A low-cost build for video editing

[pbvytt]

I've found out that my old MBP Early 2008 isn't the computer one would choose for working with FCPX. So I need to choose a build which would allow me editing 720p without seeing the colored wheel 90% of the time while focusing on the lowest price possible. So this is what I've come up with:

• CPU - i5 3570K. I hope it will be powerful enough, and I want the K version for its integrated video (though it won't work at the moment).
• MB - Asus P67 Sabertooth. I get it for free, so I believe that no other MB can beat it by the quality/price ratio. Some day I might change it for the one that will support my built-in processor video.
• RAM - I believe 2x8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz will be enough.
• Video - can I use my old 9600GT, or should I look forward to buying GT640? I want to use one without a cooler as I hate noise.
• SSD - is 256 GB Crucial M4 worth buying? My projects are about 140-180 GB, and I only work with one at a time. So I can afford putting it to my SSD to speed it up - but does it make sense?
• HDD - I take 3 TB WD Green (5400 RPM), and it might be too slow for video editing. But if I transfer the project to SSD it doesn't matter.
• I'll take the case and PSU from my old PC, and borrow the CPU cooler from a friend. So they don't count.

The only purpose of this PC while with hackintosh will be video editing as few months later I'll switch to Linux. So the only program I care about is Final Cut Pro X - it should run smooth and without any problems. Is the suggested build capable of it?
Sorry for my bad English.

 

[Going Bald]

I've found out that my old MBP Early 2008 isn't the computer one would choose for working with FCPX. So I need to choose a build which would allow me editing 720p without seeing the colored wheel 90% of the time while focusing on the lowest price possible. So this is what I've come up with:

• CPU - i5 3570K. I hope it will be powerful enough, and I want the K version for its integrated video (though it won't work at the moment).
• MB - Asus P67 Sabertooth. I get it for free, so I believe that no other MB can beat it by the quality/price ratio. Some day I might change it for the one that will support my built-in processor video.
• RAM - I believe 2x8 GB DDR3 1600 MHz will be enough.
• Video - can I use my old 9600GT, or should I look forward to buying GT640? I want to use one without a cooler as I hate noise.
• SSD - is 256 GB Crucial M4 worth buying? My projects are about 140-180 GB, and I only work with one at a time. So I can afford putting it to my SSD to speed it up - but does it make sense?
• HDD - I take 3 TB WD Green (5400 RPM), and it might be too slow for video editing. But if I transfer the project to SSD it doesn't matter.
• I'll take the case and PSU from my old PC, and borrow the CPU cooler from a friend. So they don't count

The only purpose of this PC while with hackintosh will be video editing as few months later I'll switch to Linux. So the only program I care about is Final Cut Pro X - it should run smooth and without any problems. Is the suggested build capable of it?
Sorry for my bad English.

I would not try to run an Ivy Bridge CPU on a Sandy Bridge mainboard. Get the 2500K instead, to go with the ASUS board - same price, has HD3000 gfx which is supported in OS X 10.7.x and 10.8.x.
You might also want to download a bios for the board from http://biosrepo.wordpress.com/asus/p67-2/ so you can get native power management. Not sure if the 9600 will still work in 10.8.x, but will in 10.7.x

SSD - makes a great deal of sense. You will be surprised at the speed difference from a HDD.
HDD - if you are using the SSD with a scratch partition to do your project, the slower HDDs used for storage only willl be just fine.

 

[pbvytt]

I would not try to run an Ivy Bridge CPU on a Sandy Bridge mainboard. Get the 2500K instead, to go with the ASUS board - same price, has HD3000 gfx which is supported in OS X 10.7.x and 10.8.x.
You might also want to download a bios for the board from http://biosrepo.wordpress.com/asus/p67-2/ so you can get native power management. Not sure if the 9600 will still work in 10.8.x, but will in 10.7.x

SSD - makes a great deal of sense. You will be surprised at the speed difference from a HDD.
HDD - if you are using the SSD with a scratch partition to do your project, the slower HDDs used for storage only willl be just fine.

Asus claims that Sabertooth P67 supports i5 3570K since 2012.03.02 (2302) BIOS update.
Is graphics card important for video editing? I'm not sure whether to stick to my 9600 GT or to try something new like GT 640.
Thank you.

 

[Going Bald]

Asus claims that Sabertooth P67 supports i5 3570K since 2012.03.02 (2302) BIOS update.
Is graphics card important for video editing? I'm not sure whether to stick to my 9600 GT or to try something new like GT 640.
Thank you.

All of the board makers claim support for Ivy CPU after BIOS update on Sandy Bridge boards. All I can say is that I have read many posts where people have problems with Ivy on Sandy even after the BIOS update.

As for gfx card, depends on which video editing app you are using. If it is CPU intensive, then no, but a lot of apps are set up to use the CUDA cores in the nVidia gfx cards and then the card becomes very important. Look on your app's website and they will tell you.

 

[pbvytt]

All of the board makers claim support for Ivy CPU after BIOS update on Sandy Bridge boards. All I can say is that I have read many posts where people have problems with Ivy on Sandy even after the BIOS update.

As for gfx card, depends on which video editing app you are using. If it is CPU intensive, then no, but a lot of apps are set up to use the CUDA cores in the nVidia gfx cards and then the card becomes very important. Look on your app's website and they will tell you.

I'm using Final Cut Pro X, as far as I understand it relies on OpenCL, but I can't figure out how important it is.

 

[Going Bald]

I'm using Final Cut Pro X, as far as I understand it relies on OpenCL, but I can't figure out how important it is.

Then yes, the gfx card is important.

 

[pbvytt]

Then yes, the gfx card is important.

Thank you. And will GT 640 be enough? I don't like active cooling.

 

[Going Bald]

Thank you. And will GT 640 be enough? I don't like active cooling.

For non-professional use, probably.

 

[Peter R.]

The 640's a dog.

 

[Going Bald]

The 640's a dog.

The 520 is worse. But what can you expect with passive cooling? There is only so much heat a passive cooler can remove, so it naturally is throttled back so it doesn't burn itself up.