u/Ibrahim_not_abraham

I’m trying to edit a 70 minute feature film on 4K 10-bit and I need a new laptop that won’t break the bank (i want my cake and to eat it too, ik).

I’ve been eyeing the refurbished M1 MacBook airs in the $300-$400 range. All I need is something that can handle and display 4K editing smoothly (with an external drive). The question: Is this a good idea?

I won’t study or game on this laptop, just editing. Is there also a big enough difference is 8gb and 16gb of ram for editing to pay the extra money? I’m willing to spend under $600. Any help is appreciated!

I have footage in 4K 10-bit and it’ll amount to about 70 minutes. Can I get something preferably under $500 USD? I don’t need a brand new masterpiece, just something that can edit 4k footage without any significant issues. I was thinking about a m1 MacBook air refurbished. Any recs are appreciated!

The Form

LAPTOP QUESTIONNAIRE

Total budget (in local currency) and country of purchase. Please do not use USD unless purchasing in the US:

$500 usd, can stretch it if I must, but prefer not to.

Are you open to refurbs/used?

Yes 100%

How would you prioritize form factor (ultrabook, 2-in-1, etc.), build quality, performance, and battery life?

build and battery are not as important, I just dont want to much lag or frame jumping when editing

How important is weight and thinness to you?

not imporant

Do you have a preferred screen size?

13 inch minimum

Are you doing any CAD/video editing/photo editing/gaming? List which programs/games you desire to run.

Esiting and not much else. I use Adobe rush and Premiere pro

Any specific requirements such as good keyboard, reliable build quality, touch-screen, finger-print reader, optical drive or good input devices (keyboard/touchpad)?

- headphone jack and a screen that can display/edit 4K 10-bit footage