PSA: USB C NVMe SSDs too slow for 4K HDR from iPhone 12

[ruslan120]

On the latest version of Final Cut Pro and Catalina, FCP playback is super smooth but there are lags when navigating the timeline, making cuts, and there’s an odd lag between hitting the spacebar to play the project and actually playing.

All interactions take two seconds, example: if hitting CMD B to cut, I need to keep the cursor in one place otherwise the clip is cut in the wrong location.

Using proxy media at 50% resolution, running a 2019 iMac 5K (i9) with 40GB RAM, and a 5700 XT eGPU. Editing on an external NVMe USB C SSD - think the USB C drive might be the bottleneck?

Video files are from the iPhone 12 Pro Max, editing non HDR video has never given me an issue like this off of the NVMe USB C SSD. 4K HDR 30Hz

Any advice or similar experiences would be appreciated.

 

[Plett]

My first thought is the same as yours. I’d try moving the proxy to your machine and see if that makes a difference. I will be watching this thread closely very interesting. (I don’t have the iPhone 12 or a rig as nice as yours to test it myself, or I would)

 

[ruslan120]

My first thought is the same as yours. I’d try moving the proxy to your machine and see if that makes a difference. I will be watching this thread closely very interesting. (I don’t have the iPhone 12 or a rig as nice as yours to test it myself, or I would)

Thank you for the prompt response @Plett . Will update thread within a few hours after attempting on internal SSD.

 

[ruslan120]

Thank you for the prompt response @Plett . Will update thread within a few hours after attempting on internal SSD.

Confirmed - USB C NVMe SSDs are too slow to edit 4K HDR from the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Samsung 970 Evo (2TB) + Sabrent Enclosure


Machine handles everything just fine on the internal SSD. (Dang. Was hoping to avoid spending money on a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure

 

[Plett]

Confirmed - USB C NVMe SSDs are too slow to edit 4K HDR from the iPhone 12 Pro Max.

Samsung 970 Evo (2TB) + Sabrent Enclosure


Machine handles everything just fine on the internal SSD. (Dang. Was hoping to avoid spending money on a Thunderbolt 3 enclosure

At any rate good to know! Sorry for you future wallet hit!