Apple Mac Upgrades - RAM, SSD Flash, External Drives and More

Export a 502MB DV File to MPEG-2 using FCP	L2 Cache	L3 Cache	Time, Sec.

Reference Apple Systems

PM G4/466MHz Digital Audio	1024k	0MB L3	287
PM G4/733MHz QuickSilver	256k	0MB L3	220
PM G4/867MHz QuickSilver	256k	2MB, SDRAM	175
PM 2x G4/1GHz QuickSilver 2002	256k x2	2x 1MB, DDRAM	138
PM 2x G4/867MHz Mirrored Drive Door	256k x2	2x 1MB, DDRAM	144
PM 2x G4/1GHz Mirrored Drive Door	256k x2	2x 1MB, DDRAM	124
PM G4/1GHz (MDD) FireWire 800	256k	1MB, DDRAM	163
PM 2x G4/1.25GHz (MDD) FireWire 800	256k x2	2x 1MB, DDRAM	108
PM 2x G4/1.42GHz (MDD) FireWire 800	256k x2	2x 1MB, DDRAM	92

Acceleration Cards

GigaDesigns G-Celerator G4/800MHz	256k	2MB SPB SRAM	191
OWC Mercury Extreme G4/800MHz	256k	2MB SPB SRAM	189
PowerLogix PowerForce G4/800MHz	256k	2MB SPB SRAM	192
Sonnet Encore/ST G4/800MHz	256k	2MB DDR SRAM	193
GigaDesigns G-Celerator G4/1GHz	256k	2MB SPB SRAM	156
GigaDesigns G-Celerator G4/1GHz (@ 1.2GHz)	256k	2MB SPB SRAM	137
Sonnet Encore/ST G4/1GHz	256k	2MB SPB SRAM	162
PowerLogix PowerForce G4/1.2GHz	256k	2MB DDR SRAM	149
Sonnet Encore/ST G4/1.2GHz	256k	2MB SPB SRAM	147
GigaDesigns G-Celerator G4/1.26GHz	256k	2MB DDR SRAM	141
OWC Mercury Extreme G4/1.26GHz	256k	2MB DDR SRAM	136
OWC Mercury Extreme G4/1.33GHz	256k	2MB DDR SRAM	138
GigaDesigns G-Celerator G4/1.4GHz @ 1.467GHz	256k	2MB DDR SRAM	126
OWC Mercury Extreme G4/1.467GHz	256k	2MB DDR SRAM	119
PowerLogix PowerForce 2x867MHz	256k	2MB DDR SRAM	150
PowerLogix PowerForce 2x933MHz	256k x2	2MB SPB SRAM x2	139
PowerLogix PowerForce 2x1.0GHz	256k x2	2MB SPB SRAM x2	135
PowerLogix PowerForce 2x1.2GHz	256k x2	2MB SPB SRAM x2	118

Final Cut Pro MPEG-2 Export. Shorter bars are better, all times in seconds. The test file was created using iMovie's included tutorial movies. Load all of the included clips and duplicate them 2x to have 3 movies in a row in the timeline. Save the file as raw DV footage and open the file using Final Cut Pro. In Final Cut Pro, then export the file to MPEG-2 format, with the following specifications set: 720x480 Resolution 6.5Mbps Bitrate Include Audio Write Report File The exported MPEG-2 file ends up being 140.1MB. This test is fantastic for a benchmark as I ran the export multiple times and the test scores were exactly the same every time. This removes any stopwatch variables (the export writes a text file with vital statistics when it runs, no stopwatch needed) and I was amazed that there was no variation - ever. Perfect for testing!