Is FCP expected to run like this?

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Level 7

22,373 points

Is FCP expected to run like this?

3 weeks ago (no doubt as a feeling of guilt) my wife implored me to buy something for myself . . . so I sent off for a base model M2 Mac mini, as you do.

Though faster than my 27” iMac I wasn’t overly impressed and set about running it from an old Samsung T5 SSD on which I installed Ventura. Unfortunately it refused to boot from the T5 so I erased it and reinstalled the OS only to find it still wouldn’t boot. So I gave up on the machine, assuming it was yet another waste of cash and returned to my iMac.

Fast forward to Friday (2 days ago) when I was idly surfing YouTube. I came across a video that showed me where I had been going wrong . . . I had been installing Ventura on the “Physical Volume” of the T5 instead of the “Physical Disk”.

Within the hour I had the mini running on the Samsung T5 connected by USB-C and performed a number of benchmark tests to see what a performance hit I could expect, as subjectively it felt as responsive as the internal drive.

The GeekBench scores over several tests between the internal 256 GB and the 1 TB T5 were identical and the Samsung exported the Bruce X test in 75% of the time the internal took.

An effect laden 11 minute 1080p project did take longer . . . 4% but I can live with that as it is still blazingly fast.

I assumed that longer projects would start to bring the T5 powered mini to its knees so this morning I tested out a 30+ minute 1080p project.

Exporting the project as ProRes 422 took 2m 40s and produced a 25.53 GB .mov file.

Another test exporting as “Computer - faster encoding” produced a 4.53 GB .mp4 file in 4m 42s

These speeds are beyond my wildest dreams for a Mac running on an external SSD . . . are they normal?

The screenshot shows the project, which for me is reasonably complex.

Mac mini

Posted on Nov 5, 2023 2:45 AM

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Answer 1

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Luis Sequeira1

Level 9

67,594 points

Nov 5, 2023 2:57 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

First of all, congrats on your new Mac!

(note to self: convince wife to tell me to buy myself a little something; it will be so much easier if she thinks it was her idea 😂)

While the built-in SSD inside your Mac Mini will be nominally faster than an external connecting over USB-C, they will both be plenty fast enough. And much faster than the one inside your iMac.

When doing a video encoding, the drive speed is usually not the limiting factor, anyway. That is especially the case when the material is all generated as in the BruceX test: not actual media clips to load, it is all computed, so it is just CPU and GPU (and maybe the media engine inside the chip).

The more complex the project, the more computation is relevant vis a vis the speed of loading and writing media.

Good and speedy editing! You deserve it.

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Answer 2

Ian R. Brown Author

Level 7

22,373 points

Nov 5, 2023 4:23 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

Reality has struck and I have spotted my error!

When I installed FCP on the Samsung T5 I forgot to switch off "Background Render" so the video I was exporting was already rendered.

This would explain why the BruceX test on the T5 was 25% faster.

I have now deleted all the generated render files and re-exported the 30 minute test video with the following results.

ProRes 422 took 3m 50s and "Computer" was 5m 57s . . . more realistic but still reasonable and a suitable answer to those who keep asking whether FCP can run on the basic M2.

The Oracle of Fincut, he say to me . . . "M2, pretty darned good".

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Answer 3

Ian R. Brown Author

Level 7

22,373 points

Nov 5, 2023 3:28 AM in response to Luis Sequeira1

I understand the points you make as you have mentioned them previously.

The 2017 iMac with its fusion drive is no slouch but for a cheap mini running on an external to take well under 3 minutes to export a 30 minute video seems unbelievable . . . too good to be true.

I'm wondering what the catch is and when will I be brought down to earth?

Incidentally, this morning's dabblings and the 2 exports incurred 1.47 GB of Swap Memory, which to my joy, occurred on the comparatively cheap replaceable Samsung!

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Answer 4

Nov 5, 2023 3:57 AM in response to Ian R. Brown

The M2 system on a chip inside your Mini is far superior to the Intel inside your iMac. Enjoy!

Also, don’t worry about the longevity of your SSD. Such fears have been greatly exaggerated. In all likelihood it will last for many years.

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Answer 5

Ian R. Brown Author

Level 7

22,373 points

Nov 6, 2023 2:08 AM in response to Alchroma

Alchroma wrote

Congrats on having one of the best wives in the Universe.

As with everything there is a context. Before our marriage 47 years ago she told me that if I bought the house (we are still living in) she would never ask for anything more and as a naive infatuated young man I believed her . . .

So her apparent generosity probably stems from guilt . . .

. . . and what is this talk about "older guys" all about?

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Answer 6

Alchroma

Level 7

23,827 points

Nov 5, 2023 4:06 PM in response to Ian R. Brown

G'Day Ian,

Congrats on having one of the best wives in the Universe and the new Mac.

Here's a future idea for older guys:

Al

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Is FCP expected to run like this?

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