Is the iMac 24" M5 worth it for video editing in 2026?
The iMac 24" with M5 (2025) is Apple's most popular all-in-one. 24-inch Liquid Retina 4.5K display with P3 coverage, M5 chip with 10 CPU and GPU cores, 12MP Center Stage webcam and ultra-thin design. The ideal pick for the home or office that wants a wireless Apple desktop with an excellent screen. From €1,499.
Editing score
65
/ 100
Unified memory
16–32
GB · 153.6 GB/s
Indicative price ES
~1499 €
✓ Ideal for
- • All-in-one with 24-inch Retina 4.5K display
- • Everyday home/office use without external cables
- • 4K H.264/H.265 video editing with calibrated display
- • Programming and web development on a compact, silent machine
- • Graphic design and photography with the 24" P3 display
✗ Limitations
- • Professional 4K RAW or ProRes editing (insufficient active cooling)
- • Demanding AAA gaming
- • Local AI with large models
- • Users needing more than 32 GB of memory
Compatibility with editing software
Real-world performance of the iMac 24" M5 on each professional editing application.
Final Cut Pro
Very good. Smooth 4K RAW, ProRes accelerated by hardware. The best Final Cut Pro option without going to Max.
DaVinci Resolve
Very good. Smooth 4K RAW, functional Fusion. For 8K RAW without proxy, the M5 Max is more comfortable.
Adobe Premiere Pro
Compatible and fast via Metal. Accelerated export. Some Adobe AI features are NVIDIA-exclusive on PC.
Blender (Cycles)
Functional via Metal. For simple to medium scenes, very usable. Complex scenes are better on M5 Max or a dedicated GPU.
Which video formats does the iMac 24" M5 memory cover?
Apple unified memory replaces discrete VRAM. The iMac 24" M5 can be configured up to 32 GB.
1080p H.264/H.265
No limitations
4K H.264/H.265
Smooth without proxy
4K RAW / ProRes
Manageable
8K / ProRes RAW
Proxy needed
Hardware-accelerated codecs on the iMac 24" M5
Apple alternatives for editing
FAQ — iMac 24" M5 for editing
Is the iMac 24" M5 worth it for video editing in 2026?
The iMac 24" with M5 (2025) is Apple's most popular all-in-one. 24-inch Liquid Retina 4.5K display with P3 coverage, M5 chip with 10 CPU and GPU cores, 12MP Center Stage webcam and ultra-thin design. The ideal pick for the home or office that wants a wireless Apple desktop with an excellent screen. From €1,499. In editing it scores 65/100. With up to 32 GB of unified memory and 153.6 GB/s bandwidth, it handles 4K H.264/H.265 without proxy and 4K RAW with tweaks.
Is the iMac 24" M5 compatible with DaVinci Resolve?
Very good. Smooth 4K RAW, functional Fusion. For 8K RAW without proxy, the M5 Max is more comfortable.
How much unified memory do I need to edit video on a Mac?
For smooth 4K H.264/H.265 in DaVinci Resolve or Final Cut Pro, 16 GB of unified memory is the recommended minimum. For 4K RAW or ProRes 4444, 24–36 GB is ideal. For 8K RAW without proxy, 48 GB or more. The iMac 24" M5 offers up to 32 GB.
Is a Mac M5 or a dedicated Windows GPU better for editing?
For smooth 4K editing, the iMac 24" M5 is highly capable. For 8K RAW without proxy, the M5 Max or a high-end Windows GPU is more comfortable.