Discussion about
Video editing?
At this point, how much of a difference would a discrete graphics card made when it comes to video editing? How would the low end 24" iMac handle this?
For serious editing, you'll be much happier with the mac pro. Snow Leopard and openCL with change things up a bit, but when you encode video, you need as many cores as you can get to finish speedily. That said, since the iMac is half the price of the mac pro, if you aren't doing very intensive video work the iMac will probably be fine.
Note: Some apps for editing require an insane amount of disc space for raw video dump. Make sure you have a sizable external drive, or consider upgrading the internal HDD if you decide to go with iMac. www.amfiteatar.org/content/view/155/57/lang,en/
Note: Some apps for editing require an insane amount of disc space for raw video dump. Make sure you have a sizable external drive, or consider upgrading the internal HDD if you decide to go with iMac. www.amfiteatar.org/content/view/155/57/lang,en/
Having a discrete graphics card is night and day when it comes to video editing, so I'd avoid the lower end integrated graphics iMacs. If you're strapped for cash, I'd recommend buying a used iMac. The last generation of iMacs all came with discrete graphics (although the card's a bit weaker than the current discrete one).
I use my 24-inch 3.06 iMac for video editing and find that for most of the time it is fine. When it is rendering files, it does take some time, but I have so much other work to get through that I use this time to catch up on emails and other writing. That said, I do agree with the comments here, a Mac Pro would be a lot more suited.
I use the first rev 2.8ghx Extreme model, and it handles video editing just fine. I wouldn't think that you need a Mac Pro, unless you're doing heavy duty HD. The iMac handles Final Cut Studio 2 great.
If you're deciding between a MBP or iMac distinctly for video editing, I'd probably go iMac for the larger screen, unless you want to purchase an external screen for the MBP.
If you're deciding between a MBP or iMac distinctly for video editing, I'd probably go iMac for the larger screen, unless you want to purchase an external screen for the MBP.
I recently started to play with AfterEffects CS4 (I wanted to learn how all of my favorite video podcasts were adding in those cool effects) and my iMac didn't handle the video well at all. It sometimes even hiccups on full screen DVDs.
I do wish that I had discrete graphics as I really am loving my Mac (never thought that I'd say that) and I'd like to use it for everything.
I do wish that I had discrete graphics as I really am loving my Mac (never thought that I'd say that) and I'd like to use it for everything.
