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  1. Hi,

    I have been using my Macbook, (2.16GHz Core 2 Duo 2GB DDR2 SDRAM) for over ten years now and it's still running great. But I realise that for video production, editing etc it is just not fast enough anymore. It will export a 15mins vid in an hour which is just not quick enough for the work I do now.

    Can someone give me a quick spec list of what I need for good video production on Mac? Which Mac is the best for Video production? What should I upgrade to?

    I am using Pem Pro and After Effects, iMovie and several other apps.

    Any info, much appreciated.
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  2. Which Mac is the best for Video production?
    the one with:
    a. best CPU
    b. most RAM
    c. most hdd space
    -> mac pro
    users currently on my ignore list: deadrats, Stears555
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  3. If you've been happy with your old MacBook for this long, joolsd, almost any recent model you choose will be a notable improvement. Apple's been popping out new MacBooks like crazy lately, with little in practical difference to distinguish them (of course the newer the faster). This is good for second hand shoppers with reasonable performance requirements like yourself, because almost any of them will be a good choice. Buy the most recent model with an i5 or i7 CPU that you can afford, in a screen size you prefer. The i5-cpu MacBooks became available in late 2010/early 2011, so you should have a wide range of age/price points to choose from. Try to find a reliable seller who offers a guarantee: some models had overheating problems, and many have non-user-replaceable batteries. You will want a MacBook with a new battery and no hardware issues.

    Also check the built-in RAM capacity: some models are not user-upgradeable, so you are stuck with the original RAM memory. If you need to connect FireWire peripherals, note you may need to buy an adapter dongle to use them with a newer MacBook: Apple abandoned FireWire years ago, but the current "Thunderbolt" port is easily adapted to FireWire compatibility with a dongle. The built-in DVD SuperDrive was dropped a few years ago: if you need that, be sure to check (MacBooks with no internal SuperDrive can use external portable USB drives). Finally, remember Apple has an extremely annoying policy of locking each new Mac to its latest version of OSX. Your existing video software may not be compatible with OSX v10.7 (Lion) or later, which may require upgrading to newer app versions when you get a newer Mac.

    Detailed info on the many, many MacBook models that have come out after yours can be found here and here. Similar iMacs and Mac Minis are another possibility for you, if you don't need portability. The same caveats apply, since these desktops share many parts/circuit designs with their same-generation MacBooks.

    Ten years ago was roughly the last time Apple actually cared about video production on Mac. The bizarre current Mac Pro "ashcan" answers a question nobody asked, since it exists in a vacuum. A plastic replica of Dr. Who's "Tardis" sitting on a desk would be more attractive, and about as useful. Its very expensive, and quickly becomes a rats nest of cables and peripherals. The current Mac Pro falls in the specialty category of "if you needed it, you'd already own it: you wouldn't be on a forum asking which Mac should I buy". Ditto the earlier Mac Pro towers: marvelous in their day, but now outmoded and tricky to use except for those with legacy requirements. Stick to a MacBook Pro, iMac, or Mini.
    Last edited by orsetto; 20th Feb 2016 at 16:07.
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  4. Member techiejustin's Avatar
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    Oct 2006
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    PA, United States
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    Originally Posted by Joolsd View Post
    Hi,

    I have been using my Macbook, (2.16GHz Core 2 Duo 2GB DDR2 SDRAM) for over ten years now and it's still running great. But I realise that for video production, editing etc it is just not fast enough anymore. It will export a 15mins vid in an hour which is just not quick enough for the work I do now.

    Can someone give me a quick spec list of what I need for good video production on Mac? Which Mac is the best for Video production? What should I upgrade to?

    I am using Pem Pro and After Effects, iMovie and several other apps.

    Any info, much appreciated.
    Let me ask you this, are you going to be doing video production on the laptop? Desktops tend to be more powerful at a lower cost than laptops. Being in Vietnam (per your profile) I can imagine the tariffs will be pretty high as well.
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