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Best New iMac Specs for Video Editing

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filmboy

macrumors member
Original poster
Dec 1, 2013
45
11
I'd like to purchase a new 27" iMac for editing video in FCP 7. My prior computer was a 2005 Mac Pro, so this will be a significant upgrade, and I'd appreciate the best configuration recommendations for editing video. My understanding is that the new iMac ships with Mountain Lion, which will handle FCP 7 smoothly, unlike Mavericks. So I'd like to purchase soon before the latter comes pre-installed.

In addition, it's likely that I'll switch over to Premiere some day with a slim to none chance that I'll learn FCP X (if at all for the purposes of teaching). So basically I'm looking for configurations that will cover all my bases. But again, it's unlikely that FCP X will be a part of the mix.

Two particular questions:

1) I always keep all my media on dedicated hard drives. So do I go with a 1 TB fusion drive or the faster (but smaller) 256GB all Flash drive?

2) Do I upgrade with expensive Apple Ram, or purchase cheaper Crucial ram and install it myself? Whenever I've brought prior Apple computers in for repair, they always suggest (without fail) that one of the reasons is that I've mixed their ram with 3rd party ram). Should I just suck it up and purchase theirs upfront?

I look forward to everyone's suggestions for the best top to bottom configurations for a new 27" iMac for video editing in FCP 7 and Premiere (and maybe FCP X).

Many thanks!

PS: How do folks feel about the current state of the screens reflectivity. Despite the claims of 75% non-glare, it's still unnecessarily shiny compared to my 2005-era Cinema Display. Although I'd love to hold off until 2014 when the screens might be even less reflective, not to mention the Boswell chips, I need to get a new iMac now while Mountain Lion is still installed.
 
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Ak907Freerider

macrumors 6502
Apr 19, 2012
281
0
Well i7 for sure for smoother faster hd editing. Ram go small upgrade on your own. Would go 4gb video card for future proofing over kill but good upgrade. As for hdd go with a fusion for sure well worth the $$. If you can afford it go full ssd.

I'm running a 2011 27-inch with the i7 3.4. 20gb ram and the 1gb video card. I regretted not going ssd so just bought 240gb lacie little big disk refurbished for $229. That way I can easily swap the ssd as prices drop and use thunderbolt so just as fast as internal. Yet don't have to void warrenty on iMac and deal with taking apart which can lead to huge problems. I run final cut 7 and x with no problems and is very smooth fast and stable.
 
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rei101

macrumors 6502a
Dec 24, 2011
976
1
Buy ram from Crusial, you can get 32GB if you want but 12GB would do.

Get the internal SSD drive, it will speed up a lot of things. I just installed a SDD drive to a 2007 17" Mac Book Pro and 6GB of ram and runs like new.

Your iMac has thunderbolt so you may get an external drive. It has USB 3 as well which are 3 times as fast as Firewire 800.

Anyway, you are getting a very good machine that will last you for at least 5 years easy. Just add the ram.
 
D

deconstruct60

macrumors G5
Mar 10, 2009
12,264
3,861
filmboy said:
My understanding is that the new iMac ships with Mountain Lion, ... So I'd like to purchase soon before the latter comes pre-installed.
Click to expand...

From a 3rd retailer perhaps. Maybe some Apple store with a particularly slow moving inventory. However, Apple keeps very industry low levels of inventory. "Fresh from the factory" likely will have Mavericks at this point.

If going to go far upper level BTO GPUs then more than likely this will be a "fresh from the factory" iMac. ( if trying to max the GPGPU performance then would go upper level BTO GPU ).


Two particular questions:

1) I always keep all my media on dedicated hard drives. So do I go with a 1 TB fusion drive
Click to expand...

You probably will want some external set of media only drives.

Fusion is useful if have bulky, not often used application libraries.


Whenever I've brought prior Apple computers in for repair, they always suggest (without fail) that one of the reasons is that I've mixed their ram with 3rd party ram). Should I just suck it up and purchase theirs upfront?
Click to expand...

If is the "mixing" that is the problem. Then don't mix. More like suck it up and replace all of the Apple RAM. If keep it as a backup you can replace back in before ship it off to extended stay at Apple repair depot.

There are certain changes in RAM densities and DIMM configurations that just don't mix. Isn't really an Apple thing.


Although I'd love to hold off until 2014 when the screens might be even less reflective, not to mention the Boswell chips, I need to get a new iMac now while Mountain Lion is still installed.
Click to expand...

Doubtful the screens are going to change all that much in reflectivity. DPI at some point substantially higher? yes. But combinations of just not shining lights on it and the new fused panel/glass cuts down on much of the problem with lathering the screen/glass with a layer of stuff on top. That just diffuses from both side of the glass.


There is no Boswell chip. Seemed to have tried to merge Haswell and Broadwell.
 
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