2016 MBP 15" HD Question

[gui0312]

Hi, would the base 15" MBP 2016 with the 256GB SSD be good enough for some light video editing with FCPX? Mostly family, short films (hobby related), vacations etc.? I guess I can use external drives if necessary.

 

[Timmy D]

that'll be fine. you can pick up all sorts of external hard drives. I am using the G-Technology Slim SSD drive with 500GB. Apple has them at a mark downed price at the moment. I think it was $172

 

[gui0312]

Thanks for the reply! Yeah I figured I should be fine since I had a 512GB and had used maybe 55GB before, then again I wasn't using FCPX or 4K video but then again I can always get a drive if it becomes a problem.

 

[arggg14]

I find 256 GB is just enough to keep the files I use every day and I use externals and long term storage for everything archived. ymmv.

 

[eulslix]

It's basically overkill to be honest. My 2013 13" MBP is powerful enough for HD footage in FCPX. As long as you don't get into heavy effects stuff or Resolve for grading I wouldn't put that much money into such a machine, it's a waste tbh. If you need the newest model, go for the 13" model, it's lighter.

 

[tbobmccoy]

It's basically overkill to be honest. My 2013 13" MBP is powerful enough for HD footage in FCPX. As long as you don't get into heavy effects stuff or Resolve for grading I wouldn't put that much money into such a machine, it's a waste tbh. If you need the newest model, go for the 13" model, it's lighter.

Disagree on overkill- get what you can today so you won't have to spend money on upgrading anytime soon. Additionally, the 15" vs 13" difference is huge. I've used both, and the 15" is just a much better working experience with the screen space. Go for it 100% over the 13".

 

[gui0312]

It's basically overkill to be honest. My 2013 13" MBP is powerful enough for HD footage in FCPX. As long as you don't get into heavy effects stuff or Resolve for grading I wouldn't put that much money into such a machine, it's a waste tbh. If you need the newest model, go for the 13" model, it's lighter.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I'm not really getting the 15" for the raw power so much, it's more about the screen real-estate. I have had a 12" MacBook and the smaller screen is sometimes annoying, at least for me. I also like the dedicated graphics card for games occasionally. Hence why I don't want to spend anymore on the 15" upgrades (e.g. SSD) than necessary.

 

[tbobmccoy]

Thanks for the reply. Yeah I'm not really getting the 15" for the raw power so much, it's more about the screen real-estate. I have had a 12" MacBook and the smaller screen is sometimes annoying, at least for me. I also like the dedicated graphics card for games occasionally. Hence why I don't want to spend anymore on the 15" upgrades (e.g. SSD) than necessary.

You -will- miss the screen real estate if you like it now. Back in 2011, I thought I'd upgrade to a MacBook Air from the Pro and the screen was the only thing I missed. Glad I didn't sell off my MBP...

 

[eulslix]

Disagree on overkill- get what you can today so you won't have to spend money on upgrading anytime soon. Additionally, the 15" vs 13" difference is huge. I've used both, and the 15" is just a much better working experience with the screen space. Go for it 100% over the 13".

With Macs, that's not an argument. When I need to upgrade, I simply sell my old model. Done. And the 15" is total overkill for private HD videos. Yes, it's a huge difference, a difference you're going to notice when you're doing some heavy lifting. Other than that, you won't even need proxies with a 13" model when working in a lightweight HD workflow. Hell, I do my grading with rather complex node graphs on my old 13" MBP in Resolve. It's not the best experience, but it works. FCPX works like a charm however.

@OP: Seriously consider whether you won't need that money elsewhere. When you're looking for a costly new toy, go for it. But other than that, there won't be anything changing in the future HD workflow, that you're going to miss out on. Industry is moving on to 4K, that's one thing where you'd need that extra performance. If you're planing on doing some more professional stuff like grading and 3d effects, that's another story.

 

[tbobmccoy]

With Macs, that's not an argument. When I need to upgrade, I simply sell my old model. Done. And the 15" is total overkill for private HD videos. Yes, it's a huge difference, a difference you're going to notice when you're doing some heavy lifting. Other than that, you won't even need proxies with a 13" model when working in a lightweight HD workflow.

@OP: Seriously consider whether you won't need that money elsewhere. When you're looking for a costly new toy, go for it. But other than that, there won't be anything changing in the future HD workflow, that you're going to miss out on. Industry is moving on to 4K, that's one thing where you'd need that extra performance. If you're planing on doing some more professional stuff like grading and 3d effects, that's another story.

The power of the Mac is overkill, but the screen is where it makes a difference. That was my main point. Of course, if you're docking your Mac with an external monitor, then it matters less. I really would like Apple to make cheaper 15" screens for people who enjoy them.

 

[eulslix]

The power of the Mac is overkill, but the screen is where it makes a difference. That was my main point. Of course, if you're docking your Mac with an external monitor, then it matters less. I really would like Apple to make cheaper 15" screens for people who enjoy them.

Yeah, I do agree with you on that one. It's also one of the more important reasons why I'm planing to move to a 15", dGPU aside. Also, the higher resolution scaling might be of interest as well, as it further boosts your screen estate. That's definitely a thing that goes for the 15", if you don't plan on buying an external monitor.