I have an ancient mid-2012 MacBook Pro with a 2nd gen Intel processor. I need to edit 4K 60FPS videos encoded with HEVC and it doesn’t play back the footage smoothly at all. I need to buy a new Mac to run it. I know that the M1 Chip supports hardware accelerated coding of HEVC. I saw a post in a FCPX group that asked the simple question.”Can I use Final Cut Pro X on a Macbook Air?”. As you can imagine, there was a flood of people crying out NOO!! It’s not a powerful enough machine!! Of course, that got me thinkingIs it not? Obviously, the more hardware you throw at FCP the better it is going to run. You can purchase Final Cut Pro from the App Store for $299.99. Apple's new M1 Macs can be ordered from the links below: 13-inch MacBook Air with M1 Chip - $999.
My new MacBook Air i7 (2020) for Logic and Final Cut Pro, and false 'Overheating' alarms I received last week my new Air with an i7, 16GB Ram and 256GB SSD, my demands are moderate but I do use Logic and Final Cut almost daily along with typical web tasks and light photo editing. One thought that Kraig doesn't mention is that because the new MacBook Air has a Thunderbolt 3 port and will be running Mojave, an external GPU can be used. This will certainly speed things up, possibly even faster than using a MacBook Pro on its own. Oh, and if you are interested in the SanDisk SSD drive that Kraig uses, you can find it here.
Final Cut Pro is a revolutionary app for creating, editing, and producing the highest-quality video. Final Cut Pro combines high-performance digital editing and native support for virtually any video format with easy-to-use and time-saving features that let you focus on storytelling.
Where can I purchase Final Cut Pro?
Final Cut Pro is available exclusively from the Mac App Store.
What are the features and system requirements for Final Cut Pro?
Full system requirements, features overview, and more information on Final Cut Pro can be found at https://www.apple.com/final-cut-pro/.
Where can I get information about graphics card compatibility with Final Cut Pro?
See Graphics card compatibility for Final Cut Pro, Motion 5, and Compressor 4 for information.
What's new in Final Cut Pro?
View the Final Cut Pro release notes, the Final Cut Pro product page, and the What's New in Final Cut Pro article.
What media formats does Final Cut Pro support?
Find out which media formats are supported by Final Cut Pro.
What cameras and devices work with Final Cut Pro?
Find out which cameras are supported by Final Cut Pro.
Are there any support or training and certification resources to help me troubleshoot and learn Final Cut Pro?
See Final Cut Pro support resources for complimentary self-help support resources.
See Final Cut Pro training resources for Final Cut Pro training information.
Is a trial version of Final Cut Pro available?
Read about the Final Cut Pro trial for information and a link to download the free 90-day Final Cut Pro trial.
Can I purchase Final Cut Pro pre-installed when I buy a Mac?
You can add Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro pre-installed to your Mac purchase when you customize your Mac at apple.com.
Final Cut Pro X Download
How many computers can I install Final Cut Pro on?
The Final Cut Pro license agreement states:
How To Download Final Cut Pro On Macbook Air
'…you have the right to use the Apple Software as permitted by the Mac App Store Product Usage Rules set forth in the App Store Terms and Conditions (http://www.apple.com/ legal/itunes/ww/) ('Usage Rules'), and are granted a limited, non-transferable, non-exclusive license:
(i) to download, install, use and run for personal, non-commercial use, one (1) copy of the Apple Software directly on each Apple-branded computer running OS X (“Mac Computer”) that you own or control; and
(ii) if you are a commercial enterprise or educational institution, to download, install, use and run one (1) copy of the Apple Software for use either: (a) by a single individual on each of the Mac Computer(s) that you own or control, or (b) by multiple individuals on a single shared Mac Computer that you own or control. For example, a single employee may use the Apple Software on both the employee’s desktop Mac Computer and laptop Mac Computer, or multiple students may serially use the Apple Software on a single Mac Computer located at a resource center or library.'
For complete details, view the Final Cut Pro License Agreement.
How do I purchase Final Cut Pro in volume for my business or educational institution?
You can buy apps in bulk with Apps and Books for Business or educational institutions.
Can I purchase all of Apple’s Pro Apps in a bundle as a college student, teacher, or educational institution?
You can get all five professional applications for video and music at a special price — including Final Cut Pro, Motion, and Compressor, along with Logic Pro and MainStage with the Pro Apps Bundle for qualifying college students, teachers, and educational institutions.
What documentation is available for Final Cut Pro?
Get user guides for Final Cut Pro, Motion 5, and Compressor 4.
What technical support options are available for Final Cut Pro?
View Final Cut Pro support resources for detailed information.
Where can I get more information about transitioning to Final Cut Pro from Final Cut Pro 7?
Learn about making the transition to Final Cut Pro from Final Cut Pro 7.
Where can I get more information about Managing Media with Final Cut Pro Libraries?
Managing Media with Final Cut Pro Libraries
Media management overview
Move a Final Cut Pro library
When was Final Cut Pro released?
Final Cut Pro was initially released on June 21, 2011.
Where can I submit product feedback on Final Cut Pro?
Visit the Final Cut Pro feedback page.