Final Cut Studio... MB, or MBP?

mrblack08mrblack08
Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
I am planning on buy a MB or a MBP and getting Final Cut Studio from an educational accomodation but im not sure which i should get, keep in mind that im a student on a budget but i was thinking a MBP with the following...



-1.8 Ghz Proccessor

-15" Screen (glossy or not?)

-80 GB HD

-2 Gigs Ram (Ill add it myself)



But that would run me basically 2k.



or MB

-2.0 Ghz

-13.3 Screen

-60 GB HD

-2 Gigs of Ram (ill add it myself)



I really need screen size for video editing and ill get a external drive regardless. So would 1.8 be enough to video edit and also CS3?

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 11
    skatmanskatman Posts: 609member
    MacBook will be sufficient.
  • Reply 2 of 11
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Quote:

    Originally posted by skatman

    MacBook will be sufficient.



    I'm sorry I have to disagree. The Macbook will run FCS but Apple doesn't not support that configuration. You will want to be able to use Motion 2 for many tasks and it simply doesn't run very well at all on integrated graphics. With the MBP you get a dedicated 128MB or 256MB of RAM on discrete graphics. This will help you tremendously on FCS. I expect more GPU functionality coming in the next version of FCS.



    You also have the expresscard slots which could be important for adding fast storage or other items. If you can afford it..go MBP is my advice. If money is tight and you just want to run the basics then as Skatman has said the MB will suffice.
  • Reply 3 of 11
    mrblack08mrblack08 Posts: 42member
    Thanks for the advice, but will a 1.8 Ghz be enough for it? Thats my biggest worry.
  • Reply 4 of 11
    joeyjoey Posts: 236member
    The processor here isn't really an issue... there's a nominal difference between 1.8GHz and 2.0GHz (Ah... 200MHz is a nominal difference... my first computer was 4MHz). The GPU (graphics processor) is by far the major difference.
  • Reply 5 of 11
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    Joey is on point.



    Put a generous helping of RAM in whatever you buy and consider adding a Hitachi Travelstar 7200rpm drive. Hitachi's drives tend to run cooler than the comparable Seagate.
  • Reply 6 of 11
    mrblack08mrblack08 Posts: 42member
    Ok, thanks, i think im just gonna go with an external drive because i will only be video editing at school and home so thats not a problem, and im going 2GB of Ram in it that I'll install but I think I will wait till christmas to see if any bugs get worked out or what not, plus i dont have the money right now... nuts.



    Thanks guys
  • Reply 7 of 11
    reganregan Posts: 474member
    I hope in the future Apple finally honors the professionals who work in the field and travel alot by offering a small portable that doesnt cut corners or compromise. They always hobbled the 12 inch powerbook, and now they dont really offer a small laptop for professionals at all anymore.



    I think we may see a 13 inch MacBook Pro offered once the hype about the Macbooks subside.



    Since Apple never really changed the enclosure of the Macbook Pros from the G4 Powerbooks....I think such an update would come when Apple does a complete redesign maybe by next January. Perhaps releasing the 13 inch version first to spur sales.



    But then again...I have no friggin clue. :-)
  • Reply 8 of 11
    mrblack08mrblack08 Posts: 42member
    Well I don't really want a 13-inch verion on the MBP because I need as much screen size I can get for my money because video editing is much easier that way. But a 17-inch MBP is outrageously price and feels like a lunch tray.
  • Reply 9 of 11
    reganregan Posts: 474member
    I understand you wouldnt want one, and alot of other people may not want one either. BUT...there are many professionals who travel ALOT...and WOULD want one. Having a pro laptop that is portable enough without sacrificing power is a major deal for some of us.



    Yes, 13 inches isnt ideal for video editing, but if you are an editor or photo journalist who travels extensively, it is perfect. And then you could hook it up to a larger monitor when home. Because lets face it, even a 15 inch and dare I say it a 17 inch laptop isnt IDEAL for video editing either.



    SO...if you are going to hook it up to a monitor ANYWAY when at home, making a 13 inch highly portable version for professionals(or those who travel alot) is a major niche that Apple has overlooked for too long.



    The poor 12 inch power book ALWAYS got short changed. EVEN when there was a consumer ibook available for years...APPLE still crippled the 12 powerbook. Never giving it any of the bells and whistles its bigger pro laptops enjoyed. It was very frustrating for us power users who wanted a pro laptop to take on the road with us.



    Just my two cents.
  • Reply 10 of 11
    hmurchisonhmurchison Posts: 12,425member
    I'd love to see a 13.3 MBP with a dock.





    Everyday I come to work and dock my HP laptop I think to myself that this is how it's supposed to be. However what Apple could do is innovate the dock a bit more than what many people are doing. Add a drive to the dock that supports SMB/CIFS or the ability to run triple head and USB Firewire hub.



    Man the Powerbook Duo series was sooooo cool back in the days but it just wasn't powerful enough. Today we need something like that where our laptop becomes a beast at home.



    Let's hope Apple is listening.
  • Reply 11 of 11
    cubs23cubs23 Posts: 324member
    I would upgrade your Macbook Pro hard drive too, perhaps to the 120gb version, or the 100gb (7200rpm version). The install requirements for FCS (all loops, templates, etc. is nearly 50gb) granted you can install them on another drive, but if you wanted access to it all on your main system for on the go... it's something to think about.
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