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HELP!! - How do you build a SUPER MBP???

M

MojoRed

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jan 24, 2012
4
0
Hi,

Firstly, Apologies for the several questions in one thread but they kind of all go together. Also first time ever posting on a forum so don't yet know what the posting 'etiquette' is...

I've just bought a 13" MBP Spec:

2.8GHz dual-core
Intel Core i7
4GB 1333MHz
750GB 5400-rpm1
Intel HD Graphics 3000

Needed to buy the smallest one for space reasons but want to get it as 'beefed' up as possible to use for HD video editing. I know I'm limited but was hoping with the right advice I could make it half decent.

So... What would you do?

I was thinking an SSD to replace SuperDrive and a larger and faster drive to replace the current HD. Also to upgrade the RAM to 16GB. Anything else ?

Any advise and recommendations on hardware or other tips would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in Advance,

M
 
16 gb of ram would be good.
Read up on Opti Bay is, you seem to know what they are.
SSD for apps/boot drive

The only limiting factor IMO is the Intel HD 3000, which would get better performance with more ram.
 
miles01110 said:
An SSD might help the boot times, but for HD video editing the non-upgradeable processor will be the bottleneck. I don't see any of those proposed upgrades helping much.
Click to expand...

Deep down I know you're right, so after doing nothing but thinking about it, I'm going to exchange and upgrade it to a 15" 2.5 Quad Core i7.

How can i get the most out of this if budget wasn't an problem?

J
 
16gb of RAM (Mine just got here today, going to play around with it tomorrow :D)

SSD (I put mine in before I even booted up for the first time, huge difference in load times).


That's about all you can really do unfortunately...
 
MojoRed said:
Hi,

Firstly, Apologies for the several questions in one thread but they kind of all go together. Also first time ever posting on a forum so don't yet know what the posting 'etiquette' is...

I've just bought a 13" MBP Spec:

2.8GHz dual-core
Intel Core i7
4GB 1333MHz
750GB 5400-rpm1
Intel HD Graphics 3000

Needed to buy the smallest one for space reasons but want to get it as 'beefed' up as possible to use for HD video editing. I know I'm limited but was hoping with the right advice I could make it half decent.

So... What would you do?

I was thinking an SSD to replace SuperDrive and a larger and faster drive to replace the current HD. Also to upgrade the RAM to 16GB. Anything else ?

Any advise and recommendations on hardware or other tips would be very much appreciated.

Thanks in Advance,

M
Click to expand...

The two factors does not get along well with HD video editing. I mean it does its job, quite acceptable or good actually, but for HD video editing, a 15" would be better
 
clearly you must tape a superman cape to your mbp to turn it into a "SUPER MBP"

and

16 gb of ram
SSD
 
Last edited:
Do this

MBP 15" base with high res antiglare - $1949

http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MD318LL/A?select=select&product=MD318LL/A

Samsung 830 128GB - $199

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147137

Corsair 16GB - $159

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233217&Tpk=corsair 16gb

Samsung M8 1TB - $114.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152291&Tpk=samsung m8 1tb

OWC Data Doubler - $67.99

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DDAMBS0GB/

That set up would be phenomenal for HD. Fast encodes with the i7 (the extra for the 2.4 or 2.5 is a complete waste), large 1TB storage for your media and projects, plenty of RAM so you wont slow your system down, and the SSD will speed up your load times and system response. The high res would be better for video editing since there is lots of information that needs to be crammed in on the screen and this will give you more real estate
 
from my personal experience, hd video (even 1gb/minute prores files from broadcasters) play back and scrub just fine off a 7200rpm external connected through firewire 800. as an ssd owner myself, i honestly feel like the people gushing over performance boosts must spend their day rebooting over and over and running benchmark tests. i like it because its quiet and the lack of moving parts may well have saved me the occasion that my computer took a nose dive out of my bag... *embarrassed* but realistically, once you're into a program, i don't think an ssd is going to make a lot of difference in something like video editing.

also with regards to ram, since prices are always coming down, i say the best policy is to wait until you know you need it. and believe me you will know! if you're mainly in final cut pro 7, 8gb feels like plenty. although if you need to fire up after effects for anything substantial, you'll easily be wishing for 16 (although the cynic in me believes adobe apps chew up an infinite abount of ram given the chance). so it all depends on what you want to do.

i've never owned a 13" so i can't really comment on it, but i've had 2 revisions of the 15" mbp, and i've never found myself wishing for anything else. :)
 
ThemacNub said:
Do this

MBP 15" base with high res antiglare - $1949

http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MD318LL/A?select=select&product=MD318LL/A

Samsung 830 128GB - $199

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820147137

Corsair 16GB - $159

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233217&Tpk=corsair 16gb

Samsung M8 1TB - $114.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152291&Tpk=samsung m8 1tb

OWC Data Doubler - $67.99

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/DDAMBS0GB/

That set up would be phenomenal for HD. Fast encodes with the i7 (the extra for the 2.4 or 2.5 is a complete waste), large 1TB storage for your media and projects, plenty of RAM so you wont slow your system down, and the SSD will speed up your load times and system response. The high res would be better for video editing since there is lots of information that needs to be crammed in on the screen and this will give you more real estate
Click to expand...
Budget isn't a concern? This would raise the MBP to Mac Pro pricepoint but if the OP has cash to burn I'd say dual 512gb SSD, one in opti-bay. ;)
 
ThemacNub said:
He was also intending on buying more ram which raises the price....
And he said no budget so why are you riding me?
Click to expand...

Where'd you get the impression I was?:rolleyes:

Perhaps you misunderstood my first reply. When I said "This would raise the MBP to Mac Pro pricepoint", it was pertaining to the dual SSD I suggested.
 
Since budget isn't a problem…

15" with the 2.5GHz processor, 16GB RAM, 2x 480GB SSDs in RAID 0…

Should be pretty fast.
 
MojoRed said:
Deep down I know you're right, so after doing nothing but thinking about it, I'm going to exchange and upgrade it to a 15" 2.5 Quad Core i7.

How can i get the most out of this if budget wasn't an problem?

J
Click to expand...

By far the better solution, you still have the options of memory & SSD in a far faster package with a much more usable resolution, the new quad core MBP`s absolutely fly...
 
MojoRed said:
Deep down I know you're right, so after doing nothing but thinking about it, I'm going to exchange and upgrade it to a 15" 2.5 Quad Core i7.

How can i get the most out of this if budget wasn't an problem?

J
Click to expand...

For video editing, get the 17" MBP (can fit full 1080p resolution) as it's only about 1" wider than the 15".

Then slap dual 480GB SSD with Sandforce controller in there... and finally up the RAM to 16GB.

After that, the rest of what you want is probably mentioned in this video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKx-cr4bi74

And you should be good up to editing 4K videos in real time.

In fact, I'd suggest that very same setup...
 
Mechainical said:
Excellent! Now only if it was not so damned expensive!:mad:
Click to expand...

The computer or the RAM? 16GB RAM pairs runs roughly $100 to $200 now. In my opinions, at <$10/GB, it's a no-brainer purchase, especially for those who use their MBP's as their main money-making workhorse.
 
bill-p said:
The computer or the RAM? 16GB RAM pairs runs roughly $100 to $200 now. In my opinions, at <$10/GB, it's a no-brainer purchase, especially for those who use their MBP's as their main money-making workhorse.
Click to expand...

Well the computer is expensive, but well worth it! I'm in Ireland, and the RAM is €407 for 2x4gb! To me, that is very expensive. Thats from the Apple shop, so I would say it could be got cheaper elsewhere!
 
Mechainical said:
Well the computer is expensive, but well worth it! I'm in Ireland, and the RAM is €407 for 2x4gb! To me, that is very expensive. Thats from the Apple shop, so I would say it could be got cheaper elsewhere!
Click to expand...

Yeah, I sometimes forget that users outside of the States get screwed more often by manufacturers. But I know how it feels like.

Back in my home country, the computer I'm holding right now was a luxury, and some people could work 10 years, without eating or shopping or doing much of the daily necessities, and still wouldn't have enough money to afford it. That's crazy.

But as for RAM prices, I think it'd be cheaper for you to import the RAM from the US if that was the case.
 
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