13inch rMBP for FCX

[slowloris615]

So I edit professionally, but almost always on site with other people's equipment as my primary profession. I've had macs in the past, but I do pc gaming and edit my own works at home a lot on avid so I've been using a pc desktop as my main computer and my ipad as my portable device to tool around on and such.

Other paid skills include UI design and Hobbies include coding.

Im versed in every edit system but FC10 and the writing is on the wall due to a few missed financial opportunities that I learn it to add another asset to my resume, and also take a few small jobs on it. Despite what people in my field say, I feel the new pros are a trojan horse to get FCX into the Pro World more than it is now.

I was thinking of going with the retina 13 inch macbook pro, the 2nd tier default setup with 256 and 8gbs ram. I have family at apple so I can apply an employee discount. I didn't want to break the bank, but getting the 4b version with less memory seems dumb right? Even for light editing thats taxing to install so much software I may want to use.

Does anyone have experience using FCPX on this unit?

Also I've debated the idea of just getting a 13 inch air with 8gigs of ram and rolling with that since that lets me edit at least, and giving me a better form factor.

Im also excited to finally have a laptop to use again on the go, since I use my ipad so much and lets be honest its just not the same. Thats where the air potentially seems better, but the better screen and low weight of the 13 are starting to make it seem like the perfect Macbook MID.

Another note is I'd be hooking this up to a monitor to do any serious editing, however I do have concerns with going to dual link dvi, since I've read about a lot of issues with that coming from the tbolt of mini display port. Oh well.

Anyway thats it, and any input is appreciated. I frequent these boards to read people's thoughts and feelings on products and know you are top rate.

 

[GSPice]

Define "Serious editing."

There's a bunch of threads about running FCP X on different macbooks - here's one of them - I'd just consider that a maxed out 13" is still at best a dual core machine with no dGPU - not even Iris Pro (which isn't always a complete replacement for a dGPU, but has considerable OpenCL capability for FCP X).

If you think you need quad core, 16GB ram, and/or Iris Pro or a dGPU for your work (and you should know this, given what you've described), you should probably get a 15" notebook, even if it's a 2012.

Otherwise the 13" is quite capable.

 

[slowloris615]

Serious to me would be future formats like 4K, and some massive long form stuff with huge timelines. As of now I think it would be 1080 formats with basic effects and color correction that go past the :30 or 2:00 mark if I was to do much for business on it. All joking aside it may end up being my Photoshop machine on site since sometimes places don't always have it installed.

Sorry for not being more clear. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[commac]

I went through this. Got the 13" cuz I thought it made sense since I have a desktop for the heavy lifting. Like you, I wanted something to bring onsite and work with. The 13" was great to hold but I found it small to work with and I have my doubts about it being able to keep up with "serious work".

I since returned it and got the 15" with dgpu. Felt really guilty about spending the cash since I have a capable machine but everything else felt like a compromise. What made me decide to keep it was AnandTech's review of the MacPro which shows the 2013 15" with dgpu outperforming it and destroying the 15" without gpu and the 13"ers in FCPX.

Like you I would like to one day get into the Pro 4K arena and it sounds like the 15" with dgpu is a good buy for that.

 

[slowloris615]

I wish apple would have included a discreet gpu option that didn't make you spend 2500$. The whole thing throws a giant wrench in my plans

 

[slowloris615]

Define "Serious editing."

...
If you think you need quad core, 16GB ram, and/or Iris Pro or a dGPU for your work (and you should know this, given what you've described), you should probably get a 15" notebook, even if it's a 2012.

Otherwise the 13" is quite capable.

Now on the refurb store you can get this

Originally released June 2012
2.3GHz Quad-core Intel i7
15.4-inch (diagonal) Retina display; 2880-by-1800 resolution at 220 pixels per inch
8GB of 1600MHz DDR3L SDRAM
256GB Flash Storage
720p FaceTime HD Camera
NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 memory

Maybe for almost the same price this is a smarter bet

However less portability obv

 

[commac]

I wish apple would have included a discreet gpu option that didn't make you spend 2500$. The whole thing throws a giant wrench in my plans

Know exactly what you mean but it sounds like you don't need a power house laptop if you have a nice desktop. If I had to do it again and didn't need a retina screen for work I would have saved a lotta dinero and gotten a mid Air. Would probably do everything you need on a small scale and you will feel less guilty about the money spent. On the flip side, if you have an apple contact you could probably get a big discount on the 15" dgpu equaling more savings than if you got the Air.

In the end, the best advice I got was go buy one and see how it feels. If you're not happy return it and try the other.

 

[slowloris615]

Know exactly what you mean but it sounds like you don't need a power house laptop if you have a nice desktop. If I had to do it again and didn't need a retina screen for work I would have saved a lotta dinero and gotten a mid Air. Would probably do everything you need on a small scale and you will feel less guilty about the money spent. On the flip side, if you have an apple contact you could probably get a big discount on the 15" dgpu equaling more savings than if you got the Air.

In the end, the best advice I got was go buy one and see how it feels. If you're not happy return it and try the other.

You kind of read my mind, I may start at the bottom of the rung to be honest, try it out, and if I dislike it, no biggie. I can just return and try a better one.