FCP & Avid editing on macbook pro?

[Definitely mayb]

Hi,

I considering getting a mac for video/filmediting that has to meet the following criterias:

1. Has to be able to run both FCP and AVID MC
2. Can't cost more than 2,100 USD
3. Has to be portable - so I can take it around (going on flights) and connect it to an ext. monitor wherever I am. (I'd of course have an external hard drive too)

I've come to the conclusion that:

Mac Book Pro 15''
2.4-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
4 Gb Memory
NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT with 256 MB

is the best solution for meeting those demands. But I've read - on a couple of mac forums, that it might be to slow a system for video/film editing?

I do medium length and long length projects (25 min.-1.30 min.), but my editing style is pretty oldschool - meaning not using many fancy FXs etc.. Mostly just using fades and maybe a little 2-D animation of text once in a while. And I don't have a problem with not editing in the highest res.
I just want to be able to colorgrade in Color at the end of the editing process (on-line it high res before of course), which I don't necessarily need to be able to play in realtime for. I just need to be able to see a representative frame, and maybe render a sequence, if I want to see the final result.

So... is the Macbook pro that I've targeted going to be slooooow, for the purposes? Or will I be just fine?

Thanks for any answer-

 

[LethalWolfe]

I'm assuming you are buying a refurb 'cause a new MBP+tax won't fit in your budget (never mind the extra RAM). Do you already have external HDDs to store your media on? If not, better add in the cost of those as well. Speed is relative. If you are used to working on an 8-core Mac Pro w/16gigs of RAM then, yes, the MBP will be slow. If you are using to working on an iMac, old G5 tower, or G4 Powerbook then the MBP will not feel slow. Ergonomics is going to be a big hurdle, IMO, though. Cutting for long periods of time on a small laptop keyboard and scrolling thru bins of material on a small laptop screen isn't going to be fun and will slow you down. Also, if you do color correction from the laptop as well you'll need to hook it up to an accurate external monitor. The cheapest solution, that's good, is to buy a Matrox MXO (this acts as the bridge between your laptop and your external monitor) and a 23" Apple Cinema Display. After tax that'll run you about $2k USD.


Lethal