questions on mac requrements for FCP

[diego1235467]

So I was planning on purchasing Vegas Pro and using my Toshiba laptop, but it seems within half a year I will be REQUIRED to purchase a Mac and FCP. I am extremely tight on cash, as this will be for college. My entire family's savings are only $7,000, and the school costs about $30,000 a year, not including housing, food, etc.

Anyway, I'm not sure which Mac to buy. Whhat is the cheapest mac (either imac, or macbook) that has the requirements of FCP, and can handle it fairly well? Are there any upgrades to make that machine handle it better?

I'm not sure whether to buy Vegas pro for now, until I get the mac and FCP, or If I should just get this from the get-go.

 

[bigbossbmb]

EDIT: Wrong thread

I'd say wait until you get your student loans and such figured out. Then pick up a base MBP and a student copy of FCS.

 

[NickG]

If you're going to have to get the Mac/FCP anyway, Vegas/Tosh would be money wasted (especially if it's tight).

Any Macbook will run FCP; just make sure it has 4GB memory. You could save some money by going for a used one. If you do, and it needs more memory, don't get the memory from Apple. Go to Crucial, who are (a lot) cheaper, and excellent quality.

Final point - if you need a Firewire socket, you'll need a Macbook Pro, if buying new (standard Macbooks no longer have FW). A recent used Macbook will have Firewire, if you go that way.

You'll need FW if you'll be using tape-based camcorders. The college should be able to tell you if that's the case.