I'm a professional film maker and need to replace my old MacBook Pro - Which should I choose? Apple MacBook Pro vs iMac Retina or Apple Mac Pro?
That's a great question. Rendering video is processor and graphic intensive so you'll want the latest CPU with the most horsepower your budget allows and higher end dedicated graphics. In descending order budget wise...
Assuming you're not tied to a laptop, the MacPro was designed specifically for videography. With your files on external storage (you may want to consider Thunderbolt capable storage at this point) you can minimize the storage in the new Mac to help keep the cost down, but upgrade the graphics, RAM and select the right CPU and you'll be set.
Best: Apple MacPro CTO: I'd suggest 256gb storage, Dual D700 graphics with 6GB of video RAM (or no less than the dual D500 with 3GB of VRAM), 32gb or 64GB RAM, and the 6 core processor. The Mac Pro will support multiple 5K monitors which can be ran by each of the dual dedicated graphics cards.
Better: If you want to consider an all in one, the Apple iMac Retina has awesome capabilities and a stunning retina display. Available upgrades include the i7 4.0GHz 4 core processor, up to 64GB of RAM, and all flash storage. You can also upgrade to the M295x graphics with 4GB dedicated Video RAM.
Good: And of corse, if you want or need the mobility of a laptop, the 15" MacBook Pro Retina will be what you want, but you're sacrificing graphic capabilities with the MacBook Pro compared to the Mac Pro. However, you can still upgrade to an i7 4 core processor at 2.8GHz with turbo boost up to 4.0GHz, but you're limited to 16GB of RAM which can not be upgraded.
Regardless which you choose, if you don't already have an SSD in your old Mac, upgrading to all flash storage will be a tremendous boost to overall performance that you'll notice immediately.
Portable One offers free pre-sale consulting to help ensure you invest the in best new computer for your specific needs without any pressure or unnecessary up-selling. Feel free to contact us at 800-650-4006 or Sales@PortableOne.com