Recommended specs for MacBook Pro - beginner photo/video editing purposes

I'm shopping for my first Mac and was hoping to get some advice on the specs I would want for running software to edit photos and video. I'm a beginner/non-professional but hoping to develop some skills.
I was thinking 8 GB RAM, a mid-sized solid state drive, and a quad core i5 or i7 processor?
Any advice would be much appreciated. Thank you!

I think you've nailed them already. Buy and enjoy.

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Does anyone know what is the exact HDD model and specs for MacBook Pro (15-inch, Mid 2012)? Thanks

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Thanks for responding me,
I just got this info from the link that you provided me but is there any model name or model number for it?
or any 2.5 would be work?
Thanks again.

Is this normal fans speeds for MacBook Pros? See videos of my MBP in action

I can't figure out the fans on my MacBook Pro. The lowest normal speed for the fans in 2,000 rpm. They will spin up at times for no apparent reason to 5,0000 or 6,200 with nothing taxing the CPU while it's also pretty cool, usually around the high 30's or low 40's celsius.
The other night I was converting a movie with Visual Hub, with the process taking 80% of the CPU and the temp reaching 75 c with the fans staying at 2,000 RPM until about half way through the eight minute conversion. This is a time I would have expected the fans to kick in much earlier than they did.
I have reset the SMC previously with no effect. Coming from a Polycarbonate MacBook this machine is much nosier, but also much cooler running.
Check out the videos I made showing iStat and Activity Monitor during these episodes. Thanks for any feedback. I'm coming to the end of my 14-day return period and wanted to verify if my MBP is operating like others.
VIDEOS HERE.
Thanks for any feedback.

Thanks everyone for your comments and suggests.
S.U. -- I ran the Apple Hardware Test when I received the computer and it found no problems.
Travis -- Thanks for the insight to what normal range is for the MBP.
I opened a case with Apple to get the ball rolling and get assigned a case number. The tech on the phone could not look at the videos but didn't think there was a problem from my descriptions. He did suggest I take it in for a look.
Online I made a reservation for the Genius at the Apple Store that night. While I was waiting I was curious how other MBP's handled some serious thrashing. Since it was late and nobody was in the store, I loaded iStat Pro on three of the MBP's and opened Terminal. In two windows I ran yes > /dev/null and let them run.
On all three machines the fan speeds never got higher than the lower 4K rpm range. They all settled in around 90C and stayed there. One MBP ran these processes for about 40 minutes and the highest fan speed I remember seeing was 35XX RPM, and again around 90C, but it would fluctuate up or down a few degrees.
When my appointment came up I showed Rex, my Genius rep (Cleveland, Legacy Village store), what I had done on their machines just to get some perspective on how other MBP's handled both cores running more than 90%.
My MacBook had been asleep for a few hours. When he woke it up the fans went immediately to 4200 rpm and stayed there. He hooked up a super-duper, special, double-secret HD via firewire and booted off that. The problem persisted.
He took it in back to crack it open. He was looking for any loose connections but found none. He could not find any errors but agreed that something was amiss with my MBP.
He was not sure if my computer, being a refurb, was different when it came to returns. We called Apple on my cell, got a rep, and he arranged for them to take back my Mac since I'm within my 14 days.
So props to Rex for his great customer service and a happy ending.

Recommended OS for MacBook Pro

Before updating the version of Safari, I want to make sure I am using the latest recommended OS for my MacBookPro. Can someone point me to the right information please? I have cut and pasted information about the laptop below. Thanks!
Model Name:    MacBook Pro
Model Identifier:    MacBookPro5,3
Processor Name:    Intel Core 2 Duo
Processor Speed:    2.66 GHz
Number Of Processors:    1
Total Number Of Cores:    2
L2 Cache:    3 MB
Memory:    4 GB
Bus Speed:    1.07 GHz
Boot ROM Version:    MBP53.00AC.B03
SMC Version (system):    1.48f2

(NB: PowerPC applications can still be run in Snow Leopard using Rosetta, but they will not work in later versions of OS X. For detailed information see this user tip: https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-6271 )
The OS 10.6 Snow Leopard install DVD is still available for $19.99 from the Apple Store:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
and in the UK:
http://store.apple.com/uk/product/MC573/mac-os-x-106-snow-leopard
Before installation you should back up all your data.
When you have installed it, run Software Update to download and install the latest updates for Snow Leopard to bring it up to 10.6.8, or download the combo update from here:
http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1399
Check via Software Update whether any further updates are required, particularly to iTunes (you will need the latest version in order to synch with mobile devices).
You should now see the App Store icon in iTunes, and you now need to set up your account:
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4479
You can now upgrade to Mavericks OS 10.9 for free IF you have one of the following Macs, with not less than 2GB of RAM, and at least 8GB of available space on your hard drive:
iMac (Mid-2007 or later)
MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), (13-inch, Early 2009 or later)
MacBook Pro (13-inch, Mid-2009 or later), (15-inch, Mid/Late 2007 or later), (17-inch, Late 2007 or later)
MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)
Mac Mini (Early 2009 or later)
Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)
Xserve (Early 2009)
iCloud system requirements:
http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4759
If you cannot run Mavericks you can purchase the code to use to download Lion from the App Store (Lion requires an Intel-based Mac with a Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processor and 2GB of RAM, running the latest version of Snow Leopard):
http://store.apple.com/us/product/D6106Z/A/os-x-lion
or Mountain Lion:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/D6377Z/A/os-x-mountain-lion

Power input specs for MacBook Pro

Anyone know if Apple have (or are going to) released information on the actual power input requirements for the MacBook Pro ? I specifically mean for the machine, NOT it's AC adapter.
They came tantalisingly close for the 17" PowerBook with this :
http://developer.apple.com/qa/qa2001/qa1266.html
I suspect the answer is going to be NO, if so then I would suggest they reconsider their policy - making up new proprietry connectors and restricting the supply of third party products like this is really having an effect on their image. People DO notice this sort of thing, and suggest they've been taking lessons from Microsoft in how to restrict people/force them to buy more than they intended.
Given that I've a box full of dead Apple supplies for PowerBooks, some of which have already been repaired and given a second life, then I'd rather put off buying a MacBook until I know I can either make, buy, or adapt a third party supply (at a reasonable cost). I'm powering my PowerBoook now off a third party supply that seems better built and was half the price of an Apple supply. Plus I need three, one to live under the desk at home, another to live under the desk at work, and a third to go around in my case - it makes life so much easier. I've no intention of shelling out for three extra Apple supplies (two extras and a spare for WHEN one packs in).

You might want to ask this in the MacBook Pro forums… you're in the MacBook forums.

[Solved] Compiling pommed for MacBook pro 13inch (June 2009 edition)

Hi, I'm trying to get pommed to run on my new MBP 13inch, but whenever I try to run the daemon it fails without any error message. Also when I run the pommed command itself I don't get any output. I tried to run with the standard mactel config and without any config.
I don't know which logs to check but dmesg doesn't show me anything.
Also I tried compiling pommed with the MacBook_Aluminum wiki tip by changing to 5,5, but still the same: no output.
Currently I'm on arch64, thanks in advance.
Last edited by jryarch (2009-07-25 19:38:49)

Hello Jryarch!
And this thread too ?
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?pid=444664
What does it mean no output ? Do you get back the shell prompt without any output or it hangs on forever in an endless loop or what ?
Maybe this one is relevant too:
http://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=65972
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/MacBook
And maybe you can follow the aur-general thread for this matter:
http://www.archlinux.org/pipermail/aur- … 01271.html
Hope some of them help.

I have the G Drive 1 TB (GEN4 1TB) external drive purchased in 2010. I need to connect to my new MacBook Pro. I'm using the external drive for media storage of my video editing projects. Will a 800fw to thunderbolt adapter cable work?

I have the G Drive 1 TB (GEN4 1TB) external drive purchased in 2010. I need to connect to my new MacBook Pro. I'm using the external drive for media storage of my video editing projects. Will a 800fw to thunderbolt adapter cable work? I understand that using a USB port connection is not fast enough for video editing. I read somewhere the G Drives don't connect well to MacBook Pro.
thanks
larry

I doubt this can be relocated or moved so you might want to just repost in the macbook pro area.
MacBook Pro
https://discussions.apple.com/community/notebooks/macbook_pro
https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os?view=discussions
Can you afford a new Thunderbolt case and cable? any case with FW800 is going to be slow 72MB/sec and less, and any new 1TB drive is capable of 75MB/s minimum up to 125MB/sec.
Thunderbolt storage can of course when setup properly reach 100's of MB higher using multiple drives.
Use what you have for a system backup or for secondary backup storage.
you might be able to take the drive - most cases allow you to open and swap drives - and use this:
G-Technology 1TB G-DRIVE mini High-Speed Portable Hard Drive
or this:
http://store.apple.com/us/product/HB137VC/A/g-technology-4tb-g-raid-professional -high-performance-dual-drive-hard-drive?fnode=5f

Hi, is it normal for macbook pro to get heated after watching a 1hr video

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Photo editor for macbook pro similar to afterlight, vsco cam, whitagram?

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Photoshop will run on your MBP. Is Photoshop too complicated?
Other possibilities:
Seashore (free)
The Gimp (free)
Graphic Coverter ($45 approx)
Acorn ($50 approx)
Pixelmator ($50 approx)
Photoshop Elements ($75 approx)
There are many, many other options. Search on MacUpdate or the App Store.

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Exactly what are you getting? A pic of the message would help.
And no. I am not going to click on your link.

Can anyone recommend a link/website to get a 8GB (2x4GB) 667Mhz DDR2 RAM Memory For MacBook Pro? Thanks!

Hi,
Can anyone recommend a link/website in the UK where I can get a decent 8GB (2x4GB) 667Mhz DDR2 RAM Memory For MacBook Pro?
It isn't currently available on the Apple Store and I cant seem to find a match searching on Google.
Really need to upgrade from my current 4GB. I have a 2008/2009 MacBook Pro 17"
Many thanks in advance!
SP

Here you go....
Amazon UK and pick the right one for you....
good luck....

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ACA

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/3.6.13/releasenotes/
Had the same problem; would have been nice if they had told s that we need an intel processor on our older Macs! I am up and running again.

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thanks!

You need a scanner to scan those slides and make either JPGs or TIF files from them.
Do you have a scanner that can do that and that works with Mac.

Laptop for Photo/Video editing via Photoshop CS5/Premiere

I am currently seeking a laptop strictly for photo/video editing. I desire an i7 processor (Ivy Bridge is better from what I'm hearing but am not sure), dedicated graphics card (at least 3G video memory), a minimum of 8GB ram that is still expandable, a 17" 1920x1080 matte display with a wide color gamut, a 7200rpm drive and would absolutely love to find one with Windows7 as I personally cannot stand the new Windows8. One other thing, I need the necessary ports available to hook to a larger monitor for more detailed work. I was looking at the ASUS G75VW that BestBuy was carrying, which I hear has gotten good reviews (other than the sound driver issue that I hear is fixable) and here begins the other half of my dilemma.
At two local stores, I have went and looked at computers on display, and, although nice personalities abounded, when I started mentioning the above mentioned desires, every single employee I spoke with stood there and looked at me like a cow looking at a new gate before handing me a printout of "specs" off of the BestBuy website. I pointed out several inconsistencies I had noticed on the "specs" (ie information left out, inconsistent information) and the looks only got worse, as if I had suddenly started speaking in tongues from planet "what the f...??".
All of this being said, I realize I could purchase a "designer" laptop from a myriad of other sites. However, I was recently given a sizeable gift card, from BestBuy, and am limited in this aspect. So, with an open mind, any suggestions, experience, recommendations anyone?
P.S. I have also considered the MacBook Pro, as well as the iMac 27" (yes, I know it's not a laptop but it's freakin' cool looking). Despite the PC vs Mac MMA cage fights to the death, I don't care if it's a pc, apple, orange or a grapefruit as long as it's fast, reliable, upgradeable to a degree, repairable when it breaks and does what I need it to do.
Thanks in advance!

I've only seen Windows 8, never used it, and it looked like a pain. But if I'm not mistaken, isn't there an option for it to function like a normal Windows machine with Desktop and Start menu/ bar?
The laptop you linked looks fine for running CS5. I'd max out that RAM for rendering reasons thats about it. The only thing is the graphics card is mid-range, and being a laptop you can't upgrade it. I don't know what your work load for file size is or what type of video your doing in Premiere though.
I like iMacs and everything, but when it comes to upgrading stuff, don't count on it. Depending on what your workin' on, I'd rather invest in a MacPro and pick my own monitor.
As far as Windows or Mac goes, you can obviously use either one, but I personally like the workflow on a mac. Windows seems to be more worried about being 'flashy' and not concerned with the user experience. Unfortunetly Macs are gettin there too. For some stupid reason people are thinking the workflow on a tablet and phone are the same on a desktop.
Former BBY Home Theater Associate 2010 - 2012. Now I work as a graphic designer in the print and prepress industry.

Recommended specs for MacBook Pro - beginner photo/video editing purposes

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