Which Imac Should I Buy For Video Editing

Which Imac Should I Buy For Video Editing

Mac Laptop For Video Editing
Which Imac Should I Buy For Video Editing Softwares
Best Video Editing For Imac
Which Imac Should I Buy For Video Editing Apps
Which Imac Should I Buy For Video Editing Software
My son Max has volunteered to help athletes at his high school edit video of their game highlights to send to colleges. The athletic department devotes an Apple iMac to this purpose and also has some Windows 7 laptops.
Since my sons all have an interest in filmmaking, thanks to YouTube, we're going to buy an iMac that will be devoted to editing video and find classes to help them nurture their inner Akira Kurosawa. As a Windows and Linux guy, I'm not sure what we need to purchase. I have a few questions for Mac gurus reading this post:
Is it better to keep things simple and buy a powerful iMac (27') or build your own computer for video editing? I'm assuming it's cheaper and more powerful to build your own but easier to just buy an iMac. I use the Adobe Creative Suite. Generally the CPU speed and the amount of memory will make a bigger difference than a higher end GPU when it comes to video editing. Rendering 3D models will heavily use the GPU, as will machine learning, crypto mining, and gaming.
How much iMac do we need to edit video, in terms of hardware, memory and disk space?
Is Apple iMovie sufficient, or should be we looking at Final Cut Pro?
What other software should we get?
How upgradeable are iMacs?
We'd be buying the Mac from an Apple Store, so if there are service or training plans to get (or avoid), that advice would be helpful too.
The high school produces video in several formats. Some are VOB, BUP and IFO files, which I think are the standard DVD format. The others are in either Quicktime or AVI.
I don't think the school has Final Cut Pro, so my son will be using iMovie on the Mac and Windows Movie Maker on the PCs at school.
I tried unsuccessfully to pull VOB files into iMovie. A Google search led me to advice that Toast Titanium can convert that format to one iMovie likes, but when I tried to do that with Titanium 6, a dialog informed me that I needed 'Toast with Jam.'
Please help me become an Apple snob. I don't want to have to ask a Genius.
Comments1) How much iMac?
I use a 3-year-old iMac to do video editing with no problems whatsoever. In fact I usually have a bunch of other apps open at the same time and have no trouble.
2) iMovie v FC
I have only used iMovie and haven't really run up against a challenge it couldn't handle. If Max learns iMovie (and it is easy) upgrading to FC will be a snap. 
3) Other software
None is really necessary. What did you have in mind?
4) Upgrading
It can be a challenge to upgrade the internal hardware of an iMac, but I am not sure it will be necessary. A dedicated external HD will be a nice extra so Max can work on his files elsewhere if necessary. Plus working on an external HD is usually faster than the internal drive.
#1 · Rick Scully · 2011/01/21
What did you have in mind?
We don't need the iMac for anything other than video editing, web browsing and some schoolwork -- if we can network it over to a printer on a Windows box.
I'm surprised that an external HD would be faster. How do they connect to the iMac?
#2 · Rogers Cadenhead · 2011/01/21
I don't see why it couldn't connect wirelessly to the printer.
Well, I guess the idea is that machines often use disc space as memory with large files. If the file being worked on is on an external drive the memory is coming from the internal. If you are not using a great deal of internal disc space it may be moot.
This information came from my wife who is a media librarian at Dartmouth. YMMV.
#3 · Rick Scully · 2011/01/21
Oops. The external HDs connect either via USB or FireWire.
#4 · Rick Scully · 2011/01/21
'I'm surprised that an external HD would be faster. How do they connect to the iMac?'
From my understanding the internal eSata on the iMacs is much much faster than FW800 or USB2.0, eSata is faster as an external drive too.
macperformanceguide.com
Making eStata external.
blog.fosketts.net
#5 · AndreaMackris · 2011/01/21
I am a long time Mac user who works with audio and video. Here's my 2 cents worth from my experience:
 * How much iMac do we need to edit video, in terms of hardware, memory and disk space?
- Max out the RAM. Don't buy cheap RAM and DON'T BUY IT FROM APPLE - Expensive. Get 'Crucial' brand.
- Get the top of the line model. Check out the Apple Store. They have 'refurbished' models that had some part replaced but are new for all intents and purposes with full warranty, etc. Save $'s. I've found it pays to get the top of the line ... they stay usable for several years. You save money in the long run.
- Use an external drive for the video files. 2 TB's wouldn't be too much. Even if you only use 1 TB, it's never a good idea to fill a hard drive more than 75% full. Hitachi makes solid 2 TB drives that work well with Macs and they stand behind them if they fail.
Long term as he gets better and does more video:
 - Create a 'RAID Array' for 2 or more external hard drives to dump the video to. It's easy to do. The drives will work more efficiently. I prefer Firewire external drives for everything but backup. Lacie Firewire drives have worked flawlessly for years in my experience. A 'Mirror RAID Array' would be preferable. If either drive fails the other will have a carbon copy of the work.
Lacie makes great Firewire drives. I still have some 10 years old that have never hiccuped.
* Is Apple iMovie sufficient, or should be we looking at Final Cut Pro?
For what you've described, iMovie will work fine for the time being. 
 * What other software should we get?

Order it through his school. They can get deep discounts for 'Educational' versions on any software he might use.
- Norton Utilities for the 'Speed Disk' program to defragment drives. One needs to 'Optimize' external drives frequently. Discarding files is like cutting up continuous analog tape into little pieces scattered all over, with the tape machine spools having to fly back and forth to find the bits and pieces of what was once contiguous tape. Optimization puts the file fragments back together and makes the hard drives work efficiently. Norton Speed Disk is what I use for optimization. I wouldn't use the virus protection. Keep the computer off line.
 * How upgradeable are iMacs?
Not very much so. Get a honking fast one now. That'll do your son well for the next few years.
Good luck.
#6 · American Unity · 2011/01/21
PS
When he does move to Final Cut Pro buy him a tutorial DVD:
#7 · AmericanUnity · 2011/01/21
PSS
I meant to say 'Academic Versions' when referring to buying the software through his school to save $'s. A LOT cheaper. I buy quite a lot of software through eBay sellers for personal use. Same software, much cheaper. Even the Academic versions are cheaper there.
BTW, since Apple moved to Intel processors there isn't a heck of a lot of difference anymore except for the OS. I use Macs for my main audio DAW's and video programs. Putting together a rocking PC is less than half the cost of Mac. Also, as opposed to an iMac, he can have more Firewire ports. I believe the iMac only has 1. 
If you go the PC route, side by side monitors would be the ticket so he can have multiple windows open and move windows around. All it takes is a video card that supports two monitors. Easier work flow. Westinghouse makes great monitors. Again, factory refurbs are the same as new (same box, same warranties) and a lot cheaper. eBay has several refurb sellers and Westinghouse (like Apple) has a page where you can buy them. 
I use a mix of Macs (3) and PC's (3). 
If he's planning on using it online, Apple might be the best route because idiots are spending far less time writing viruses for Mac. But, he has to be careful. Any porn site will be an open invitation to trouble LOL.
#8 · AmericanUnity · 2011/01/21
Couple last thoughts (didn't want one post to be too long):
I'd get two identical external drives for the video files:
One to use for editing from and one to back up to. There's nothing worse than having a drive crash and losing all that work! 
Sometimes when working with huge file sizes the file registries get corrupted and the disc won't mount. Tell him not to freak out. There's a program called 'Disk Warrior' that'll rebuild the file registry.
Hitachi makes a really nice USB drive for $100 optimized for use with Mac OS. Their hard drives are workhorses. All he'll need to do when they get home is open 'Disc Utility' (Applications>Utilities>Disc Utility) and format the drive for Mac OS. I buy mine at Office Depot or Office Max. They run frequent sales on them. 
It should be formatted 'Mac OS Extended'. No need for 'Journaling' unless his software programs recommend it. 
One other program you might look at is 'Quicktime Pro'. It has more options for video compression, which is vital when using YouTube or, in cases when the final product is more than an hour long, for DVD burning. If he plays around with different compression rates he can find one that is small in size but high in quality. Especially with HD. Once compressed, he can move YouTube-sized (10 minutes or less) from home to school on a flash drive. 
#9 · AmericanUnity · 2011/01/21
How to Convert commercial and non-commercial DVD's to iMovie
#10 · AmericanUnity · 2011/01/21
A few comments have been made about the benefits of using an external drive for the video files. This is a MUST, especially with as much editing as it sounds like your son will be doing.
Never put video files on the internal drive. It'll make it work much too hard seeking all that data while trying to run the OS and applications at the same time.
For using an external drive to get files from Mac to PC I have one called 'Mac Drive' that enables me to plug a Mac formatted external drive into a PC and read the files. About $20 for one computer, $30 for two (your iMac and the school's).
www.mediafour.com
They have a trial version that'll run for a little while to try it out.
#11 · AmericanUnity · 2011/01/21
'Please help me become an Apple snob.'
Start wearing a beret and hanging out at the local coffee shop. Worked for me.
#12 · gary · 2011/01/22
I know I am way late on this, but video is just about all I do these days. Of all that I underestimated, the amount of hard drive space I would need to both have and specially *manage* takes top billing.
IMovie is a good place to start, but if they really do get the bug, FC Studio will be what they want. And it IS a big jump, mainly because the metaphors used by most editing systems is very different from what iMovie uses. Apple correctly (IMHO) rethought the UX for editing 'cool home movies' with iMovie, but it is dramatically different from how you work in other tools. That said, the important thing is still the 'grammar' of the edit, and they can learn and perfect that in iMovie just as well as FC.
But I am guessing that eventually they will want to do things like motion graphics, and Apple's motion is just about the most fun and rewarding piece of software I've used in years.
I have the latest iMac (cannot recall specs off hand), and it handles everything I need to do with HD video. What an awesome time for them to really be getting into video. Not having to deal with ingesting media from a tape-with-timecode makes it a million times simpler and more fun.
#13 · Kathy Sierra · 2011/04/10
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Apple didn't get its reputation for performance and accuracy from nowhere.
Everything from phones to paper-thin notebooks are created to work efficiently, and this makes their MacBooks ideal for all levels of video editing.
Besides integrating extremely well with the Adobe Creative Cloud suite and many other third-party photo/video editing software, they offer a streamlined experience that will work well in any freelance or industry position.
In this guide, we'll point out some key points for choosing the best MacBook Pro that will most effectively work for video editing at various levels, and showcase some of our own recommendations as well.
Quick SummaryFor the casual creative, we recommend the 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Chip (256GB SSD), which offers quality performance without unnecessarily bulking up the specs. It doesn't offer touch bar, but it is portable and sturdy.
If you certainly aren't a hobbyist but not a pro either, 13-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Chip (512GB SSD) is a better choice. The storage has been beefed up a bit, and the touch bar offers a new dimension of functionality.
Lastly, the professional creative looking to max out their performance power would be best served with a 16-inch MacBook Pro with i9 Processor and 1TB SSD. This model offers insane amounts of processing power, though you'll likely still want an external monitor for the sake of screen space.
Is MacBook Pro Good for Video Editing?In this case, it isn't about whether or not a Mac will be effective for video editing, but a matter of how much power you really need.
If you just plan on doing minor work for youtube, you won't be troubled by extensive renders or clamoring for screen restate, so it doesn't make sense to pay for specs built for something ten times as processor-intensive.
However, if you plan on doing digital animation or working in 4K, it's definitely time to look at higher-end machines that will be able to handle what you're throwing at them.
If you're not planning on editing videos in some way, you should not treat this article as a collection of the most powerful MacBooks overall.
Intensive computer work demands different specs depending on what you plan on doing, so you can't assume the best for editing will be the best for say, gaming.
Best MacBook Pro for Video Editing in 2021: Our Picks1. Casual Video Editing: New Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage)
If you're going to be editing home videos and content for Youtube, you probably won't be doing intensive 3D renders or completely utilizing heavy programs even if they are installed. This version of the 13″ MacBook Pro comes with Apple made M1 chip processing power to reach your goal without unnecessarily overcompensating.
Pros:
The 13″ model is extremely portable, so you'll have editing power at your fingertips wherever you go.
RAM is the perfect amount for this type of user and should last several years.
SSD drive means that renders and saves will be completed faster than with a physical HDD disk.
Cons:
SSD is pricey, which is why this model only comes with 256 GB in disk space. You'll definitely want to purchase an external drive to compensate for this when storing your videos.
Additionally, this model uses an integrated graphics card which will be fine for this level of editing but doesn't offer room for growth.
2. For Amateur Movie Making: New Apple MacBook Pro with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD Storage) 
Whether college student or budding short-film director, you need power and a modern flair without the expense of a professional setup. This model of MacBook is a great compromise, offering Apple's latest touch bar and touch ID technology packed into a 13″ body powered by an Apple made M1 chip.
Pros:
Offering both portability and power, this modern masterpiece has all the specs to get you where you want to go without any unnecessary bulk.
The brand-new touch bar is also included and known to have great integrations when working in Final Cut Pro or the Adobe Suite.
Cons:
While offering more space than the aforementioned 256GB model, it's still a bit on the small side for storing large video files.
It also has an integrated graphics card, which is slightly less than ideal.
3. For Professional Creatives: New Apple MacBook Pro (16-inch, 16GB RAM, 1TB Storage, 2.3GHz Intel Core i9)
Truly a top of the line machine, this MacBook Pro model was built for precision and nothing less. The 8-core i9 processor can stand up to just about anything you throw at it, it has a powerful graphics card UHD Graphics 630. The 16″ screen offers some more real estate than the smaller 13″ models.
Pros:
It has nearly unbeatable power between the mix of RAM, dGPU, and processor.
The beautiful screen will produce accurate colors and the touch bar will allow you to work even more effectively in your favorite editing programs.
Cons:
When editing professionally, you need all the screen space you can get, and no size laptop is going to be able to offer that. If you don't have an external monitor, check out our recommendations.
Useful Mac Video Editing ResourcesJust getting started with editing your own videos? LifeWire offers a great tutorial on getting started, from which software will be the most useful to whether you'll fare better with some peripherals. Also, check out this complete video editing tutorial for non-editors on Mac:
A fan of iMovie? MacWorld has made a fantastic list of best tips on how to get the most out of Apple's video editing software for macOS.
You could also check out this list of free and paid Mac video editing apps (TechRadar), which will let you experiment before deciding exactly what you need in a paid program.
Best MacBook Pro for Video Editing: What to Consider in 2021?Graphics
The key to a fast render is a high quality dedicated graphics card, and while lower-level work will likely be fine using an integrated card, you'll want a dedicated one for anything beyond the casual home video or Youtube vlog. Dedicated graphics allow your computer to utilize RAM (Random Access Memory) specifically for the high-quality visuals you'll be rendering as effectively as possible.
Processor
Mac Laptop For Video EditingThe processor is going to be handling every detail of your video as you build it, so you're going to want to look towards the latest generations of the Apple made M1 chip and intel core i7. Since video software can make use of multiple threads as well, these will benefit you while creating your project.
Which Imac Should I Buy For Video Editing SoftwaresRAM
Best Video Editing For ImacThe final element that will make or break the performance of your MacBook while working on video editing is RAM. It's used in every aspect of your computer's execution of processes, and you'll want a minimum of 8GB for amateur work, with a goal of 16GB if you're editing professionally.
Final WordsWhich Imac Should I Buy For Video Editing AppsVideo editing is a prime example of technical work that eats RAM and CPU power like no other. Luckily, a MacBook Pro was made to stand up to these things and is sure to perform if you've picked an adequate model.
Which Imac Should I Buy For Video Editing SoftwareWhat set up do you currently use to edit videos? Let us know and share which specs you think are most important for productive work.