Best Apple Computer for Video Editing (when you're on a budget)?

Really depends on what your needs are. The single best thing you can do to speed up the render process is to get a more powerful processor. The easily upgradable Mac Pro is ideal but if you're on a budget a good iMac or higher-end Macbook Pro will work well instead.

Well, depending on budget...
Today, this would be my personal choice...

http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MC560LL/A?mco=MTg2OTUwMjQ
(3.33 GHz “Westmere” 12 GB Memory)

http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MC511LL/A?mco=MTg1ODA4MDM
(2.93 GHz “Quad-Core i7” 8 GB Memory)

If portability is an issue...
http://store.apple.com/us/configure/MC024LL/A?mco=MTc0Njg1NzI
(2.8 GHz “Intel-Core i7 ” 8 GB Memory)

Regards
Nolan

Everyone is on a budget. What is your budget for this? $3000.00? $5000.00? Are we supposed to guess?

-DH

I got an iMAC in 2010 with 8GB of RAM, and the default processor, and it still takes FOREVER to render HD footage. Make sure, if you can, upgrade the processor to the most powerful one.

I have essentially the same system and the same render problem when trying to edit from my new Panasonic SD60 camcorder. This stinks compared to my old Canon HV20 miniDV which I could edit and render no problem almost instantly. I know the video card is old, but the specs say it should take my AVCHD video into the dual Intel MacBook with FCE4. It gets in, but fails miserably from there on. I am beginning to wonder if I need a new computer to handle the HD video. Did you find a solution?

What does this have to do with the thread? What are you talking about? What render problem?

Please give the exact item properties of the clips you're editing and the exact item properties of the sequence in which you're editing.