iMac 27" Graphic Cards - Are They Good for 1080p Editing?

[Rapmastac1]

I'm referring the higher and highest end graphic cards available on the 27" models of the iMacs. I plan on creating and editing 1080p content in the future and would like to not be bottlenecked by the graphics card for a change. My current iMac (first gen ALU 20", base configuration) just barely plays 1080p clips with minimal stuttering. It's fast otherwise.

I ask because I plan on getting my next computer in a year and need some options. I obviously want to stick with OSX so that limits my choices, I am between either the highest end iMac or a Mac Pro with the highest end graphics card or similar.

What do you guys think?

 

[Eidorian]

What significantly better video options are there right now?

 

[b01189]

What 1080p footage are you trying to deal with compressed or uncompressed?

What iMac or Mac Pro are you looking at purchasing?

If your dealing with anything anywhere near 1080p uncompressed the iMacs will not support the data flow as well as a Mac Pro. Beyond that you will need a significant amount of ram.

Honestly the work flow of a Mac Pro is built for this kinda of data flow will work much better. I have a MP dual 2.66 2 core 6gb RAM and two 8800 GTs powering my two 22in Monitors and finally a third 7300 GT for a client monitor, and a AJA card for the interface with FCP and Avid that works quit well.http://images.macrumors.com/vb/images/smilies/smile.gif

 

[gjw4u]

OP, why not ask this question in a years time, as you think of upgrading then. Who knows what new Macs, CPU, & GPU we might have by then.

 

[polterdice]

I have a MP dual 2.66 2 core 6gb RAM and two 8800 GTs powering my two 22in Monitors and finally a third 7300 GT for a client monitor, and a AJA card for the interface with FCP and Avid that works quit well.http://images.macrumors.com/vb/images/smilies/smile.gif

Aw man, I clicked the link hoping it would be your setup and not a smiley face... I feel like I've been rickroll'd

 

[b01189]

Aw man, I clicked the link hoping it would be your setup and not a smiley face... I feel like I've been rickroll'd

Ya.. sorry about that but heres a pic of my setup... ya there are a couple of older mac, eMac G4 PowerMac have those set up for some back ground rendering for avid and FCP.

 

[zedsdead]

If you plan to video edit a lot, I highly recommend the upper end quad-core iMac. The difference between the two ATI cards will not really effect editing 1080p video, but the processor will (plus if you go with the Quad, you get the upper ATI card anyway).

 

[ravencr]

For those of you using Premiere to edit on a iMac, does it play the video within the software while editing without hiccup at all? That's the main problem I have with editing on my MBP 17" loaded. It just can't keep up...upgrading to an iMac if I can get this confirmation.

Chris