Mac or PC laptop? at DVinfo.net

Chris Leong · February 16th, 2008, 04:36 PM

Hi folks
Just in general
For the purposes of downloading SxS card content onto portable HDDs in the field only...

A 17" MacBook Pro? Or something like an IBM T61?
Both are quick, both have Expresscard slots.

Pros and cons?

Thanks!
Cheers
Chris

Piotr Wozniacki · February 16th, 2008, 04:44 PM

Chris, I guess it mainly depends on what your main worksation is. If you're a Mac man, the choice is obvious.

I've always been on a PC, so my EX1 companion laptop is PC as well (the biggest and fastest Sony Vaio, btw.)

Tim Lenz · February 16th, 2008, 05:01 PM

Chris,

I recently purchased a Dell Precision Mobile Workstation M90. Not cheap, but it is truly a mobile workstation, not a get-by laptop. It has an Express slot that I also use for an external SATA controller. Fast, reliable, durable. I think you can go either way and I agree that if your main machine is Mac then go with a Macbook. If your main is a PC then go with a PC laptop. I also have a dual xeon tower, but I also use the M90 as a workstation in the studio.

Dean Harrington · February 16th, 2008, 05:39 PM

At this point many of us are committed to one working system and many have several machines to do the work. I'm a Mac person myself and in our set-up have 4 different Macs. It wouldn't be cost effective for us to go the microsoft route. If you are just organizing you systems, you have a great opportunity to really look at the differences in these computing systems and the software that they use. Keep the overall view in mind when you decide!

Chris Leong · February 16th, 2008, 07:25 PM

Umm... well...
I have four Macs and six PCs in my setup. They're all networked together.

Some PCs are better for graphics. I edit Avid Media Composer on both platforms, AE on PC, Photoshop on PC, Corel on PC, Boujou on PC, Matchmover on PC, FCP Shake Color Magic Bullet etc on Mac.

So?

Craig Seeman · February 16th, 2008, 08:15 PM

An Intel Mac (MacBookPro) can run BOTH Windows and Mac OS with a simple reboot. With Parallels or VMWare Fusion it can run both Mac OS and Windows AT THE SAME TIME.

Get a MacBookPro and you have both as you need it.

Chris Leong · February 16th, 2008, 08:18 PM

Craig

Thanks, that's the way I was sort of leaning - anybody know if there's any performance penalty or benefit one way or the other?

Just had the fact that Sony makes PCs in the back of my mind, is all.

Craig Seeman · February 16th, 2008, 09:48 PM

While if one Googles one can find piecemeal tests of Macs running Windows vs PCs running Windows but one has to get out one's head that it's a "Mac."

It's an Intel CPU PC with many components that are the same as found in a PC. Most of the tests I've seen show that it is comparable in speed to comparably equipped PCs.

What makes the Macs different? Well they can run Mac OS too. Apple has a penchant for creative design and sometimes utilitarian too.

There is no "con" to running Windows on a Mac directly ("bootcamp") unless you feel you can get a more feature rich faster PC for the money (and you might) but a Mac will give you a FAST make and a FAST Windows PC.

If you use virtualization (Parallels or Fusion) then a Windows PC will likely be a bit faster. What virtualization does give you is the ability to move stuff from one OS to the other if there's a given app on a given OS you want to hand off something to. Otherwise "bootcamp" (boot as a Windows PC) to do Windows specific video work.

James Huenergardt · February 17th, 2008, 12:43 AM

I did a bit of research a while back and found some very interesting articles on this very topic of running XP on an Intel MacBook Pro.

http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/03...re_duo_laptop/
http://www.powerpage.org/2007/11/pc_...ta_laptop.html
http://creativemac.digitalmedianet.c...e.jsp?id=39536
http://macanimationpro.digitalmedian...e.jsp?id=39724

Anyway, I edit on a PC and use the Adobe software. I haven't ordered it yet, but I'll be getting a MacBook Pro 17"

The other thing for me was size. It will fit in my Kata backpack along with my camera. The backpack will fit in the overhead bin on an airliner and it frees up my hands while in the airport, etc.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Backpack.html

Hope this helps...

Ola Christoffersson · February 17th, 2008, 04:50 AM

I recently bought a very reasonably priced Dell Vostro 1400 that I am very happy with.

2.1 Ghz Core2Duo. 2 Gigs of ram 1440x900 resolution on 14" screen, dedicated Nvidia graphics card. Express card-slot. 7200 rpm 160 Gb drive. Pre-N wireless and bluetooth 2.0.

It transfers an 8 GB card in 3,5 minutes to the internal 7200 rpm drive and plays back all HD-resolutions without hickups in Clip Manger AND to my big surprise I can edit 1080P HD with my Avid Media Composer on the machine.

Weight 2,5 kg. Price €800.

In essence I feel that a big workstation laptop is overkill for my needs.

/ola

February 16th, 2008, 04:36 PM	#1
Chris Leong Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Los Angeles CA USA Posts: 507	Mac or PC laptop? Hi folks Just in general For the purposes of downloading SxS card content onto portable HDDs in the field only... A 17" MacBook Pro? Or something like an IBM T61? Both are quick, both have Expresscard slots. Pros and cons? Thanks! Cheers Chris __________________ "The content, not the container."

February 16th, 2008, 04:44 PM	#2
Piotr Wozniacki Inner Circle Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Poland Posts: 4,086	Chris, I guess it mainly depends on what your main worksation is. If you're a Mac man, the choice is obvious. I've always been on a PC, so my EX1 companion laptop is PC as well (the biggest and fastest Sony Vaio, btw.) __________________ Sony PXW-FS7 \| DaVinci Resolve Studio; Magix Vegas Pro; i7-5960X CPU; 64 GB RAM; 2x GTX 1080 8GB GPU; Decklink 4K Extreme 12G; 4x 3TB WD Black in RAID 0; 1TB M.2 NVMe cache drive

February 16th, 2008, 05:39 PM	#4
Dean Harrington Major Player Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Tokyo Posts: 898	Equipment ... At this point many of us are committed to one working system and many have several machines to do the work. I'm a Mac person myself and in our set-up have 4 different Macs. It wouldn't be cost effective for us to go the microsoft route. If you are just organizing you systems, you have a great opportunity to really look at the differences in these computing systems and the software that they use. Keep the overall view in mind when you decide!

February 16th, 2008, 07:25 PM	#5
Chris Leong Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Los Angeles CA USA Posts: 507	Umm... well... I have four Macs and six PCs in my setup. They're all networked together. Some PCs are better for graphics. I edit Avid Media Composer on both platforms, AE on PC, Photoshop on PC, Corel on PC, Boujou on PC, Matchmover on PC, FCP Shake Color Magic Bullet etc on Mac. So? __________________ "The content, not the container."

February 16th, 2008, 08:18 PM	#7
Chris Leong Major Player Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Los Angeles CA USA Posts: 507	Craig Thanks, that's the way I was sort of leaning - anybody know if there's any performance penalty or benefit one way or the other? Just had the fact that Sony makes PCs in the back of my mind, is all. __________________ "The content, not the container."

February 16th, 2008, 05:01 PM	#3
Tim Lenz New Boot Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Appleton WI Posts: 21	Chris, I recently purchased a Dell Precision Mobile Workstation M90. Not cheap, but it is truly a mobile workstation, not a get-by laptop. It has an Express slot that I also use for an external SATA controller. Fast, reliable, durable. I think you can go either way and I agree that if your main machine is Mac then go with a Macbook. If your main is a PC then go with a PC laptop. I also have a dual xeon tower, but I also use the M90 as a workstation in the studio.

February 16th, 2008, 08:15 PM	#6
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	An Intel Mac (MacBookPro) can run BOTH Windows and Mac OS with a simple reboot. With Parallels or VMWare Fusion it can run both Mac OS and Windows AT THE SAME TIME. Get a MacBookPro and you have both as you need it.

February 16th, 2008, 09:48 PM	#8
Craig Seeman Inner Circle Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Brooklyn, NY, USA Posts: 3,841	While if one Googles one can find piecemeal tests of Macs running Windows vs PCs running Windows but one has to get out one's head that it's a "Mac." It's an Intel CPU PC with many components that are the same as found in a PC. Most of the tests I've seen show that it is comparable in speed to comparably equipped PCs. What makes the Macs different? Well they can run Mac OS too. Apple has a penchant for creative design and sometimes utilitarian too. There is no "con" to running Windows on a Mac directly ("bootcamp") unless you feel you can get a more feature rich faster PC for the money (and you might) but a Mac will give you a FAST make and a FAST Windows PC. If you use virtualization (Parallels or Fusion) then a Windows PC will likely be a bit faster. What virtualization does give you is the ability to move stuff from one OS to the other if there's a given app on a given OS you want to hand off something to. Otherwise "bootcamp" (boot as a Windows PC) to do Windows specific video work.

February 17th, 2008, 12:43 AM	#9
James Huenergardt Major Player Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Chehalis, WA Posts: 513	I did a bit of research a while back and found some very interesting articles on this very topic of running XP on an Intel MacBook Pro. http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/03...re_duo_laptop/ http://www.powerpage.org/2007/11/pc_...ta_laptop.html http://creativemac.digitalmedianet.c...e.jsp?id=39536 http://macanimationpro.digitalmedian...e.jsp?id=39724 Anyway, I edit on a PC and use the Adobe software. I haven't ordered it yet, but I'll be getting a MacBook Pro 17" The other thing for me was size. It will fit in my Kata backpack along with my camera. The backpack will fit in the overhead bin on an airliner and it frees up my hands while in the airport, etc. http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc..._Backpack.html Hope this helps... __________________ Reel Inspirations - www.reelinspirations.com Commercials, Dramas, Image Pieces, Documentaries, Motion Graphics

February 17th, 2008, 04:50 AM	#10
Ola Christoffersson Major Player Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Stockholm, Sweden Posts: 462	I recently bought a very reasonably priced Dell Vostro 1400 that I am very happy with. 2.1 Ghz Core2Duo. 2 Gigs of ram 1440x900 resolution on 14" screen, dedicated Nvidia graphics card. Express card-slot. 7200 rpm 160 Gb drive. Pre-N wireless and bluetooth 2.0. It transfers an 8 GB card in 3,5 minutes to the internal 7200 rpm drive and plays back all HD-resolutions without hickups in Clip Manger AND to my big surprise I can edit 1080P HD with my Avid Media Composer on the machine. Weight 2,5 kg. Price €800. In essence I feel that a big workstation laptop is overkill for my needs. /ola