iPhone 6s Plus vs MacBook Pro: Exporting 4K video from iMovie

4K iMovie Export Test iPhone 6s Mac

By now, it’s well documented how fast the new A9 processor is in the iPhone 6s. The benchmarks show a marked improvement over last year’s iPhone 6, and it even compares nicely with the iPad Air 2.

The iPhone 6s benchmarks better than the entry-level 12″ MacBook, and compares nicely with some the earlier generations of MacBook Airs. Needless to say, this device is quite something from a technical perspective. So much so, that I thought it would be fun to compare it with my MacBook Pro.

I decided to install iMovie on my Mac, and compare a 4K export between it and the iPhone 6s. By no means is this a scientific test, but the results paint a general picture that may surprise some people.

In the first test, I used an unmodified 4K video shot directly from my Panasonic GH4. In the second test, I used a 4K video shot on the iPhone 6s Plus.

By the way, this MacBook is a Late-2013 MacBook Pro with Retina Display. It features an Intel i7 2.3 Ghz processor with integrated Iris Pro graphics capable of driving a 4K monitor at 60Hz. It also features 16GB of RAM.

Watch the video, and see for yourself. Once you do, please share your thoughts below. How well do you think the iPhone 6s Plus performed?