When it comes to live streaming, you need a powerful computer that can handle the demands of broadcasting in real-time. So, what is the best MacBook for live streaming?
Table of Contents
In this article, we will take a look at some of the best options available on the market right now.
We will also discuss the pros and cons of each model so that you can make an informed decision about which one is right for you.
4 Best MacBooks For Live Streaming
When it comes to Macbooks, there are a few different options that you have to choose from.
The MacBook Pro is the most powerful option, but it is also the most expensive.
If you are on a budget, the MacBook Air might be a better option for you.
What we have to consider when searching for a live streaming laptop is that it should have enough power to handle the demands of broadcasting in real-time.
It should also have a good webcam and microphone so that you can interact with your audience.
Finally, it should be portable so that you can take it with you wherever you go.
Now let’s take a look at some of the best options that are available on the market right now.
1: Apple MacBook Pro With Intel Processor i7 – Winner:
- Ninth-generation 6-Core Intel Core i7 Processor
- Stunning 16-inch Retina Display with True Tone technology
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- AMD Radeon Pro 5300M Graphics with GDDR6 memory
- Ultrafast SSD
MacBook Pro i7 is advanced and has a lot of features that are great for live streaming.
Let’s start with the processor. It is a Ninth-generation Intel Core i7 upto 8 cores and 16 threads of processing power.
This MacBook can handle the most complex live stream tasks with ease. It has 2 times better performance than the 4-core Macbook Pro.
More advanced thermal design enables longer sustained peak performance. The fan blades are larger and the pitch is optimized for greater airflow.
The resulting increase in airflow enables the processor to run full-speed for longer periods of time.
Also, it provides up to 12 Watts more maximum sustained power. Now, you can live stream with confidence knowing that your Macbook Pro won’t slow you down.
Another great feature is the AMD Radeon Pro 5000M series graphics. It is the most powerful graphics ever in a Macbook Pro.
The stunning 16-inch Retina Display has True Tone technology. It automatically adjusts the white balance to match the color temperature of your environment.
This ensures that your live stream looks natural and is easy on the eyes. The P3 wide color gamut enables you to see more detail and color than ever before.
The 64 GB DDR4 memory helps you to live stream with ease. The MacBook has a large 512 GB SSD storage. So, you can store all your live stream content without any worries.
The Intel UHD Graphics 630 is great for live streaming. It delivers stunning visuals and great performance.
The six-speaker system with force-canceling woofers provides rich, powerful sound. The studio-quality 3 mic array enables you to be heard clearly.
Moreover, the battery life is great. It gives you up to 11 hours of wireless web browsing.
The Touch Bar and Touch ID provide a new way to interact with your live stream. The Touch Bar puts the controls of your stream right at your fingertips.
You can quickly adjust settings, start and stop your stream, and even add annotations.
With Thunderbolt 3, you can connect two external displays. The Apple T2 security chip provides industry-leading security.
It has up to 8 TB SSD storage which is enough to store your live stream content.
The MacBook Pro i7 is the best choice for live streaming due to its top-of-the-line specs and features.
Product Specifications:
– Ninth-generation Intel Core i7
– Turbo Boost frequency:
– AMD Radeon Pro 5000M series graphics
– 16-inch Retina Display with True Tone technology
– Six-speaker system
– Touch Bar and Touch ID
– Thunderbolt 3
– Apple T security chip
2: 2021 Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch – Runner Up:
- Apple M1 Pro or M1 Max chip for a massive leap in CPU, GPU, and machine learning performance
- Up to 10-core CPU delivers up to 3.7x faster performance to fly through pro workflows quicker than ever
- Up to 32-core GPU with up to 13x faster performance for graphics-intensive apps and games
- 16-core Neural Engine for up to 11x faster machine learning performance
- Longer battery life, up to 17 hours
MacBook Pro 14 inch is the best MacBook for live streaming as it provides the user with a massive leap in CPU, GPU and machine learning performance.
The CPU is up to three times faster than the previous generation.
The GPU is up to 13 times faster, making it ideal for graphics-intensive apps and games.
CPU and GPU are linked together with a new unified memory architecture that delivers up to twice the bandwidth for faster performance in all types of apps.
MacBook Pro 14 inch also features the longest battery life of any Macbook ever, up to 17 hours.
This battery life is thanks to the new M series chips which are more energy efficient.
These chips also allow for a thinner and lighter design, as well as a quieter fan.
The Macbook also features up to 64GB of unified memory which makes it faster and more fluid.
It has up to eight terabytes of storage which is enough for even the most demanding users.
SSD (solid state drive) is up to four times faster than a traditional hard drive. Thus, it can launch apps and open files in an instant.
The 16-core Neural Engine is also up to 11 times faster for machine learning performance.
A neural Engine is a processor that is designed to accelerate machine learning tasks.
The M series chips also allow for Thunderbolt / USB-C ports to be used with external GPUs.
The Macbook Pro is also available in a space gray and silver finish.
You can also get the Macbook pro with a touch bar or without a touch bar.
Its Liquid Retina XDR enables a pro-level display. This gives crisp and clear visuals.
It has sharper text and more vibrant colors. Moreover, it has sharper video calls and audio that is clear and loud.
It has a powerful 6 speakers system and a mic array of studio quality. These work together to provide an immersive experience.
M1 Pro and M1 Max provide access to 10,000 apps and plugins so you can use your favorite apps and tools.
You can also use it to read e-books, listen to music, and watch videos. It has the power and performance that you need to stream without any lag.
Moreover, it has a long battery life so you can stream for hours without having to worry about recharging.
Product Specifications:
– 10-core and 16-core CPU
– 16GB of unified memory
– M series chip: M Pro or M Max
– Up to 17 hours of battery life
– Liquid Retina XDR display
– Six-speaker system
– Thunderbolt / USB-C ports
– 16-core Neural engine
3: Apple MacBook Air 13 Inch:
- All-Day Battery Life – Go longer than ever with up to 18 hours of battery life.
- Powerful Performance – Take on everything from professional-quality editing to action-packed gaming with ease. The Apple M1 chip with an 8-core CPU delivers up to 3.5x faster performance than the previous generation while using way less power.
- Superfast Memory – 8GB of unified memory makes your entire system speedy and responsive. That way it can support tasks like memory-hogging multitab browsing and opening a huge graphic file quickly and easily.
- Stunning Display – With a 13.3 inch Retina display, images come alive with new levels of realism. Text is sharp and clear, and colors are more vibrant.
- Why Mac – Easy to learn. Easy to set up. Astoundingly powerful. Intuitive. Packed with apps to use right out of the box. Mac is designed to let you work, play, and create like never before.
Now comes Macbook Air with the new Apple M1 chip. This is a game-changer. How, let’s discuss.
First, let’s start with the processor. It is an eight-core CPU that can deliver up to 3.5x faster performance than the previous generation while using way less power.
The GPU is 5 times faster, meaning you can do some serious gaming or video editing on this thing.
It has the most advanced Neural Engine for up to 9x faster machine learning.
Now, all this new technology doesn’t come at the expense of battery life.
Then comes the battery life. It is said to have an all-day battery life of up to 18 hours.
So, you can now work on live streaming without having to worry about the battery running out.
Without a loud fan, it provides a cool and quiet operation.
The power of MacOS Big Sur on M1 transforms Mac into a true powerhouse.
It has best in-class security and privacy features. Now you don’t have to worry about your data being compromised.
The next thing is the storage. It has upto 2TB SSD storage. So, you can now store all your live streaming content without having to worry about the space.
And the best part, it is compatible with all your existing apps including Adobe Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, and Google Drive.
It has 8GB RAM which makes your entire system speedy and responsive.
And it comes with a 13.3” retina display which makes the images come alive with new levels of realism.
Additional specs include a backlit keyboard, FaceTime HD camera and Touch ID.
The three in-built microphones provide clear and loud sound. Thus, you can now enjoy live streaming without any issues.
The FaceTime HD camera is great for live streaming as it provides clear video quality.
The Magic Keyboard is a joy to use and the trackpad is very responsive. The scissor mechanism keys have a satisfying travel and are backlit.
The Touch ID sensor is very convenient to use and adds an extra layer of security to your device.
It increases productivity as you can now unlock your device with just a touch.
The connectivity includes two Thunderbolt / USB-4. It enables it to connect to a variety of devices including monitors and external storage.
So, overall the new MacBook Air has powerful specs and features that make it a great choice for live streaming.
Product Specifications:
– 13.3” retina display
– Eight-core CPU
– Five times faster GPU
– Most advanced Neural Engine
– All-day battery life upto 18 hours
– Compatible with all existing apps Adoble Creative Cloud, Microsoft 365, and Google Drive
– Eight GB RAM
– Two Thunderbolt / USB – Four ports
– Wifi – Six supported
4: Apple MacBook Pro with Intel Processor i5:
- Tenth-generation quad-core Intel Core i5 processor
- Brilliant Retina display with True Tone technology
- Backlit Magic Keyboard
- Touch Bar and Touch ID
- Intel Iris Plus Graphics
MacBook is light and portable making it easy to take with you on the go, has a crisp clear display, and the design is sleek and modern.
The MacBook Pro with Intel Processor has a few more features than the MacBook Air, making it the runner-up for best MacBook for live streaming.
Its 10-Gen quad-core Intel Core i5 processor is more powerful. Moreover, a Turbo boost upto 3.8 GHz is available with this model.
Its Iris Plus Graphics card is better for gaming and other graphically demanding activities.
This graphic card is better because of its faster performance and because it supports Thunderbolt.
Thunderbolt is a feature that allows you to connect additional monitors and other devices to your computer.
It has upto 32 GB RAM due to which it can support more than one live stream at a time.
Moreover, it has upto 4TB storage which makes it one of the best MacBook for live streaming.
The Pro also has a Touch Bar and Touch ID, meaning you can use your fingerprint to unlock your computer and access password-protected apps.
The Pro also has a slightly larger display at 13 inches with a higher resolution.
Its LED-backlit Retina display with IPS technology and 2560-by-1600 native resolution at 227 pixels per inch are great for watching movies or working on creative projects.
The True Tone technology automatically adjusts the white balance of the display to match the light around you for a more natural viewing experience.
The wireless connectivity is also better as it supports both the 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard and Bluetooth 5.0.
It has the most versatile port selection with four Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports.
You can use these to charge your computer, connect to a display, or transfer data.
It has wide stereo audio which creates a spacious, natural soundscape. The Magic Keyboard is backlit, so you can type in low-light conditions.
The Touch Bar puts convenient shortcuts right where you need them.
You can use it to quickly access the tools you need, switch between apps, or browse the web.
The Touch ID sensor is built into the Touch Bar, so you can quickly unlock your Mac or make purchases using Apple Pay.
Moreover, it is portable and lightweight and you can take it with you anywhere.
The MacBook Pro is the best choice for those who need a powerful and portable live streaming machine.
In the box you get the 61W USB-C Power adapter, the MacBook Pro, and a USB-C charge cable.
You also get 24/seven support from Apple. The only issue to the MacBook Pro can be that it doesn’t come with a lot of accessories in the box.
You might need to buy an adapter if you want to connect it to a non-Thunderbolt display.
Product Specifications:
– 13 inch LED-backlit Retina display
– 2560×1600 native resolution at 227 ppi
– 16:00 aspect ratio display
– Intel Iris Plus Graphics 655
– Four Thunderbolt (USB-C) ports
– i5 Intel Core processor
– Upto 32GB RAM
– Upto 4096 GB storage
– 802.11ac Wi-Fi wireless networking
– Backlit keyboard
– Touch Bar with Touch ID sensor
Buying Guide – Explained
When you are looking for the best MacBook for live streaming, there are a few things that you need to take into consideration.
1. Processor:
The processor is important because it helps to encode the video and audio in real-time.
The faster the processor, the better quality your live stream will be.
You also need to make sure that the processor is powerful enough to handle multiple tasks at once.
This is important because you will likely be running other programs while you are live streaming.
For example, you might be running a chat program or a music player. If the processor is not powerful enough, your live stream will suffer.
We recommend that you get a MacBook with an Intel Core i7 or i9 processor.
This will ensure that you have enough power for live streaming and other tasks.
2. Webcam:
The next thing to consider is the webcam. The webcam is important because it is how your viewers will see you.
You need to make sure that the webcam is of good quality so that your viewers can see you clearly.
We recommend that you get a webcam with at least 1080p resolution.
This will ensure that your viewers can see you in high definition. Usually, the higher the resolution, the more expensive the webcam will be.
Another thing to consider is the field of view. This is how wide of an angle the webcam can see.
The wider the field of view, the more people or things that can fit into the frame.
We recommend that you get a webcam with a field of view of at least 60 degrees.
This will ensure that you can fit more people or things into the frame.
Finally, you need to consider the frame rate. This is how many frames per second the webcam can capture.
The higher the frame rate, the smoother your live stream will be.
We recommend that you get a webcam with a frame rate of at least 30 frames per second.
This will ensure that your live stream is smooth and does not lag.
You might be able to find a webcam with a higher frame rate, but it will likely be more expensive.
Keep in mind that you can always lower the frame rate in your live streaming software if you need to.
It is better to have a high frame rate and not need it than to need a high frame rate and not have it.
3. Microphone:
The microphone is essential because it is how your viewers will hear you. A good quality microphone will make your voice sound clear and crisp.
We recommend that you get a microphone with at least a 48kHz sample rate. This will ensure that your viewers can hear you clearly.
It is also important to consider the sensitivity of the microphone. The sensitivity is how sensitive the microphone is to sound.
The higher the sensitivity, the more sensitive the microphone will be.
This is important because you need to make sure that your voice is loud enough for your viewers to hear.
We recommend that you get a microphone with a sensitivity of at least -38dB.
This will ensure that your viewers can hear you even if there is background noise.
Another thing to consider is the directionality of the microphone. This is how the microphone picks up sound.
There are two types of microphones:
– Omnidirectional
– Unidirectional.
Omnidirectional microphones pick up sound from all directions.
Unidirectional microphones only pick up sound from one direction.
We recommend that you get a unidirectional microphone.
This will ensure that the microphone only picks up your voice and not any background noise.
You can find unidirectional microphones that are either cardioid or super cardioid.
Cardioid microphones pick up sound from the front and sides but not the back.
Supercardioid microphones are even more focused and only pick up sound from the front.
We recommend that you get a super-cardioid microphone. This will ensure that your viewers can hear you clearly without any background noise.
4. Battery Life:
The final thing to consider is battery life. This is important because you need to make sure that your MacBook can last for the entire live stream.
We recommend that you get a MacBook with at least 12 hours of battery life.
This will ensure that you can live stream for a long time without having to worry about the battery dying.
You can find MacBooks with even more battery life, but they will likely be more expensive.
Keep in mind that you can always plug your MacBook into an outlet if you need to.
Conclusion:
The best Macbook for live streaming is the one that fits your needs the most.
If you need a MacBook for live streaming, we recommend that you get one with at least 12 hours of battery life.
It should have a unidirectional microphone and a webcam with a field of view of at least 60 degrees.
Now that you know what to look for in a MacBook for live streaming, you can start shopping around.
We hope that this guide was helpful and that you find the perfect MacBook for your needs.
We hope that this guide was helpful and
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