07-21-2005, 09:38 PM

hello! i am new to this forum and to macs. i am planning on purchasing a mac just for a change. i am a film student and i hope to get a notebook for class. i don't expect to do all my video editing on it (since school has the equipments), but i do expect to do a little editing myself for practice/fun/projects. i am currently on a budget. i would love to get a powerbook but it seems like an iBook is more affordable. i was thinking of getting a cheaper G5 desktop but i think a portable laptop would work better for me because i am also a psych double major and i bring my computer to class from time to time. is ibook capable for adequate video editing? it looks really nice. also, is 1.2/1.33 gHz fast? how fast is it comparing to p3 and p4? i am computer illiterate. i wanna learn more.

i am sorry if this question has been asked before. thanks!

07-21-2005, 10:11 PM

With enough RAM I would expect it to work just fine. Don't expect anything spectacular... But it will run FCP and get the basics done.

07-21-2005, 10:18 PM

yep the ibook will be great i run final cut pro often
BUT BUY 1 GIG OF RAM or else its gonna suck.....

07-21-2005, 10:19 PM

I've done 2-3 min vids on my 12" IBook with Final Cut Pro...it's nice...how fast is 1.2Ghz? Fast enough for me to run QuarkXPress, PhotoshopCS, about 5-6 web browsers, ITunes, BBEdit...and maybe something else with very little lag...thats with memory upgraded to 768mb though...I love it...much faster then I anticipated among purchasing it...

07-21-2005, 10:32 PM

i am thinking of upgrading my ibook too if i am to buy one. is a RAM of 512mb enough for what i am looking for? also, is 30GB good enough? i don't know much about video editing on mac, i wish i know more. T_T please kindly give me some recommendations.

btw, thanks for replying so fast!

07-21-2005, 10:36 PM

noooooooooooooooooooooo i can guaranty that if you buy 512 you will be extremely disappointed i say just max it out to 1.25....
and dont buy ram from apple...newegg only

07-21-2005, 10:37 PM

or do you think a G5 20" is more worth?

07-21-2005, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by lust4life

or do you think a G5 20" is more worth?

That all depends on what you need it for.... Any motion graphics... or advanced editing... And of course the G5 is going to tear the iBook apart.

But if you need something portable and don't plan on anything too intense... The iBook is definitely a better choice.

But as it has already been said... 1GIG of RAM.... Bare Minimum. Even in the G5.

07-21-2005, 10:46 PM

Originally Posted by iLEFTOVERCRACK

noooooooooooooooooooooo i can guaranty that if you buy 512 you will be extremely disappointed i say just max it out to 1.25....
and dont buy ram from apple...newegg only

where would you suggest to buy additional RAM? i never tried that before. :dummy:

07-21-2005, 10:47 PM

newegg.com

07-23-2005, 01:23 AM

how do you upgrade by yourself? i mean, how do you install it?

07-23-2005, 01:26 AM

On the iBook the keyboard pops off, remove the airport card, and you unscrew the plate that covers the RAM... easy as pie. The iMac is a little more of a pain.... but basically just unscrew the 3 screws on the bottom and pop the back off.

edit: did I just invoke the phrase "easy as pie?"... crap... i did.

07-23-2005, 04:34 AM

^^ i'm just worried that i might screw up the inside, haha. is it really.. as you said, "easy as pie"?

07-23-2005, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by lust4life

where would you suggest to buy additional RAM? i never tried that before. :dummy:

I disagree about newegg, they are dishonest and deceiving. Buy from Archmemory or Crucial. I bought from Arch and installed myself. It very easy to install yourself. It tells you how to install it in your manual that came with ibook.

07-23-2005, 10:29 AM

Crucial charge extra if you use the memory locator though... check the type you need there and then find it yourself in their listing.