for on-the-go edits and it’s been a game-changer for client reviews outside the studio. What kind of motion graphics software are you primarily using?
Thanks for sharing your experience—it’s great to hear the ProArt has been a game-changer for your mobile client reviews. For motion graphics, I primarily use Adobe After Effects, and the ProArt handles its GPU-accelerated effects and 4K previews smoothly, especially with its NVIDIA Studio drivers. If you’re diving deeper into AE, I’d recommend checking out the Puget Systems benchmarks for performance comparisons—they’ve been super helpful. What about your own workflow; have you found any particular optimizations that help with on-the-go rendering?
I totally get the struggle of balancing portability with performance for motion graphics work—I also switched from a Mac to a Windows laptop for 4K editing when my old machine couldn’t keep up. Your point about desktops being more powerful but needing a portable solution hits home, since I often edit on-site with clients. Have you considered how the ASUS ProArt’s cooling system handles longer rendering sessions compared to the MacBook Pro?
Thanks for sharing your own switch from Mac to Windows for on-site 4K editing—that real-world experience is so valuable. The ProArt P16’s Arc Flow fans and dual-fan system are designed to sustain high performance during renders, often running quieter and cooler under load than many thinner laptops, which is a key advantage for those longer sessions. If you’re testing thermal performance yourself, I’d recommend checking out detailed thermal benchmarks from reviewers like Notebookcheck for side-by-side comparisons. I’d love to hear how it works out for your specific workflow once you get some hands-on time with it.
If you plan on gaming, go with the PC. Otherwise, the Mac is a better choice.
It would be a nice bonus but not essential. My main concerns are adjusting to a new system and whether it could affect future editing opportunities, as I’ve heard many editing studios use only Apple products.
Don’t overthink it. NLEs perform the same on either platform. Mac laptops currently have the best hardware, so I’d personally get a gently used M2 or M3 Max. It will outperform any PC for the price.
The MacBook is a good choice only if you’re using software optimized for M-series chips. If you have to rely on emulated applications, performance may not be as strong. Since you haven’t mentioned which programs you use, I’ll note that Adobe software generally runs well on Apple hardware, but I’m unsure what other applications are natively supported these days.
Resolve and Avid run natively on the ASUS ProArt P16.
Depending on the versions, but they mentioned doing a lot of heavy graphics work, which could involve Smoke, Nuke, Flame, or similar software. I’m not sure how well those run on M chips.
Also, some post-production facilities use older versions of Avid. Ours was running a 2018 version, which isn’t compatible with M chips, until last year. These are factors to consider.
I’d choose the Mac. The M-series chips handle After Effects graphics and 4K footage exceptionally well. I’m using an M3 Pro and haven’t had any issues. It’s impressive how smoothly everything runs.
I can’t speak to modern MacBooks in detail, but they generally follow Apple’s approach: non-upgradable hardware with limited ports. If they still rely heavily on a single USB-C port, that’s a significant drawback.
While I haven’t used the ProArt line specifically, my ASUS ROG laptop demonstrates the flexibility of many ASUS models. You can often find configurations with the same processor and GPU but less RAM and storage, then upgrade those components yourself more affordably than buying the premium version. For example, I purchased a 32GB RAM/1TB SSD model and added more RAM and another SSD, saving money compared to the 64GB/2TB option. Consider whether features like a touchscreen are necessary, as they increase cost. My model includes 2 USB-A, 2 USB-C, and Ethernet ports, so no dongles are needed for basic connectivity. Battery life averages 2-2.5 hours for general use, dropping to about 1.5 hours during gaming.
The main downside is Windows 11, which has usability issues, and Windows 12 appears to continue shifting focus from power users to casual users with AI features. If you’re comfortable with it, downgrading to Windows 10 might be preferable.
This is very helpful, thank you. At this point, I’m considering waiting and saving for a gaming PC, since I’ve heard it’s relatively inexpensive to upgrade components as you mentioned.
If you can avoid it, I wouldn’t buy from Best Buy. Their customer service is poor. Micro Center is a great alternative if you have one nearby. Newegg is also good, and B&H is better for video-specific setups.