Best software

I can't even import the EX3 mp4 files...it just imports audio and no video.

If you have a chance go with an i7, 12GB ram, Adobe CS5 with an nVidia card with over 300 cuda cores,and a SSD for your system drive. I just helped 2 others build their machines, and we couldnt even get Premiere to choke on playback, even with 4 layers of 1080 (canon HDSLR footage), 2 layers of 3000pixel wide images, and a text layer, all with opacity and blur. That would make an ordinary machine cry for it's mama. I am quite impressed with the revised Mercury playback engine. After Effects on these 2 machines is about twice the rendering speed as my Q6600 (32 bit OS).
The total time for a fresh Windows install on the SSD (intel x25) was 14 minutes from popping disc in until navigating the desktop. Bootup is in the 15-20 sec range and programs load nearly instantly. Windows shuts down in 3-4 seconds. Sweet.

@DavidTyrerPhoto, when you say "Radeon card did not work", did you mean that CS5 did not work at all, or did it just work slower that expected?

Just going by the specs on the adobe site...they suggest nvidia cards. But it's flaky on the Mac anyway...all I tried to do was create an alias nd it stopped working.

So, "an i7, 12GB ram, Adobe CS5 with an nVidia card with over 300 cuda cores,and a SSD " is the best woman in the world.

I think I'll be going with FCP utilmately.

Are you using the MacOS or a Windows VM?

Also, just as an FYI - not too long ago - (a few months) Sony Vegas Pro 10.x came out. Of course the first thing I did when I got the upgrade was to run some tests against the 9.x series - quite frankly- it blew it away regarding speed. So I looked a bit deeper into the whole Adobe claims about real time viewing with the "special" video card etc.. Hence, I had to set up a similar test within Sony. So I layered out several vids, added a bunch of effects etc... and started scrubbing the time line. I was blown away.. very fast, real time - sweet. Then instead of manually scrubbing back and forth, I just let it play - even sweeter. So Sony pretty much accomplished the same thing without any special video card or drivers. I use a Radeon 48xx series with dual HDMI ports.
My system is Win7, 64bit, 6GB ram, but also very fast hard drives and an external raid, again high speed access via eSata and fast platters. Just an FYI

ionescu--I dont know about being the "best woman", but (outside of an 8 CPU Mac I used at NAB) the i7, 64bit, with 300 Cuda cores was the fastest thing I've seen for editing.

When it comes to the 'best woman', Macs are sexy, dependable and smart.

Cheap and ugly PC's might get the work done, but I know who I'd rather spend time with.

where are all the mac fanboys when you need them!!

I use CS3 to do my stock video, but I am looking at editing longer projects and I have been looking to get a macbook sometime with final cut. I used final cut with some footage from the mark II and it plays very smooth. Even on a basic macbook. My 9 gig i7 won't play it like that... so it is time to convert I believe.