Video Editing with FCP and After Effects, MBP 15" or 13"

[darao80]

I'm looking for a new Macbook Pro, considering now would be a good time to upgrade. I do a fair bit of HD editing with programs like Final Cut, After Effects sometimes Cinema 4D. Right now I have a Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz with 4GB RAM and an 8600GT (this is a Hackintosh btw). Speeds are ok, but not blazing fast.

Do you think the 15" base MBP (Radeon 6490M w/ 256MB, 2GHz Quad Core i7, 4GB RAM) would be faster than what I have now, or maybe even the 2.7GHz (13" Dual Core)Intel Core i7. I don't plan on spending alot of money, but if I'm going to be spending more than $1,499 I plan on getting something that'll be worth it and last a long time. I'd be hoping on a system that could get about 2x the speeds than what I have now (just for HD editing etc), which would also perform well running about 3-5 app's at the same time.

Thanks for the help

 

[forsakengod23]

Well, for NOW, final cut pro is not compatible with intel integrated graphics card.(maybe in the future , i don't know)
So considering what you are doing , you can probably forget about the 13 inch model to suit your need.

If you're doing some hd editing i would advise you to go with at least the high end 15 inch model.

 

[darao80]

Well, for NOW, final cut pro is not compatible with intel integrated graphics card.(maybe in the future , i don't know)
So considering what you are doing , you can probably forget about the 13 inch model to suit your need.

If you're doing some hd editing i would advise you to go with at least the high end 15 inch model.

ah ok, that's interesting. Yeah i guess it'll have to be the 15", I'll have to see how much money I can raise to get the 2,199 it's probably worth the extra 400, and I could get the education discount. thanks, into prostitution I go to make $2000

 

[Kalach]

You'll get nowhere with the 13. Like the previous poster said, forget about it!

To be safe you'll need the higher end 15, with the 1GB gpu. And max out the cpu and ram so that it all runs smoothly and you don't have outrageous render time.

That's what I'm doing. Also antiglare is a must. That glossy display is like a mirror. And yes... I know that when the computer is actually on it's not that bad. But you have to keep in mind that some footage has darker areas from time to time and that will be a huge problem!

 

[darao80]

You'll get nowhere with the 13. Like the previous poster said, forget about it!

To be safe you'll need the higher end 15, with the 1GB gpu. And max out the cpu and ram so that it all runs smoothly and you don't have outrageous render time.

That's what I'm doing. Also antiglare is a must. That glossy display is like a mirror. And yes... I know that when the computer is actually on it's not that bad. But you have to keep in mind that some footage has darker areas from time to time and that will be a huge problem!

ok cool, thanks for more suggestions yeah I think that's a good idea to max out, hopefully I won't have to get another one for a while then. I guess I might have to delay getting this for a few months to make the money

 

[Evil Spoonman]

I do a fair bit of HD editing with programs like Final Cut, After Effects sometimes Cinema 4D.

I don't plan on spending alot of money

Whaaa?! I didn't know these things were separable.

Right now I have a Core 2 Duo 2.66GHz with 4GB RAM and an 8600GT (this is a Hackintosh btw). Speeds are ok, but not blazing fast.

Do you think the 15" base MBP (Radeon 6490M w/ 256MB, 2GHz Quad Core i7, 4GB RAM) would be faster than what I have now, or maybe even the 2.7GHz (13" Dual Core)Intel Core i7.

You should be looking at a desktop. Price/performance is hugely better there, and you need all the performance you can get. If you absolutely MUST be mobile. Get nothing less than the top-of-the-line 15". You will need 8GB of memory and external storage. The 13" is completely out of the question. The base model 15" is going to be a mixed bag. The CPU is definitely a lot faster, the GPU is probably quite similar. It definitely will not be fast where it counts.

 

[ayow]

I heard from some other guys, the 13" will probably good enough for the new FCP.
It's a bit confusing, i mean the only question is the IGU.
Most of the people here just speculate, that the Intel IGU won't work with the new program!
All other specs in the 13" MBP should be fine!

 

[darao80]

Whaaa?! I didn't know these things were separable.



You should be looking at a desktop. Price/performance is hugely better there, and you need all the performance you can get. If you absolutely MUST be mobile. Get nothing less than the top-of-the-line 15". You will need 8GB of memory and external storage. The 13" is completely out of the question. The base model 15" is going to be a mixed bag. The CPU is definitely a lot faster, the GPU is probably quite similar. It definitely will not be fast where it counts.

right ok cool, well I will still have the hackintosh for usage at home. Anybody who's used an 8600GT and/or the Raedon 6750, do you think the AMD would be significantly faster, just a little bit faster or the same. Obviously the quad core would make a huge difference for programs like Compressor etc. But for actual editing you think the 6750 would be pretty good? Would it be possible of rendering 422(LT) in like 10 mins for a 5/10 min vid. With kinda standard settings (like 1080 24p 17mbps...)

 

[Evil Spoonman]

right ok cool, well I will still have the hackintosh for usage at home. Anybody who's used an 8600GT and/or the Raedon 6750, do you think the AMD would be significantly faster, just a little bit faster or the same. Obviously the quad core would make a huge difference for programs like Compressor etc. But for actual editing you think the 6750 would be pretty good? Would it be possible of rendering 422(LT) in like 10 mins for a 5/10 min vid. With kinda standard settings (like 1080 24p 17mbps...)

6750M kicks the crap out of the 8600 GT. The high end MBP will be a lot faster than your current system.

 

[darao80]

6750M kicks the crap out of the 8600 GT. The high end MBP will be a lot faster than your current system.

ok great, Thas what I wanted to know. Thanks for all the help guys

 

[Kalach]

I heard from some other guys, the 13" will probably good enough for the new FCP.
It's a bit confusing, i mean the only question is the IGU.
Most of the people here just speculate, that the Intel IGU won't work with the new program!
All other specs in the 13" MBP should be fine!

The question is not will the program work. It's more the material that he will be using on the actual program that is the problem. For example, i can easily edit and color correct on my late '07 white macbook 2.0 C2D. But that would mean 240p footage (lowest video quality on youtube for example). But no one edits that low of a quality anymore.

Most cameras, even amateur cameras shoot atleast 420p if not 720, nowadays. And don't let me start on after effects... To be able to do the stuff he wants to do and do it mobile as well, he'll have to max out the 15" to be able to do so and at the same time be safe for a couple of years.

 

[Oetam]

I edit 1080p stuff on my 2007 2.0Ghz iMac. A bit slow sometimes but it works fine.
I'm gettig the 13" for editing. FCP actually almost doesn't use the GPU.
Of course the 15" would be a better choice but I wouldn't say the 13" with a nice external monitor is a 'bad' editing machine.