MACBOOK OR IMAC - WHO WINS?

[macnerd]

Which system would you choose for video editing guys, FCPX specifically, Check the specs

Macbook pro Retina Late 2013
2.4 ghz Intel Core i5
8 GB 1600 MHz DDr3
128GB-SSD
Intel Iris 1536 MB

OR

iMac 27-inch, Mid 2011
3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
16GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory
Storage 2.7 GHz 1TB (7200 rpm) hard drive
Graphics 3.1 GHz AMD Radeon HD 6970M with 2GB GDDR5 memory

 

[jonpais]

I would choose the iMac for sure. 8GB is barely adequate for video editing, the i7 processor will be better, you can always add faster storage. Also, I really consider 27" to be the minimum for serious editing.

[Davey]

Depends what you are editing. Both of those are going to choke and both will cut through footage like butter depending on what you are doing.

 

[Axel]

Both will have no problem editing HD video with optimized media, no matter the source codec. For UHD, I would go for a 5k iMac. Why? You might want to monitor the video full size once in a while, without having to shift cmd f. If you connect an external 4k monitor, the GPU will have to struggle to feed both devices. With 5k, you can customize the workspaces for Organize (100% video, space left for two to three columns of browser thumbnails and a slim inspector, no timeline), Standard (=Editing, all windows, with scaled-down viewer) and Color & Effects (100% video, no browser, three small up/down-scrollable "tracks" of the timeline, slim inspector and a "two-up" of scopes). 

[Davey]

24 minutes ago, Axel said:

Both will have no problem editing HD video with optimized media, no matter the source codec. For UHD, I would go for a 5k iMac. Why? You might want to monitor the video full size once in a while, without having to shift cmd f. If you connect an external 4k monitor, the GPU will have to struggle to feed both devices. With 5k, you can customize the workspaces for Organize (100% video, space left for two to three columns of browser thumbnails and a slim inspector, no timeline), Standard (=Editing, all windows, with scaled-down viewer) and Color & Effects (100% video, no browser, three small up/down-scrollable "tracks" of the timeline, slim inspector and a "two-up" of scopes). 

That was my route and I don't regret it. My mid 2011 iMac really struggles with effect heavy 4K (especially if the clip/s are longer than a couple of minutes) but the maxed out 5K version screams through everything I throw at it.

[Axel]

You'll find the custom workspaces in >user >library >Application Support >FinalCutPro >Workspaces. You can duplicate them, put them to your desktop and rename them "Factory 2 - Organize.moduleLayout" and "Factory 3 - Color & Effects.moduleLayout". Then you right-click the FinalCutPro-icon in the applications folder >show package content >contents > Ressources >Workspaces and replace the two Layouts with your own ones (asks for permission). Thereby you can further evoke your workspaces with cmd+0 (standard, usually fits best with factory), ctrl+shift+1 (Organize) and ctrl+shift+2 (Colors & Effects) and quickly jump between them (since there is yet no way to assign a shortcut for changing between custom workspaces, request sent to Apple). Settings survived the last FCP X update.

[joema]

6 hours ago, macnerd said:

Which system would you choose for video editing guys, FCPX specifically, Check the specs.....

...iMac 27-inch, Mid 2011
3.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i7
16GB of 1333MHz DDR3 memory
Storage 2.7 GHz 1TB (7200 rpm) hard drive
Graphics 3.1 GHz AMD Radeon HD 6970M with 2GB GDDR5 memory

In 2011 this was the top-spec iMac 27, except for the 1TB HDD. It should do OK on 1080p H264 video. The CPU is "Sandy Bridge" so has Quick Sync. However if the 1TB hard drive is original, it is 6 yrs old and should be replaced, probably with an SSD. This is not particularly easy but can be done: https://eshop.macsales.com/installvideos/imac_mid27_2011_ssddiy/