Macbook or Macbook Pro for Video Editing?

[tocyk]

I'm also very interested in knowing the difference between having a 256mb and a 512mb video card if I decide to buy a MBP.

Also, is there really THAT much of a difference between a 2nd tier MB and a baseline MBP? I feel like the 256mb video card couldn't make THAT much of a difference, but I am a noob after all.

 

[madmaxmedia]

I'm also very interested in knowing the difference between having a 256mb and a 512mb video card if I decide to buy a MBP.

Also, is there really THAT much of a difference between a 2nd tier MB and a baseline MBP? I feel like the 256mb video card couldn't make THAT much of a difference, but I am a noob after all.

In the context of this thread (for video editing), the MBP GPU does make a difference. It's a known fact that Color and Motion are not really usable on a MB.

If you're in between a rock and a hard place regarding the price difference, I'd recommend buying a refurbished unit from Apple.com, their refurbs are cosmetically good as new and come with a full warranty.

 

[The Menacer]

It may seem like a 'no brainer' but I am heading to film school in August and am trying to figure out which laptop to buy. Power is obviously nice for video editing, but the school runs Avid so the editing I'd be doing on my laptop would be more for personal use than anything else.

Between the two machines I notice I get a 2.4Ghz processor, 2GB ram, etc. etc.

The only things I can see different between the Macbook and Macbook Pro is 2 inches of screen (which just makes the computer bigger), the nicer video card and multi-touch which I see myself not using very often.

What do I really gain with the huge price jump? Is the MBP that much more powerful when it comes to editing?

Thanks.

It is quite interesting, now that I think about it, that the MacBook and MBP are so close in specs, but everyone recommends the MBP because it's "faster." The reason you should get a MBP is because of the dedicated graphics card. Apple can really get people like you here because that's the only real difference between the two. I also recommend checking out the refurbished MBPs, because there will be less of a price jump just for a video card. From experience, I've bought 3 refurb iPods before, and they didn't have a scratch on them. They looked brand new.

 

[jkaz]

get the 7200rpm hard drive, in my opinion.

also, the $600 upgrade ... only get it if you don't like upgrading your computers.

i recommend a new laptop every 2-3 years, $600 is about a third of the cost of a new computer

 

[Joel Beason]

Id get the MBP. if you have the money get the middle 15" option, get the 7,200 rpm hard drive and upgrade the ram from a third party company if you wanted.

 

[bigbossbmb]

Instead of upping the HD internally an external FW800 drive may be worth considering...

x2... absolutely

the 7200rpm internal drive won't really benefit you because you should always have your source files on a second disk.

 

[2jaded2care]

Avid Media Composer software is only $295 w/a student discount. I don't know what version of Avid your school is running, but there's no reason you can't run Avid MC on your laptop...

Avid is cross platform. I don't know if they still do this, but Avid used to include the Windows and Mac installers on the same disc...

Lethal

I run Avid Media Composer on a MBP, and they do include both installers, you just have to worry about keeping track of the USB dongle.

If your school is Avid, you should consider using it for all your videos. You can always work on learning FCP later, but IMO you'll get much more proficient faster. Plus, if you're using external drives, you can easily take your projects to another Avid system at school if you want to.

Avid is not "approved" for the MacBook or iMac, only the higher-end machines.

Break a leg!

 

[jnc]

The only things I can see different between the Macbook and Macbook Pro is 2 inches of screen (which just makes the computer bigger)

how many times...

The MBP is *marginally* larger than the MacBook - it fits into a 13" incase MacBook sleeve.

Have you seen a MacBook next to a MacBook Pro? See that huge, thick bezel around the MacBook's (glossy) screen?
The MBP doesn't have that. Please go into an Apple Store and sit a MacBook side by side (or on top of) a MacBook Pro and just see for yourself. There's barely anything in it.

The resolution is glorious compared to the MacBook also, and a huge plus.

What do I really gain with the huge price jump?

Here's a quick cheatlist of all the extras the MacBook Pro offers over MacBook:

As standard

1440x900 resolution
Better Speakers
Illuminated keyboard
LED backlighting
Fullsize DVI port
ExpressCard port
FireWire 800 port
Multi-touch trackpad
Free Matte / Glossy option

Upgrades

2.5GHz 15" or 17" screen option
From 1650x1080 up to 1920x1080 resolution on 17"
From 3MB on 2.4GHz up to 6MB cache on 2.5GHz models
From 2.4GHz processor, 2.5GHz models have up to 2.6GHz option

Insanely better GPU options - from 256MB up to 512MB GeForce 8600

 

[TheNightPhoenix]

1) Color will refuse to load.

I must own a magic MacBook.


To the OP. MacBookPro is the only sensible option. I have both a top of the range MacBook and MacBookPro, FCP Studio on both.
You loose a few options on the Macbook which I feel are fundamental to using a laptop for editing.

Many plugins won't work on the MacBook, this is very frustrating.
No FW800.... you really want as fast a disc as possible to edit off especially in HD.
No Matte screen choice, while you shouldn't be color correcting from a computer monitor, the MacBookPro is at least somewhere accurate the crushed blacks and reflections are annoying as hell on the MacBook, especially if you are ever on a green screen set that has very bright over head lights.
Full size DVI plus ability to run a 30 inch screen. The DVI adapter on the macbook is held in my pure will, if you just nudge your macbook it tends to fall out.
Plus I love the illuminated keyboard... especially on night shoots and at 4am in the back of a land rover, trying desperately stop the producer from being fired.

 

[Padaung]

I would go with the MBP - certain parts of FC Studio (Motion and Colour) just run too slow on a Macbook.
I would still look at the larger HD option. FCS is a VERY large program if you install all the options (50Gb I think). With the MB it is very easy to swap the HDD yourself, I believe it is more tricky with the MBP (and indecision amongst people if it invalidates the warrenty or not...)

The extra screen size of the MBP really helps too when on the road. An external monitor at home is a must. As someone else said, the DV out port on a Macbook sucks - one nudge and the plug falls out!

I do find my Macbook does everything I have to chuck at it though, so still love it (I'm a photographer who has access to and uses FCP via work, but I'm no full time pro video editor). Aperture (like Motion and Color) makes use of the video card in the MBP too - on my machine it can feel a bit sluggish at times.