AE on a Macbook Pro?

[Rj Miles]

I struggled with a similar decision process.

After reading up a bit on performance stats of the MBP 2.4 & 2.3 compared to other Macs rendering AE and FCP files, I gathered the new MBP would be about twice as fast as a G5 2.0ghz DP, but only 25-30% as fast a Mac Pro 8-core. I might also note, there could be times when the 8-core is even faster.

If you have to be mobile, and that is to say “notebook” mobile, the new MBP computers are very impressive. For more serious video work you will want a eSATA card and RAID, as well as a full 4GB of ram.

At the end of the day, I decided to go with the Mac Pro 8-core and 16GB of ram. If my location production needs develop, I will either consider a used MBP or see how easily I could make the Mac Pro road ready.

If your purchase window can wait, we should see faster MBP notebooks in the new year, perhaps sporting more than (2) cores.

Good luck with your purchase.

RJ

[Brian Dugan]

Thanks RJ.
Seems a lot of people agree with your opinion that the Macbook Pro can handle most work.
I wonder what the ‘limit’ is. If I can create a 3D animation in Maya, do a 3 minute affects clip in AE or edit a 30 min piece and work on large Photoshop stuff I’ll be set.

[Rj Miles]

If you have no other reference to the new MBP expereince than moving up from a G5 Power Mac, the MBP is going to feel pretty good, especially if you are only going to be working in SD video.

However, once you start to tackle HD video or expose yourself to working on faster Mac Pro systems, the MBP will begin to feel like a minor, or in some cases a major step back. This observation may become even more evident as OS X and the programs themselves become more multi-core friendly.

However, the new MBP is certainly a new benchmark in the compromise of raw performance -vs- portability. Especially since Apple says they will continue to develop FCP to be as MBP friendly as possible.

AS far as what production challenges will test the limits of the MBP? IMHO it will be heavy compositing in AE, FCP & Motion of HD material, and probably the Maya work you mention. However, if render times will not be a problem, this will be a compromise you can accept for the portability.

At the end of the day, you may end up owning both the MBP and a faster Mac Pro, as do many other folks in the game. The question of which needs to come 1st is one only you can answer. However, if you will indeed end up owning both, you may be able to configure the MBP a little differently to save $$$. For instance, getting the 15″ MBP over the 17″ Hi-Res model. Or even looking for a great deal on a used 2.33ghz MBP for even less cabbage. Know what I mean?

I decided to build out the fastest Mac pro I could afford now, and jump on a MBP when needed in the future.

Good luck with your decision. It’s a tough one. 🙂

[Kevin Camp]

if you haven’t already, check out barefeats.com. you’ll find a lot of benchmarks for macs there, just scroll down the page a bit. in particular, you migt be interested in this article, comparing the new ‘santa rosa’ mbp to other macs.

Kevin Camp
Designer – KCPQ, KMYQ & KRCW

[Brian Dugan]