Setup advise for an amateur sports film maker.

[Dukboy]

Ok, I am currently on an old 2008 mb (not white), with a 2 ghz intel core 2 duo, with 4 gb of ram. I also am in a 240 gb HD. I have a (mysteriously free) copy of Premiere Pro. I want to further my video editing into after effects and I want to get a new computer, and equipment. What do you recommend for a 13 year old kid? I have a budget of about $1500 (including software, mouse and keyboard). I am thinking about getting a mac mini with the server for the 2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 8GB memory, Dual 500GB 7200-rpm hard drives, and Intel HD Graphics 3000. I would also buy 2 monitors around 20-26 in. I have no idea if there is any special equipment that may help me but if you do, tell me! Is that an ideal solution? This is also my first post to macrumors

 

[cgbier]

You won't get far with After Effects on a Mini. Question is if you actually need it for sports. Motion should be sufficient, and costs only 50 bucks (you can use it without FCP X).
If I were you, I'd look into an iMac. Has bit more beef and is not more expensive than a Mini. I'm not to impressed by the Intel HD...

iMac (base model) - 1200
Motion - 50
Ext. Drive - 100

You'd have 150 bucks spare that you could stretch for a second monitor or extra RAM. I'd start with the RAM, and ask Santa for the second monitor.

 

[Dukboy]

Well, After Effects just happened to magically appear in my application folder, and my library has the adobe classroom in a book. Also, just to note, I am in school and get a discount so the mac mini would be at $979 + OWC ram.
I would have all the software and just get 2 new monitors. An iMac, is only an i5, only 1 500 gb HD, and for me thats $1,149 + apple care.

----------

To add, you would be stuck with getting another 21.5 in monitor if you wanted them to be equal.

 

[cgbier]

I'm not sure, but I still think you get more computer with an iMac compared to the Mini.

 

[careypo]

A new Mac Mini with Thunderbolt will allow lots of expandability for the future.

 

[alansmallen]

Get the iMac. If in the future you realize you actually want to take editing seriously and make money, you'll be happy you have more beef. Second monitors are nice but not that needed for someone just entering.

 

[LethalWolfe]

I want to further my video editing into after effects and I want to get a new computer, and equipment. What do you recommend for a 13 year old kid?

What do you want to do that your current gear does not allow you to do? You mention you are an amateur sports film maker but you don't mention what production gear you have and that's more important than what type of computer you edit with, IMO.

I have a budget of about $1500 (including software, mouse and keyboard). I am thinking about getting a mac mini with the server for the 2.0GHz quad-core Intel Core i7, 8GB memory, Dual 500GB 7200-rpm hard drives, and Intel HD Graphics 3000.

Have you thought about looking on eBay or Craigs List for good deals on used gear?


Lethal

 

[Dukboy]

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPod; U; CPU iPhone OS 4_2_1 like Mac OS X; en-us) AppleWebKit/533.17.9 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.0.2 Mobile/8C148 Safari/6533.18.5)

Ok, a question and an answer. First, someone tell me why does an iMac have more beef and will take me farther in the future? To answer the gear question, I am currently doing snowboarding and mountain biking. I have a home made steady cam and a small tripod. On top of those is my beloved, flip cam! Just think, it shoots in HD, and was cheap. All I needed in a camera (plus it can't get wrecked by snow or dirt easily). Hopefully before the winter season starts, I'll have a new Gopro Hero 2. I also really need this upgrade because of my gaming needs specifically Starcraft.