MacBook Air 13" (mid-2012) for video editing?

[astroboy]

I am thinking of getting the latest MBA 13". Just wondering if it is able to handle video editing? Well, not the heavy stuff as I am not a pro post-production guy. Just basic editing with iMovie or maybe later an upgrade to FCP.

I know some of u folks will say just go for MBP, but I travel a lot and weight is a major consideration for me.

 

[Bamboopictures]

I am thinking of getting the latest MBA 13". Just wondering if it is able to handle video editing? Well, not the heavy stuff as I am not a pro post-production guy. Just basic editing with iMovie or maybe later an upgrade to FCP.

I know some of u folks will say just go for MBP, but I travel a lot and weight is a major consideration for me.

I hope you realise that MBA does not have a discrete graphics card required to run many third-party plug-ins for FCP and Motion. Also, video footage needs to be stored in a high speed disk drive. The only connector fast enough for that purpose on a MBA is the thunderbolt port. But thunderbolt harddrives are very expensive. So unless you are on a money -is -no -object, tiny -at -all-cost trajectory, MBP is a saner choice.

 

[astroboy]

Thanks so much for pointing out these setbacks. I guess if I must get MBA, I am stuck with iMovie doing simple video editing? I guess will have to live with that. As for ext HD for storage, USB3.0 is not fast enough, right?

I hope you realise that MBA does not have a discrete graphics card required to run many third-party plug-ins for FCP and Motion. Also, video footage needs to be stored in a high speed disk drive. The only connector fast enough for that purpose on a MBA is the thunderbolt port. But thunderbolt harddrives are very expensive. So unless you are on a money -is -no -object, tiny -at -all-cost trajectory, MBP is a saner choice.

 

[Deunamist]

13" MBP is not exactly very heavy.. lol.

 

[eleveninth]

forget about the MBA if u want to edit videos.

 

[beachbum]

I am thinking of getting the latest MBA 13". Just wondering if it is able to handle video editing? Well, not the heavy stuff as I am not a pro post-production guy. Just basic editing with iMovie or maybe later an upgrade to FCP.

I know some of u folks will say just go for MBP, but I travel a lot and weight is a major consideration for me.

I am also in the mist of researching for upgrade. I am using FCPX, so can't really speak for other programs like premiere.
If you are shooting with DSLR or most new digicams or even video cams, they tend to use highly compressed format like H264 or AvCHD. These will really demand a quad core machine to edit them on the fly.
I have a core2duo machine and it really struggles. But if you are not in a hurry, you can always transcode them to processor friendly formats like Pro-Res proxy before working in them.
As for the discrete graphics card, apparently FCPX will use whatever amount of CPU, RAM and GPU you have. But most of the time during my editing and applying grading and built-in filters, it's the CPU that gets all the work and the GPU is idling. Unless you are going use Effects heavily to create special effects or doing motion graphics, I think for simple editing, grading and using the build in effects, the CPU and RAM is more important.

So yeah, it is possible for you to edit in IMovie with a MBA. Just know its limitations and what is your work flow.

 

[Bamboopictures]

I stand corrected. New 2012 MBA has USB3.0. Theoretically fast enough for HD video. I've never tried USB3.0 drives before, so I can't say for sure how they will perform.
But the way I look at it, the small size of the MBA is negated by the heavier external drives you need to lug around.

 

[tengo]

Since astroboy says he is not pro, he will be happy to know that MBA (mid-2012) is good enough for video editing, even FCP, Premiere Pro.

Although I have a MBP 15" at home, my office gives me a MBP 13" (early 2011) with a 5400RPM HDD for work and I have been editing FCP, Premiere Pro CS6 and even Motion and After Effects without problems. But of course, I am just doing short stuffs and nothing too complicated.

8GB RAM is a must though. Another trick is to shoot/edit 720p25 rather than 1080 stuff... It helps.

 

[tengo]

Oh yes... forgot to say... MBA (mid-2012) is more powerful than a MBP 13" (early 2011). So if my MBP 13" can do it, I am sure the MBA can. Plus MBA has a slightly higher screen resolution which is useful.

 

[astroboy]

Okay, the choice is now made easier since they came out with MBP 13" with flash drive. It seems to be nearly as light as the MBA.

 

[yzknobbies]

singtel having broadband promo at $98pm you get macbook pro 13" free... last till 30 nov...worth it...