Does Final Cut Express 4 work with mac mini and other questions...?

Question

I have a few questions I need help in answering... I would appreciate opinions on the following:
I am about to make a purchase of a new mac. I already have a mac mini PPC, but it is too slow...
Here is what I am thinking.
Mac mini, 2GB mem, 160GB hard drive. Will this new mac mini work with Final Cut Express 4?
Or should I go with the more powerful iMac?
I like to make movies on my mac but I hate iMovie 08 so I constantly use iMovie HD 06. Should I go to Final Cut Express 4 or just stick with iMovie HD 06?

Answer 1

There is no doubt that FCE 4 will run on an Intel mini - the GMA graphics processor is compatible. There is also no doubt that an iMac would give you somewhat better overall performance, though it's important perhaps to note that as complex as FCE is, it is actually a little less demanding on hardware than iMovie has traditionally been, so the difference between a mini with 2Gb RAM and a similarly equipped iMac will not be all that great in FCE, though it will become a little more noticeable if you continue to use iMovie 6.
The main reason for the performance difference between iMovie and FCE is that in order to provide a reasonably sophisticated video editing package that will run on very basic hardware, Apple relied heavily on caching techniques, meaning that while FCE basically spools from video and relies on CPU power, iMovie constantly moves data to and from the hard drive. The mini's hard drive is a (relatively) slow device in comparison to the iMac's - thus the iMac runs iMovie rather more seamlessly. In FCE, the difference is, as said, rather less clear unless you were to go for the top-end model.
If your budget can stretch to an iMac it makes sense to go that route simply because the extra power and overall performance (and the better graphics processor) will give you greater flexibility down the road. On the other hand, if funds are tight and you need to spend as little as reasonably possible, a mini will do fine, and is sufficient;y inexpensive that in a couple of years could be sold off and replaced without severe financial implications.
In terms of the choice between FCE or iMovie, beware that if you haven't used FCE before, the transition is not easy, and the learning curve for it is pretty steep. That said, it has far greater power and flexibility in terms of what you can achieve with it than has ever been possible with iMovie.
That said, for casual and home use, iMovie (version 6 at least) has plenty of power and tools for the majority of projects. iMovie 8 is, in many ways, deeply flawed for those who want that sort of power and workflow tools, being that it is designed for quick and easy creation of movies, not creative and considered productions. It has it's uses, but if you have experience with iMovie already, v8 is really not intended for you at all.
All that said, I've used iMovie 6 on systems will a lot less power than the current Intel minis, and have found it stable and workable, so I have no doubt it would work well on any current Mac.