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Why FCPX Seems Faster on Thunderbolt Macs
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[Jim Giberti] “But what if they really are being really smart and innovative (who, Apple?) and around the corner, say 12-18 months everything came together regarding their next 10 years of pro production tools – hardware and software.”
If I’m right about this AVX thing, then it makes me all the more sad that Apple is sitting out the new generation of Xeons. They too offer AVX, and they are absolute beasts. Just look at what Walter Biscardi saw in his test of the ProMAX ONE. Face melting.
It is nice that FCPX is so attuned to the baked-in efficiencies in Intel’s new CPUs, and that the mainstream ones found in iMacs and MacBook Pros can be so effective because of it. But more is still more, and new E5 Xeons are way more. If they had done a new Mac Pro around them it would have been truly stunning performance.
The only thing that would be slowing FCPX down would be all its UI animations. 😉
Best,
Andy -
[Andrew Richards] “The only thing that would be slowing FCPX down would be all its UI animations. ;-)”
You know how when babies cry, you can jingle keys in front of ’em and they stop crying?
I think that those animations are somebody’s attempt at jingly keys.
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Would appreciate the update on FCPX and the MBPr when you get a chance. And yes, this computer looks pretty monstrous indeed.
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[tony west] “Also many keep saying that Apple is walking away from pros. Who in the heck needs a computer screen like this that is not working with super high end content? I don’t get it. This computer looks like a monster to me.”
The questions about Apple’s commitment to pros is never about the features that Apple includes, which are often brilliant; it’s about the features they choose to exclude, which are often crippling.
As for the screen, everyone benefits from more pixels/sharper displays, pros and consumers alike. On a phone, the difference in clarity of images and text alike a retina display and a traditional display is arresting. I haven’t seen this machine in person yet, but I assume it will have a similar sharpness advantage. Apple is clearly working to show that this is a feature that will be useful to pros, since they’re promoting it with FCPX and Aperture, but they’re also showing consumers that it will benefit them with Mail and iPhoto [link].
That said, I agree with you — this is a fantastic-looking notebook, and it’d be a good candidate to replace my current 17″ MBP.
But again, what Apple giveth, Apple taketh away. Personally, I was fine with the old form factor. Thinner and lighter than that won’t matter to me, and I would have preferred not to to trade away the little bit of user serviceability and upgradeability that was left for a fraction of an inch and a pound or two.
And thus the debate continues.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
[Walter Soyka] ” it’s about the features they choose to exclude, which are often crippling.”
Good points Walter.
He went to put his old fcp on the MBPr and he noticed that there is no cd on that computer.
I guess he can find an adapter for that.
There is also no ethernet input.
But what are your thoughts on that flash HD?
A person may have an expandable laptop and have the HD crash and cost you a boat load of money if you need to recover that stuff.
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It’s not at all about “exclusion” so much as prioritization based on common/frequent use.
[tony west] “He went to put his old fcp on the MBPr and he noticed that there is no cd on that computer.
I guess he can find an adapter for that.”
Apple makes a very think CD/DVD burner. It’s USB2 only though. I have an external Blu-Ray burner. Generally I find this more efficient. I don’t need an optical drive in a computer day in and day out anymore. Having an external drive allows me to use and remove it at will.
[tony west] “There is also no ethernet input.”
Apple’s Ethernet to Thunderbolt adaptor. Again it’s about common use. Most people, most of the time, on laptops are wireless. Please don’t post how anecdotal importance it is (not to you but to people reading this). I always prefer to be wired and make that effort and would prefer not to lose a Thunderbolt port with yet another end of chain device. I’m the exception as I know there are others. Common use though is wireless for the vast majority of people on laptops.
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[tony west] “But what are your thoughts on that flash HD? A person may have an expandable laptop and have the HD crash and cost you a boat load of money if you need to recover that stuff.”
I love solid state storage for boot and cache drives. I ordered my 17″ MBP with the SSD in 2010 and I haven’t looked back. Solid state storage on portables is a trend I fully support.
For media storage, spinning disks still offer way more bang for the buck. With the older MBPs, you could keep an SSD boot disk and replace the optical drive with a mechanical HDD, too. Not right for everybody, but a nice option to have.
Mechanical HDDs can fail easily as you point out, but I wouldn’t buy an SSD to protect me from data loss due to mechanical failure. You could still lose the computer, for example, and then all your data would be gone. Far better to have a proper backup routine in place so your data is always safe no matter what happens.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events -
[Craig Seeman] “Apple’s Ethernet to Thunderbolt adaptor. Again it’s about common use. Most people, most of the time, on laptops are wireless. Please don’t post how anecdotal importance it is (not to you but to people reading this). I always prefer to be wired and make that effort and would prefer not to lose a Thunderbolt port with yet another end of chain device. I’m the exception as I know there are others. Common use though is wireless for the vast majority of people on laptops.”
I agree, but I can stand to use an Ethernet port too for SAN use (until ATTO boxes are released).
It would be nice if they also had a USB3 to Ethernet adaptor in addition to Thunderbolt as usb3 can be “hubbed” and is fast enough for Gigabit.
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[Walter Soyka] “Solid state storage on portables is a trend I fully support.”
It’s a trend for all storage. HDD performance peaked years ago. They are still the density kings today, but they are already a performance bottleneck, especially when they are operating alone.
Best,
Andy -
[Craig Seeman] “It’s not at all about “exclusion” so much as prioritization based on common/frequent use.”
Which leads us right back to the question about whether Apple cares about pros. The features that Apple have chosen to exclude (or chosen not to include, if you prefer) may not be important in common use in the general case — but they are important and are frequently used among video professionals.
[Craig Seeman] “Please don’t post how anecdotal importance it is (not to you but to people reading this). I always prefer to be wired and make that effort and would prefer not to lose a Thunderbolt port with yet another end of chain device. I’m the exception as I know there are others. Common use though is wireless for the vast majority of people on laptops.”
The difference between mainstream needs and professional needs is exactly the point here. This is why I draw the distinction between a system that a professional can use, and a system designed for a professional.
If the system were specifically designed for professional use, I think it would look a little different.
That doesn’t mean professionals won’t (or can’t) use it, but it does mean some compromises will have to be made, such as the ones you’ve listed above.
Walter Soyka
Principal & Designer at Keen Live
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
RenderBreak Blog – What I’m thinking when my workstation’s thinking
Creative Cow Forum Host: Live & Stage Events
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