iMovie Performance Concern

[nyycavo24]

Hey all,

I recently bought my brand new MPB and things are going great, but within the last week I have started to do a lot more video editing and things are starting to get a bit choppy (AND HOT!).

I make a habit of running iMovie with nothing else running. Its not intolerable by any stretch, but I am always looking to streamline things so my question is, If I upgrade to 4 gigs of RAM (currently at 2 gigs) from OWC, will it increase performance a great deal? Or am I at the mercy of my graphics card on this one?

Also, if I have multiple questions that are only semi-related, what is the proper protocol in these forums? Ask them as separate threads or combine them into one?

 

[Cromulent]

Your graphics card has very little to do with iMovie performance. It is all about your CPU.

How much free hard drive space do you have? Adding RAM will only help if you are actually running out of it. How many page outs are you getting?

 

[nyycavo24]

Thanks for the follow up, I am going to have to do some research on the page outs, I'm still learning some of this stuff.

As for the CPU and the tech specs, I knew I was going to get some choppiness, but I needed the portability.

2.4Ghz C2D, 2 Gigs RAM, 256MB NVIDIA 8700 (I think its an 8700)

Next Steps? Suggestions?

 

[Cromulent]

Thanks for the follow up, I am going to have to do some research on the page outs, I'm still learning some of this stuff.

As for the CPU and the tech specs, I knew I was going to get some choppiness, but I needed the portability.

2.4Ghz C2D, 2 Gigs RAM, 256MB NVIDIA 8700 (I think its an 8700)

Next Steps? Suggestions?

Open Activity Monitor (found in /Applications/Utilities) and click on the system memory button on the bottom. That will show how many page outs you have had. Make sure you do it after you have been using your computer for a few hours with heavy usage otherwise it is meaningless.