An Animators setup...

[fluidedge]

[First Post!!]

Hi,

I've just been accepted onto a grad Computer Animation course and think its about time i update my 12" 1.2Ghz 30GB iBook G4 (2004!!). I use several high end packages:

Autodesk Maya 2008
Cinema 4D
Final Cut Express (with a view to moving up to FCP)
and some other Rendering/Video Compression packages and stuff like that

what sort of setup do you suggest?

I was thinking macbook pro with an external monitor (ACD if my £££ will stretch! - or what else? Dell??), ext. keyboard and tablet/mouse

I think i'd like the option to be mobile - campus library, round the house etc though i'm going to need power to run and render sequences. Does the MBP have enough beans to drive the software i need comfortably.

Or..

would an iMac be better? (i don't think i can quite stretch to a Mac Pro - isn't dual/quad core overkill for my needs?)

a top(ish) end iMac looks like it would have the spec but not the mobility (i think i've just talked myself out of it lol!!)

Any other animators/users of Maya care to share their thoughts and current (mobile) setup?

cheers

 

[tersono]

In terms of sheer performance, there's nothing much to choose between iMac and MacBook Pro. Given that you're running Maya, I'd recommend a Mac Pro if you can afford it, otherwise just go for the best iMac or MBP you can afford, with maximum RAM. Your choice between laptop or desktop should really just be down to which form factor you prefer - whilst a 2.8Ghz iMac is in theory faster than a 2.4 Ghz 17" MBP, you'll be hard pressed to actually notice the difference.

 

[xUKHCx]

whilst a 2.8Ghz iMac is in theory faster than a 2.4 Ghz 17" MBP, you'll be hard pressed to actually notice the difference.

especially because as of today you can now get the MBP at 2.6GHz.

 

[fluidedge]

ok cheers guys

i think i'm going to go for a MBP and about a 22" display

anyone know of a good cheap brand/model for a widescreen 22-24"?

in the UK we have eBuyer which i tend to buy stuff like this off any good choices there (~£150-200 or less)