What is better - a great video card or just a bunch of Ram

We are starting a broadcasting section at our college and I am purchasing some hardware (macs of course) and software. We will be using Final Cut Pro, Photoshop and other software.
My question is: If you only had a limited amount of money would you buy the best video card you could, or would it be better to put as much RAM in the machine as possible. (4gigs or 8gigs or RAM).
Any insights would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Dan

So, with the current available video cards from apple. Which one would I get and is the NVIDIA Quadro FX really worth the extra $1300?
1) 2x NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256mb
2) ATI Radeon X190 XT 512mb (2 x dual link DVI)
3) 3x NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256mb
4) 4x NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256mb
5) NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500 512mb, stereo 3D (2 x dual link DVI)
I was going to purchase the ATI Radeon Card - is that a wise choice?

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    R12: 0x0000000067656f70, R13: 0xffffff80149ce000, R14: 0xffffff801527cd80, R15: 0x0000000000000000
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    0xffffff80f0ee36c0 : 0xffffff80002c266d
    0xffffff80f0ee3860 : 0xffffff80002d7a1d
    0xffffff80f0ee3880 : 0xffffff7f81927267
    0xffffff80f0ee39b0 : 0xffffff7f8165a4da
    0xffffff80f0ee3aa0 : 0xffffff7f81643c5d
    0xffffff80f0ee3af0 : 0xffffff7f81644139
    0xffffff80f0ee3b20 : 0xffffff7f81655602
    0xffffff80f0ee3b40 : 0xffffff7f81655761
    0xffffff80f0ee3b60 : 0xffffff7f8166b727
    0xffffff80f0ee3be0 : 0xffffff7f8160900a
    0xffffff80f0ee3c00 : 0xffffff7f816090ee
    0xffffff80f0ee3c40 : 0xffffff7f815e7332
    0xffffff80f0ee3c70 : 0xffffff7f80c308a0
    0xffffff80f0ee3cb0 : 0xffffff7f80c309ab
    0xffffff80f0ee3cd0 : 0xffffff7f80c3c079
    0xffffff80f0ee3d40 : 0xffffff7f80c3a7b8
    0xffffff80f0ee3d80 : 0xffffff8000620aea
    0xffffff80f0ee3dd0 : 0xffffff80006541ae
    0xffffff80f0ee3e30 : 0xffffff80002a34c1
    0xffffff80f0ee3e80 : 0xffffff8000223006
    0xffffff80f0ee3eb0 : 0xffffff8000214829
    0xffffff80f0ee3f10 : 0xffffff800021bb58
    0xffffff80f0ee3f70 : 0xffffff80002aeb80
    0xffffff80f0ee3fb0 : 0xffffff80002d8383
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             com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.3.2)[FE536983-1897-3D6B-965E-24B5A67080DA]@0 xffffff7f80c25000->0xffffff7f80c5cfff
                dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6.8)[F63D4ABE-42DA-33EF-BADD-3415B0CB0179]@0xffff ff7f80840000
             com.apple.ATIRadeonX3000(7.1.8)[F4FEA23A-BEEF-313E-B4B8-0E2FB91BC0B9]@0xffffff7 f815e5000->0xffffff7f8187bfff
                dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6.8)[F63D4ABE-42DA-33EF-BADD-3415B0CB0179]@0xffff ff7f80840000
                dependency: com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport(2.3.2)[4B3F84DC-18B3-3897-BC56-4E3940878047]@0xff ffff7f80c5d000
                dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.3.2)[FE536983-1897-3D6B-965E-24B5A67080DA]@0 xffffff7f80c25000
             com.apple.kext.ATIFramebuffer(7.1.8)[3FEA7F49-3538-32EA-8319-B665CD87A8DC]@0xff ffff7f8191f000->0xffffff7f81930fff
                dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily(1.4)[4A5A4624-7A52-3EA0-BB8D-5B265B086727]@0xfffff f7f807cd000
                dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily(2.6.8)[F63D4ABE-42DA-33EF-BADD-3415B0CB0179]@0xffff ff7f80840000
                dependency: com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily(2.3.2)[FE536983-1897-3D6B-965E-24B5A67080DA]@0 xffffff7f80c25000
                dependency: com.apple.kext.ATISupport(7.1.8)[89B3F21E-C41D-34FD-B7F7-5F98DE677E1E]@0xffffff 7f8145b000
    BSD process name corresponding to current thread: WindowServer
    Mac OS version:
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    Kernel version:
    Darwin Kernel Version 11.3.0: Thu Jan 12 18:47:41 PST 2012; root:xnu-1699.24.23~1/RELEASE_X86_64
    Kernel UUID: 7B6546C7-70E8-3ED8-A6C3-C927E4D3D0D6
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    System uptime in nanoseconds: 51774966598
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    com.apple.driver.AppleHWSensor          1.9.4d0
    com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyHIDDriver          122
    com.apple.driver.AudioAUUC          1.59
    com.apple.driver.AppleTyMCEDriver          1.0.2d2
    com.apple.driver.AppleUpstreamUserClient          3.5.9
    com.apple.driver.AppleMCCSControl          1.0.26
    com.apple.driver.AppleHDA          2.1.7f9
    com.apple.driver.AppleMikeyDriver          2.1.7f9
    com.apple.driver.AppleIntelHD3000Graphics          7.1.8
    com.apple.driver.AGPM          100.12.42
    com.apple.kext.ATIFramebuffer          7.1.8
    com.apple.driver.SMCMotionSensor          3.0.1d2
    com.apple.iokit.IOUserEthernet          1.0.0d1
    com.apple.driver.AppleSMCLMU          2.0.1d2
    com.apple.Dont_Steal_Mac_OS_X          7.0.0
    com.apple.driver.AudioIPCDriver          1.2.2
    com.apple.driver.ACPI_SMC_PlatformPlugin          4.7.5d4
    com.apple.ATIRadeonX3000          7.1.8
    com.apple.driver.AppleMuxControl          3.0.16
    com.apple.driver.AppleLPC          1.5.3
    com.apple.driver.AppleBacklight          170.1.9
    com.apple.filesystems.autofs          3.0
    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCButtons          225.2
    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyEventDriver          225.2
    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBTCKeyboard          225.2
    com.apple.driver.AppleIRController          312
    com.apple.iokit.SCSITaskUserClient          3.0.3
    com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeDataless          1.0.0d1
    com.apple.AppleFSCompression.AppleFSCompressionTypeZlib          1.0.0d1
    com.apple.BootCache          33
    com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIBlockStorage          2.0.1
    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBHub          4.5.0
    com.apple.driver.AppleFWOHCI          4.8.9
    com.apple.driver.AirPort.Brcm4331          513.20.19
    com.apple.driver.AppleSDXC          1.1.4
    com.apple.iokit.AppleBCM5701Ethernet          3.0.8b2
    com.apple.driver.AppleEFINVRAM          1.5.0
    com.apple.driver.AppleSmartBatteryManager          161.0.0
    com.apple.driver.AppleAHCIPort          2.2.0
    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBEHCI          4.5.8
    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBUHCI          4.4.5
    com.apple.driver.AppleACPIButtons          1.4
    com.apple.driver.AppleRTC          1.4
    com.apple.driver.AppleHPET          1.6
    com.apple.driver.AppleSMBIOS          1.7
    com.apple.driver.AppleACPIEC          1.4
    com.apple.driver.AppleAPIC          1.5
    com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagementClient          167.3.0
    com.apple.nke.applicationfirewall          3.2.30
    com.apple.security.quarantine          1.1
    com.apple.driver.AppleIntelCPUPowerManagement          167.3.0
    com.apple.driver.AppleAVBAudio          1.0.0d11
    com.apple.driver.AppleHDAHardwareConfigDriver          2.1.7f9
    com.apple.driver.DspFuncLib          2.1.7f9
    com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusController          1.0.10d0
    com.apple.iokit.IOSurface          80.0
    com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothSerialManager          4.0.3f12
    com.apple.iokit.IOSerialFamily          10.0.5
    com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireIP          2.2.4
    com.apple.iokit.IOAVBFamily          1.0.0d22
    com.apple.driver.AppleHDAController          2.1.7f9
    com.apple.iokit.IOHDAFamily          2.1.7f9
    com.apple.iokit.IOAudioFamily          1.8.6fc6
    com.apple.kext.OSvKernDSPLib          1.3
    com.apple.driver.AppleSMC          3.1.1d8
    com.apple.driver.IOPlatformPluginFamily          4.7.5d4
    com.apple.driver.ApplePolicyControl          3.0.16
    com.apple.driver.AppleGraphicsControl          3.0.16
    com.apple.driver.AppleSMBusPCI          1.0.10d0
    com.apple.driver.AppleBacklightExpert          1.0.3
    com.apple.iokit.IONDRVSupport          2.3.2
    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltEDMSink          1.1.3
    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltEDMSource          1.1.3
    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPOutAdapter          1.5.9
    com.apple.kext.ATI6000Controller          7.1.8
    com.apple.kext.ATISupport          7.1.8
    com.apple.kext.triggers          1.0
    com.apple.driver.AppleIntelSNBGraphicsFB          7.1.8
    com.apple.iokit.IOGraphicsFamily          2.3.2
    com.apple.driver.AppleFileSystemDriver          13
    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPInAdapter          1.5.9
    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltDPAdapterFamily          1.5.9
    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltPCIDownAdapter          1.2.1
    com.apple.driver.BroadcomUSBBluetoothHCIController          4.0.3f12
    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController          4.0.3f12
    com.apple.iokit.IOBluetoothFamily          4.0.3f12
    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMultitouch          227.1
    com.apple.iokit.IOUSBHIDDriver          4.4.5
    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBMergeNub          4.5.3
    com.apple.driver.AppleUSBComposite          4.5.8
    com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIMultimediaCommandsDevice          3.0.3
    com.apple.iokit.IOBDStorageFamily          1.6
    com.apple.iokit.IODVDStorageFamily          1.7
    com.apple.iokit.IOCDStorageFamily          1.7
    com.apple.driver.XsanFilter          403
    com.apple.iokit.IOAHCISerialATAPI          2.0.1
    com.apple.iokit.IOSCSIArchitectureModelFamily          3.0.3
    com.apple.driver.AppleThunderboltNHI          1.3.2
    com.apple.iokit.IOThunderboltFamily          1.7.4
    com.apple.iokit.IOUSBUserClient          4.5.8
    com.apple.iokit.IOFireWireFamily          4.4.5
    com.apple.iokit.IO80211Family          412.2
    com.apple.iokit.IOEthernetAVBController          1.0.0d5
    com.apple.iokit.IONetworkingFamily          2.0
    com.apple.iokit.IOAHCIFamily          2.0.7
    com.apple.iokit.IOUSBFamily          4.5.8
    com.apple.driver.AppleEFIRuntime          1.5.0
    com.apple.iokit.IOHIDFamily          1.7.1
    com.apple.iokit.IOSMBusFamily          1.1
    com.apple.security.sandbox          177.3
    com.apple.kext.AppleMatch          1.0.0d1
    com.apple.security.TMSafetyNet          7
    com.apple.driver.DiskImages          331.3
    com.apple.iokit.IOStorageFamily          1.7
    com.apple.driver.AppleKeyStore          28.18
    com.apple.driver.AppleACPIPlatform          1.4
    com.apple.iokit.IOPCIFamily          2.6.8
    com.apple.iokit.IOACPIFamily          1.4

    Thanks to both of you;
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  • Video Card

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    This question was solved.
    View Solution.

    BlueWing, welcome to the forum.
    I believe that a new dedicated video card would increase system performance considerably.  However, depending on what you want to do with the computer, it may mean a power supply unit (PSU) upgrade, also.  The existing PSU is only 300W.  Most newer mid-level cards require a minimum of 400W.
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    Please click "Accept as Solution" if your problem is solved.
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  • Aperture Won't Launch With 2 Video Cards

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    AppleBrianJones wrote:
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    not on edit.
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