Which configurations are really important for video editing?

Hi everyone,
I'm a newbie looking for the best compromise budget Mac for AVCHD 1080p video editing with Final Cut Pro X, Adobe Premiere CS6 and Adobe Aftereffects. The storage space is not important as I'm planning to keep all the files on a Thunderbolt-connected EHD (any comments on this?).
Currently, I'm working on a iMac 27'' 3.4GHz i7 16GB 1600 MHz DDR3 NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675 MX 1024 MB and would like to get a personal machine that also works (as) smooth, but for a smaller budget. These are the options I currently have:
1. Mac mini (late 2012) MD387xx/A
2.5GHz dual-core Intel Core i5
16GB DDR3 SDRAM
Intel HD 4000
500 GB HD
Thunderbolt USB 3
802.11n WiFi + Bluetooth 4.0
2. iMac 27'' (mid 2011)
2.7GHZ Intel Core i5
16GB 1333 MHz DDR3
AMD Radeon HD 6770M 512 MB
1TB HDD
3. MacBook Pro 17'' (early 2011)
2.3GHz Intel Core i7
8 GB 1333 MHz DDR3 RAM
AMD Radeon HD 6750M 1024 MB
Intel HD Graphics 3000 512 MB
500 GB SATA Storage
How important is the duo- or quad-core?
Which graphic card would be the best suited for video editing and graphics on FCPX/AfterEffects?
Which one would you go for if looking for a stable, strong performance for up to 5 years?
Thanks in advance for any tips!

I would also post here:
https://discussions.apple.com/community/professional_applications/final_cut_pro_ x

Similar Messages

What kind of Mac configuration should I get for video editing

I have been using after effects and premiere pro a lot and has been experiencing lots off lag, even when I am using the Internet. What Mac configuration should I get for this type of editing?

When I was doing more video editing, two things mattered ..... a fast CPU and lots of memory. Having the horsepower to handle activities like rendering really helps.
On lag, while it certainly can be application-driven, you might look over this FAQ for some ideas.
If you haven't already, you might also ask in the FCP dicussion here.

My first PC build for video editing purposes

I have done some research into building my own video editing PC. I want to spend about 800 pounds. I will list some of the components I have so far. Any suggestion would be welcomed and appreciated.
ASRock Z77 Extreme6 Intel Z77 (Socket 1155) Motherboard - £159.98
4 x Kingston 4GB 1333MHz DDR3 Non-ECC CL9 DIMM Memory - £12.76 each
For CPU I am going to wait for the Ivy Bridge Core 17 to come out
PNY nVIDIA Geforce GTX 570 Graphics Card with 1280MB GDDR5 PCI-Express
£210.97
I have heard that it does not matter how fast the RAM is but it is more important how much you have. My Mobo can take 2800 Mhz. I have also heard that the graphic card is important when video editing. It acts as a secondary CPU which enhances the performance.
Is all the above information correct?
Thanks
Dominic

I have ordered most of my components for pc build for video editing purposes. Here is the list. Any critism would be welcome.
MOTHERBOARD
AsRock Z77 Extreme6 Motherboard (Socket 1155, Intel Z77, Up to 32GB DDR3, ATX, USB 3.0, 4 x SATA3 6.0 Gb/s, 7.1 CH HD Audio with Content Protection)
£ 145 – Amazon
CPU
Intel 3rd Generation Core i7-3770K CPU (4 x 3.50GHz, Ivy Bridge, Socket 1155, 8Mb L3 Cache, Intel Turbo Boost Technology 2.0)
£ 230 – Amazon
RAM
Corsair CMX16GX3M4A1333C9 XMS 16GB (4x4GB) 1333MHz CL9 DDR3 Four Memory Module Kit
£70– Amazon
GPU
Asus Nvidia GeForce 2GB GTX 670 DirectCU II Graphics Card
£ 350 – Amazon
CPS
OCZ 850W ZX Series PSU 80+ Gold Rated Ultra Quiet Double Ball Bearing Fan and EU Cable (– Pos Probs – cables short especially for CPU. May need CPU extension cables but these are cheap. Also says compatible with Sandy Bridge NOT ivy bridge. Im assuming it is compatible though)
£ 100 – Amazon
BLUE RAY
LG BH10LS38.AUAU 10x Inter
£62.00 – Amazon
CASE
BNIB ANTEC 1200 (TWELVE HUNDRED) BLACK STEEL ATX FULL TOWER COMPUTER CASE £ 120 – ebay
The only thing left to buy are the hard drives. I have decided on a system of a
C: Boot drive 500 gb (7200) for the OS
Pair of drives in RAID 2 x 2 tb
E: Export drive. Single (7200) 3 tb
Somebody suggested to me that I should get SSD. However, am I right in saying that these drives, although fast, are too small for video editing purposes and also too expensive? Perhaps I should wait until they get bigger and less expensive. A future upgrade.
Thanks for any comments in advanced
Dominic

Which 2013 Macbook Pro for Video Editing? "Help"

Hello, I am new to the Apple forums and this is my first post. I'm a 19 Years Student and I'm actually attending a cinematography and television school
I am looking for a Macbook Pro 15" for Video Editing, the sowftware I'm be using and studying are Avid Media Composer, Adobe AE and Premiere , and Photoshop.
My budget is around 2500 - 3000 Euros, And I've been reading every kind of post about the Macbook Retina 2012 and Macbook Pro 2012, but I Really don't know what to get, and if some video editors here can help me would be awesome! So, Let's getting started:
( Both models "Costs" the same, I don't mind paying 100-200 more Euros for a 2500 Macbook so i'd love to have to find the perfect balance with Performance/Design and everything else!)
I'd Like to get a Retina to be honest, but I know every kind of problem that the retina has at this moment: Expensive Repair Costs, High Framerate Drops, Choppy Interface, Burn-in screen and ghosting. I've seen by myself these errors and I don't know if there's a true fix, my opinion is that the GPU is not enough to use smootly the Retina Resolution, and I'm afraid that If I'll buy a macbook retina, the low and suffering GPU will decrease a lot the performance of these software when Rendering, Exporting, and when working with big files. ( I'm asking you if this is true, because I don't have a macbook so I couldn't test by myself how a rMBP works under pressure for atleast 3 hours with one of these softwares, my experience with retina is limited to an Apple Store Experience ). Happy that Final Cut X and CS6 Suit now Supports Retina anyway!
But, Since the retina has all these problems, I'll not be buying THIS version of the retina. I've readed every kind of rumor and even talked to some Genius in my Apple Stores, in June 2013 the New Haswell processor might come, I don't know exactly how it works but Intel says that the GPU performance might be increased by 20 - 40%. Do you think it will resolve all the problems that this rMBP has? In The apple store I've also heard that in June 2013 the Macbook Pro Line will be RETINA ONLY, and this is going to be a issue for me if the retina will still have all these little problems, because I don't want to buy a machine that makes me work bad
The Macbook Retina I'd Like to get by now is the 15" Quad 2.7Ghz 16 Ram 512 SSD = 2800 Euros
The Other Macbook is the Macbook PRO 2012, It still good looking, but placing inside it an SSD makes it so **** expensive, and apple won't put inside more than 8 GB of Ram inside of it, so, If I'd choose to buy one and buy the 16 GB of Ram from 3rd Part, and is aroudn 200 euros, Plus a 600 Euros Samsung 512 SSD since the Apple one costs 700 euro. And it doesn't come with retina display, remember, it's not needed I know and the screen is gorgeus, but I feel and fear that the Macbook Pro hardware is outdated, and might not catch the other in the next years ( I might be wrong, but I believe that Retina motherboard and Retina Chipset are more Fast/Good than the 2012 Macbook Pro, even if everything is glued in there and is not user-friendly )
If I buy the 2012 Macbook Pro By following Apple Products, I'd be spending 3000 Euros, and I found it too much since It doesn't come with retina, I might be wrong.
If I buy the 2012 Macbook Pro By placing the Ram and SSD by myself i'd be spending 2800 Euros, but 3rd part hardware is not under apple warranty.
If I buy the 2012 Macbook Pro WITHOUT SSD, but a 750 GB 7200 and by placing 8 GB Ram It's 2500 Euros.
So, here it is, I don't know what to do :\ Actually I don't like the retina and I hope that in June 2013 they'll change the Processor, Fix all the problems, and maybe add a solid Graphic Card, ( I doubt the'll change the graphic card, just the integrated intel graphic card might change, not the Nvidia for sure, because the rMBP thin )
But, If I wait June 2013 I Fear that the 2012 Macbook Pro will disappear, and if there's only a Not-So-Good Retina left, I'll really not know if to buy it or wait more monts.

Hello Andrea,
I edit video and am familiar with the MacBookPro models. Both the 15" MBP and the 15" rMBP will be fine for editing with Avid Media Composer, Adobe AE, Premiere and Photoshop. But there are some differences that may be important to you, depending on the external equipment you plan to use:
The regular MBP has the following i/o ports:
1 FW800 port
1 Thunderbolt port
2 USB3 ports
1 SDXC slot
Audio line-in port
Audio line-out/headphone port
The rBMP has the following i/o ports:
2 Thunderbolt ports (no native FW port)
2 USB3 ports
1 SDXC slot
Headphone output port (no audio-in)
HDMI output port (output, not input)
The lack of audio line-in port and native FW800 in the rMBP rule out that model as far as I am concerned.
Also, you need to be aware that you cannot upgrade the RAM memory after purchase. There are no RAM slots in the current MacBook Pro models (rMBP included), so no after-market upgrades are possible.
I would not recommend purchasing the very expensive SSD. I suggest configuring a MBP with the 750GB, 7200rpm SATA hard drive and invest the savings in external hard drives - you are going to need them for video work & backup.

Which G5 for Video Editing?

Hello, I've decided not to wait for an Intel MacPro, but would like to buy a G5 in the next 5 mos (by July) for standard-definition video editing using FCP 5 Studio. I have a few questions:
1) Currently, I have a Quicksilver G4 with dual 1 Gz, 1 Gb ram and 160 Gb ATA drive. Would FCP 5 Studio work effectively on this machine (for editing, color-correction, motion graphics, rendering to DVD etc)? If not, is it worth investing more money into this machine, or should I switch to a G5?
2) Which G5 would work effectively for my purposes? Kindly advise on clock-speed, RAM, Video card, hard disk etc. I take it I will not need RAID for SD, but only high-definition? I would need to use this machine for at least 3 years. Do you see Apple discontinuing hardware or FCP support for this platform during this time?
3) How would the 23" screen be for video-editing? Are there any rumors about a 25" screen replacing it?
4) Lastly, are there any Apple conventions in the next 6 mos (where new products could be announced), which I should wait for, before purchasing?
Thanks for your advice!
G4 Quicksilver Mac OS X (10.3.5) Dual 1 Gz, 1 Gb Ram, 2 x 80 Gb ATA

Hello, I've decided not to wait for an Intel MacPro, but would like to buy a G5 in the next 5 mos (by July) for standard-definition video editing using FCP 5 Studio. I have a few questions:
Get a Quad and get one fast, with a PPC machine you'll have lots of media copying freedom as you have control over your hardware. With the new EFI Mactels, trusted computing and HDCP coming you will not.
Actually I wouldn't waste money on a PowerMactel machine until the whole "Blueray/HD-DVD" thing gets straightened out too, that's going to have a lot of baggage associated with it. When they do at least you'll have a Quad to be able to do things you won't be allowed on the PowerMactel w/BlueRay.
Standard definition is going "bye-bye" in the US mandatory by 2009, mostly by 2007. You'll need to go HD as all the new TV sets being sold are HD/digital ready and all the content will switch as well. (HD Is really nice too, but eats hard drive space fast)
1) Currently, I have a Quicksilver G4 with dual 1 Gz, 1 Gb ram and 160 Gb ATA drive. Would FCP 5 Studio work effectively on this machine (for editing, color-correction, motion graphics, rendering to DVD etc)? If not, is it worth investing more money into this machine, or should I switch to a G5?
Yes sure, but if time = money, you'll need CPU muscle to render faster and large RAM to burn faster.
I say get a PPC Quad, a large stock drive with 16MB of cache and a Western Digital 150GB 10,000 RPM RaptorX for a boot/app and "bare bones" home drive, keeping your video on the large stock drive. Get yourself 4Gb of RAM or slightly more, install it yourself and save money by visiting Crucial.com. (no comp)
2) Which G5 would work effectively for my purposes? Kindly advise on clock-speed, RAM, Video card, hard disk etc. I take it I will not need RAID for SD, but only high-definition? I would need to use this machine for at least 3 years. Do you see Apple discontinuing hardware or FCP support for this platform during this time?
Apple will support PPC based hardware for a long time, so will a lot of third party software makers because it's the majority platform. Not much software is available for the Mactel based machines, so PPC and the Quad is the best longterm professional choice at this time. I would also not get the stock card but the next one up.
RAID you can play with later, rolling your own mini-raid set or if you have volume and require speed then a X-RAID.
3) How would the 23" screen be for video-editing? Are there any rumors about a 25" screen replacing it?
I had a 23", it's small, but it will do the job. A couple of inches increase won't make much of a difference IMO. If you got the bucks get a 30", it's awesome and better than two monitors as you don't need to turn your head back and forth. Just sit back and take it all in.
Of course for standard video your going to need a standard monitor anyway for previewing.
4) Lastly, are there any Apple conventions in the next 6 mos (where new products could be announced), which I should wait for, before purchasing?
We just had one, Macworld, where the Mactels were announced, supposely Intel will release a 64 bit dual core around September, Adobe Photoshop supposely won't be ready with a Mactel version for another 14 months it's been estimated.
Apple is working on universal versions of their apps, some are ready already.
http://appleintelfaq.com/
A site that be of interest to you is HDforIndies.com
I always advise people to clone their boot drives
http://homepage.mac.com/hogfish/Personal11.html

How can I keep the edited video which in project into Libray for re-edit ?

How can I keep the edited video which in project into Libray for re-edit later ??
As i used i movie 06 before....
after i imported the videos in to the library, then i can drag the videos to the timeline(now is project)
then edit it.
After that i can just drag all the timeline clips which is edited to the library.So I can keep it for next time if i wanna re-edit.
But Now if did all the editing at the library clips then drag to project, i can not drag the project clips back to library, so how can i keep it for my editing safty?
I do not wanna to edit again the same clips from the library!!! as i need to edit many different short clips together then export to individual videos, and i may need to re-edit.
or i can keep the edited video in project, then i can selected the clips which i willing to export, the rest video who in the project will not be export at the same video? I m wondering....
please help!!! Urgent!!

Just keep the project. Then you can just duplicate the project and make the next set of changes as needed. By duplicating the project, you are not duplicating the event, just the links to the event library.
This way you are not eating up disk space.
Does that help?

Which of these would be the best iMac for video editing?

Hello, pretty simple question, which of these 2 iMac configurations would be best suited for video editing? I want to use Final Cut Pro X and Adobe After Effects (not cutting edge effects just simple stuff).
Option 1 - 21.5 inch
3.1GHz Quad-core Intel Core i7, Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz
16GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2X8GB
1TB Fusion Drive
NVIDIA GeForce GT 750M 1GB GDDR5
Option 2 - 27 inch
3.4GHz Quad-core Intel Core i5, Turbo Boost up to 3.8GHz
8GB 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2X4GB
1TB Serial ATA Drive @ 7200 rpm
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 775M 2GB GDDR5
For some reason Apple don't offer more than 1GB of dedicated video ram in anything but the maxed out 27inch. Personally, I’m not fussed about the bigger screen and I would say that having the faster processor, double the ram and a fusion drive would be more beneficial than the extra gig in the video card but I’m not 100% sure, what do you guys think?
Thanks.

If you do a significant amount of video editing the larger display is nice but not absolutely necessary. I’d also recommend an SSD or Fusion drive rather than the stock mechanical drive which really is dog slow. If you choose an SSD 8GB will be plenty though 16GB is better if you go with the smaller model.

Which MacBook Pro w/ Retina to buy for Video Editing?

Hi, I am looking into buying a MacBook Pro for Video Editing. This is not my main machine because I already have an i7, 16GB RAM, GTX 760 2TB HDD machine at home. My home machine beasts through my daily editing but I am stumped on which MacBook is worth the money!
I am comparing the...
13" Retina with
i7
256 GB SSD
16GB RAM
Integrated Graphics
for $1849 (with EDU discount)
VS
15" Retina with
i7
512 GB SSD
16GB RAM
GT 750m with 2GB DDR5 Memory
for $2,479 (with EDU Discount)
I don't really care about the screen size, I'll be using thunderbolt storage anyways, I am mainly wondering if the GT 750m will make much of a difference in editing footage. Mainly AVCHD 1080p but also I'd like it to be able to handle 4k in small amounts. I would mainly use proxy's at that point but just in case. I also don't do a ton in After Effects, but may need to send some shots here and there of for VFX work. This is mainly for if I'm on the go and need to make an edit or I need to do photography work (Lightroom and Photoshop)
Thanks,
Cameron Gallagher

Both will work fine with 1080p AVCHD but you will notice an increase in performance simply because Premiere LOVES a good GPU and the 750M is a good one as far as laptops go. Yes, its more but if you're serious about performance go with the better GPU.
That being said...save a bit and go with this below (same as your 2nd option but cheaper):
Refurbished 15.4-inch MacBook Pro 2.5GHz Quad-core Intel i7 with Retina Display - Apple Store (U.S.)
It'll save you $400. Bam! Thank me later. Apple's refurbished program is top of the line. Comes fully warrantied and you can get apple care, etc. if you want as well. It's like buying it new. These refurbished computers are often just ones bought and then returned within a few days by customers trying things out and there's absolutely nothing wrong with them. They can basically be looked at like new.

Which do you think; Windows 7: 32-bit / 64-bit, (plus unused RAM issues) is best for video editing?

Hi there!
Just received delivery of a Lenovo G550 with the following spec:
2.2Ghz Core 2 Duo,
4GB (DDR3 - 1066Hz) RAM,
500GB HDD
NVIDIA GeForce G210M (512MB)
Windows 7
The entire purpose for buying this laptop, was for video editing and it is the best spec I could find for my needs and budget.
So what's the problem?
1) Windows 7 is installed as 32-bit, not 64 bit. Why is this? I was given no choice in this decision.
2) Only 2.96GB of that juicey RAM is being used by Windows 7. I need as much RAM as possible for video editing.
3) Lenovo sent NO install disc. - When I eventually get a virus or my HDD fails, I have NO WAY to clean install the very product I have just purchased! (A laptop with Windows 7 OS).
Considerations:
As I understand it (please comment if there are alternative views on this); The 64-bit architecture is only useful for compatible software which has been designed to run 64-bit.
The video editing software I use is "Sony Vegas Movie Studio HD 9.0"
The suggested problems with Windows 7 run as 64-bit include:
* Possible lack of driver compatibility support.
* Possibility of 32-bit programs running SLOWER in 64-bit environment, than their native 32-bit environment.
* Higher running temperatures & processor cooling issues.
* No performance gains for all other programs running as 32-bit (email, internet browser, etc).
The suggested advantages with Windows 7 run as 64-bit could be:
* Full utilisation of the 4GB RAM. (Presently limited to 2.96GB)
* Faster rendering and video editing tasks in 64-bit environment.
Questions:
4) How can I get an install disc for Windows 7? Shouldn't this come with the computer?
5) Do you think the potential hassle and architecture conflicts are worth suffering, to get the reported performance gains of 64-bit architecture and the remaining unused RAM?
Thank you for any help and advice!

contact lenovo support line for windows 7 dvds, but make sure if they send recovery dvds instead of windows 7 dvd.
most of people are having trouble with installing windows and drivers, so companies has found as this as solution to send recovery dvd -if asked- or using hidden partition to recovery system - like one key recover - instead of.
but if you ask me, they need to send dvds.
i'll contact the mods and admins about this issue, please stay connected to this post.
anyp wrote:
the member should contact lenovo, as of recently users are entitled to request media for 32 / 64 bit if they purchased one and want the other.

Which Macbook Pro for Video Editing

I'd like to buy a macbook pro for video editing on the go and with all the available features, I can't tell which is best.
I use final cut pro 7 and all footage is HD.
RAM?
7200rpm vs. 5400 ?
DUAL CORE vs. QUAD
INTEL GRAPHICS?
RETINA?
It's all very confusing, especially since I haven't looked into buying another mac since I purchased an iMac in '07 (which still rocks).

- Get either a 7200 or SSD internal drive
*You'll need an external hard drive that runs at least 7200rpm for your media (scratch disk)
- If you can affor it, go with a Quad Core
- For graphics, I believe all the new MacBook Pros come with Intel HD Graphics 4000
- As for CPU speed and RAM, they really go hand in hand with video editing.
- CPU speed doesn't help if you do not have sufficient RAM cover all of needed video/audio/effect editing and rendering processes.
- Slower CPU with more RAM means that procesess get covered by the additonal RAM, but will take longer to render and preview during editing.
*So when choosing CPU and RAM, do not sacrifice one for the other.
You can always upgrade RAM later if you can't afford it now.
- Retina? Doesn't make much of a difference for you. You're not editing 4k video so chose what you like better, or can afford.
Here a post that goes over some basics

Which of these macs would you choose for video editing?

The main difference is the MBP has an Serial ATA drive, and the Air has a Flash drive. Also the MPB has 2.9Ghz, and the Air has only 2.0Ghz. Which one would you pick for editing with Final Cut Pro X? (Also curious which one you would pick even if video editing wasn't a concern for you, thanks!)
MacBook Pro 13.3” - Dual-Core i7 2.9Ghz ($1269 refurb, or $1399 new at BestBuy)
Eligible for OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date Program
Originally released June 2012
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 1280-by-800 resolution
8GB (2 x 4GB) of 1600MHz DDR3 SDRAM
750GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm
8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW)
Intel HD Graphics 4000
Or
MacBook Air 13.3” - Dual-Core i7 2Ghz ($1449 refurb)
Eligible for OS X Mountain Lion Up-to-Date Program
Originally released June 2012
13.3-inch (diagonal) LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 1440-by-900 resolution
8GB memory
512GB flash storage
720p FaceTime HD camera
Intel HD Graphics 4000

Zenman1969 wrote:
Thanks for the answer. Didn't realize the 13" MBPs differed from the 15" MBPs. I thought the screen was the only major difference.
Apple fools a lot of people with that. The 13" is really a MacBook and not a "Pro" machine.
The best machine for video editing depends upon what your going to do, full on production or casual home stuff.
A 15" MacBook Pro and a iMac for the casual lightweight stuff and iMove can do the job.
The new MacPro coming out for the heavy duty stuff.
The industry seems to be moving away from Final Cut Pro X as it's been consumerized or something, lacking needed features and moving towards Avid on powerful Mac's or Windows 7 towers.
http://arstechnica.com/apple/2011/07/does-apple-still-care-about-creative-pros/
http://www.avid.com/US/
So perhaps a mix of Avid and Final Cut Pro X if your serious about furthering your career.

Which iMac for Video Editing?

Hi Folks,
After about 7 years with my Dell 4550 I am close to making a purchase of a new Mac and leaving the Windows world - Yeah!!! My decision is now coming down to how much I should spend on the video card. Basically it is a 300-500 premium to upgrade to the discrete video cards compared to the integrated graphics in the 2.66 model (granted you do get a ~10% faster processor at 2.93 as well).
What I am wondering is that for video editing (using iMovie) is there a significant difference in performance of the machine based on the video card? I do not play video games on the computer much as I have a Wii and XBOX already to have that area covered. Primarily I will use it for iTunes, iPhoto and HD Video (have a new baby we need to record!)
So my choices are mainly these three configurations to select from:
iMac, 24-inch, 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Part Number: Z0FP
2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
1.0TB Serial ATA Drive
NVIDIA GeForce 9400M
$1599
iMac, 24-inch, 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Part Number: Z0FQ
2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
1.0TB Serial ATA Drive
NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 256MB
$1899
iMac, 24-inch, 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Part Number: Z0FQ
2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
1.0TB Serial ATA Drive
NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 512MB
$2049
iMac, 24-inch, 2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
Part Number: Z0FQ
2.93GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4GB 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 2x2GB
1.0TB Serial ATA Drive
ATI Radeon HD 4850 512MB
$2099
Since I will not be gaming, are the more expensive video cards worth the premium in relation to video editing, iTunes and iPhoto main purposes of the computer?

I wouldn't stress it much. I recently bought a new iMac, but for years I have been editing my home movies with iMovie on my old G4 eMac. Granted these are standard def movies, not HD, but the point is, a lot of video editing doesn't require a lot of video horsepower. Most of your time will be spent scanning through thumbnails, picking parts to cut out, etc. None of it requires fantastic video displays and most of the time you are not paying attention to the quality of the playback (as long as it isn't stuttering) and are more concentrating on the content to figure out what you want to keep, trim, edit, etc. 90+% of the time you are not actually watching a lot of video simply playing.
So get what you can reasonably afford. If you can afford the best model, then go ahead and get it. But if money is a little tight and you have to make some tradeoffs, with digital video you will want to put money towards storage. Hard drive space gets used up FAST. So get the 1TB upgrade and invest some cash toward one or two large external hard drives (one dedicated just to storing your video and then the other for back ups, extra misc. storage, time machine, etc.). Fortunately external hard drives these days are about $100 give or take per Terabyte. For the drive you will want to use for your video work, I suggest spending the extra cash and getting a model with Firewire 800 connection, not just USB.
Have fun,
Patrick

Which video card for video editing?

I am about to order my first iMac. I've always had MacBook Pros and have never had to choose a video card as I always just got the one that came with the laptop. I will primarlily use the iMac for video editing using FCPX
I do not know what kind of impact the video card has on vdeo editing with FCPX.
I do not play video games and I do not create complex 3D graphics.
Will I notice any better performance if I go for the faster, more expensive video card that is offered for the iMac?

AppleBrianJones wrote:
… will I notice a difference in performance if I go for the faster, more expensive video card…?
not on edit.
on Im-/Export, a 'faster' GPU with more VRam could make a difference.
but ... 'waiting' 12 or 15minutes? ... is a 20% improvement, but less than a coffee/cigarette/hello-my-dear-texting. Plus,you can do other things meanwhile ...

Better for Video Editing? MBP 13" or 15" w/9600M GT

I am planning on purchasing a Macbook Pro for relatively extensive use of Final Cut Pro (HD video) along with possibly some light Motion work and video transcoding. In addition I will be using it for photo editing and web editing. I don't plan on using it for any high-end gaming.
I will be purchasing a $200 24" external monitor to use most of the time along with external keyboard and mouse (so MBP screen size isn't an issue), but I need the portability and don't have the funds to purchase an additional dedicated desktop yet.
I am having trouble deciding between the 13" and the 15", mainly due to conflicting opinions I've been hearing over the importance of a dedicated graphics card for video editing. Salespeople at the Apple store tell me it's important and I should get the 15". Research online yielded heated forum arguments over whether it really makes a difference or not.
The price difference is quite significant though at the configurations I picked ($765) so I am seeking advice here for whether people think the cost difference is really justified for my needs. Note that both configurations include 4GB of RAM, smallest hard drive option (i've got external drives) and AppleCare protection.
Pricing with education discount after tax:
13" 2.26GHz - $1520
15" 2.66GHz w/9600M GT 256MB - $2285
*Is there a real difference in video editing performance and if so, is it really worth an extra $765? Or is there a better option that I'm not considering?*

Thanks everyone for the feedback!
Studio X wrote:
Are you planning on making any money at this or are you only in it for fun? Have you ever edited before? Have you ever edited with FCS before? What of the 44 billion HD formats are you planning on editing? Do you have a camera? What format does it record? If it's a flash media based device, what's your back up strategy? How are you planning to externally monitor the HD material ? What are you planning to use as media drives as the system drive should not be used for media capture or playback?
Still, I guess I come down on the side of "it doesn't matter as neither one is a serious editing machine". If I was in the market for a laptop and was limited to the current apple lineup, the only machine of interest is the 17" MacBookPro. The other two MacBookPros you are considering have no expresscard slot and come only with glossy screens - both are serious deficiencies in my world.
I do plan on using this computer professionally. I am a recent college graduate but do have professional FCS editing experience under my belt. However my work was done using both school and employer resources. I do have an archive of work in Mini DV(HDV) and AVCHD formats. I don't currently own an HD camera, however will likely be purchasing one in the near future. As far as externally monitoring HD material, what else would I need other than the 24" external monitor (perfectly capable of full HD) or a separate HDTV? In addition to several older usb2 external drives for backup I do have a 1TB 7200rpm external capable of FW800 and eSATA that I would use as a media drive.
I currently have an old 17" dell notebook with a glossy screen. The screen hasn't really bothered me, but the size and weight of the notebook has. And while the 17" MBP is a little lighter and smaller than my old dell, I would still prefer a 13" or 15". But from the opinions I've been hearing I'm steering away from the 13" and fully realize the downsides to the lack of ExpressCard slot in the current 15" as well. Still wondering while Apple decided to remove it.
MartinR wrote:
If budget is a primary constraint, then consider a refurbished 15" or 17" MBP from Apple, or a used MBP from a reputable supplier.
I hadn't checked into the refurbished options, but now that I did, I found a nice 15" (late 2008 unibody) configuration that would provide a lot more value for the buck. For about $550 more than the new 13" config I would get a faster processor, 2" bigger screen, 9600M 512mb GPU, double the internal storage, removable battery as well as the ExpressCard slot (even though its not listed in specs, it's there). The only trade off I can see is battery life.
http://store.apple.com/us/product/FC026LL/A?mco=MjE0NjE5MA

Is it better to have two ati radeon HD 5770 or one ATI radeon HD 5870 for video editing?

Is it better to have two ati radeon HD 5770 or one ATI radeon HD 5870 for video editing? I'm basing this question based on the current options when configuring a Mac Pro. Currently there are three options
ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB
Two ATI Radeon HD 5770 1GB [Add $250.00]
ATI Radeon HD 5870 1GB [Add $200.00]
Between the second and third options I am wondering which will provide a better more productive experience for video editing. Such as using FCP or FCPX. I know how many monitors that are in use will affect the answer to this questions. While I'm more focused on which option will deliver a better video editing experience, lets just say for argument sakes that the Mac Pro is running a 30" cinema display and a small generic monitor. About 18". Its an older VGA monitor for web development.
I hope thats enough info to get an answer on this subject.
Thanks

Ya in my research of this question, I came across this whole issue of Mac not being able to use CrossFire. I didn't thorugly investigate what this CrossFire issue was, but if it makes more sense with the singel 5870 rather than the 2 5770 then thats helpful to know.
If the Mac can't make the most out of two 5770 because it doesn't make use of CrossFire, it seems silly that Apple even bothers to offer it as an option. Plus its cheaper with the singel 5870 versus two 5770. Unless you really needed to run several monitors.
Thanks. This satisfies a long curiousity I have had.

Which configurations are really important for video editing?

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