Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.

Whats the best Final Cut Pro system for under $1200?

C

codycartoon

macrumors regular
Original poster
I have about $1200 i am willing to spend on a apple to use for video editing my iBook just doesnt cut it performance wise for video editing(600mgz). I was thinking the iMac would be nice(700mgz). Im sure FCP would run fine on a iMac plus i really like the screen. What do you think would be a good setup for FCP thats under $1200?
thanks a lot
-cody😀
 
I'm assuming you already have a copy of FCP? If not yer budget just went down to $200 for a computer. 😉

Not to sound like an @ss but just go to the apple store on line and see what you can get for $1200.



Lethal
 
Originally posted by LethalWolfe
I'm assuming you already have a copy of FCP? If not yer budget just went down to $200 for a computer. 😉

Not to sound like an @ss but just go to the apple store on line and see what you can get for $1200.



Lethal
Click to expand...

Go to the Apple store for Education online and you would see that his budget would still be $900 after buying FCP. Not to sound like an ass.
 
Originally posted by MacBandit


Go to the Apple store for Education online and you would see that his budget would still be $900 after buying FCP. Not to sound like an ass.
Click to expand...

Gee, I'm sorry, guess I musta missed where he said he was a student...🙄

BTW, if you can I'd save up a bit more $$$ and get the iMac w/the SuperDrive so you can burn DVDs if you want. iDVD only burns to internal drives so, for example, getting a Firewire burner at a later date wouldn't be an option (unless they upgrade iDVD to burn over firewire).

Lethal
 
Assumming that you already have FCP(You eluded to that when you said your iBook was too slow when running it) .....

An eMac with Combo Drive (Retail: $1100) + a 512 meg Memory chip($80 or less) gives you a good low-middle level FCP machine.

If you can get an education discount, the Education-only PM G4 867 Tower ($1250) would be a good option as long as you could scrounge a display for it(decent 17"-19" CRT displays run under $150)

My recommedation would be to spring for a $1299 OBR eMac 800 with SuperDrive(DVD-R) MacConnection has had them in stock recently. Just go to their site and type in Recon & search. They typically post them in the mornings and are often gone by the afternoon. This is a pretty impressive machine for the $$$$ even when compared to a PC with the same capabilites; Decent RAM, Lotsa HD Space, Bright, Clear Display, G4/800 and the ability to Read/Play CD's & DVD's as well as make and DVD's.

Good Luck!

gozman

PS: Ask for a 512 meg Ram Chip for the Holidays. You have been good, haven't you?
 
maybe you can get a good deal on an older dual? you would need something better than any xMac except the newer top of the line ones
 
Thanks for the Replies

It seems that the emac is a great buy. But is the screen nice? And it would be hard to upgrade later....i am kind of leaning towards a powermac. But how fast? i Could get an old G4(450-550) for like $600-$700 then could get a nice display ,videocard,and hard drive. But i do like eMac and iMac just worried about expandability. Does anyone have any of those systems and FCP? And yes i do have FCP 3 and i am a student.
thanks a ton guys
-cody😀
 
Re: Thanks for the Replies

Originally posted by codycartoon
It seems that the emac is a great buy. But is the screen nice? And it would be hard to upgrade later....i am kind of leaning towards a powermac. But how fast? i Could get an old G4(450-550) for like $600-$700 then could get a nice display ,videocard,and hard drive. But i do like eMac and iMac just worried about expandability. Does anyone have any of those systems and FCP? And yes i do have FCP 3 and i am a student.
thanks a ton guys
-cody😀
Click to expand...

The eMac is a 700-800MHz G4., so will be faster than the 450-500mhz G4 you are talking about. A 450Mhz G4 is probably going to be slower than your iBook.

Go for the fastest system you can afford. While expandability is nice... a 17" monitor is pretty reasonable, especially on a limited budget.

The eMac is a pretty good deal. In a few years, you'll probably want to upgrade anyway.

arn
 
Originally posted by codycartoon
It seems that the emac is a great buy. But is the screen nice?
-cody😀
Click to expand...

I've seen it in person a few times and I was never impressed with the quality of it
My 15" HMD-A100 Sony looked better and my new Viewsonic definately looks sharper.
 
iMac vrs eMac

i am leaning more towards the iMac 15 inch LCD. For 1,100 i can get an iMac 700mhz cd-rw with 512mg (http://www.macmall.com/macmall/promotions/custom.asp?p=imac_cdrw_promotion). I can get a lacie 120 gig HD for christmas so i can have a whopping 160 gigabyes of space. Not to mention i could burn Cds and have plenty of ram(628mg). The emac is 100 less(http://www.macmall.com/macmall/shop/detail.asp?dpno=590858) but does not come with an LCD screen or with the extra ram. Will that be a good set-up for Final Cut Pro 3.
thanks
-cody
 
Re: iMac vrs eMac

Originally posted by codycartoon
(628mg)
Click to expand...
Really? How's that? 128 + 512 = 640 😉
Sorry, I know it's probably just a typo, but I couldn't resist 😛
Anyway, back to the topic....that'd be a pretty sweet setup you'd have there; 700Mhz G4, 640Mb, 15" LCD, and all for $1,100 - that's brilliant!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Register on MacRumors! This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.
Top Bottom
Back