Editing 1080 XF-100 Files - LAPTOP

[Steve Scott]

Hey all, just received the XF-100 and time to upgrade my laptop. Been using current laptop for SD footage.
Fortunately money isn't a huge issue. Any recommendations for laptop to edit 1080 footage and not have
significant slowdown? Macbook Pro or Dell XPS or Lenovo? Guessing the 64 bit is a no brainer.

[digital_walnut]

Anything with a quad-core i5/i7 chip in it should be fine speed-wise. From there, it's your preference of OS and editing software that will really determine your choices. It's hard to go wrong with a Macbook Pro, since you'll have access to Final Cut Studio if you ever need it, and can boot into Windows if needed for any programs that aren't available for OSX. However, you can save a nice chunk of change by getting a PC laptop if you're sure you'll never need any mac-specific software.

[H7Q5]

Many years ago I used to be one of those folks that visited Fry's (local store with large computer section) on a weekly basis, always looking for software that could do this or that in terms of polishing my productions. Then one day I walked into an Apple retail store at a local mall. I played around with a macbook pro and found the suite of programs in ILife. The templates, and the number and variety available, really caught my full attention. I told one of the sales folks that I liked the photo templates so much that I would put up with the Apple watermark. "Oh," he said, "we can just go here and turn that off."

You don't show your location, but if you are near an Apple Store, or another retail center that offers Apple products, I would encourage you to go in and check out a macbook pro. And by the way, I am extremely happy with my XF100 (still have my XHa1).

[LDBecker]

You don't mention what software you're using... If you're using Adobe Premiere Pro - and you'll need the newest 5.5 version, by the way - you'll want to get a laptop with an NVidia graphics card that offers CUDA processing. Premiere Pro will make use of that to help GREATLY with rendering times. I recently bought the Sony F 3D series, model VPCF21AFX/BI. I had NO interest in 3D (although it is ok once the video drivers got sorted out), but it had the right processor (Core i7), an NVidia graphics card - not the latest greatest, but ok, adequate RAM for most stuff, and a REALLY great full HD 1920x1080 screen that is the best I've seen on a laptop. It ALSO has USB 3, which is a GREAT GREAT help in downloading these very large video files. I can dump a full 32g card onto the laptop in about 8 minutes - vss. 29 or so minutes on USB 2. I also got an external 3 TB drive that's USB 3 as well (so I can have a secondary backup in the field).

So... I can say that this Sony for sure does a nice job with the files from my XF300 - I'm sure the files from the XF100 are pretty much the same.

Larry

[fenek]

Larry
please tell me witch adapter u use for the CF-Cards.
I use this time a CF-52, think i have to upgrade.
Last time i do a Rallye-Film in Desert, (one week time to shot...)
very nice with 4 x 32 GB Cards (San-Disc) and one 62 GB Card (Transend) in the hand.
For save i dont use the Transend
For Backup i have use an external Store, but it takes to much time.... USB 2.0

[LDBecker]

Sorry fenek - didn't see your post earlier. I use a Delkin USB 3 card reader. I had to add a USB 3 expansion card to my desktop computer, but the laptop I bought has USB3 built in. Many laptops have the ability to add a USB 3 port through an Expresscard slot in the laptop.

Larry

[henryqiu]

Forget Lenovo and skip XPS -> go for one from Alienware (now a part of Dell). You can hardly find a faster && more robust laptop, given the same price range. Geared towards hardcore gamers, it's a perfect choice for power-hungry video editing work on the go. It has a unique cool sexy look, unmatched by any other brand laptops I know of. Surely an XPS is not slow and is slightly cheaper, but just can't be as fast && sexy as a comparable alienware (otherwise who shopping for a Dell would buy an alienware).

The 17" model from Alienware natively supports 3D video.

As for other name brands: you can safely forget them all. Although a good one from Sony is good, you'll end up paying significantly more to match a regular alienware.


As always, if a mac is your thing, you're helpless. ;)

[digital_walnut]

An XPS is going to give you the same performance for less money than an Alienware unless you decide you really need a Geforce 580M instead of a 555M, or if you're going to be working in 3D (since you bought an XF100 instead of the XF105, I'm guessing you're not). They share most of the same internals, and since contemporary processors have on-board memory controllers, the only options that will really effect the speed of your computer are the amount of memory, storage speed (SSDs will give you a significant speed boost over hard drives, but can get pretty expensive in higher capacities) and the graphics processor (as LDBecker suggested, a CUDA-enabled nvidia card will be a big boost if you're working with CS 5.5).

You're probably going to want to pick which software platform(s) you want to work with first, then choose a machine that best suits that software.

[henryqiu]

An XPS is going to give you the same performance for less money than an Alienware unless you decide you really need a Geforce 580M instead of a 555M, or if you're going to be working in 3D .

A 14" inch Alienware laptop can give you

1) the same or similar performance of a 17" XPS laptop, for
2) roughly the same price. Compared to 17" XPS, other than obviously
3) being much smaller more portable,

it also has the following notable features that may be important to a buyer:

4) decent battery life (6.75 hours)
5) unique, cool, sexy look (which will most likely impress just about anyone, your boss/clients included)
6) extra options to customize (such as having your loved one's name carved on it)

Alienware computers are not just fast and sexy, they are
7) very reliable too.

Regardless which model interests you most, be sure to check their reviews to see what their owners say. And you will notice that
8) Alienware laptops are almost universally highly praised by owners and lab reviewers.

However, if you are going for price more than anything else such as reliability, customization, etc, then you might very well just skip XPS and get a cheap one from Dell, Lenovo or any other manufacturer. Latest laptops using Intel CPUs almost always have the same or similar architectures and the same or similar components. Some of them are really cheap, especially if you shop around for a good deal. But I personally would rather skip them all to shoot the best one for a slightly higher price.

Also, if you consider Alienware laptops more expensive than you can afford, Mac Pro should probably have been dropped from your search radar in the very beginning.

You're probably going to want to pick which software platform(s) you want to work with first, then choose a machine that best suits that software.

To be Windows or to be not. That's the (only) question.

If Windows, many options to you, though I HIGHLY recommend Alienware.
If not, I don't know any option other than giving some apple a bite.

[LDBecker]

I would recommend the Alienware as well - reputation and spec wise, anyway. Cost... that can be a different thing altogether. A fairly basic set-up to match the Sony's specs (640g hd, 6g ram, decent Core i7 processor, 16" 3D FULL HD screen, USB3, Bluray drive) gets you at $23-2500. The Sony model is on sale right not for $100 off the normal $2k price. I think the USB 3 is important, Bluray is great, decent ram, and the Nvidia Cuda card with at least 1g of Ram on it alone - was the baseline for me, and the Sony came in at the best price - and it was available locally.
The Alienware has a 2.4" bigger screen - but the 16" screen is good for rough edits on HD video. I'm not sure I'd want a much smaller screen.

If you're using Adobe Premiere Pro, something with an adequate Nvidia card is really the way to go.

Larry