Advice on purchasing Macbook Pro

L

Lenilenapi

Carbonite Member
I just went to pickup my old 2009 repaired Macbook pro from Apple and it turns out they dropped it and dented the case so they are giving me a new one valued at about $2000. However I can upgrade beyond that and am looking for some advice as to what model to get.

At this point I plan to get a 15" 2.6GHz non Retina model with 8G RAM, an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M with 1GB of GDDR5 graphics memory, 6G of L3 cache, and a 750G 7200RPM internal drive. Even though Apple will only offer it with 8G RAM , OWC told me I can actually upgrade it to 16G RAM for only $130. (Does that sound right?)

For an additional $250 I can upgrade to the 2.7 GHz processor which also has 8G of L3 cache.

2.6 to 2.7 GHz doesn't sound like much but I've heard the increased L3 cache can make a bigger difference on rendering, compression and playback of heavy duty video files. I would like to be able to do 3D editing and color correction with DaVinci Resolve both of which are very processor intensive.

So...Quest #1 - Do you guys think the processor upgrade is worth it for video editing?

Quest #2 - Also what do you think about getting an SSD instead of a standard hard drive?

I plan to keep running FCP7.03 and am also a little worried about having to go with the latest version of Mountain Lion as that's the only way to do it . I think I could have them install my current hard drive ( 500G Seagate Hybrid Momentus running Snow Leopard). Then I could keep all my current software, have no problems with Sony SxS cards and my Matrox MXO.

Quest #3 - would installing my Seagate drive be a good idea?

Quest #4 - Is there any compelling reason to spend more money and go to a Retina model?

Thanks Lenny Levy
 
I got the 2011 mbp 13' and its fast, i edit my hpx170 and hacked gh2 footage on it and its smooth. WIth 4gb ram.

I used my brothers id for the student discount :)
 
Lenilenapi said:
So...Quest #1 - Do you guys think the processor upgrade is worth it for video editing?
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No. You'd be spending quite a bit of extra money for very little difference. Even the jump from Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge (the difference between last year's MBP and this year's) is only about a 20% difference.

Quest #2 - Also what do you think about getting an SSD instead of a standard hard drive?
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A thousand times yes. I have an SSD in my 2011 17" and I won't ever go back. In fact, thanks to groveChuck's thread yesterday about a deal on NewEgg, I'm about to go SSD on my desktop.

I plan to keep running FCP7.03 and am also a little worried about having to go with the latest version of Mountain Lion as that's the only way to do it. I think I could have them install my current hard drive ( 500G Seagate Hybrid Momentus running Snow Leopard). Then I could keep all my current software, have no problems with Sony SxS cards and my Matrox MXO.
Click to expand...

I've heard issues with running older OSX OSes on newer hardware, generally concerning hardware incompatibilities (one big one is that your new MacBook will have USB3 ports which Snow Leopard won't support at all) and other issues. I would definately keep your hard drive, but get a SSD and just make an image of what's on your Seagate. You can get a cheap dock that will let you read your internal laptop drive for about $30 or so. You should be able to install FCP7 on Mountain Lion, however, as the installer doesn't use Rosetta, but some older plugins might not work, so it'd be best to verify if you're running anything outside of vanilla FCP.

Quest #3 - would installing my Seagate drive be a good idea?
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You only get one hard drive option, and installing your Seagate would nix the SSD idea. I, personally, wouldn't make that trade.

Quest #4 - Is there any compelling reason to spend more money and go to a Retina model?
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Retina is very nice, but is currently first generation on a typical desktop platform. As such, a lot of software doesn't support it yet. And if you're running FCP7 on it, support will NEVER happen for that program, and so it will look like crap because the UI elements will be artificially doubled in resolution. I personally, would love the new 15" MBP for its USB3 ports and the NVIDIA 650M graphics, but I wouldn't get a Retina version. I'd instead hold out for the next model or after that, when software developers have had time to make everything I use compatible with it (and I use Adobe Creative Cloud, so eventually those apps will be updated for Retina).
 
Lenilenapi said:
What difference in editing does the SSD make? Does it affect rendering or real time playback any better?
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It makes no difference in editing whatsoever. The SSD speeds up tasks related to reading information from the disk drive. It primarily improves the responsiveness of the system overall, but you will, more than likely, be working with footage on a larger external drive that uses the same 'ole spinning platters.
 
Thanks Gary, That's what I suspected. I'm not a heavy duty editor - mainly a cameraman, so I don't even mind the general speed of my current 2009 machine. but i shoot 3D and would like to be able to edit it and do CC with Resolve btoh of which are heavy duty rendering issues.
I have read taht the added 2MB of L3 cache in the 2.7 GHz processor can be noticeable there. One guy onanother forum said it made the diofference between beng able to playback his Red footage real -time or not.
And yes my media will be on external eSATA drives
 
He said he had 2 machines he had tried it on. The real question for me though is would it make any difference for 3D processing and for color correction especially with Davinci Resolve.
 
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