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Final Cut Express, Is iMac enough to run it?

seriypshick

seriypshick

macrumors member
Original poster
Apr 4, 2005
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Everywhere
I'm thinking of buying Final Cut Express. I want to be able to do like 5 video tracks, some effects(1-3 per track) and like 5 audio tracks in Soundtrack.

But before I buy, I just wanted to check if my iMac can run it OK.
Here's what I have:
iMac G5 2.0Ghz, 512 RAM, 128 VRAM.
Is this enough. Do I need to add more memory? Do I need to buy a powermac?

Thx, Serg.
 
If you could having 2gb of ram would not go a stray. The iMac has plenty of power to run even Final Cut Pro, but like people have said ram helps alot.
 
I echo the 1.5GB suggestion. I don't think you'd see that much more performance by spending the extra money for the full 2GB. But more is always better if you're not worried about the cost.

But even if you just added 512 more, your iMac will handle FCP very well.
 
since you already have a 512MB Stick you're computer will run faster if you put another 512Mb stick instead of adding a 1Gb stick, since your computer is capable of Dual Channel when they are matched pairs. My 2 cents.
 
JasonElise1983 said:
since you already have a 512MB Stick you're computer will run faster if you put another 512Mb stick instead of adding a 1Gb stick, since your computer is capable of Dual Channel when they are matched pairs. My 2 cents.
Click to expand...
I wasn't aware of the Dual-Channel capabilities. Do you have a link that talks about that? I don't see it mentioned on Apple's website. :confused:
 
JasonElise1983 said:
since you already have a 512MB Stick you're computer will run faster if you put another 512Mb stick instead of adding a 1Gb stick, since your computer is capable of Dual Channel when they are matched pairs. My 2 cents.
Click to expand...


It doesn't work that way AFAIK. I think you pretty much have to buy the RAM at the same time to take advantage of this. I'm a bit out of my depth, but I remember reading somewhere that RAM manufacturing varies a lot and the chances of getting two sticks exactly the same is infinitesimally small. They must be exactly the same to get the 128 bit advantage.

Getting an extra 1GB will be faster than only getting an extra 512MB, even if the two 512MB sticks are doing the whole 128 bit thing. Irrespective of the small increase in speed of having perfectly matched pairs, 1.5GB of RAM will mean less overall accessing of the hard drive (the thing that really slows down computer usage) compared to only 1GB total.

I think 1.5GB is the best compromise between cost and performance since you get to keep the 512MB stick. :)



Oh, and I'm more than happy to be proved wrong, as always. :)
 
it will run pretty decent at 1 gig. if you need it to run better or what not then hell just up it to 2 gigs and add some BLING factor :p
 
mad jew said:
It doesn't work that way AFAIK. I think you pretty much have to buy the RAM at the same time to take advantage of this. I'm a bit out of my depth, but I remember reading somewhere that RAM manufacturing varies a lot and the chances of getting two sticks exactly the same is infinitesimally small. They must be exactly the same to get the 128 bit advantage.

Getting an extra 1GB will be faster than only getting an extra 512MB, even if the two 512MB sticks are doing the whole 128 bit thing. Irrespective of the small increase in speed of having perfectly matched pairs, 1.5GB of RAM will mean less overall accessing of the hard drive (the thing that really slows down computer usage) compared to only 1GB total.

I think 1.5GB is the best compromise between cost and performance since you get to keep the 512MB stick. :)



Oh, and I'm more than happy to be proved wrong, as always. :)
Click to expand...

Get 2x1GB sticks. 2GB of RAM, dual-channel capabilities, etc. :D
 
seriypshick said:
I'm thinking of buying Final Cut Express. I want to be able to do like 5 video tracks, some effects(1-3 per track) and like 5 audio tracks in Soundtrack.

But before I buy, I just wanted to check if my iMac can run it OK.
Here's what I have:
iMac G5 2.0Ghz, 512 RAM, 128 VRAM.
Is this enough. Do I need to add more memory? Do I need to buy a powermac?

Thx, Serg.
Click to expand...

If you plan to do all this in real-time (no rendering) I suggest getting a dual proc. PowerMac (dual 1.8 or dual 2 ghz)

EDIT: did you mean HD-video? If yes, then the only solution for you is a Power Mac (maybe even 2.3ghz)
 
eXan said:
If you plan to do all this in real-time (no rendering) I suggest getting a dual proc. PowerMac (dual 1.8 or dual 2 ghz)

EDIT: did you mean HD-video? If yes, then the only solution for you is a Power Mac (maybe even 2.3ghz)
Click to expand...

The kind of editing he's talking about isn't going to be all real time even with a dual proc G5, at least not with a 1.8 or 2.0 GHz machine. I use the dual 1.8 in my sig for video editing (FCP, LiveType, Motion, DVD SP) every day, and as soon as you get beyond about 3 tracks or 2 effects on a track, you have to render.
 
eXan said:
If you plan to do all this in real-time (no rendering) I suggest getting a dual proc. PowerMac (dual 1.8 or dual 2 ghz)

EDIT: did you mean HD-video? If yes, then the only solution for you is a Power Mac (maybe even 2.3ghz)
Click to expand...

The RT stuff only goes so far... with 5 video tracks with 1 effect each, RT is out the window. And it looks better after a render anyway.
 
sorry i've been away from this, but the manufacturer does not have to be the same to run Dual Channel. All you have to have is to mermory sticks IDENTICAL IN SIZE (512MB) and MEMORY BUS (400MHZ/PC3200) all the other stuff generally works it's self out. And i promise you you computer will run faster with two 512Mb sticks than it would with a 1Gb stick and a 512Mb stick. you want proof?


http://www.barefeats.com/imacg5d.html

There's your prroof. Yes 2-1GB sticks would be the best, but wth what you have, go with 2-512MB sticks. IT's worth it. If you want a good brand, buy Crucial or Samsung. Apple uses Samsung so if that makes you feel better than go for it.
 
Yes, the 2Ghz iMac G5 should perform quite well with FCE. Heck, I even use Final Cut Pro, the heavy-duty version of Final Cut on my 2Ghz iMac G5 a lot and it performs great :) Of course I also have 2GB of memory which makes a big difference, but still...
 
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