W3j for video editing?

Hello!

First of all, I should state, that I've spent some 7+ months reading this forum and everybody here, especially on :asus: :asus: :asus: board helped me a lot to make a tough decision - choose a laptop. And, yes, it will be W3j (some 7+ months before it could've become Z70va) - Dual Core, solidly built, nice package and modular bay. Phew... Phew?

1) Yes, I'm planning to get w3j... But along with it there's a camcoder coming over. So I'm going to do a lot of video-editing. Do you think w3j is just great for it?

2) Or I'm paying for some things, that can turn out to be useless, like, hm, :ati: x1600 )? There will be no gaming there, so is this videocard suitable for anything else except Battlefield-2 and Oblivion? =)

3) Also, what do you think about w3j's resolution and video editing - do they suit each other?

4) And finally, actually I'm torn between Macbook and W3j... Can anybody comparatively comment on those two? In terms of video editing... or not (no gaming though).

:apple: >< :asus:

Thanks everybody.

P.S. Funny thing, but it looks like, I, being from Russia, am lucky enough to get my w3j before a lot of people from US and Europe. And still, I'm buying it from US (my friend gets one from Proportable - thanks, Justin!). Envy me
Of course, I promise a review and pics as soon as...

 

I don't know how seriously you edit, but I'm thinking it will fine for that (from a performance standpoint). 2GB RAM is not a bad idea...

You probably do want a larger secondary monitor if you're doing professional grade editing.

 

Does the W3j have DVI out? I was under the impression that its doesn't unfortunately. If you are going to use external montors for digital editing this may be an issue. The MacBook Pro has DVI out. I am also thinking about the W3j and the only hangup for me is the DVI port.

 

Apple's software is usually no match for the PC video editing software.

The x1600 will do everything right now in terms of gaming, at high res.

The W3j doesn't have DVI out.

 

I don't understand if you mean it in a bad way or good. Because from where I stand (and how much experience I have under my belt in video editing) Apple's are usually superior, especially with the Final Cut Pro vs. Adobe Premiere... no competition, Final Cut is the better one.

Most professional grade movies are done on a Mac (Powerbook) and with Final Cut.


But then again, I personally love Adobe Premiere and would never switch, especially with theh $500+ price difference in the program. PC's just are amazing.

 

I think he means it the other way around.... PC video editing software doesn't compare to Mac video editing software...the Mac software is very superior..

 

yeap. final cut is the standard out there, no argument. but adobe premiere is good enough for me too

anyway, u def want a larger secondary monitor.

just reaffirming what everyone else just said, and dreaming on about the w3j. sigh.

 

Yea, I meant Final Cut is superior.

 

i am a video editor, and i think it all depends on the persons point of view... I dont like final cut pro... If you compare the latest version of FCP and AP, adobe premiere has more flexibility, in efects and encoding format... I personally feel more confterble editing in premiere... Its great when you have an AMD monster..

I think the W3J will do a great job. I do recomend you to get 2GB ram... It will give you a great boost.

 

If you're going to be doing heavy video editing, go for a Mac - they've got the best multimedia software on the planet IMO. Software like Final Cut Express is some of the best available today, is easy to use and works like a charm.

 

2GB dual is what I'm thinking too. Expensive though... hopefully it goes down with time (quickly..)

 

Thanks people,
I see, that all that stands between me, my w3j and video editing is final cut pro & 1 GB RAM stick.. Oh, the last one is not a problem =) (lack of DVI is also Ok).

And concerning the software... I'm not a newbie with PCs, so I tend to think that I can handle any software. Are there any options in Final Cut, that can't be added (through filters etc.) to A-Premiere? I mean, that will I really loose some important features by choosing PC over Mac or is it all about being more comfortable with software?

 

The one huge bottleneck I can see is not the ram or graphic card but the harddrive. Video-editing on a 5400RPM drive is going to be a joke.

I strongly suggest you get a desktop with two RAID-0 drives for the best editing.

I am using Pinnacle Liquid (which can make real-time effect using the graphic card) myself and it works great.

 

I tend to agree with this statement. I did some video editing with the stock standard 4200rpm drive in my lappy before I got the 7200, and it was so slow that the videos didnt encode properly, they were all jerky when i tried to encode at a decent bit rate.

7200 made a fairly big difference, not sure if it had anything to do with my c.r.a.p.p.y SIS m760GX IGFX..


insane

 

Well desktop is cool, but sometimes I just can't reach it. Do you think it'll work much better with 7200 Drive?

After all, I'll have a modular bay...

Yeah, that's what I was thinking about. You mean that with 7200 it became really good enough for video ed?

Thanks everybody

 

yeah was much better! I wasnt using premier or final cut, so nothing too hard core, but i noticed that i coulnt even encode a 3Megabit/s MPEG 2 file on the 4200rpm drive. resolution was small as well.

would have to test again with the same file to get a good comparison.


insane

 

As for options... there's a TON of filters you can apply (or buy) and those work just as well as FinalCut, just takes some getting used to.

As for HD, you could always get an external?...

I'm thinking of getting a modular too for editing.

 

I have a good deal of college friends who are majoring in graphics design / marketing, and they swear by macs. I do not have experience with the macbook pro, but I have used my brothers powerbook often (The newest model). Mac's have the easiest and most sophisticated forms of video, image and music editing and creating no doubt.

Now, of course you need to keep other things in mind, such as a "need" to play games, or use windows specific programs (bootcamp is not bulletproof yet, not even close).

I would go into an apple store near you / friend near you and see if the apple scheme of OSX is right for you.

If you know for a fact that that the w3j is for you, think about if you need a full size (vertically) screen. A 14.1" widescreen might not suit the needs of a "full screen project." However, there is no doubt that the w3j can handle the task at hand, it is only a matter of personal preferences. IE size and software.

 

Hrm Hrm..... This is what I think... I am a graphic designer, video editor, and 3d modeler.. I have used both PC and MAC. Where I studied everyone had a Mac including myself. Then when i started working at some magazine they forced me to use COREL DRAW (PC)... Then... I saw the light... Everything on a PC is much easier, and you have more compatibility with other formats... Then i started learning Adobe Premiere... I realized I could do way more things, and have more flexibility with video formats..

I think people in art schools prefer macs because the working environment looks "prettier". Everything on OSX looks cute... Other than that... I don’t think it’s faster or better in any way.

Your W3J will do just fine... Just get an asus 20" Monitor (They look so **** sexy). 7200 HD is a MUST.

 

Well, now I'm (sad to say) actually leaning toward the Macbook and Powerbook side because the price used to be the only factor stopping me but I not only get a student discount now, but I can purchase a refurbished notebook for $300-$400 off the original price, now that's tempting.

 

ycd im in the same boat

in singapore, the distributor said that wej will probably retail between 3.4k to 3.5k sgd. macbookpro is 3.6k, and i might be able to fetch a good discount. 3.4k is 2000 usd; so im actually reconsidering mbp cause of the pricepoint. im a designer too, a sideline profession, and while i like doing everything in pc- a lot of design companies have only macs anyway, and would prefer you doing them in macs. image thing i guess. and maybe apple shove their softwares in their face. so anyway, point is, boot camp maybe handy even if it's not guaranteed bugfree or will get latest updates. anw.. same boat same boat..

 

Well.. I actually thought about it after I posted... and truly... well..

W3J ALL THE WAY!!
Just compared the specs and also thought about the biggest factor that limits me from getting MBP... Software.

I know I can obtain software illegally but if I'm going to produce things legally I will have to purchase software, thus I can only use PC because of the $1K and more invested in software already (Adobe products..)

So yeah, I'm sticking with the W3J and plus, like everyone says, the MBP is really in BETA mode right now... while the W3J is in the PRIME of it's production. Like ProPortable said, they already released the beautiful chassis and now they only improved on the performance, making it great... and the specs are just plain awesome for that price. =0

Stick with the W3J brother, that's what I'm doing.

ASUS... till death do us part.

 

good choice, stick with the W3J... I am an environmental design student and have been weighing my choices over various notebooks to compliment my desktop.... I was looking at the macbook pro first because "everyone" had one, second "everyone" said that they are more compatable with design software.... then I saw the light, no disrespect, but the macbook pro versus the W3J there is no compition.... the Mac runs quiter, but at an extreme cost. Look at bench marks between the 2, the w3j is superior. then looking at software... x86 ring a bell? any software now written for the new makes with intel chips can hypothetically be installed on the PC counterpart (may require some patches etc.) the reason that everyone in my facaulty has one is mainly for style, Architect students and teachers are after a certain *style* and mac suposedly provides this (I personally cant stand the os... had a very frutrating time using one this year, only comp with CS2 on them...anyway) also personally hearing fan running makes me happy, or at least not worried... not a fan of passively cooled systems, I like heat flowing out of my computers and a fan noise is a good indication of this, I dont want to know that they have sacrificed to acheive he quiteness of the MBP. end of last term a friend picked up the MBP and I really wasnt all that impressed...

oh and the dual core is great for encoding... and ATI has a new feature in there x1*** series that can drastically spead up video encoding (3-4 times faster than a single (maybe dual) core CPU, unfortunately its in the beta stages, but there is a beta out there you can download, but it is missing certain features.

 

dudeee.. swaying swaying.. valid points ycd.
o man. do i have to swim all the way to taiwan?!?

 

Where do you live? They should be coming to the states in a bit...

Well, another factor is my vendor happens to be a friend =) Which means I get the W3J about, hmm, $300 or more cheaper.

But truly, even if it were full price I'd get it.

The all important word.
Specs.


That's the evaluation you need to do and the MBP might look nice and run quiet but it has no power. It's like getting a wife that just looks good. While that's nice, you'd never be able to get anything done because she'd never help you and doesn't know how to cook well. The W3J on the other hand, is a beautiful wife that provides. Need I say more? =)

 

im in singapore ycd. w3j shud be coming here soon too, but costing an arm n a leg. it'll be priced closed to the mbp; in fact, i might be able to get a cheaper mbp. oh i so envy you..

so im gonna go backk to the drawing board, or practice my swimming. tks

 

MBP's x1600 are underclocked by a 50%. Thats how they stay quiet.

 

Yeah... well, now that I see your situation it's really up to you then. Singapore is an awesome place by the way =) I went there when I was a kid... loved it.


I just heard there was many bugs on the MBP due to it being beta and I just don't want to deal with that. Rather have a stable platform like the W3J. S'all good man, make your choice as you like.

Swimmings great =)

 

For you editors, what's the smallest size possible for good editing? I'd love to get an Asus W7J or something that's less than 5 lbs (which usually means 13.3" screens and smaller), but I don't know how the screen would be.

I'm a casual editor, I'll be editing small projects to show to my school next year during our monthly schoolwide broadcast, and little small projects.

Also, is it an absolute necessity to have a dedicated graphics card? Thanks.

 

^ Maybe not absolutely necessary, but "strongly recommended" - the best option would be to look at what software you plan on using and what the system requirements are.

Adobe Premiere Pro for example requires a 7200RPM HD. Doesn't sound like you're going this serious, but you get the idea.

 

That 72 rep sounds amazing... I'm definitely getting an external but not anytime soon, waiting for the price to drop (which it does everyday =)

Funk a Dunk (nice name ; ) It would be nice to have a dedicated card and it definitely makes a difference (I tried on my desktop w/ integrated and on my new desktop w/ ATI and wow...) so the W3J would pack a punch. Upgrade to the 2GB ram and you're set for a long time.

As for screen size, I edit with a 15" right now but I'm more than a "casual editor" and yet I'm going with the 14" I figure it's only an inch difference and I don't really mind. I know some people out there that would yell, "NO! BIGGER = BETTER" but I'm a college student and I can't lug around anything heavier than a little over 5 pounds. It's good exercise.. but I'll pass. That's why I'm getting the W3J, just perfect size, not small (13" is just stretching it for editing.. unless you get an external LCD that would work) and anything bigger brings along a hefty weight.


IMO, W3J is perfect.

 

premiere would require you to poen up a lot of windows.
it can be frustrating if you don't have enough real estate. my monitor broke down, and i had to edit a piece in a 14" crt. it was bearable, but i was really tight for space. was really bad. 0.o

but then, u said you're getting a camcorder and normally you get a simple editting software to use. take a look at the software or get feedback, how much screen space u need.

personally 13.3" is a wee bit too cramp. oh ditto undertow on the gpu option

ycd: haha thanks mate. sore point of mbp, uber underclocking, and the proc is soldered to the board. u'd never plop a merom in if you want to (let say it's possible)

 

This may be considered OT in these parts, but for video or sound editing, it could be that a 14" Thinkpad would make sense, unless you feel that widescreen is important. You can configure a Thinkpad T60 with a 7200 rpm drive and 2G of ram for about $2,000; $200 more would get you a third gig of ram. Weight would be about the same as W3J. And you could add a second drive via the unit's media bay, which I assume could also spin at 7200. I've never used any real video editing software, but I know that sound editing software (ProTools, etc) generally benefits from having two fast drives. I assume video software would be similar (but again, I haven't researched it).

Just a thought. I personally am in agony over whether to by a T60 for myself or a V6J (I'm a fan of fast, light machines with non-widescreen displays). All the specs, point me to getting a comparably-priced T60 but for some reason I'm drawn to the Asus.

 

pav,

asus is just so much more sexehhhh... yeehaw...


but consider what u need then

 

Bump that =) dysfunctional...

Definitely much more sexier, and like I said, some eye-candy wouldn't be bad and the performance difference isn't that big while price is why the W3J has lower specs (because lower price) than the Thinkpad.

Thinkpads (IMO) just.... look ugly, I wouldn't want to lug that thing around, ASUS would catch some attention.

 

I actually think 14" might be okay, especially for the trade-off between the weight. I don't think it'll be that bad. The Premiere timeline can be adjusted to your selected length via the seconds and stuff, I use that so I'm fine.

Personal preference I guess, but I do agree, 13" would be pushing it, that would be an eyesore to edit with =)

 

I use both and Avid Adrenaline and Final Cut Pro HD at my work and I use Avid Express pro on my 6 year old 15" Dell laptop for freelance work. It has a standard 4x3 aspect screen, so I don't think the 14" widescreen on the w3j will be a problem. I know the extra RAM and Dual Core processor will help immensely. Can't wait for the W3J to arrive!

 

StarTech will configure a W3J w/ a 7400rpm drive. Problem solved.

 

can that be fixed with omega drivers?

 

note that this voids your asus global warranty, and you get the "star warranty" instead.

This means that you will lose universal support, and will have to deal with a small vendor for any and all your problems.

Just something to think about.

 

...and it's a 7200RPM drive, but you knew that already...

 

Hm... with all these changes in ETAs and specs...
what do you think about W3j vs MacBook Pro (in terms of video-editing)?

 

Well, we've gone over this.

It's almost 90% personal preference as far as Adobe Premiere (or any other big-name PC v.e. software goes) vs. Final Cut.

Then again... consider the fact that the MacBook Pro is still (IMO) "beta" being the first produced by Apple. The W3J being in their prime years because it's the second model. And the notion that the MBP has considerable heat when compared to the W3J. But the MBP is a powerhouse, have to admit that.


Go with what you would like more and use more, that's what I say.

 

As far as ETA goes... it's only three more weeks, seriously some people have waited over a year to get it and now that it's so close, it's not that big of a deal to have the ETA be a block towards your choice. Unless the ETA somehow turns to June 2007. Then.... some things must be said =)