I'm thinking about upgrading to a 16-inch M3 MacBook Pro and want to know if it can handle 8K editing in Final Cut Pro. I've been shooting some 8K footage on my phone and camera, and my current laptop just can't keep up with the playback. Would the M3 be powerful enough, or should I wait for the M4?
Don't assume all 8K footage is the same - codec and resolution matter hugely for performance. The M3 can handle 8K editing in Final Cut Pro, especially if you're working with H.265 or ProRes files, though you might need to use proxy workflows or lower playback quality during editing depending on your specific footage. The 16-inch with more RAM will definitely help, but honestly the jump between M3 and M4 probably won't be night-and-day for this task unless you're doing heavy effects work. If your current machine is struggling with playback, the M3 should feel like a massive upgrade - I'd go with it rather than wait.
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