Computer decisions

StayFrosty · 17-10-2012 3:45pm #1

I am in my first year in collage and i love programming and everything is goin well!

But i was also thinkin of doing a bit of video edditing!

Now my mother said she would but me a computer and i heard that macs are alot better for video edditing but i dont no if macs are good a programming or if java would work on them:(

Please someone help me out ?

What should i do??

Torqay · 17-10-2012 4:07pm

StayFrosty wrote: »

i heard that macs are alot better for video edditing

Well, you heard that wrong.

It's a matter of the software you're using, Adobe Premiere for example is available for both Windows and Mac OSX. Whether you buy a Windows or Apple computer, the hardware is more or less the identical: Intel processor and Nvidia graphics in a Mac, Intel Processor and Nvidia or ATI graphics in Windows computers.

If anything, Mac OSX is worse for video editing. As you can see in the Premiere Pro benchmark below, it's faster with Windows 7 on the MacBook Pro/Air than with Mac OSX on the MBP/MBA.

The MBA with Windows 7 also beats the MBP with Mac OSX... oh, the irony.

yoyo · 17-10-2012 6:29pm

Java and programming (C, C++ etc.) will all be fine on a Mac. Macs come with Xcode (I think it's free) which is the equivelent to Visual Studio express I believe. I do know people who code with Xcode who loathe it though, but I suppose you'd get the same from people who code in other IDEs also. If you want to code Ios apps a Mac is neccesary though.
I reckon for your usage a PC will be fine. The Mac may have a better screen if that is important, although I heard that they have been using standard enough panels in some of the newer imacs. It's also worth noting that RAM and various components are not upgradable on some of the newer Macs as they are soldered to the motherboard, particularly with the laptops.
As shown above there is little difference in performance between Windows and OSX these days, in some cases Windows will be considerably faster than OSX, others OSX would.

Nick

StayFrosty · 26-10-2012 1:37am

soo between a mac pro desktop and and a computer of similar value that has to program in java c++ and use final cut or any video edditing sofware is there a better choice??

areyawell · 26-10-2012 1:45am

StayFrosty wrote: »

soo between a mac pro desktop and and a computer of similar value that has to program in java c++ and use final cut or any video edditing sofware is there a better choice??

get a PC to be honest, Macs are largely overpriced and underpowered compared to PCS for the same price and people have in there heads there much better than windows when there not!

Java C++ will work on either MAC or PC so there's no priority there. Probably handier to use on a PC tbh if thats what your using all your life.

Macs tend to be underpowered compared to PCS these days. Really the only benifit of having a MAC over a PC is that they look nicer, UI is nicer and they tend not to get viruses.

Dont go out and buy any ould PC. Ask people in this forum and they will tell you which one to buy whatever your budget is!!

StayFrosty · 26-10-2012 1:52am

if my budget was 1000 - 150 what one should i get??

degsie · 26-10-2012 6:17am

Get one that has good grammar and spell checker. Just sayin'....

uncle_sam_ie · 26-10-2012 8:52am

You could build a really good PC for that. Even though it's not hard to do, you don't need to build your own to build your own. A few place where you buy the components will build it for you for a small fee.

deceit · 26-10-2012 9:54am

You should build your own pc. You would get a pc more powerful than a mac for nearly a 1/3rd the price.
I have to admit I like osx but its not worth being locked into apples overpriced hardware.

yoyo · 26-10-2012 10:43am

Final Cut is OSX only, but most other video editing programs are cross platform, premiere, Vegas etc. Macs are overpriced, but in saying that some prefare them. If your budget is that high a base iMac or very good PC will be well within your budget. Would you be interested in building?

Nick

Torqay · 26-10-2012 11:37am

The only iMac within your budget is the 21.5-inch for €1399:

2.7GHz quad-core Intel Core i5
8GB (two 4GB) memory
1TB hard drive1
NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M with 512MB

If you order from PC Specialist, you will get the following configuration for £897/€1,117

Incl. OS installation DVD and 3 yr warranty

Plenty money left to buy a nice 27" monitor, i.e. this Samsung for €260 at Komplett.

Same price, twice the memory, doubled the HDD size, a much faster GPU and a helluva difference in processing power.

marco_polo · 26-10-2012 12:00pm

Its just my personal opinion but in a computer screen I find 27" a little too big for a 1080p resolution. A better bet for the same kind of cash would be a U2412m which is a lovely little 1920 X 1200 IPS monitor.

@OP for the price of an imac you could build a decent video editing PC and still have enough change for a decent netbook/laptop for lugging in an out of college. Don't do it

Torqay · 26-10-2012 2:35pm

marco_polo wrote: »

A better bet for the same kind of cash would be a U2412m which is a lovely little 1920 X 1200 IPS monitor.

Kudos to Dell for still making 1200p Monitors. 1080 just stinks.

As for personal preferences, I'm using 2 28" 16x10 monitors, can't say they're too big.

mitosis · 26-10-2012 2:41pm

marco_polo wrote: »

@OP for the price of an imac you could build a decent video editing PC and still have enough change for a decent netbook/laptop for lugging in an out of college. Don't do it

This is a great observation well put. OP you could buy a PC to do the same job as a mac, and take a holiday on the difference in price. Or just buy another computer.

kmaque · 26-10-2012 2:42pm

areyawell wrote: »

get a PC to be honest, Macs are largely overpriced and underpowered compared to PCS for the same price and people have in there heads there much better than windows when there not!

Java C++ will work on either MAC or PC so there's no priority there. Probably handier to use on a PC tbh if thats what your using all your life.

Macs tend to be underpowered compared to PCS these days. Really the only benifit of having a MAC over a PC is that they look nicer, UI is nicer and they tend not to get viruses.

Dont go out and buy any ould PC. Ask people in this forum and they will tell you which one to buy whatever your budget is!!

Tend not to get viruses? Tend? I have yet to get a single virus in 19 years of Mac use...

uncle_sam_ie · 26-10-2012 3:03pm

The new iMac is a beautiful machine but, it's not really a desktop. It's a laptop dress up as a desktop. Viruses are a non issue on both platforms these days if you're careful and keep on top of the up dates. The good things about Apple is there after sales service is excellent,fantastic resale value and OS X. If you want value for money build your own. You'll get a great PC for the same price as the iMac. I own both btw

deceit · 26-10-2012 3:52pm

kmaque wrote: »

Tend not to get viruses? Tend? I have yet to get a single virus in 19 years of Mac use...

That doesn't mean anything. I've been using computers as long as that on windows/linux and osx and never had a virus on any of them.
The only reason their are less viruses on osx/linux is they don't have as much of a financial incentive for virus authors.
(by the way, i prefer linux over windows and would use osx as much as linux if it wasn't tied to the stupidly overpriced hardware, only reason I use windows is for gaming and work but would still recommend it over osx as hackintosh's are not legal because of apples eula.)

marco_polo · 26-10-2012 4:06pm

Scamming is where all the money is these days anyway.

Besides if you are running Window 7 nowadays its really much harder to get a virus than not, and usually requires determined effort on behalf of the user.

Computer decisions

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