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FCPX 10.1 Very slow on iMac and lots of spinning beach balls

I have noticed since I have started to use FCPX 10.1 on my Late 2012 iMac (32GB RAM, 680MX Graphics, i7 quad core, thunderbold Arecca Raid) I am getting lots of spinning beach balls and things are generally slower.


I am really hoping Apple thought about people who cannot affored a Mac Pro, and ensure the performance is also good on iMacs, but unfortunately I am seeing a drop in performance compared to 10.0.9.


Has anyone else with an iMac noticed this?

Posted on Dec 22, 2013 5:37 AM

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200 replies

Feb 21, 2014 9:57 AM in response to montster

That was interesting article about Mac Pro. I just got one and It just amazing. About Apple software I have the feeling that something is not right with FPX and also Mavericks according to many posts here on this forumI have been lucky even to day when I started to use FCP 10.1.1 and Mavericks and no trouble so far. But after 3 years FCP X should be running smoothly for most users. It is not normal to delete preferences on regular basis and use other tricks. It is clear that many users have real problems that seems difficult to explain.

Feb 21, 2014 2:55 PM in response to innocentius

As I have said, FCPX has an I/O problem with files in system as the app will hang for 1-2 minutes, moving through problematic code, before going back to the exact same spot ready for the angry editor to do what she wants to do unless one forgets during the "wonderful" delay imposed upon the user during the fetch to another clip or operation within the program. 10.9 did NOT have this problem so, it leads one to say the app, modifiied for Mavericks, now has the problem while the Mavericks OS has worked for me without issue, including full use of the complete Adobe cc app set. As stated before, this is a software bug that has NOTHING to do with the inherent function capability of the program but rather with its frequent inability to efficiently connect to other parts of the app to do an edit or drag a clip onto the timeline as needs warrant. Because I build systems, I know a little bit so, IMHO, this access isue is definitely fixable and should be done so quickly because Apple will take a hit from pros using this specific program, which was updated to highlight the prowess of the Mac Pro, a machine fast enough to cover up the spinning ball issue that plaques users like yours truly who don't have a Mac Pro handy to do the task at hand.

Feb 22, 2014 4:37 AM in response to alexgrainger

I have been trying for weeks to get FCP 10.1 working with no success. I am in the process of loading it on a bare bones iMac loaded with memory and SSD to see if that will work. Nothing else seems to. All I get is freezes, and time delay balls for endless amounts of time. I cannot believe that Apple is not addressing the problem quicker... we don't even have a way to go back now that the file structures are all changed. One has to wonder if this is just a way for Apple to sell more Mac Pros.

Feb 22, 2014 5:44 AM in response to Russ H

Thank you Russ. I have been working on a project for one day and FCPX simply flies. Just the start up took only 2 seconds. 6 cores. I use High Quality all the time, sharing, and rendering is fast and it uses only about 6 GB memory and I have 16 GB installed. Compressor encodes is fast now. I need more time to explore the new combo a bit more.

Feb 22, 2014 2:13 PM in response to alexgrainger

I'm having the same issues. I have a mid 2010 i5 and everything was running really smoothly until I updated to Mavericks and FCPx 10.1.1

Now I am getting a lot of freeze ups and beachballs. Is it possible to downgrade back to my previous OSX and FCPx.

This is getting really frustrating.


One thing that I have noticed is that my system is running a lot cooler. It used to be quite hot to the touch. Now quite cool.

Feb 27, 2014 3:33 AM in response to alexgrainger

God dam. I have had the older(2012 12core Mac Pro fully loaded) & had lots of issues with the **** fcpx just getting tired of this crap. I. Just dropped 15000 grand buying the new Mac Pro with a promis raid with thunderbolt 2 and I'm still getting that f***ing beach ball crap on a 3hr long video in 1080 with 8 cam which is on a proxy. Any suggestions ??

Feb 27, 2014 4:07 AM in response to Pro Optics

Pro optics, I have 2 suggestions, yes. But not necessarily the solution:


  • Use as little Coumpound clips as possible. Avoid compound clips of compound clips.
  • Something somebody has mentioned here and has been not highlighted enough: if your project/library comes from a version before 10.1, you'll have issues. 10.1 is faster with libraries that have been imported in 10.1. You might try to re-import your footage in 10.1

Feb 27, 2014 5:31 AM in response to Russ H

Why was my comment deleted? I just wrote about the I/O problem with 10.1.1 and how it was a fundamental issue that must be addressed as 10.9 does not have this problem. Seems the Mac Pro can't deal with this either. Cmon Apple, get it fixed or $$ and reputation will be lost, something Jobs NEVER would let happen given his respect for creatives like ourselves.

FCPX 10.1 Very slow on iMac and lots of spinning beach balls

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