New Apple box for Capture One v8 ?

[ChrisLivsey]

My MacBookPro (15 inch) is from 2007, can't believe it, well I can when I am starting to struggle to run stuff. So upgrade time. Primarily to run V8 Capture One. I can just run V7 on this box, just, stuck at 10.68 and not able to be updated (hardware limited) but with 2GB (was a lot at the time) memory maybe a good job.

So, spec wise and price wise all these come out similar?

MacBookPro 15inch 2.2G i7 512 SSD 16GB £1800 (Retina)
iMac 21inch 2.9 i5 512SSD 16GB £1750 (non Retina)
Mac Air 13 inch 1.7 i7 512SSD 8GB £1500 (runoured +Retina RSN)
Mini 3G i7 512SSD 16GB £1350 (ob. no monitor)

I know different beasts but interesting. I mainly use the current box at home and rarely actually move it but a 13inch would be useful.

Questions please:

Are these near enough each other, OK the 13inch Air can't use 16GB memory which is going to slow C1 but I'm not running a 50MP back!! ?

Which machine, regardless of my choices, but would be nice to think I'm on the right track, is biggest bang for the buck given the application ?

Dump all those above and given a budget £2000 ($3000) what would be a strategy Windoze excluded-sorry!!

 

[rscheffler]

This site runs a number of comparisons that I've found useful in the past: http://www.barefeats.com Though some of the tests may be more video/gaming centric.

From what I recall from their various tests, the Air may only be a dual core processor vs. quad core of the MBP/iMac. If C1 takes advantage of multiple cores, then a proper quad core will probably give you somewhat greater breathing room before the next upgrade.

That said, the Air may still be fine. I run an 11" 1.8GHz i7 with only 4GB RAM (the max at that time) and from time to time use it for processing Canon 18MP CR2, M9 DNG, M240 DNG, etc. in Lightroom. While it's not as fast as my quad core i7 iMac (from ~2010), it's not terribly slow either. I will use it to process ~1000 CR2 conversions while traveling for specific jobs, and it will do it in 3-4 hours. In this application, I value its portability very highly because it doesn't add a whole lot of weight or take up all that much space in the existing kit (which sometimes involves air travel). But as a primary machine that will usually be at home, I would pick something with a bit more power, and probably the MBP, to which you could add a nice display at a later time, if desired (well, that's true for any of them). At least with the MBP you have the option to be portable, which you won't with the iMac or mini.

As for my upgrade path: I'm waiting for the rumoured 12" Air.

 

[Dante_Stella]

Try putting in an SSD (not very expensive, $100-200) before giving up. My 2006 Mac Pro became 1000% faster when it was not running virtual memory off a hard drive.

Dante

 

[iamzip]

Given that you say you hardly move it, I wouldn't consider the MacBook Air. That puts lightness and portability above all else, and since you're not really concerned with that, what's the point?

I know that, when it was first designed, the Mac Mini was designed to be pretty much an iMac without a screen - so I would imagine that the iMac and Mac Mini would be pretty comparable. Do you need a screen or do you already have one?

 

[Godfrey]

My MacBookPro (15 inch) is from 2007, can't believe it, well I can when I am starting to struggle to run stuff. So upgrade time. Primarily to run V8 Capture One. I can just run V7 on this box, just, stuck at 10.68 and not able to be updated (hardware limited) but with 2GB (was a lot at the time) memory maybe a good job.

So, spec wise and price wise all these come out similar?

MacBookPro 15inch 2.2G i7 512 SSD 16GB £1800 (Retina)
iMac 21inch 2.9 i5 512SSD 16GB £1750 (non Retina)
Mac Air 13 inch 1.7 i7 512SSD 8GB £1500 (runoured +Retina RSN)
Mini 3G i7 512SSD 16GB £1350 (ob. no monitor)

I know different beasts but interesting. I mainly use the current box at home and rarely actually move it but a 13inch would be useful.

Questions please:

Are these near enough each other, OK the 13inch Air can't use 16GB memory which is going to slow C1 but I'm not running a 50MP back!! ?

Which machine, regardless of my choices, but would be nice to think I'm on the right track, is biggest bang for the buck given the application ?

Dump all those above and given a budget £2000 ($3000) what would be a strategy Windoze excluded-sorry!!

- 8G RAM is more than enough for most editing purposes unless the software you're using is particularly poorly written. That said, 16G is always nice to have.

- You don't need portability according to what you say above. Why pay the premium for it with a laptop?

- If you buy a laptop*and intend to use it for image editing, go fro the MacBook Pro either 13 or 15" with Retina display for editing. The Retina screens are less sensitive to eye position and easier to edit on as a result. If you're always going to edit on a desktop display, Retina or not doesn't matter much (to me anyway).

My work machine is one of either a MacBook Air 13" (late 2011 series with 4G RAM) or MacBook Pro 13" Retina (2013 with 4G RAM), base configuration cpu and 128G storage. Both of them run LR quite nicely; the MacBook Pro is a bit quicker. The display is better on the MBP. But I use them mostly in conjunction with a Thunderbolt Display 27", so when i'm out and about a lot, I prefer the MBA because it's less to carry.

My home machine, where I do most of my image processing, is a mid-2012 Mac mini with 16G RAM and i7 Quadcore 2.6Ghz processor. It has been upgraded with an internal Crucial 960G SSD. It also is connected to a Thunderbolt Display 27". It's very fast, very smooth in operation, and handles 500M 16bit-per-component scan files with ease, runs LR and everything else seamlessly.

G

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Replies to date are all appreciated, before I study in depth can I dismiss a myth that has crept in, due entirely to my phrasing?
Whilst I state, and correctly, that I rarely move the MacBookPro that is not because I don't want to it's because its too darned big to move and carry around I would like to!! Hence the Air came into the equation.

Dante
Attractive and sound advice but:-
An SSD drive transplant would not help running v8 C1 in this machine, that requires the latest O/S which, because of the hardware in this vintage, I cannot do.

rscheffler
C1 does use multicore and has some clever stuff that takes advantage of memory on and off video cards at the same time, so I read. Link being followed up.

Godfrey
Is the laptop a premium? The Bookpro has retina for little more than the sam spec of the others? Comments on Retina are appreciated as are your details of set ups and comparisons, so useful to have a real life example. i find the sites often refer to video editing which of courses poses different stresses on the systems.

iamzip
See above re portability. I don't have a screen but that opens up getting a good one which may last into the next iteration of computer perhaps?

 

[Godfrey]

Replies to date are all appreciated, before I study in depth can I dismiss a myth that has crept in, due entirely to my phrasing?
Whilst I state, and correctly, that I rarely move the MacBookPro that is not because I don't want to it's because its too darned big to move and carry around I would like to!! Hence the Air came into the equation.

Ah, I see. Never really though the MBP15" was all that large or heavy, myself, but the MBA 13" is indeed quite a bit lighter than even the MBP 13". Using the MBA you give up a bit of performance for the light weight and compactness. For what I use it for, the performance is quite good enough—but again, it's not my primary image processing system. I mostly do my writing with it, and occasionally edit a photo as part of my documentation process.

... Is the laptop a premium? The Bookpro has retina for little more than the sam spec of the others? Comments on Retina are appreciated as are your details of set ups and comparisons, so useful to have a real life example. i find the sites often refer to video editing which of courses poses different stresses on the systems.

You always pay a bit of a premium for a laptop over comparable performance on a desktop system, that's all. You're paying for the mobility and miniaturization required. It's become a smaller and smaller different as time's gone on. These days, a laptop is mostly considered the standard.

Again, if you're going to do image editing on a laptop, you want the Retina display. To my eyes, it isn't because it appears that much sharper/clearer/etc. It's because the display is an IPA type panel which has less issues as the angle your look at it from diverges from straight on.

Whenever I buy a machine for myself, I buy with as much processor and RAM as I can afford, and stuff it full of as much RAM as it can support. SSDs in the 1T range work for me, and improve performance nicely. A system like that lasts the longest with the best performance to get the most out of it.

My laptops are provided by my work, so I ask for what I think will do that job and, if they approve, a little extra when it's cheap enough. They give me new ones as I deem it important to the work, and only occasionally ask for the old ones back ... I like to have a spare as there are many times I need it. So I get to compare the latest one I have received with the slightly older one quite often.

I really like the MBA13", even if it's a bit slower than the MBP or the current MBAs. It's a very handy machine and easy to carry anywhere. The 11" model is a bit more limited due to the small screen and lack of SD card slot.

I like to keep the computer nerdiness as simple as possible. I basically pick one I like, stuff it with as much processor and RAM as I can, enough disk space (enough because all my real data is on external devices), and just use it. I've never found that I needed "the best, the highest performance, the mostest with the mostest" to get my work done...

G

 

[back alley]

godfrey, what do you think of the fusion drives?

 

[ChrisLivsey]

Ah, I see. Never really though the MBP15" was all that large or heavy, myself, but the MBA 13" is indeed quite a bit lighter than even the MBP 13". .....

I like to keep the computer nerdiness as simple as possible.

G

I suppose it isn't but it just never seemed "right" to lug it around.

It is my lack of nerdiness that has led me to post, I only look at upgrade time which the reliability of the current MPB has allowed.
I read the rumoured 12" MBA will be Retina as no doubt will the 13" with the 11" dropped.
You can see where I am leaning, I don't spend all my time on C1 editing, it is though the program that stresses the system most so it makes sense to tailor to that.

 

[iamzip]

iamzip
See above re portability. I don't have a screen but that opens up getting a good one which may last into the next iteration of computer perhaps?

That being said I still don't see going for the MacBook Air over any of the others - it gives up so much in performance just for the sake of being portable. If you lived on the road with your computer, I would say it was worth considering, but not for something you *might* want to move around. If you really want the option of portability, stick with the macbook pro.

 

[ChrisLivsey]

T stick with the macbook pro.

Noted, and not dismissed.

 

[back alley]

or get an ipad mini in conjunction with a new computer...i love the portability of it!

 

[Godfrey]

godfrey, what do you think of the fusion drives?

They're very good performance for the money. While a large SSD is faster, you get 95% of the performance boost of an SSD at 30% of the price with Fusion Drive technology.

How it works in concept: A Fusion Drive is essentially a pair of drives .. one rotating media, one solid state .. with a 'smart' controller that adaptively shifts the sorts of things you use most and that get hit with lots of IO to the faster SS media. So you get the benefit of the SSD speed for most things and the economy of the rotating media drive for the stuff that matters less.

G

 

[Godfrey]

or get an ipad mini in conjunction with a new computer...i love the portability of it!

Indeed, I almost never carry a laptop around anymore unless I'm doing "work" work. My iPad mini is my most used computer aside from what I use for my job.

When I travel, I toss an Apple wireless keyboard in my travel bag just in case I want to write something for which a full size, hard keyboard is more appropriate. Otherwise, I use the iPad for everything.

G

 

[back alley]

They're very good performance for the money. While a large SSD is faster, you get 95% of the performance boost of an SSD at 30% of the price with Fusion Drive technology.

How it works in concept: A Fusion Drive is essentially a pair of drives .. one rotating media, one solid state .. with a 'smart' controller that adaptively shifts the sorts of things you use most and that get hit with lots of IO to the faster SS media. So you get the benefit of the SSD speed for most things and the economy of the rotating media drive for the stuff that matters less.

G

i'm getting excited about picking up the top tier mini...i am going with the standard, no extras mini...otherwise i have to wait about 2 weeks for them to put one together...the only thing i might have wanted was the 16gig ram instead of the 8...