Looking for best combination of OS X and Editing Software

Question

Looking for best combination of OS X and Editing Software

With limited cash and an older used model - iMac9,1 with Intel Core 2 Duo, 3.06 GHz, 4 GB Mem - I face some big choices: I'm an editor with limited resources and am looking for the best combination considering don't have alot of extra money to spend on hardware upgrades. I've been using OS 10.5.8 with Final Cut Studio 2 for years and have recently received a copy of Final Cut Studio 3 which can be run with 10.6.8 or higher. Adobe Premiere can also run with only 10.7 and higher but could require upgrades to hardware. I have several projects to finish up and my brain is blah with all the research I've been doing on different OS with that software only if it is upgraded to this hardware...After these are done, I'll be hiring from here on! Ahh! Someone.....please.......help......(*in voice of leeloo*)

Posted on Sep 11, 2015 10:22 AM

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Answer 1

babowa

Level 9

78,580 points

Sep 12, 2015 5:30 AM in response to redthunderbird

Maybe this info will help: as for your Adobe product(s), your iMac's hardware has very limited upgrade possibilities:

You can add RAM, but you can't change the graphics/video card. If this is your model:

http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/imac/specs/imac-core-2-duo-3.06-24-inch-al uminum-early-2009-specs.html

you can double your RAM to 8 GB.

Also keep in mind that this is a 2009 model - 6 years old and I would not spend more than absolutely necessary on such an older model. Yours can run the newer OS versions - however, remember that you have a less powerful, older processor and the newer OS versions will not run at their optimal speed.

Personally, I'd go to 10.6.8 and stay there - an excellent OS (although no longer updated or supported - but then, neither is Lion 10.7 which is a memory hog comparatively speaking. 10.6.x will be very happy with 4 GB.

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Answer 2

Sep 12, 2015 5:38 AM in response to babowa

Thank you for your advice babowa, this really puts it into perspective and I'm glad we're on the same page! I didn't want to upgrade too high considering the older model but was unsure. Also, I had all of the older version applications that are no longer supported (Dropbox, Skype, etc) by 10.5.8 and am wondering if this will happen anytime soon with 10.6.8...I guess I'll find out sooner or later. 🙂

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Answer 3

babowa

Level 9

78,580 points

Sep 12, 2015 7:47 AM in response to redthunderbird

You're welcome - as for applications and 10.6.8, it would be difficult to guess since that OS is no longer supported/updated and no one would know what the various developers will do (or not).

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