I edit with Premiere CS4 and will soon be editing with Avid Media Composer.
I’m feeling good about my options but want to speak with someone who does all kinds of editing on MBP’s and iMacs to make sure I am aware of the best internal and external hard drive upgrades, and second-fiddle options. I have an ExpressCard/34 slot and thought I was limited to FireWire until now. I am still trying to learn more about the best solutions to edit three to four streams of HD video on an eSATA drive. Also, THANKS for the holiday catalog on the various hard drives and accessories. I just upgraded ram to 8GB ram and am so thankful that I can’t wait to hear about your iMac 2012 reviews.
I just learned about OWC while trying to find upgrades for my 2009 MacBookPro 5,1 2.4 gHz. Well, this old IBM and Data General FE tech, who was authorized to repair to the component level (used mostly 5400-series mil spec ICs in those days, then the 7400-series got better specs), sees a return to the “distributive computational” model where the CPU/ALU is located in the “cloud” as is all our data – there for the government to peruse at their pleasure – which necessitates only a “dumb” terminal to communicate with the Master Control Program in the Sky (TRON anyone?) is the norm. The HD will be the next to go from the desktop iMacs with the cost of SSD coming down so quickly and the much quicker data transfer rate, SSD is the future.
Since almost ALL software is delivered via the cloud now, the DVD Superdrive is now a dinosaur. This iMac model (13,1) is really something, and the whole idea behind the “thin-thin” design was to get the optical DVD Superdrive, which failed repeatedly in the previous iMac models when it was internal to the computer, out of the unit and external to the iMac for thermal satiability and easier access. But upgrading memory? I’ll leave it to the Apple techs at my local Apple Store, so if they break those tiny, tiny runs on the video cable connector between LCD screen and motherboard, they can swallow the $800 cost of a new motherboard. Once you get past the incredible complexity of detaching the glass/LCD screen from the unit (as compared to the small magnets on the front screen in pre-2012 models which was relatively much easier to open), replacing the HD with a SSD should be straight forward. One good point is the separation of the power supply board from the motherboard. Obviously the Apple design team did not want you to do this on this model.
But you have to virtually disassemble the entire iMac to upgrade memory.